THE ADIRONDACK BLACK SPRUCE. 15 



Since the organization of the Forest Commission, 10 years ago, 

 not a tree has been cut on State land with the consent of the 

 Commission, and, under the new Constitution, 20 years must 

 elapse before any such permission can be given. But on the lands 

 owned by. the clubs or used as private preserves, which include 

 one-third of the Adirondack forest, timber cutting for revenue 

 and also for forest improvement will always be carried on. 

 Where the cutting is done with reference primarily to forest 

 improvement, the trees are taken irrespective of size or species ; 

 but where the thinning is done with reference to forest revenue 

 rather than improvement, the cutting will probably be confined 

 to one or two merchantable species, with some further restrictions 

 to prevent the cutting of small trees or those which have not 

 attained a mature size. 



Except in a few localities the hardwood timber, which con- 

 stitutes over 70 per cent, of the average forest, is not cut, 

 while from the remaining evergreens only two* species are 

 taken to any extent. There is little or no white pine left 

 in northern New York. Hemlock is valuable only for its bark, 

 owing to the low market price for that kind of lumber, and is 

 not cut for bark except where there is a short haul or easy ship- 

 ment to some tannery. Balsam, cedar, and tamarack have so 

 small a place in the lumber market that these species are seldom 

 removed. But the black spruce, which forms from 5 to 10 per 

 cent, of our northern forests is a merchantable species in great 

 demand, and forest owners desirous of obtaining a revenue from 

 their property can take the matured trees of this species without 

 any serious injury to existing conditions. In fact, so few spruce 

 trees are cut to the acre on a well-managed job that their absence 

 would be noticed only by those familiar with the business, there 

 being no apparent diminution in the density of the forest or 

 quantity of foliage. Of course, such a system, however closely 

 restricted, would not fill the requirements for forest improve- 

 ment; but it does not necessarily imply forest injury, much less 

 forest destruction, as recently claimed by some very good but 

 very stupid people. 



Laying aside the question of cutting timber with reference to 

 forest improvement, the cutting on the private preserves of 



* Spruce and hemlock. 



