22 REPRODUCTION METHODS 



duction can be secured for practically nothing or at a fraction 

 of the expenditure required to reforest artiticially. The re- 

 production so obtained and the stand finally produced may 

 not compare with that possible under artificial methods, 

 although the question is often an open one as to whether the 

 poor naturally reproduced stand may not exceed in final net 

 value the better artificial one. 



There are many cases where natural reproduction does not 

 cost more than artificial reproduction. Stumpage values of 

 the trees left to establish reproduction may be a loss, and log- 

 ging costs per thousand feet board measure due to the smaller 

 amount cut per acre may be increased. 



Even though the greater net returns of artificially repro- 

 duced stands may be quite clearly demonstrable, the actual 

 amount of the initial cash expenditure may make the propo- 

 sition impracticable for the owner. 



4. Natural reproduction must be employed on many areas 

 because of the physical limitations in the way of applying 

 artificial reproduction. 



Artificial reforestation on a large scale requires ^ (a) col- 

 lection and cleaning of large quantities of seed, (b) produc- 

 tion of immense quantities of young trees, (c) organization of 

 big squads of laborers and usually the planting of extensive 

 areas back from transportation lines and centers of popula- 

 tion. The work must be accomplished in the short period of 

 a few weeks in each year when climatic conditions permit of 

 seeding or planting. 



In theory this program may appear simple but in execution 

 has never yet in North America, even by state or federal 

 agencies, been conducted on a scale adequate to the 

 needs. 



Opportunities for Applying Artificial Reproduction. — In 

 general the field for artificial reproduction to-day is in refor- 



