SEEDING FOREST TREES. 77 



the plains. There seedlings are not transplanted before 

 they haye reached the fourth or fifth year. They 

 are then taken up in large balls and brought to the 

 planting-ground, where they are carefully separated 

 from the ball, and planted, as is described in the next 

 chapter. 



Some people sow broadcast upon seed-beds laid out four 

 feet wide, and separated by small paths, using for 

 the acre from 30 to 40 pounds of cleansed seed, that is, 

 double the amount of seed required in drill rows. But 

 this method cannot be recommended, as the cleansing of 

 such beds is rery difficult, and the seedlings, when they 

 are going to be taken up, cannot be handled so carefully 

 as when raised in drill-rows. 



Seeding on a large scale is operated either with cones 

 or seeds, the latter being either winged or unwinged. 

 The cultivation of the grounds to be seeded down de- 

 pends much upon the condition of the soil, as a loose soil 

 requires less stirring up than a compact one. On very light 

 soil, especially on heaths having only a very thin surface 

 growth, or none at all, and on mountains with a very thin 

 sward, no plowing should be employed ; cross harrowing 

 with the iron harrow is in such cases sufficient to prepare 

 a good seed-bed. The seed is then properly distributed, 

 and covered by dragging over the field with a brush- 

 harrow — i. e. a wooden harrow, between the teeth of 

 which twigs have been entwined, in order to prevent 

 them from entering the soil. 



Seeding cones on large tracts is now much recom- 

 mended, and this coincides with my own experience. 

 There was a sandy area of about 80 acres which had been 

 exhausted by growing rye and oats during many years with- 

 out manuring, so as to be at last unable to produce any- 

 thing but some sheep fescue and wild grasses. This 

 tract was in fall lightly plowed, remaining during the 

 winter in this state. Early in spring it was harrowed 



