40 BULLETIN 299_, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



supplementary species to white ash and can be advantageously sub- 

 stituted for it on drier soils in the Central States and in the southern 

 Appalachians at an elevation of from 1,000 to 2,500 feet. Texas ash 

 is the natural substitute for white ash on uplands in central Texas, 

 but is not important for commercial timber growing. Red and 

 pumpkin ash are two excellent substitutes for green ash, the former 

 adapted to somewhat drier soils and more rigorous climate than green 

 (extending farther north), and the latter to somewhat wetter soil 

 conditions in the central and eastern parts of its range. 



Possibilities of reforestation by natural reproduction are quite good 

 with white and green ash, but naturally very limited with the other 

 less abundant species. 



In planting or sowing ash it is advisable to use seed from trees of 

 species common in the region (and on similar sites, if possible) where 

 the reforesting is to be done, or from a region with a slightly more 

 rigorous climate. Also seed should always be secured, if possible, 

 from vigorous, rapid-growing individuals. 



NATURAL VERSUS ARTIFICIAL REFORESTATION. 



Wherever it is possible to secure natural reproduction by using 

 such methods as are described later every effort should be made to 

 do so. Artificial reproduction is more expensive and less certain of 

 ultimate success. Planting should be confined to spots where natural 

 reproduction is incomplete or to areas where there is no possibility 

 of natural growth. It will sometimes be more advisable, however, 

 especially on cheap land, to spend money for disengagement cuttings, 

 to liberate the ash and other desirable species from suppression, 

 rather than for supplementary planting work. In other cases it 

 may be well to divide the money to be spent between planting and 

 disengagement work. In general, the more expensive the land and 

 the higher the stumpage values the more profitable will it be to 

 spend money on artificial reproduction in order to secure fully stocked 

 stands with the largest possible per acre per annum growth instead 

 of being satisfied with incomplete natural reproduction at no expense 

 and giving smaller yields per acre. For instance, Table 18 shows 

 that a 5,000 yield on $20 land with no cost of esablishment will not 

 pay as well as a 10,000 yield on the same with $5 to $15 cost of estab- 

 lishment, while on $5 land a 5,000 yield without cost of establishment 

 would pay best. Similarly the less the natural yield capacity of the 

 soil and the lower the stumpage values the less likely is it to be profit- 

 able to spend money in establishing a stand. 



Adequate reproduction of ash, resulting in highest yields, demands 

 that on every separate square rod of space there should be at the 

 start a minimum of one thrifty ash seedling, together with at least 



