LONGLEAF PINE. 43 



part on natural and recently burned-over grass land (PL XIII). 

 An average of 2 pounds of seed per acre was used for sowing the 

 furrow strips and 2 to 3 for broadcasting on the grass land. The 

 cost for broadcast sowing was 15 cents per pound and for drilling or 

 harrowing 32 cents an acre. The plowing was done in the late fall 

 by farmers hired after work became slack on the farm. The areas 

 seeded were previously fenced against cattle and hogs, and plans 

 were immediately made to keep fires out thereafter by means of fire 

 lines and other protective measures. 



The planting of longleaf seedlings, because of the very large 

 taproot, is likely to be more restricted than that of most other species 

 of pine. The possibilities in this line have not yet been fully tested. 

 Successful experiments were conducted on a limited scale in eastern 

 Xorth Carolina by the Forestry Division of the North Carolina Geo- 

 logical Survey. These consisted in planting (or "transplanting") 

 in the spring 5-month-old seedlings obtained from freshly gathered 

 seed sown in a garden bed the previous October. The soil was shal- 

 low, with a firm subsoil, and this produced a taproot not more than 

 8 inches in length. At the same time, a limited number of 2-year- 

 old seedlings were also planted with very good results. Among the 

 residents of Southern Pines and Pinehurst, in the " sand-hill " region 

 of Xorth Carolina, it has been common practice to dig up volunteer 

 longleaf seedlings from 1 to 4 years old and plant them about town 

 in the winter season, and generally there has been little loss. One 

 such plantation in Louisiana, about 14 years old, is shown in Plate 

 XIV. After the first year or two, it is certain that the degree of 

 care necessary for successfully planting young longleaf seedlings 

 increases greatly, apparently to such a degree as to make operations 

 on a commercial scale impracticable. Up to the present time the 

 evidence points to good success from the spring planting of seed- 

 lings 4 to 5 months old, either when grown in prepared soil in gar- 

 den beds or when dug up in the woods or old fields. 



In general, reforestation by the method of planting seedlings 

 should be attempted only in unfavorable situations where such 

 cheaper methods as direct seed sowing have proven unsuccessful. 

 Planting has the advantage of starting the trees in the locations de- 

 sired, and thus, if successful, of securing an even stand at the outset. 

 Soil preparation may always be expected to result in better growth, 

 at leasi for a number of years. The degree and kind of soil prepa- 

 ration that can be given will vary widely with conditions. In fairly 

 loose soil, shallow boles dug with a mattock or hoe should be suffi- 

 cient. Undoubtedly a better method, which should prove practicable 

 in light Bandy soils, would be to prepare strips by plowing two or 

 three furrows together, spacing (hem at desired intervals of say to 



