Abstract The simplest means of avoiding the production of shortboled, limby trees of little commercial value in the loblolly pine type is to secure full stocking from the very start. It has been estimated that this may require as many as 10,000 germinating seed or 5,000 one-year-old seedlings per acre in a good growing season, and even larger numbers if weather or site factors are adverse. The desired seedling density may result from a heavy seed crop, or it may be obtained by providing optimum seedbed conditions for normal seed supplies. Since only small quantities of seed are produced in most years, while bumper crops, even for this species, are infrequent and spotty, a knowledge of favorable seedbed conditions would be advantageous to the forester.
E. W. Gemmer (Thu,) studied this question.