SILVICAL SYSTEMS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 907 



often old and suppressed by hardwoods, and the site conditions of the 

 trees left were in no way changed by the removal of scattering spruce 

 and fir from their vicinity. Only in cases of very small fir was increased 

 growth noticed. These small trees, as mentioned before, revived and 

 grew to size in the larger openings of the hardwood type. 



As for increased growth in the spruce fiat type, here, too, a disap- 

 pointment was met. The crowns were quite small. Numerous borings 

 were made in trees chosen for their thrifty appearance and favorable 

 site conditions, but only in few instances was any sign of reviving to 

 the new conditions noted. The trees left, though small, were over loo 

 years old. The borings in general, made in spruce in both types, showed 

 no evidences of increased growth. The theory that with thinning out 

 the stand an increased growth is obtained does not seem to apply to 

 conditions that were met with in this study. 



Kin'KOnUCTlON 



In the foregoing pages it was stated that reproduction of spruce and 

 fir was ample on spruce slopes and flats. This statement coincides with 

 the statements and tables of Chittenden.' 



Why fir is coming in as second growth at the expense of the spruce 

 is not fully known. This condition has been mentioned in articles in 

 the early numbers of the Forestry Quarterly and has been commented 

 on in practically everything written about the spruce region. Zon, 

 in Bulletin 55. Forest Service, on germination of balsam, says: 



"Since the seeds are scattered late in the fall, when frosts have already occurred, 

 they lie dormant throughout the winter and come up the next spring. Hardwood 

 leaf litter, duff, moss, mineral soil, rotten logs — all present an equally good germi- 

 nating bed, if moist. Balsam differs from spruce in this respect, requiring more 

 moisture, as may be inferred from the fact that spruce seedlings are found in 

 drier situations, both on logs and on the ground. A rather dry and high log 

 will have plenty of spruce seedlings and very few balsam, while a well rotted, 

 moist log will have a great number of balsam seedlings. The same is true of 

 stumps." 



Perh.-ij)s thf moistiux' rc(|uirements of balsam and spruci' (k'torminc 

 ihcir relative time of germination in the fall and the spring, there being 

 enough moisture for spruce in the fall and not enough for fir. If 

 such is the case it would be in line with Murphy's statements in Bulletin 

 344, Forest Service, who noted that spruce seeds germinate in the fall 



'Forest Conditions of Northern .\\w liamp-^hire. bv A. K. Chittentlen. I'.ureau 

 -f Konstry. V. ^. Dcpt. .\gr. Hull. 55. 



