FOREST COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. 53 



as would a thicker growth of the same species. Some areas of the 

 latter character I believe are found on the tract, doubtless on better 

 land than the average. Little or none of it has yet been cut. 



Another great fire occurred a little over forty years ago on the 

 East Machias river. Townships eighteen and nineteen were nearly 

 all burnt, and a large portion of fourteen, Crawford and Cooper, 

 a territory in all equal to about one-third the drainage of the river. 

 On portions of this tract, personal inspection and study was made. 

 The greater part of it, with some adjacent lands, were again burnt 

 over about twenty-four years ago, so that all but little patches of 

 the growth found on lands that escaped the latter conflagration, had 

 grown up since that event. It was interesting to note the difference 

 between trees of the two ages, and figures representing it will be 

 found later on. Between the two fires this country was burnt very 

 severely. Originally much of it was covered with the finest pine, 

 only part of which had been cut previous to the fire. The stumps 

 of these trees still resist the attacks of the weather, and what is re- 

 markable about them, and shows that the fire was severe, they 

 stand on top of, not in, the ground. Of this, rocks or the mineral 

 soil formed the surface. Doubtless six inches to a foot of vegeta- 

 ble mold was consumed in the fires. 



The loss of this deep, moist, porous bed of rotted wood and 

 leaves is one of the main effects of a forest fire. In very dry land, 

 or especially in a dry climate, the damage from this cause would be 

 much greater than under ordinary conditions in Maine. Notonly 

 Would it be made ditficult for young sprouts and seedlings to get 

 a start, but on account of the loss of protection from evaporation 

 the dryness of the soil would have an effect upon the growth for 

 many years. In our own State greatest damage from this cause 

 occurs on rocky ground. Here frequently fires burn practically all 

 the soil, so that the reliance of the trees for moisture and for min- 

 eral food is taken away. Probably all observing men are acquaint- 

 ed with tracts which illustrate this. Barren rocky ground where 

 generation after generation of gray birch or other worthless growth 

 springs up, rising to the height of ,a few feet and then dying down 

 for lack of food and water. The general trend of these processes 

 is worth pointing out. This is nature's way of reclaiming land for 

 more valuable growth, and given time it will avail. The original 

 growth of the country was the resultant of all natural forces opera- 

 tive upon it. Were fire and the influence of man eliminated, we 



