HARDWOOD TYPE 43 



The average of the three sites — low flat, slope and bench — shows 

 the average composition of the hardwood type to be : sugar maple, 

 41.8 per cent ; beech, 25.6 per cent ; yellow birch, 10.8 percent; bass- 

 wood, 9.6 percent; hemlock, 4.5 percent; elm, 3 percent; hop hornbeam, 

 1.9 per cent; ash, 1.8 per cent; balsam, 0.8 per cent ;•; large-toothed 

 aspen, 0.2 per cent. If we ignore the poles and saplings and consider only 

 the dominant or log trees the composition becomes: sugar maple, 46.4 

 per cent ; beech, 31.7 per cent ; yellow birch, 14.7 per cent ; basswood. 

 elm, and hemlock, each 2.4 per cent. And, if we assume that the 

 poles and saplings as given above all come to maturity, replacing the 

 dominant trees, the complexion of the forest would still remain much 

 the same. The poles and saplings per acre aggregate 1,972, and, as a 

 class, their composition is distributed as follows : sugar maple, 46.7 

 per cent ; beech, 31.23 per cent ; yellow birch, 8.72 per cent ; bass- 

 wood, 5.9 per cent ; hornbeam, 2.9 per cent ; hemlock, 2.6 per cent ; 

 balsam, 1.2 per cent ; aspen, 0.4 per cent ; ash and elm, each 0.2 per 

 cent. This shows strikingly that the two leading species, maple and 

 beech, will hold their present position in the future forest, and, since 

 this is in virgin forest, it indicates that they are fully adjusted to their 

 environment. It is what is called a "climax forest, " the ultimate result 

 of adaptations. 



To show the variations which may occur in this type, the following 

 sample areas are enumerated. A strip run through the northwestern 

 comer of Lake township from the base of a slope to a mixed type on its 

 crest, showed the following composition. 



Number of Trees per Acre on a Flat at the Base of a Slope 

 Species — Veterans Standards Poles Saplings Total Per cent 



Sugar Maple 10 20 70 100 58.8 



Beech 30 10 30 70 41.2 



Total ". 40 30 100 170 100.0 



Percent 23.6 17.6 58.8 



Number of Trees per Acre on a Gentle Slope 



Species — Veterans Standards Poles Saplings Total Per cent 



Sugar Maple 4 4 16 36 60 60 



Beech 16 20 4 40 40 



Total 4 20 36 40 100 100 



Per cent 4 20 36 40 



Number of Trees per Acre on a Bench near the Top of a Slope 



Species — Veterans Standards Poles Saplings Total Per cent 



Beech 4 36 56 96 45.3 



Sugar Maple 20 24 ..44 88 41.6 



Hop Hornbeam .. 4 16 20 9.4 



Hemlock 8 .. .. 8 3.7 



Total 20 36 40 116 212 100.0 



Per cent 9.4 17 18.9 54.7 



Taking the average composition of these three site classes, we find the com- 

 position as a whole to be : maple, 53.4 per cent ; beech, 42.2 per cent ; hop horn- 

 beam, 3.1 per cent. ; hemlock, 1,2 per cent. 



