58 THE ADIRONDACK BLACK SPRUCE. 



the tree trunk, making four logs, were taken. Specimen 83 shows 

 that five logs aggregating 66 feet and 8 inches were taken, the top 

 log being only eight inches in diameter at the top or small end. In 

 this tree it appears, from the next column of figures, that only 15 

 feet and 5 inches of top remained, indicating that this tree, which 

 was 84 feet 9 inches high, was not only tall, but cylindrical and 

 free from limbs nearly to its crown. Specimen 87 was 93 feet 

 and 7 inches high, and although taller than the one just men- 

 tioned, furnished the same number of logs, the top log, however, 

 being 12 inches in diameter at its small end. 



The tallest tree mentioned in Table IY is Specimen 839, which 

 was ^8 feet 6 inches high, and 22 inches in diameter on the stump. 

 Specimen 832 was 26 inches in diameter, but only 87 feet 8 inches 

 high, and furnished four logs instead of five. It will be noticed that 

 many of the trees furnished only two logs and some only one, 

 although they were of a fair height. The small number of logs 

 obtained from a tree was due in some instances to rotten butts, or 

 to the fact that there was too great a limb development at the 

 top of the tree, the top measurements indicating in many cases 

 that the trunk diminished in diameter, or "tapered" too rapidly. 



In Table IY the figures showing the number of rings per inch 

 indicate that the Adirondack bJack spruce when growing under 

 natural conditions, where the trees are overcrowded and de- 

 prived of light, requires on an average over 24 years for an 

 increase of two inches in diameter ; but an examination of the 

 figures shows that many of the trees, which had attained a height 

 enabling them to dominate the surrounding ones, required from 

 six to eight years only to gain two inches. Thus the tree repre- 

 sented by Specimen 43 was 30 years in gaining the third inch 

 of radius while it was only seven years in growing an inch after 

 its crown had reached to where it could gain proper nourishment. 

 Specimen 456 evidently had the advantage of light and air from 

 the time that it was a nursling, as is indicated by the compara- 

 tively small number of years required in adding each inch to its 

 diameter. 



From the measurements and notes made by Forester Humes 

 in Township 14, Town of Fine, St. Lawrence county the fol- 

 lowing deductions as to the average age of the spruce are 

 made: 



