42 



THE WESTERN HEMLOCK. 



Hemlock comes in with Fir on denuded land, it i.s after the first few 

 years influenced b}- its more rapidly growing rival. The Fir soon 

 overtops it by a few feet, but the ability of Hemlock to live under 

 such conditions prevents it from being shaded out. The result is that 

 the height growth of Hemlock in mixture with Fir is as rapid as that 

 of a pure stand, and that the suppression is shown b}' a falling ofl" in 

 its diameter growth. Figs. 3 and 4 show graphically the growth of 

 Hemlock and Fir and the growth of the same species, lioth when in 

 mixture and when in pure stands. These curves represent conditions 

 near the coast, and are somewhat higher than would be an average for 

 the State. 



The following two tables give, on a basis of diameter breasthigh, 

 the total height, length of crown, and merchantable length of second- 

 growth Hemlock in mixture with Fir and in a pure stand: 



Table 13. — ^^xed stands, Hemlock and Red Fir, 75 years old, Willajxr. 



Table 14. — Pwre stand of Hemlock, 55 years old, South Bend. 



