522 JOURNAL CI' ll)Ki;;.TKV 



spruce is a swamp tree primarily and will not do well on the higher 

 sites. Either the red or white spruce grows on practically all sites 

 except the very wet or very mountainous. Even here they occur but 

 not with sufficient thrift to be of commercial importance. In the natural 

 forest the white spruce occurs largely on moist sites along the stream 

 bottoms, but where artificial disturbance, such as blow-down, fire, or 

 cutting occurs it seeds in abundantly and more than holds its own with 

 the red spruce in the restocking stand. 



As far as adaptability is concerned, therefore, we can only definitely 

 rule out the black spruce. We have not had sufficient opportunity to 

 observe the Norway but the indications are that as far as adaptation is 

 concerned it will meet the requirements. 



rate; of growth 



The third requirement, that of rate of growth, is still in the process 

 of study. Without prolonging this paper to the extent of giving com- 

 parative figures, it has been fairly definitely proved, that as far as 

 Maine is concerned at least, the black spruce is the slowest growing, 

 the red spruce next, and the white spruce the fastest on the sites best 

 adapted to the individual species. As white and red spruce seem equally 

 well adapted to all sites in the replacement forest, it is unlikely if there 

 are any sites of commercial importance where red spruce would average 

 to show more rapid growth than white. 



The accompanying table shows the results of a stem analysis growth 

 study on white spruce in replacement stands in northern Maine, based 

 on measurements of close to 200 trees. These figures indicate a rapid 

 average growth for the species, quite sufficient for the purposes of pulp- 

 wood plantations. How this compares with the results Norway spruce 

 might show I do not know, but my observation on a plantation now in 

 its sixth year indicates that the white spruce makes a much faster start. 

 One thousand white spruce planted in 1916 had in the summer of 1920 

 an average height of about twice that of 1,000 Norway spruce planted 

 at the same time on the same site. 



HANDUXG IN nursery AND FIKLD 



Testimony of various experienced nurserymen indicates that Norway 

 spruce is much the best nursery tree, being easiest to cultivate and 

 handle without loss. In this respect none of the other species is so 

 good, though both red and white spruce can be economically produced 



