480 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



such slow growth or grow under such disadvantages that their use for 

 forest planting on a large scale in similar localities should not be at- 

 tempted. 



The conifers arranged in order of their success are red pine, Norway 

 spruce, pitch pine, white pine, Scotch pine, European larch, red cedar, 

 white spruce, and white cedar. 



The red pine has succeeded the best of all the species planted. Next 

 to the Scotch pine it has the largest average diameter and its average 

 height growth is practically the same as that of its nearest competitor, 

 the Norway spruce. The largest red pine is 10.2 inches in diameter and 

 the smallest, 3.5 inches, and there are very few trees under 5 inches in 

 diameter. The planting distance was a little close for red pine and 

 resulted in the suppression of many trees. The average diameter is 6.8 

 inches, making an average mean annual diameter growth of 0.2 inches. 

 The average mean annual height growth is 0.8 feet. 



Of the 100 Norway spruce planted, 56 remain. Probably over 30 have 

 been cut for Christmas trees, so that the percentage of survival has been 

 high. The maximum diameter is 7 inches. Many of the trees have been 

 badly suppressed and so there is much variation in size. The average 

 mean annual growth in diameter is 0.13 inches and in height, 0.8 feet. 

 The Norway spruce has been attacked to some extent by the spruce gall 

 which, however, has done no serious damage. Probably part of the good 

 growth of this species is due to the fact that it was planted in the two 

 outside rows and so had more light and growing space than some of the 

 others, but even so it has proven itself capable of growing and doing 

 well under the soil and moisture conditions present which would gen- 

 erally be considered as too severe for the species. The trees appear to 

 be still growing at a good rate. It is commonly stated that Norway 

 spruce is short-lived in this country, seldom lasting over 50 years. 



At least 2 pitch pine were planted, having evidently been mistaken 

 for Scotch pine. Although a light-requiring species and growing in 

 the interior of the plantation they have done well. Their average mean 

 annual growth in diameter is 0.18 inches and in height, 0.7 feet. "While 

 it would be unwise to generalize from 2 trees the species seems to have 

 promise on this site and it is known to produce better lumber than jack 

 pine. 



There were planted originally 500 white pine, nearly three times as 

 many as any other species. White pine is now the most numerous tree 

 in the plantation. The average mean annual growth is 0.16 inches in 

 diameter and 0.7 feet in height. The white pine is in general less healthy 

 than the red pine and wherever in the plantation the two trees grow 

 side by side the red pine is the leader. 



Of the 100 Scotch pine planted, 11 trees remain alive. They have 

 developed a very poor form and are largely crooked and short-stemmed 

 with branches clear to the ground. They are badly infected with a 

 fungus disease, a peridermium, which has destroyed their form and 

 resulted in the death of several individuals. Therefore, despite the good 

 average dimensions of the trees, they cannot be regarded as having suc- 

 ceeded. It is probable that if they had not been attacked by this disease 

 and had been planted closer together, the results would have been much 

 better. The largest of the Scotch pine is 10.5 inches in diameter and the 



