48 THE FOREST LANDS OF NORTHERN RUSSIA. 



said of the forests of Vuig might be reaffirmed of these, 

 the only difference being that these show a decided pre- 

 ponderance of pines over the number of firs, especially in 

 the northern parts. In general, the nearer we approach 

 the sea the more rarely do we meet with fir, and at last 

 this tree disappears entirely. With regard to the quality 

 of the pine I can state as the result of my personal obser- 

 vation, that within certain limits the quality of the wood 

 does not depend on the latitude, but is in direct relation 

 to the quality of the soil. In the Vuig forests they are 

 met with first in the middle and northern parts of the 

 Padan forest estate. 



' With the development of forest operations in this dis- 

 trict the Padan forest will acquire much importance in 

 consequence of the number of navigable streams existing 

 in the White j3ea basin. In the southern part of this 

 forest estate there is the Segozera, second in size only to 

 the Onega; further to the north is the Lake Ondazero, 

 through which flows the river Onda, one of the tributaries 

 or confluents of the Vuig, constituting the boundary be- 

 tween the Governments of Olonetz and Archangel. 



'On the 1st of October I crossed the frontier of the 

 Government of Olonetz, and in three days I was on the 

 shores of the White Sea.' 



