THE SPRUCE REGION 203 



occur, but not as important commercial trees. The red pine 

 is apt to grow on sandy areas which are sometimes found along 

 the main river valleys forming pure groves or mixed with white 

 pine. The white pine likes similar sites though it is more 

 widely scattered through the spruce forest. 



Hemlock occurs through the region singly or in groups, but 

 is not by any means an abundant tree. 



In the swamps tamarack or larch and the northern white cedar 

 {Thuja occidentalis) are frequent trees. The larch is mostly of 

 small size and not commercially important. The cedar occurs 

 both in mixture with other species and also in pure stands. It is 

 a valuable tree, especially in Maine, while in the mountainous 

 sections of New Hampshire and Vermont it is not so common. 



Hard maple, beech, and yellow birch are important trees. 

 They are apt to grow together, forming on certain good soils the 

 bulk of the stand with a small amount of spruce in the mixture. 

 The beech and hard maple are of comparatively poor quahty and 

 thrive better in regions further south. 



Yellow birch, however, finds here optimum conditions for its 

 development. 



Paper birch in some parts of Maine and New Hampshire is a 

 tree of considerable commercial value. It is scattered generally 

 over the entire region. 



The aspens {Populus balsamea, Populus tremuloides, and Popu- 

 lus grandidentata) occur on burned-over and cut-over lands in 

 mixture with other trees or in pure stands. Where abundant, 

 aspen is valuable for pulpwood. 



Forest Types. 



Within the spruce region the forest is not the same through- 

 out, for the different species found do not all occur in the same 

 proportions in all places. Indeed, there may be an endless 

 variety and a wide range in the combinations of the different 

 species; so much so, that no two spots in a forest can be said to 

 be alike in every detail. Over considerable areas, however, the 

 forest may for all practical purposes be the same. This gives 



