23-1 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



be singled out. Regarding seed production, the interesting statement 

 is made that the interval between succeeding full seed crops varies 

 from three to seven or eight years, and that spruce produces from 50 

 to 90 per cent perfect seed, from 60 to 80 per cent of which germinate. 

 The largest quantity and best quality of seed is produced in the virgin 

 forest by trees from 10 to 18 inches in diameter at breast height; full 

 crop production begins about the fiftieth year. The effective range of 

 seed distribution is probably not more than 200 feet. 



Speaking of spruce reproduction under hardwoods, the telling point 

 is made that "whether fall germination takes place ... or not, the 

 seeds, or germinates, will be covered with a thick layer of hardwood 

 leaves. In the spring the warm rains and sun start fermentation of 

 this mulch, and while this at first affords conditions exceedingly favor- 

 able to the germination of the spruce seed, the young seedlings are 

 unable to survive the continued heat and humidity and the general 

 smothering effect of the hardwood leaf litter. The trouble thus seems 

 to be not that the seedlings are unable to get their roots into mineral 

 soil or other suitable material, as is usually claimed, but that the heavy 

 mulch prevents them from getting their shoots up into the needed light 

 and air." 



In the portion on "Fungous Growth" the author's advice that "mer- 

 chantable trees in a defective condition, whatever their size, should be 

 removed in order to get the present value of their sound portions and 

 at the same time prevent so far as possible their becoming a menace to 

 the healthy trees remaining" deserves to be heeded more than it is, the 

 New York State Forest Preserve being a case of flagrant disregard of 

 this need for sanitation. Similarly, under "Insects," the author rightly 

 points out that "since the mature living timber is the most subject to 

 attack, the cutting over of the remaining virgin tracts, using an ap- 

 proximate diameter limit of 14 inches at breast height, will greatly 

 reduce the danger of subsequent serious damage arising from this 

 source." The admonition, on page 47, "to improve . . . sanitary 

 conditions by felling and swamping badly defective and dead trees and 

 snags," is also excellent. 



In Tables 6 and 13, showing the height and diameter growth, re- 

 spectively, of Norway spruce, the author requests that the following 

 corrections be made : 



