126 THE NEW FORESTRY. 



down for a year or two at the beginning. These are the 

 obstacles to reproduction by seed at the present time, but they 

 would to a large extent disappear under a proper system of 

 rotation and culture, as on the Continent, where such unfavour- 

 able conditions do not exist to the same extent, the forests 

 being comparatively free from undergrowth and the surface 

 of the ground in a receptive condition for the seed. It is, 

 however, in the beech forests that natural reproduction is most 

 relied upon, planting being resorted to extensively in the case 

 of firs wherever sowing is doubtful. These remarks refer more 

 particularly to land already under timber, but getting thin or 

 approaching a final clear cut. Seed may be sown on the 

 natural surface wherever the vegetation is thin or scant and 

 not likely to choke the young seedlings — as, for example, on 

 sandy commons, moors, or mountains where there is only 

 heather or thin grass — if the heather has. been burned not 

 long before all the better. Heath does not smother young 

 seedlings as coarse grasses and weeds do, even when it is rank 

 and tall, and we should not hesitate to sow amongst it at high 

 altitudes in preference to planting. A large per centage of 

 forest tree seeds germinate, and, with the exception of the 

 mast bearers, like the oak, chestnut and beech, one pound of 

 seed represents an enormous number of seeds, and the price 

 per pound is not great. In fact, a forester can buy' his tree 

 seeds cheaper from a respectable seedsman than he can gather 

 them himself, except in the case of easily procured sorts, like 

 the oak, beech, or sycamore, etc.. The season to sow tree 

 seeds is from October till May, but spring sowing is usually 

 preferred, by nurserymen, at least. On private estates, 

 however, where the purpose is to sow the plantations direct, 

 we would advise sowing in autumn, or as soon as new seed can 

 be got, using plenty of seed to make up for losses from birds 

 and vermin. Except in skilled hands, keeping tree seeds for 

 any length of time is difficult. They are apt to germinate 

 prematurely or to lose vitality, unless preserved under proper 

 conditions, as described elsewhere in this chapter. 



SECTION VII. — METHODS OF SOWING. 



Nature scatters the seed broadcast on the ground, where 

 it is beaten into the soil and surface vegetation by the snow 

 and rain, germinating, even in the case of large seeds, like the 

 acorn, though barely covered. In artificial sowing, however, 



