ey The New York State College of Forestry 
Facts Leading to the Study: 
The following premises are the result of close study of the 
published reports, constant observation of the forest of the 
western Adirondacks for a period of three years, and intermit- 
tent observation covering eight years. All types and conditions 
of the forest were under observation during all seasons for the 
three years mentioned. The measurements made during 1919 
are in accord with the observations previously made, and with 
the following premises: 
1. Yellow birch is the most generally distributed hardwood 
species in the true northern forest of the Adirondack region. 
Not only is it preponderant among the mature hardwoods on 
the average Adirondack acre, but it extends most widely through 
the range of types. 
2. Yellow birch possesses certain advantages over the three 
important competing hardwoods—beech, sugar maple, and red 
maple—in seizure of devastated areas. 
Its seeds are more motile, 
Its seed crop occurs in quantity annually, and has few 
enemies. 
Its seeds can germinate on deep humus or partially 
decayed wood, and take root successfully through deep 
layers of such material to the mineral soil. 
The species in its seedling and young sapling stages 
grows with sufficient rapidity to compete with tolerant 
hardwoods and assure the tree of a dominant place in 
the ultimate stand of trees of the same age. 
3. The crown of the birch intercepts less light than those of 
the maples and beech, so that it allows a better growth of the 
understory of softwoods by reason of this and other factors of 
tolerance. 
4. Cut over lands are observed to have dense stands of young 
birch, and it is believed that the ultimate forest will have a 
larger percentage of birch than the virgin forest, which will 
increase its importance in the industries, and further enhance 
its value. 
