98 FOREST COMMISSIONER S REPORT. 



Parmacheenee lake on the Magalloway river. About the 

 RanjJ:elev lakes light cuttino; has been goina^ on over aecessi- 

 ble lands all the way along for thirty years. The Cupsuptuc 

 and Kennebago, saved by the length and difficulty of the 

 drive, have never been seriously cut into, and are now 

 practically in their primeval condition. South of the lakes, 

 too, considerable country is in the same shape. The Bear, 

 Ellis and Swift rivers are small and quickly falling streams, 

 which it is scarcely possible in their upper portions to drive. 

 The territory about their head waters, therefore, is virgin land, 

 a part of which, on the advent of railway facilities, is just 

 now l)ei»:innino; to be utilized. 



It thus appears that about half the Androscoggin spruce 

 country is in its original condition, while a considerable por- 

 tion of the remainder has been very lightly used. In pro- 

 portion to its area the Androscoo^in drainage is the most 

 valuable spruce land in the State. Its provident treatment, 

 meaning by that both the economical use of its natural re- 

 sources and its conservation as a timber producing country, 

 may well be one of the prime objects of public forestry in 

 this State. 



Scope of ^^ ^ month's cruising in the Androscoggin spruce 



this study. iai^(jg j^Q jj^an could cover the entire territory, or 

 see as much as could be desired of its timber. Certain things 

 it was necessary to do, while others had to be left undone or 

 the facts taken at second hand. 



As to the stand of merchantable timlier, there was little 

 cause to worry. I was particularly fortunate in securing the 

 voluntary cooperation of Mr. J. A. Pike of Berlin, the man 

 who more than any other was qualified to furnish reliable in- 

 formation on that matter. A man of sound judgment and 

 conservative temper, Mr. Pike has had the best of opportu- 

 nities for their exercise. For twenty years he has been an 

 explorer and surveyer on the Androscoggin. Probably half 

 its townships he has looked over carefully himself, while as to 

 many of the others he has access to the most reliable informa- 

 tion. His judgment on timber has been tested in all kinds 



