42 BULLETIN" 234, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
A test limited to a certain number of days is not only much, cheaper 
than a longer one, but gives figures of more practical value in actual 
sowing operations either in the nursery or in the field. This is because 
the figures for short tests are based on the behavior of the more vig- 
orous, active seeds, which may be counted on to germinate early under 
soil conditions perhaps not favorable enough to induce germination 
of the more sluggish seeds in any reasonable period of time. 
DIRECT SEEDING. 
Direct seeding is the simplest method of reforestation, and can be 
used wherever conditions are such as to make it practicable. It is 
far less certain of success than planting, however, and should be used 
only on the most favorable sites. Good germination is often diffi- 
cult to secure, and there is always the likelihood that the seed will be 
eaten by rodents. Moreover, the young seedlings which come up are 
exposed to damage from drought during the first growing season and 
to winterkilling during the first winter. Areas best adapted to direct 
seeding with lodgepole pine are those where a large proportion of 
the mineral soil is exposed. This condition is seldom found, how- 
ever, outside of burns not more than 2 or 3 years old. As a general 
thing, areas in need of reforestation bear a more or less heavy covering 
of grass, herbs, and shrubs. Such a cover, particularly when it takes 
the form of a dense sod, is a serious obstacle to direct seeding, since it 
prevents seeds from reaching the mineral soil, and after germination 
competes with the seedlings for the available moisture. The shade 
cast by a light covering of shrubs or trees, on the other hand, may 
be beneficial to young lodgepole-pine seedlings by preventing the sur- 
face soil from drying out. An open stand of aspen affords an excel- 
lent shelter, provided it is not so dense as to interfere with the 
thrifty development of the seedlings after their establishment. The 
less favorable the moisture conditions, the greater, of course, is the 
need for some sort of ground cover. 
The season for sowing, while of less importance than either the 
site or the method, nevertheless has considerable influence on the 
result. The seed should be sown at a time to insure that the maxi- 
mum amount of moisture will be available for the young seedlings 
immediately upon their appearance. At the lower and drier alti- 
tudes the best time for sowing is either in the fall (September or 
October) or in the winter on the snow. At the higher altitudes the 
best time is either in the winter or in late spring or early summer 
(May or early June). Experiments by the Forest Service covering 
a wide range of methods indicate the best to be seeding in prepared 
spots and broadcasting on snow. The spots are usually spaced from 
4 to 6 feet apart each way, requiring from one-half to 1 pound of 
seed per acre. Broadcasting on snow is practicable only on very 
