FRENCH PLANTING TECHNIQUE 127 



this limestone soil is in November, December, and January so as to 

 benefit from the late autumn rain. 



At Barcelonette autumn planting, especially when done in September 

 or in October, gives very good results in the high altitudes. 



Plantations in Holes (or Spots). —While to have a complete stand 

 from the start 4,000 spots to the acre would be required, this number is 

 largely reduced to an extent varying with the region and on the species 

 in order to cut down the cost of forestation and thinning. Dense planta- 

 tions are reserved for land which presents very difficult conditions on 

 account of the soil or of the climate. The depth and length of the spots 

 is ordinarily 16 to 12 inches, the size being reduced where the plants 

 may be badly damaged by the frost or where the slope is very steep. 

 On difficult slopes the conifers are often planted by the French i° in 

 clumps of two to three seedhngs; the larch is usually planted single. 

 With transplanted stock the single plants are used in the case of the 

 broad leaves, except that beech is sometimes planted in pairs. Protec- 

 tion is frequently afforded by overturned sod or by stones. According 

 to Dinner, he is obliged by the Paris office to do some sowing, but would 

 otherwise do all his reforestation by planting. The main feature of his 

 planting technique is the size of the holes. The Paris authorities impose 

 a size of 10 inches square, but Dinner uses 16-inch "spots" and even 

 larger if the ground is bad. He feels that the secret of success is in 

 large spots which hold the moisture, whereas small spots would be dried 

 out. On large areas he plants strips of broadleaved trees as future fire 

 belts. Where there are 1,600 to 2,000 plants per acre the whole expense 

 is $10 to $12 per acre with labor at 70 to 80 cents a day. The average 

 loss through his inspection is 25 per cent, some seasons being almost 

 nothing, but other years 60 to 70 per cent. At Barcelonette the plant- 

 ing in spots or in bunches (that is, three or four plants to the spot) is 

 favored. They count 2,000 spots per acre and three plants per cluster. 

 This cost (in 1912) $3.86 to $5.79 per acre without the cost of the stock. 



French Planting Technique. — The usual implements employed are 

 the pick, mattock, and shovel. When digging a hole the grass is thrown 

 to the right, the fine soil to the left, and the poor bottom soil in front. 

 When the tree is planted the fine soil is placed immediately around the 

 roots and the poorer bottom soil above. In this way the humus is left 

 where it is most needed to enrich the root system. The French favor 

 the use of stones to protect the planting spot from washing and to pro- 

 tect the surface from drying out ; often in extensive planting operations, 

 furrows are plowed to assist the hand work. 



1° See French Forests and Forestry, already cited, especially pp. 41-43, 77-87. This 

 planting of more than one seedling in a spot is distinctly French and would rarely be 

 advisable in the United States. 



