4 MUSEUM BULLETIN NO. 26. 



Sub-arctic Forest Zone. The sub-arctic or so called coniferous 

 forest extends in the east from the Arctic zone southward to a line 

 running from Anticosti to the southern end of Lake Winnipeg. This 

 line is practically identical with the northern limits of the White and 

 the Red Pine. West of Lake Winnipeg the sub-arctic forest is bounded 

 to the south and west by the prairie and the foothills of the Rocky 

 Mountains, respectively. The Gaspe peninsula and the greater part of 

 New Brunswick may also be included in the sub-arctic forest. 



As the name indicates, the sub-arctic forest is decidedly boreal. It is 

 largely coniferous in character, the only deciduous trees occurring 

 throughout the region being poplars and white birch. The sub-arctic 

 forest is as yet almost undisturbed by settlers. It forms a vast reserve 

 of national wealth, and is destined in the future to furnish the chief 

 supply of timber for the pulp and paper industries of eastern North 

 America, as Black and White Spruce (Picea mariana and P. canadensis) 

 are dominant trees. Of the other coniferous trees, the Banksian Pine 

 (Pinus Banksiana) is the most important. It reaches perfection in the 

 western part of the zone, and constitutes the chief source of supply of 

 lumber for the northern prairie region. The other trees characteristic of 

 the zone in general are Aspen Poplar (Populus tremuloides) , Balsam Poplar 

 (P. balsamifera), White Birch (Betula papyriferd) , Larch (Larix laricina) 

 and Balsam Fir (Abies bahamed). Bewteen Lake Winnipeg and the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence, White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) , Elm (Ulmus 

 americana) and Ash (Fraxinus nigra, F. americana) are occasionally met 

 with, but cannot be considered characteristic of the sub-arctic forest. 



On the whole, the sub-arctic forest covers a rolling country with 

 numerous bogs and lakes in the depressions. Perhaps its most striking 

 character is the abundance of berry shrubs, including Gooseberries (Ribes 

 oxyacanthoides) , Currants (R. hudsonianum, R. triste), Blueberries (Vac- 

 cinium canadense), Rock Cranberries (V. Vitis-Idced), Raspberries 

 (Rubus strigosus), Yellow-berries (R. Chamcemorus) , High-bush Cran- 

 berries (Viburnum Opulus, V. pauciflorum )and others. 



The vegetation of the bogs shows but little variation, and the species 

 encountered in the bogs of one part of the zone are characteristic of 

 practically the whole sub-arctic forest. A number of species occurring 

 on the tundra further north reach perfection in the bogs of this 

 zone. Among the leading bog plants may be mentioned: Ledum 

 groenlandicum, Kalmia polifolia, Andromeda glaucophylla, Habenaria 

 hyperborea, Epipactis repens var. ophioides, Menyanthes trifoliata, Utri- 

 cularia americana, Pedicularis groenlandica, Eriophorum and Carex 

 species. 



On the whole, the flora of the sub-arctic forest is remarkably uniform 

 throughout, and hardly a species is found that does not occur in the Arctic 



