FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 67 



tion, about eighteen square miles in area, with a considerable 

 territory of Middlesex, drains into Spencer bay and pond, the 

 southern portion, in respect to both water and timber is tribu- 

 tary to main Koach river, while a considerable district in the 

 east hauls into Lazy Tom stream. As to timber a great variety 

 of conditions is exhibited. Cuttino- of all dates and kinds is 

 found, while a considerable tract in the northern portion never 

 was cut and is in its original condition. 



Coming from the west and crossing Spencer aft^r'an 

 stream to enter the tract, the first thino- that is seen e'"'i> ffi'^- 

 is an old second growth after fire. The bounds of this are 

 perfectly evidenced to the practiced eye, not indeed as might 

 be supposed, by the size of the trees, 1)ut by the kinds of 

 trees that are of large size. There are no large spruce and 

 hemlock on the tract, neither is there any of that old growth 

 hard wood so characteristic of our country. Beech, smallish 

 yellow birch and maple there might be in places, but a far 

 more abundant growth was white l)irch. Trees of this species 

 were noted as large as twenty inches in diameter and seventy 

 feet and more in height, about as large a size probably as they 

 would ever attain. Indeed, the white birch on this tract had 

 long ago passed its prime. Numerous l)irch trunks lay rot- 

 ting on the ground, while of its companion species, poplar, 

 the same thing was to so much the greater extent true that far 

 the larger part of the original stock of trees appeared to have 

 died. Conclusive proof that this was second growth existed 

 in the even number of rings seen in the stumps found, while 

 the cause of it was indicated by blackened pine stubs that 

 careful looking disclosed on the ground. Plainly the |)re- 

 historic forest was by no means free from fire. 



From the looks of the country and the grain of the trees, 

 it appeared certain that about 110 years ago fire swept over 

 this land, and that a new growth came up after it, in all prob- 

 ability much dirt'erent in character from the old. Much of 

 the territory as has already been noted, came up predomi- 

 nantly to hard woods, in which white birch and poplar were 

 prominent features. More of it, however, w^as spruce with a 



