23 



Planting. 



All methods of securing reproduction by means of natural 

 regeneration presuppose the existence of a mature stand of the 

 desired species, or at least seed-trees of that species. Where 

 these are absent, planting must be resorted to. As to which of 

 these two methods of reforesting is the most desirable will de- 

 pend on a number of local circumstances in each particular case, 

 the most important of these are the soil, the site, and the eco- 

 nomic conditions in the locality where the reforesting is to be 

 done. 



While planting costs more in the beginning, many arguments 

 may be advanced in favor of this method. The results are surer 

 and the stand is established in a single year while natural re- 

 generation is a slow process requiring a period of years, usually 

 ten or more to be successfully accomplished. Furthermore, in 

 planting, the distance between the trees is equal from the start 

 giving all the trees in the plantation an equal chance, while 

 in the natural method the seedlings are usually more or less 

 scattered in patches or groups which may be very thick in some 

 places but of unequal distribution over the area. The equal 

 spacing established by planting gives equal root and crown space 

 for the development of the small trees and makes all of the fur- 

 ther operations in the management of the stand much easier. 



Plantations should be started from nursery grown stock rather 

 than from seed sown on the area direct. Direct seeding is ex- 

 pensive and is not usually very successful here. Never plant 

 the cones. Very often they have no fertile seeds left i-n them 

 and if they have it is a wasteful method. Where only a few 

 hundred plants are needed, it is usually cheaper and always 

 easier to buy them from a nurseryman than to raise them. 

 There are now in this country many dealers in forest tree seeds 

 and seedlings who make a specialty of this kind of stock. A list 

 of these dealers will be sent on request to all applicants. (Ad- 

 dress the request to the Department of Forestry, University of 

 Maine, Orono, ]\raine.) 



It is probable that within the year a forest tree nursery will 

 be established in connection with the State forestry department 

 which will be able to supply seedlings at the actual cost of pro- 

 duction to prospective planters in the State. 



Stock purchased from dealers should be secured in the early 



