56 Forest Club Annual 



region and is often found in pure stands. In mixed stands, 

 it grows best with the spruces or birches. The Balsam Fir 

 trees have an average size of about twelve inches, diameter 

 breast-high, and an average height of 60 to 70 feet. Often trees 

 which attain a diameter of nineteen inches or more are hollow 

 for a distance of ten to twenty feet from the stump, although 

 they appear quite sound. Nearly fifty per cent of all Balsam 

 Fir cut is affected with heart-root, which renders the species less 

 valuable and makes the type undesirable. It has been claimed 

 that more than fifty per cent of the timber in Canada is Balsam 

 Fir. The logs of this species do not drive well. 



SPRUCE TYPES. 



White and Black Spruce types are the next most common. 

 The two types often occur together, the Black Spruce in the 

 swamps and the White Spruce on the higher surrounding lands, 

 and often it is almost impossible to draw any line of demar- 

 cation between the two types, or separate one species from 

 the other.. Where the birches are commonly found in the White 

 Spruce type the best development is reached. The average dia- 

 meter breast-high is about fourteen inches but many reach eigh- 

 teen inches or more. The average height ranges from 65 to 

 75 feet. This species is always sound and very desirable. 

 Black Spruce, on the other hand, is not so good on account of 

 its slow growth. Very few trees are found over nine inches 

 in diameter. A large percentage of them die before they reach 

 seven inches. 



TEMPORARY TYPES. 



Old burn types are of three kinds, namely Aspen, Paper 

 Birch, and Jack Pine types. These are usually found near vil- 

 lages or farming districts where at some time in the past the 

 original forest had been cut clear or, more commonly, burned. 

 Jack Pine is making rapid growth in some localities and can be 

 used for ties. Trees nine inches or more in diameter are not 

 uncommon. Paper Birch and Aspen have as yet no economic 

 importance. 



MIXED TYPES. 



Mixed types are very common especially where the topo- 

 graphy is rather rough. The type may be either coniferous or 

 hardwood, depending upon the predominating species. As a 

 rule, the mixed coniferous type, with Balsam Fir and White 

 Spruce as the leading species, is the more common. Paper 

 Birch and Sugar Maple are the prevailing hardwoods. 



