22 BULLETIN 475, TJ. S. I>EPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



BEGXJLAE SEED SPOTS. 



In the seed-spot method small spots quite regularly spaced over the 

 area are more or less prepared for the reception of the seed by loosen- 

 ing the soil with some tool. After the seed are sown on each spot 

 they are usually covered with soil to a depth of about one-half inch 

 and often with an additional mulch of needles or leaves. On the 

 Arapaho National Forest, where the most consistent success with 

 direct seeding of lodgepole pine has been achieved, the seed when 

 sown in this way are simply pressed into the soil and not covered. 

 Meager success in direct seeding by seed spotting is probably due in 

 many cases to the planter covering the seed too deeply. When the 

 seed is not covered at all this danger is obviated. 



The size of the spot and the depth to which the soil is loosened 

 depend upon the character of the ground cover and the species to be 

 sown. The spots are usually from 10 to 20 inches square. Where 

 the ground cover consists of strong growing plants, such as grasses, 

 which will compete with the seedlings for moisture, wide spots are 

 prepared and a portion of the competing vegetation thus destroyed. 

 Where a shade-enduring species is sown oh a moist situation, the 

 competition does not become so critical and the smaller spots are 

 satisfactory. In locating them, advantage is taken of any shelter 

 on the ground, such as brush, logs, or rocks, which will serve to 

 shade the soil and seedlings during a portion of the day. For the 

 same reason, on level ground the turf is thrown upon the southern 

 side of the spot. On slopes the soil is thrown upon the lower edge 

 of the spot. This aids in holding moisture and precludes washing 

 of the soil from above, with the consequent burying of the seed too 

 deeply or the covering of the seedlings. As too deep covering of 

 the seed through the filling in of soil from above is doubtless often 

 the cause of loss, it is better on slopes to prepare seed spots simply 

 by loosening the soil, but not making any depression at all in the 

 slope. The chief functions of the spot are to make sure that the 

 seed reaches the mineral soil and partially to eliminate for a time 

 competition of grass and other plants. 



SIMPLE SEED SPOTS. 



The simple seed-spot method differs from the regular seed-spot 

 method principally in that the spot is smaller and somewhat deeper. 

 It is usually prepared with one stroke of the mattock. Its chief 

 claim to merit was that on account of its depth it was thought that 

 the earth surrounding the hole would both shade the seedlings and 

 protect them from winds. It would accordingly be especially suited 

 for seeding on very dry, barren, stony ground or in hot or windy 

 situations. A serious objection to this type of seed spot is that soil 



