356 THE CONIFERS (GYMNOSPERMS) — FORESTS 
the list might be lengthened indefinitely. Balsa wood, 
newly discovered in the tropics, is much lighter than cork. 
This is employed in making life preservers and rafts to be 
used in case of accident at sea. 
303. What Kinds of Land Shall We Use for Forests? — 
Generally speaking, that land which is so steep or so in¬ 
accessible that it cannot well be used for cultivating 
crops. This will depend largely on the locality. Conifers 
usually do better on poor land than do the deciduous trees. 
Figure 330. — Forest Fire in Montana. 
If the land is poor, planting any kind of trees will improve 
the quality of the soil. There are 10,000,000 acres of land 
in New York State unsuitable for agriculture, yet capable 
of growing beautiful and profitable forests. 
304. How Can Tracts Be Reforested? — The state will co¬ 
operate when large tracts are to be reforested. There are 
three ways, the use of any one of which depends on local con¬ 
ditions. Seeds may be gathered and sown broadcast, but 
this is expensive and wasteful, as most of the seed is lost by 
