REFORESTATION ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS. 
27 
drift in and partly ov entirely cover the plant. The drifting in of 
leaves has caused considerable loss where the planting has been done 
under a stand of aspen. 
This method is the most applicable to all species and sites; it 
removes part of the competing growth of sod; and it (or a modifica- 
tion of it called " side-hole method ") will undoubtedly continue to 
be the one in most general use in the future. It is only fairly rapid, 
from 250 to 350 trees per man per day in rough country constituting 
an average day's planting, and there is the possibility of poor plant- 
ing if the crew is not careful to spread the roots during the operation. 
In the side-hole method the trees are set against one side of the 
hole instead of in the middle. It is a little more rapid than when the 
trees are set in the middle of the hole ; and, experimentally, in oper- 
ations on the Siuslaw National Forest and at the Fort Valley Experi- 
ment Station, it has proved almost as successful. It can not be given 
unqualified indorsement, however, without further trial, though with 
the ordinary planting crew it will probably prove just as successful 
in the majority of operations as planting in the center of the hole. 
CONE METHOD. 
The cone method is another modification of the square-hole 
method. The square hole is dug as in the other method; a mound 
of earth is then built up by the planter in the bottom of the hole, 
and the roots of the plant are spread over this mound. Thus they 
come in contact Avith a greater amount of soil, from which moisture 
and other plant nourishment can be drawn. After spreading the 
roots, the soil is filled in as in the square-hole method. 
This method unquestionably has merit for planting under very 
unfavorable conditions ; for, if it is properly conducted, the losses are 
usually smaller than where other methods are used. On the other 
hand, it has disadvantages. It is not applicable to species Avhich do 
not have a ramifying root system; unless given close supervision, 
the average worlmian will not be particular to form a good cone 
or to spread the roots well over it; and it is slow and expensive. 
Under average conditions one man will plant only from 200 to 250 
trees per day. 
PLOWING AND MATTOCK METHOD. 
» 
Single furrows are plowed from 8 to 10 feet apart, and holes 
are then dug with a mattock to receive the plants. It has been found 
that just about twice as rapid progress can be made as where no 
plowing is done, both in digging holes and in planting, because 
digging is easier in the broken sod and more loose dirt is provided 
for tilling in around the trees. 
