SOWING METHODS AS APPLIED TO SPECIES AND REGIONS 137 



In the Puy-de-D6me ^^ seed spots are often used, protected by bunches 

 of brush or scattered in the coppice stands which are being improved. 

 In the first case oak or pine is sown pure or in mixture; in the second, 

 oak is sown with beech. 



In the Haute-Loire stands of spruce, Scotch pine, mountain pine, and 

 cembric pine have been obtained by means of broadcasting or by seed 

 spots. The Scotch pine is usually broadcasted and the other species 

 sown in seed spots 3.3 to 6.6 feet apart. These species do not give as 

 good results as would the fir if there were the necessary protection 

 available. In open beech stands Scotch pine or mountain pine is often 

 sown in strips 14 inches in depth and 16 inches wide, the length depend- 

 ing on the size of the opening. Sometimes these strips are cut into seed 

 spots 16 inches square. In this region sowing is done in the spring or 

 even later, toward the middle of May. The amount of seed used is about 

 9 pounds per acre. It is sown generously and covered lightly with loose 

 soil. After the sowing seed spots are covered with branches which are 

 left until the beginning of the autumn. The seed spots are visited in 

 the following spring or autumn in order to free the young plants of 

 leaves or dead needles which cover them. 



In the Lozere (Central), Aveyron, and the Correze broadcast sowing 

 of Scotch pine generally succeeds on sandy soil partially covered with 

 short heather, but poor results are certain on land occupied by genista 

 and tree heather. Success is best assured by opening up seed spots only 

 2 inches square in the midst of the heather in order to avoid heaving 

 by the frost. Near Nimes maritime pine has been successfuly repro- 

 duced by broadcasting 7 pounds per acre on heather in the autumn just 

 before the winter rains. The heather is then cut and for protection the 

 litter left as it lies. Sowing of this kind is done very late in the spring 

 just before hot weather. In the department of the Lozere there is also 

 sowing of oak and chestnut. The slopes are generally not excessive 

 and the seed spots are opened up in the spring and in the autumn are 

 sown with acorns and chestnuts, despite the damage usually done by 

 rodents; 3.4 bushels of acorns or chestnuts are used per acre for 1,000 

 seed spots. 



In the Gard and Herault, Scotch pine, Corsican pine, and maritime 

 pine are sown in seed spots in the spring; chestnuts and acorns in the 

 fall. The seed spots are 12 to 16 inches square and 6 inches deep. It 

 takes 6 pounds of conifer seed or 3.4 bushels of acorns or chestnuts per 



^2 Digested from Demontzey. Elers Koch, of District 1, U. S. Forest Service, once 

 wrote me: "It makes me weep to think of all the good money used in feeding pine seed 

 to the chipmunks. ... If there is going to be any money spent on the Lolo Forest for 

 reforestation, it is going to be for good strong nursery stock, and we will have something 

 to show for it." 



