82 ALGERIA 



experiments: i. Sowing should be early in the fall to profit by 

 the autumn germination, since the early plants are better able 

 to stand the drought of the next summer. 2. The amount of 

 seed sown can safely be reduced 25 per cent. 3. The brush 

 cover used was too heavy, for on certain areas it suffocated 

 the seedlings where the air could not circulate quite freely; 

 yet a brush cover seems necessary to protect the seedlings 

 against birds and rabbits, and to shade them from the sun. 

 (Compare with Boutilly's conclusions, page 6.) 4. The cones 

 from debris seem to open slowly, but the seed apparently re- 

 tains its germinating power. 36 



The results of each experiment by plots were as follows: 



1. Regeneration incomplete but future crop seems assured. 



2. Results satisfactory. 3. Complete failure because the debris 

 was burned too completely; the seed sown was not protected 

 from the sun and was devoured by the birds. 4. Resulted in 

 failure on the sandy soil, mediocre on clayey lime soil; too 

 expensive to be practical. 5. Very mediocre results on sand, 

 satisfactory on clayey lime soil. 6. Results very satisfactory. 

 7. Failure on sand, satisfactory on clayey lime soil, but the 

 results are below 5 and 6 and the cost higher; therefore, this 

 method should rarely be used. 8. Mediocre, cost heavy. 



Thus methods i, 2, 5, and 6 have thus far given the best 

 results; namely, scattering the debris after an ordinary felling; 

 sowing broadcast before exploitation; prepared strips seeded 

 after felling; furrows seeded after felling. No. 7 succeeded, 

 but cost more than furrows or strips. These experiments are 

 suggestive of what might be accomplished, through similar oper- 

 ations, in the United States. 



Forestation Projects. At Constantine the conservator has 

 undertaken some difficult forestation. Here seed spots are 

 used, 30 by 30 centimetres (12 by 12 inches) and 40 centimetres 

 (16 inches) deep, preferably prepared 3 or more months before 

 sowing or planting. The two principal species used are cork 

 oak and aleppo pine. With dry soil, where acorns are sown, 



36 The aleppo pine is like lodgepole pine inasmuch as its cones open readily 

 after a light fire and seed prolifically. 



