28 



A MANUAL OF FORESTRY 



it prefers decaying logs or moss, but does well on bare mineral 

 soil or one covered with needles. In any small opening in a 

 >priue forest numerous seedlings can generally be found, and on 



Fig. 7. A stand of spruce 60-70 years of age on an old field. Note the number and 

 size of dead branches still on the trees. 



abandoned fields in the spruce region reproduction invariably 

 follows. The young roots cannot penetrate the leaf litter of a 

 hardwood forest, and spruce reproduction in such places is, 

 therefore, scarce. 



Like most conifers it is severely damaged by fire, and, as 

 mentioned above, is very susceptible to windfall. There are 

 also several bark-boring insects which cause periodic damage. 

 Though spruce is neither as rapid growing nor as valuable as 

 white pine, its natural adaptability to the higher and northern 

 portions of Xew England, its value for many uses as lumber and 

 pulp, its fair growth and easy reproduction, all combine to 

 make it the most important tree to encourage in the higher 

 elevations. 



