NATURAL REPRODUCTION IN THE ADIRONDACK 



FORESTS. 



During the summer of 1901 , the writer was employed in making 

 a study of the reproduction of the commercial trees of the Adiron- 

 dack mountains. The work was done on Township 5, Hamilton 

 County, in connection with a forest survey of the township, made 

 at that time for the Forest, Fish and Game Commission by the 

 U. S. Bureau of Forestry. 



A proper policy for the treatment of our forests depends, of 

 course, upon a knowledge of the reproduction of the trees. Such 

 knowledge is the more important because forests grow slowly. 

 With annual crops, a year or two may suffice to demonstrate the 

 truth or falsity of a theory ; but with forest crops it may require a 

 century for such demonstration. A proper forest policj' has in 

 view a perpetual forest of desirable species, and if any species is 

 to be kept in the forest by natural generation, the degree of 

 cutting must depend upon the facility with which it reproduces 

 itself in comparison with the reproduction of other species on the 

 same ground. 



General impressions of the manner in which reproduction goes 

 on in the forest, or in fact, of any phenomenon of the forest, are 

 of little value. Conclusions should be drawn only from definite 

 and thorough study of the subject. The method followed in 

 making mj' study was about as follows : — Quarter-acre circles 

 were chosen here and there over the township referred to, but 

 were selected so as to give variety of conditions. Two young 

 boys assi-sted me. The radius of the circle was actually measured, 

 the boys running out from the center a tape line to the distance 

 of 59 feet. The trees just outside the circumference were blazed, 

 not only for the sake of accuracy, but so that I might be able at 

 any future time to find any one of the circles, in case such might 

 become important. The boys then measured off within this 

 blazed circumference eight squares, each 10 feet on a side, mark- 

 ing the corners with small stakes. These .squares were taken 

 upon the forest floor proper, evading old decaying trees that had 

 fallen upon the quarter-acre plot. From each of these .squares 

 the boys pulled up all the little growth of the commercial species. 

 This was done in order to get an actual and accurate count. 



