ALTERNATIONS OF GROWTH: FOREST MANAGEMENT. 193 



the vicinity of the Adirondac Iron Works, a large tract, which had originally home a 

 heavy forest of hard wood, was at that time exclusively occupied by a growth of small 

 red-cherry trees. It is well known that the native home of the spruce is in a damp, 

 rich soil. At the time I refer to, there was standing in North Elba, upon land from 

 which the original hard-wood forest had been cnt off, a thrifty and extensive range of 

 spruce. The soil they occupied was a dry, loamy, and elevated plain, and as I now 

 revert to their appearance I cannot recall the presence among them of a single tree 

 of any other species. 



This change of forest-growth was noticed by Mr. Emerson in his 

 Trees and Shrubs of Massachusetts, and a cause was suggested in the ex- 

 haustion of the nutritious elements required for vigorous growth. 



He says : ^ 



Nature points out in various ways, and the observation of practical men has almost 

 uniformly contirmed the conclusion to which the philosophical botanist has come from 

 theoretical considerations, that a rotation of crops is as important in the forests as in 

 cultivated fields. A pine forest is often, without the agency of man, succeeded by an 

 oak forest, where there were a few oaks previously scattered through the woods to 

 furnish seed. An oak forest is succeeded by one of pine under the same conditions. 

 But it frequently happens that there are not enough trees Of the opposite family to 

 seed the ground, in which case a forest will be succeeded by another of the same kind, 

 which, though it will grow, will probably not flourish with the same luxuriance as 

 would one of another family. 



Again, after noticing that throughout Massachusetts, in the land left 

 ill forest, the soil is thin and poor, the trees must in time perish when 

 deprived of their necessary food, he remarks that this is not necessarily 

 so in the rich intervales. The proper inference would be that, when such 

 a growth has exhausted the elements peculiar to its wants, it should be 

 sown or planted with another kind. 



This is clearly indicated in what is constantly going on in the forests, particularly 

 the fact which I have already stated, and which is abundantly confirmed by my cor- 

 respondents, that a forest of one kind is frequently succeeded by a spontaneous growth 

 of trees of another kind. Mr. P. Sanderson, of East Whately, writes me : " There is an 

 instance on my farm of spruce and hacmetack being succeeded by a spontaneous 

 growth of maple-wood." Instances are also mentioned by him of beech and maple suc- 

 ceeding oak, oaks following pines, and the reverse ; hemlock succeeded by white birch 

 in cold places, and by hard maple in warm ones ; beech succeeded Uy maple, elm, &g. ; 

 and in fact the occurrence was so common that surprise was expressed at the asking of 

 the question. - 



SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF TIMBER ON THE 

 LANDS BELONGING TO THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT. 



Congress has the undoubted right to fix tbe terms upon which the* 

 public lands shall be hereafter conveyed, although questions miglit arise 

 with regard to cases in which proceedings have been begun for acquiring 

 titles under existing laws. It is earnestly recommended that a modi- 

 fication of these laws be made, under which no sale or grant of agricul- 

 tural or pastoral lands now treeless shall hereafter be made, except upon 

 coudition that a reasonable amount shall be planted in timber within a 

 certain time, and that this proportion of timber shall be thereafter main- 

 tained, evidence of the first planting being shown before the title is 

 issued. 



It is also within the power of Congress, in the sale or grant of what 

 are now timber lands, to stipulate that a certain portion when cut off 

 shall be protected and allowed to grow up with another crop, and that 

 this proportion of timber shall be thereafter kept up. The title should 

 be issued only upon this condition, the neglect of which by the holder 

 should render it liable to revert to the government. Such a clause of 

 obligation would necessarily follow the title through all its subsequent 



' Trets and Shrubs of Massachusetts, 2d ed. i, 22. "^ Ih,, i, 35. 



13 F 



