2 BULLETIN 285, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



It is the aim of this bulletin to outline the extent, general charac- 

 teristics, and economic importance of the northern hardwood forest; 

 to describe briefly the silvicultural features of the principal species; and 

 to point out the methods of managing hardwood stands which appear 

 best calculated to furnish a continuous supply of these useful woods. 

 There are also given, in the Appendix, a series of volume tables for 

 northern hardwoods for use in estimating the quantity of standing 

 timber. 



Fig. 1.— Distribution of the northern hardwoods. (The heavy shading > the region in which 



the northern hardwoods characterize large areas of forest. The light shading indicates the region of 

 transition from the typical northern to the southern hardwood forest. The numbered lines are the 

 ranges of the species named in the legend. The broken lines are i limits of two southern 



hardwoods whose presence largely determines the southward extension of Ihe northern forest. Pre- 

 pared by Wm. II. Lamb.) 



THE NORTHERN HARDWOOD FOREST. 



The hardwood forest which is considered in this bulletin occupies 

 the fresh, well-drained, fertile soils of the northern pine region. Its 

 more characteristic hardwoods are sugar maple ' and yellow birch. 



1 The closely related black maple is not distinguished from sugar maple in this bulletin. Both are 

 commonly referred to as "hard" or "rock" maple. 



