42 BULLETIN 234, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



A test limited to a certain number of days is not only much cheaper 

 than a longer one, but gives figures of more practical value in actual 

 sowing operations either in the nursery or in the field. ' This is because 

 the figures for short tests are based on the behavior of the more vig- 

 orous, active seeds, which may be counted on to germinate early under 

 soil conditions perhaps not favorable enough to induce germination 

 of the more sluggish seeds in any reasonable period of time. 



DIRECT SEEDING. 



Direct seeding is the simplest method of reforestation, and can be 

 used wherever conditions are such as to make it practicable. It is 

 far less certain of success than planting, however, and should be used 

 only on the most favorable sites. Good germination is often diffi- 

 cult to secure, and there is always the likelihood that the seed will be 

 eaten by rodents. Moreover, the young seedlings which come up are 

 exposed to damage from drought during the first growing season and 

 to winterkilling during the first winter. Areas best adapted to direct 

 seeding with lodgepole pine are those where a large proportion of 

 the mineral soil is exposed. This condition is seldom found, how- 

 ever, outside of burns not more than 2 or 3 years old. As a general 

 thing, areas in need of reforestation bear a more or less heavy covering 

 of grass, herbs, and shrubs. Such a cover, particularly when it takes 

 the form of a dense sod, is a serious obstacle to direct seeding, since it 

 prevents seeds from reaching the mineral soil, and after germination 

 competes with the seedlings for the available moisture. The shade 

 cast by a light covering of shrubs or trees, on the other hand, may 

 be beneficial to young lodgepole-pine seedlings by preventing the sur- 

 face soil from drying out. An open stand of aspen affords an excel- 

 lent shelter, provided it is not so dense as to interfere with the 

 thrifty development of the seedlings after their establishment. The 

 less favorable the moisture conditions, the greater, of course, is the 

 need for some sort of ground cover. 



The season for sowing, while of less importance than either the 

 site or the method, nevertheless has considerable influence on the 

 result. The seed should be sown at a time to insure that the maxi- 

 mum amount of moisture will be available for the young seedlings 

 immediately upon their appearance. At the lower and drier alti- 

 tudes the best time for sowing is either in the fall (September or 

 October) or in the winter on the snow. At the higher altitudes the 

 best time is either in the winter or in late spring or early summer 

 (May or early June). Experiments by the Forest Service covering 

 a wide range of methods indicate the best to be seeding in prepared 

 spots and broadcasting on snow. The spots are usually spaced from 

 4 to 6 feet apart each way, requiring from one-half to 1 pound of 

 seed per acre. Broadcasting on snow is practicable only on very 



