CHOICE OF SPECIES TO BE PLANTED 523 



in commercial quantities by proper methods. Loss in the field after 

 planting depends so much on the care the individual tree receives in 

 planting and the particular conditions surrounding it that it is very hard 

 to make comparisons of the handling qualities of different species. Our 

 experience so far indicates, however, that none of the three species, 

 Norway, red. or white, possesses any particular advantage in this re- 

 spect over the others. We have observed, however, quite a lot of 

 damage to the young Norway spruces from nipping off of the new 

 shoots, probably by rabbits. I believe this is a common phenomenon 

 with exotics. The animals seem to recognize it as something new and 

 have to give it a try to see if it isn't something good. 



RESISTANCE TO DISEASE, ETC. 



" ■ 1 



In respect to resistance to disease and natural enemies we have not 

 a great deal of information, and the question admits of a tremendous 

 amount of study. Suffice it to say that the spruce bud worm is the 

 enemy most to be feared of which we know anything today. How 

 the Norway spruce resists this pest we have no way of knowing but 

 we do know that the red spruce resists it very badly. Immense quan- 

 tities of red spruce have been killed by the bud-worm in Maine during 

 the past ten years. The white spruce, on the contrary, while not wholly 

 immune from attack, seems to be entirely immune from death or per- 

 manent injury from this cause. The writer has yet to see a white 

 spruce killed or badly damaged by the bud-worm, even in the midst 

 of his worst havoc on red spruce and fir. 



SEED SUPPLY 



The last requirement, that of seed supply, is unquestionably best met 

 by the white spruce. It does not seed more freely, so far as we know, 

 than the red spruce, but the seed is much easier to extract. Norway 

 spruce seed can, of course, be imported from Europe or purchased in 

 this country, but the writer much prefers to use seed of known origin 

 which is difficult in the case of seed purchased in the market. The 

 experience gained by the writer this past year in collecting white spruce 

 seed indicates that it can be done easily and economically from standing 

 trees and there is every reason to believe no shortage of seed will ever 

 be felt as far as our own needs are concerned, collecting in the better 

 seed years from trees on our own land. 



