HOW TREES GROW AND MULTIPLY 15 



slow growers, often are smothered out by the 

 more vigorous trees. 



Some trees are able to grow in the shade. 

 They develop near or under the large trees of the 

 forest. When the giants of the woodland die, 

 these smaller trees, which previously were 

 shaded, develop rapidly as a result of their free- 

 dom from suppression. In many cases they grow 

 almost as large and high as the huge trees that 

 they replace. In our eastern forests the hemlock 

 often follows the white pine in this way. Spruce 

 trees may live for many years in dense shade. 

 Then finally, when they have access to plenty of 

 light they may develop into sturdy trees. A tree 

 that is a pigmy in one locality may rank as a 

 giant in another region due to different condi- 

 tions of growth and climate. For example, the 

 canoe birch at its northern limit is a runt. It 

 never grows higher than a few feet above the 

 ground. Under the most favorable conditions in 

 Florida, where this species thrives, such trees 

 often tower to a height of 125 feet. 



In sheltered regions the seeds of trees may 

 fall, sprout and take root close to their parent 

 trees. As a rule, the wind plays a prominent 

 part in distributing seed in every section of the 



