Direct seeding in northern forest types

Abstract

Two direct-seeding experiments were established to determine the effect of time of seeding (spring 1962 versus fall 1962), type of seedbed (prepared versus unprepared), and species (red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) versus white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss)) upon the success attained in the reforestation of a pine-barren site and a recently burned-over forest site in eastern Maine. A split-split-plot experiment with 0.75-acre treatment plots was replicated three times on each site. Seedbeds on the pine barren were prepared by disking with a Rome disk harrow and seedbeds on the burn, by scarifying with a bulldozer. Treatment plots were broadcast sown by hand at a seeding rate of 50,000 viable seed per acre. All treatments on the pine barren except those established on unprepared seedbeds, all of which were failures, resulted in the establishment of moderately-stocked to over-stocked stands five years after seeding. All treatments on the burn produced adequately stocked stands initially, however, by the fifth growing season competing vegetation had reduced the average milacre stocking percent of most treatments to less than 50 percent.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the symposium on intensive culture of northern forest types

Citation

Griffin, Ralph H. 1977. Direct seeding in northern forest types. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-29. Upper Darby, PA: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 111-125