216 NINETEENTH REPORT. 



crops, is often reserved for sheep pasture, and flocks of sheep are 

 numerous here. Sheep are ratlier uncommon in the beech-red maple 

 area. 



The third and last great forest association occurring in Wayne County 

 is a highly mixed one occurring on rather shallow sand and characterized 

 by sassafras. The tree is associated Avith two others which are not 

 quite so abundant or so uniformly distributed throughout the area, 

 namely: Quercus paliistris and Nyssa sylvatica. These three species, 

 while not quite commensal, are rather closely associated. A careful study 

 of this association leads to the conclusion that these are the three most 

 characteristic species of this highly complex association. Thus a list 

 of a quarter-acre area from any given place in the county where this 

 association occurs, may disclose only one of the characteristic species ; 

 most frequently this will be sassafras, but may be either pin oak or 

 Nyssa instead. The sassafras association is by far the most mixed 

 association in the county. An excellent example is found on the S. E. ^ 

 of the S. W. 1/4 of Sec. 32 Livonia. There are here twenty-two species 

 within a quarter of an acre. 



The two aspens, swamp oak, elm, red maple, Juneberrj^, bitternut 

 hickory, butternut, wild plum, pin cherry, black cherry, and the vibur- 

 nums are associate species. Dearborn and Wayne are in this associa- 

 tion. The birch association is really an ecological equivalent. The 

 association covers an important and large area through the sandy central 

 portion of the county, alternating with the beech-red maple areas. The 

 soil is moist in comparison with the black oak area. In places it is 

 peaty. The varying soil conditions meet the demands of the market 

 gardener. The farms are not large, the barns are small, where the labor 

 is performed by hand. The people are of German or foreign descent. 

 Tlie problems with which these people have to deal are comparatively 

 few, and there is a strong tendency for the people to follow tradition. 

 They read little and miss a good deal of what is being done outside in 

 the way of experimental investigations. 



There have thus been indicated in order, all of the forest associations 

 of any considerable size occurring in the county at the time of settlement 

 by man. The present wood lots are the remaining portions of such asso- 

 ciations, and as such are now fairly representative, although fast dis- 

 appearing. Trees other than those listed occur, which, while local and not 

 abundant, are yet of exceptional interest. Southeast of Dearborn, north 

 of Wayne, and south of Belleville occur respectively three areas, each 

 of about two square miles in extent, in which chestnut (Castanea dentata), 

 predominates in the forest. A fourth smaller area occurs south and 

 east of New Boston. It is confined exclusively to sand, usually in the 



