POPLAR-BIRCH TYPE 59 



The trees were counted on a strip 100 chains long and a chain wide across the 

 barrens. The table below indicates the number of trees of various sizes and kinds 

 on the 10 acres. 



Number of Trees per Acre, Methuen Barrens 

 (Average of 10 acres) 



Species— Standards Poles Saplings Total Per cent 



Poplar 0.85 25.45 25.35 57.4 



Red Oak 0.1 1.80 7.15 9.00 20.2 



White Oak 0.3 1.25 2.15 3.70 8.3 



JackPme .... 2.65 2.65 5.9 



Red'Pine 0.2 0.55 0.70 1.45 3.2 



WTiitePine 0.05 0.20 0.95 1.20 2.6 



Paper Birch 0.10 0.45 0.55 1.2 



Tamarack 0.35 0.35 0.7 



Red Maple 0.05 0.25 0.30 0.5 



Total 0.70 5.00 38.85 44.55 100.0 



Per cent 1.6 11 .2 87.2 ?< ►-, |f* 



As previously stated, the table above indicates the present composition and the 

 size of the trees on an area which has been severely burned, in addition to numerous 

 surface fires, occmring seven times in the past century. Occasional pockets which 

 escaped the fires indicate what the forest might be now, were it not for the repeated 

 fires. For example, sample strips wore rim through a patch of 5 acres which had 

 apparently arisen from a fire about 30 years ago, but had escaped subsequent fires, 

 owmg to its position between a lake and a marsh. The composition of the stand is 

 given below. 



Number of Trees per Acre on a Low Flat, Methuen 

 (Average of 5 acres) 



Species— Standards Poles Saplings Total Percent 



Red Pine 76 212 288 55.8 



Poplar 4 102 52 158 30.6 



White Pme 18 20 38 7 4 



Paper Birch 4 18 22 4.3 



Red Oak 6 2 8 1.5 



Jack Pine 2 ... ... 2 0.4 



Total 6 206 304 516 100.0 



Percent 1.1 40.0 58.9 



The poplar and jack pine standards are remnants of the forest burned 30 years 

 ago. 



Another stand of about the same area, similarly protected from fire, was found 

 on a dry gravelly knoll. A sample plot in it revealed the following composition. 



NtTMBER OF Trees per Acre on a Gravelly Knoll, Methuen 

 (Average of 5 acres) 



Species— Poles SapUngs Total Percent 



Poplar 40 70 110 56.7 



Red Pme 18 44 62 32.0 



Red Oak 4 g 12 6 2 



White Pine 6 2 8 4.1 



Paper Birch 2 .. 2 l!o 



Total 70 124 194 100.0 



Percent 36.1 63.9 



These two plots represent sites on which pines, if not burned, would grow in 

 other portions of the barrens. Here, on ten acres, we find potentially commercial 

 red pme at the rate of 35 trees, and white pine at the rate of 4.6 trees per acre. Com- 

 parmg this with ten acres on the adjacent seven-times-bumed area, as given in the 



