SYLVICULTURE. 



The term "natural seed regeneration" does not jjreelude arti- 

 ficial help to increase the chances of regeneration. The term merely 

 implies " seeding," or scattering of seed, in the main unaided by man. 

 Man, however, may carefully prepare the seed-bed, by plowing or 

 lioeing or digging, or may carefully press the seeds naturally fallen 

 into contact with the soil; and may protect the seed and the seed- 

 lings, at great pains, against external dangers. 



Little help is given, where soil and stumpage are, and promise to 

 remain, of small value. 



Under the reversed conditions, the expense incurred for natural 

 regeneration often exceeds that required for artificial regeneration. 



In innumerable cases, natural and artificial regeneration are 

 locally and irregularly combined. 



It might be asserted, that the forest has secured its own re- 

 generation through many millenia, and that it will continue to do 

 so' unaided by human activity. Why then, it might be asked, is it 

 necessary or advisable to now offer costly assistance in order to 

 secure natural reseeding of and in a lumbered tract of woodland? 



There cannot be any doubt that nature, barring bad conflagra- 

 tions or heavy pasturage, will start and develop after lumbering 

 some kind of a second growth of forest. As a matter of fact, it is 

 usually at hand, previous to lumbering, in an embryonic or incom- 

 plete state waiting for the chance to shoot ahead after the removal 

 of the older trees. This ready nucleus, however, consists as a rule 

 of inferior or worthless species; of specimens crippled by fire, by 

 the fall (accidental or otherwise) of nearby trees, by the logger's 

 axe or foot, by teams and loads passing by, etc. In addition, many 

 members of that nucleus will die when suddenly bereaved of the 

 shelter (against drought, cold, hail, etc.), previously exercised by the 

 old trees now removed. 



It must be remembered tliat a crop of weeds usually follows in 

 the field after the harvest of valuable wheat; in the forest after the 

 harvest of valuable timber. 



Such " weeds " are unable to secure for the owner of the land 

 a sufficient rate of interest on the value of the soil and an adequate 

 reimbursement of the taxes due on the soil. 



Another moment worthy of attention lies in the poor chances 

 which a grain of seed stands, in nature's economy, to develop into 

 a seedling, sapling, pole and tree. The probability is that only one 

 grain of seed — out of millions of grains — produced by an individual 

 tree during its lifetime succeeds in reaching tree size, replacing it 

 progenitor on the forest floor. The ecologic incidents bringing about 



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