212 FOEEST PLANTING. 



tain waters and binding the shifting sand should be 

 here very closely observed. 



As before stated the pines play the most important 

 part in the reforestation of denuded woodlands on cal- 

 careous mountains, and among them the unpretentious 

 Scotch pine usually performs very valuable service. 

 However, in this case the well-known Austrian black 

 pine has proved still more serviceable, it being not only 

 indigenous in high mountains, but thriving also on 

 light, dry calcareous soil no matter how destitute it may 

 be of humus. The foliage of this tree is very thick, 

 and the shade caused by it very dense. The soil, 

 therefore, is supplied with an abundance of detritus, 

 and the humidity, received by the ground from the 

 atmosphere, evaporates but slowly. This pine has no 

 taproot, but sends its creeping roots along the stony 

 ground till they find fissures into which they insinuate 

 themselves, thereby strengthening their adherence to 

 the slippery soil. The cultivation of the Austrian pine 

 offers still less difficulties than that of the Scotch pine. 

 The thin or hardened soil should be torn up by cross- 

 harrowing with an iron harrow, and the seed, about 

 three pounds to the acre, sown broadcast, should be 

 covered by dragging over the field with the brush har- 

 row — see p. 77. If the seed is drilled in, two pounds 

 per acre are suflQcient to produce the required density 

 of tree growth, as this pine on account of its thick foli- 

 age stands in need of more space than the Scotch pine. 

 In a few years the Austrian black pine will have got it- 

 self properly established, putting forth considerable 

 shoots, under the protection of which the beech, as the 

 final stock of tree, may be started. In order to secure 

 a safe and speedy growth of the seedlings the plant- 

 holes on this shallow and stony ground should be well 

 filled with good humus soil or compost. 



