Silviculture in Canada 19 



prominent, as a result undoubtedly of fires which in past ages and 

 also in modern times have reduced the spruce to only a limited 

 amount; hence the spruce must be re-established in competition 

 with the aspen. 



There is no diffictilty on this account, in the nature of the two 

 species, for the spruce is a tolerant species and can stand the light 

 shade which the aspen gives, almost without being retarded in its 

 growth. The only problem is that of the profitable or at least 

 costless removal of the surplus of aspen. 



Aspen is by no means a useless weed tree. Not only is it val- 

 uable as a mere soil cover, recuperating the soil after fires, but it 

 furnishes an acceptable fuel wood and pulpwood, and even an 

 inferior grade of lumber, especially for flooring. Aspen also lends 

 itself to use for small woodenware, boxes, crates, pails, excelsior. 

 The establishment of industries near or in the Reserves using this 

 material is probably possible and shotild be brought about by 

 investigating the possibilities of securing a sufficient supply of the 

 raw material and other factors favoring such industries. 



Unfortunately, it is liable at an early age to rot. Large areas 

 of mature aspen, which look as if they would cut satisfactory saw 

 material, are to the extent of 50 to 80 per cent "punky," and so 

 far as known useless. The silvicvdtural problem of re-establishing 

 the spruce must wait upon the solution of the technological prob- 

 lem of finding a use for "punky" wood, or a use where at least a 

 certain per cent of rot is not objectionable. 



Such large areas of pure aspen of all ages are found in these and 

 other Reserves that it will become an unavoidable necessity to 

 work in part for aspen reproduction, and in that connection to 

 solve the problem of reducing or stopping the progress of the 

 disease, keeping it out of the yoimger growths that are not yet 

 affected. 



The aspen problem is, indeed, a general one throughout the 

 whole Eastern Dominion; the development of its profitable utili- 

 zations should be made one of the studies of the Forest Products- 

 Laboratories. 



The Underbrush Problem 



There is little or no difficulty in establishing spruce under aspen 

 because of the shade endurance of the latter, but another, worse, 

 inimical agency comes in to make difficulty. The light shade of 



