Forestry in Eastern Canada 55 



and called out the size of all trees down to six inches in dia- 

 meter, and the third dragged the tape and recorded the sizes 

 and species of the trees. When there were only two men in 

 the party, the "caller" also blazed the trees and the "recorder" 

 looked after the compass line. The general characteristics of 

 the surrounding forest and the lay of land were always care- 

 fully noted and recorded. In the year 1908, two parties worked 

 for a period of three months and covered a territory of about 

 584 square miles. One party ran an average strip of about 

 one mile and a half in length per day. 



The forest as a whole may be considered as a mixed, 

 uneven-aged, coniferous stand with Balsam Fir and Spruce pre- 

 dominating. Birch and Aspen are the leading hardwood trees. 

 Other species, which now and then are found in almost pure 

 stands are Jack Pine, White Pine, and Red Pine. Usually 

 Tamarack, Arborvitae, White Ash, Sugar Maple and Bass- 

 wood are found singly or in small groves. White Pine, of 

 large size and excellent quality, was found here abundantly at 

 one time but was lumbered about thirty years ago and now 

 occurs with a few exceptions as lonely sentinels left by the 

 lumbermen on account of defects. 



TOPOGRAPHY. 



The land is mostly rolling, cut by numerous streams and 

 literally bedecked with lakes. There is at least one lake to 

 every square mile of land. Some of these are several miles 

 long and two or three miles wide. Most of the larger streams 

 can be used for log-driving, especially during the months of 

 May and June, when the water is high. The numerous rapids, 

 however, some of which are more than two miles long, hinder 

 the log-driving operation to a considerable extent and when 

 the water lowers, stops it entirely. Many of the lakes are 

 either entirely or partially surrounded by swamps. In some 

 cases these swamps cover an area of several square miles. 



SOIL. 



The soil is mostly a pure sand or a loamy sand. Clay is 

 seldom found. Humus is usually several inches deep and great 

 care must be exercised to prevent ground fires. In some por- 

 tions of the forest rock is found in great abundance mostly 

 along and near the large streams. 



BALSAM FIR TYPE. 



The Balsam Fir type is the most common throughout the 



