FOREST VEGETATION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 399 



Among the species characteristic of the more southern type which 

 here find their northern limit may be mentioned the chestnut, white 

 oak, spoon-wood or mountain laurel, and frost-grape. The range of 

 pines and walnuts, of white or river maple, red oak and hemlock, is also 

 mainly southern. The more characteristic trees of the northern class 

 are the sugar-maple, beech, balsam-fir, black and white spruce, and 

 arbor-vitae, and of smaller trees the mountain ash and striped maple. 

 Of these the white spruce and arbor- vitse have the most limited range. 

 The former is abundant about Connecticut Lake, but occurs rarely, if 

 at all, south of Colebrook. The latter {Thuja occidentalis), is also com- 

 mon in this section, extending south to the vicinity of the White Mount- 

 ains, and is also occasionally found in highland swamps farther south. 



The pine family forms the most important feature of the landscape, 

 and has been an important source of wealth to the State. The white 

 pine originally filled all the river valleys with a heavy growth, extend- 

 ing along that of the Connecticut to the northern boundary. This 

 growth has now nearly disappeared before the lumberman's ax, but the 

 great abundance of saplings in the southern part of the State shows 

 that this species is still the principal conifer of that section. Passing 

 northward into Coos County, we find the white pine much restricted in 

 area, occurring mostly at the headwaters of the streams, and mainly 

 confined to the first- growth specimens, saplings being of rare occurrence, 

 even where the land is allowed to return to forest after clearing. 



The pitch and red pines are of more limited range, the former (P. rigi- 

 da) occurring most along the sandy plains and drift knolls of tbe river 

 valleys, scarcely growing on hills that attain much elevation above 

 the sea level. It is found most abundantly in the southeastern part of 

 the State, and in the Merrimack Valley and around Lakes Winnipiseogee 

 and Ossipee, extending northward as far as North Conway. In the 

 Connecticut Valley it appears less abundantly. The red pine (P. resi- 

 nosa), often called " Norway pine," " is the most social of the pine ge- 

 nus," occurring in groups of from a few individuals to groves containing 

 several acres. Although much less common, its range is about the same 

 as that of the pitch pine, probably attaining a higher elevation above 

 the sea level. This species is of handsome and rapid growth, and is 

 well worthy of being planted for ornament. 



In the White Mountain region the balsam-fir and black spruce, grow- 

 ing together in about equal numbers, giving to the scenery one of its 

 peculiar features. They are the last of arborescent vegetation to yield 

 to the increased cold and fierce winds of the higher summits. North 

 of these mountains, the arbor-vitte forms the predominant evergreen, 

 mingled with the white spruce about Connecticut Lake. In the south- 

 ern part they are mostly confined to the highlands between the Merri- 

 mack and Connecticut Kivers, the black spruce being most abundant. 



The hemlock is common in the southern part of the State, ranging 

 most abundantly around the base of the Eocky Mountains, southward 

 along the highlands, becoming less near the coast. Its northern limit is 

 in the vicinity of Colebrook and Umbagog Lake, reaching an elevation 

 of 1,200 feet above tide. 



The tamarack does not enter largely into the flora of New Hampshire, 

 being chiefly lound in swamps of small extent, and ranges along the 

 highlands from Massachusetts to north of the White Mountains. The 

 red cedar is chiefly limited to the sea-shore. The juniper is sometimes 

 troublesome by overspreading hilly pastures. The American yew is 

 often present in cold-land swamps. 



The maples are best represented among deciduous trees. The river 



