CONTRIBUTED ARTICLES 



Seed-Sating Animals in Relation to Reforestation 



Lr. lied Dearborn. 



In the usual order of things, seed producers and 



seed consumer., aro, u-oon the whole, in harmony. While land 

 Is covered rith living timber there is a vast amount of seed 

 thct cannot possibly develop into mature plants. Such trees 

 as have seeds cf any considerable size are thus natural pur- 

 veyors Tor seed-eating creatures, both in fur and foathers. 

 Miin;/ of those creatures hc.ve the hc'Dit of storing nuts and 

 other OOCC3, for future consumption, \7hich involves trcnapor- 

 tation, and it not infrequently happens that, through acci- 

 dent or overcight, eoods are left whore they find suitable 

 conditions in which to grow and reproduce their kin<? . Indeed, 

 trees bearing seeds too heavy to be carried by the wind are 

 distributed mcinly through the provident labors of these 

 animals. There is, therefore, normally a Irlnd of interde- 

 pendence between certain treec and certain animals. 



The moment naturel conditions ere upset, however, 

 this harmony givec place to antagonism. Let a fire reduce 

 the forest to embers and bare earth, and the seed- eaters 

 inniediatoly become oppose': to reforeotratlon. Only the 

 arboreal species are banished for more than a few months by 

 a forest fire. The ecrth-dwellero ground squirrles, chip- 

 munks, anc 1 mice soon return to their old hauntc end flour- 

 ish upon the -profuvi-s of various herbs end deeply rooted 

 ohrubs, which sprin-r up end clothe the ground in a single 

 su-niaor. But though they thrive and multiply under the new 

 conditions, their noses are ever keen for the scent of a nut. 



When it ic proposed to reforest a burn by seeding, 

 essential prelir.,inrry is to ascertain Tjhet kindc of rodents 



are upon it, how numerous thoy are and hor; they are distributed, 



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