BALSAM FIE. 



61 



cases, is now being cut for the third time, smaller logs being taken 

 at each new lumbering. Balsam, on the other hand, has been spared 

 until recently and thus given a chance to spread at the expense of 

 spruce. These facts are well brought out by measurements taken 

 in Maine on 20 acres of virgin and 20 acres of forest cut over once. 

 The difference in the representation of the two species in virgin and 

 cut-over forest is especially strikiug in the trees of small diameters, 

 since not enough time has elapsed after cutting to affect in any great 

 degree the large trees. 



Table 51. — Average number of spruce and balsam Jir up to 12 inches in diameter breast high 

 on an acre of virgin and cut-over forest in Maine. 



Diameter breast high, (inches). 



Virgin. 



Cut- 



3ver. 



Spruce. 



Balsam. 



Spruce. 



Balsam. 



2 



29.2 

 51.0 

 44.2 

 39.4 

 24.4 

 23.2 

 17.8 

 17.4 

 14.2 

 9.2 

 6.4 



12.8 

 12.0 

 11.8 

 8.6 

 7.0 

 6.4 

 6.4 

 2.2 

 2.0 

 1.6 

 1.2 



13.0 

 8.6 

 7.4 

 5.4 

 4.4 

 4.2 

 4.0 

 3.4 

 3.0 

 2.6 

 2.6 



35.2 



3 



23.4 



4.. .. 



21.4 



5 



19.8 



6 ... 



17.6 



7 



14.6 



S 



13.0 



9 



10.2 



10 



9.8 



11 



4 6 



12 



4.0 







Total 



276.4 



72.0 



58.6 



173.6 







The rapid spreading of balsam over cut or burnt spruce land is 

 due chiefly to its prolific seeding, love for light, and rapid growth. 

 In this respect, as in many others, balsam occupies the same place 

 among the northeastern conifers as aspen does among the deciduous 

 species. It is the first of all conifers to take possession of openings, 

 burnt or cut-over land, and at present outnumbers spruce in the 

 young growth and smaller diameters throughout the northern woods. 

 Table 52 shows the number of spruce and fir trees on an average acre, 

 based on actual measurements of 955 acres in the forests of Maine. 

 The measurements were taken on the slope type, where spruce is 

 more at home than is balsam. 



Table 52. — Number of spruce and fir trees on an average acre, based on 952 acres in Maine. 



Diameter breast high (inches). 



Spruce. 



Balsam 

 fir. 



Diameter breast high (inches). 



Spruce. 



Balsam 

 fir. 



2 



9.1 

 9.9 

 9.1 

 7.2 

 5.8 

 5.4 

 4.6 

 4.0 



17.8 

 18.7 

 18.0 

 15.9 

 13.2 

 11.2 

 9.6 

 7.9 



10 



4.0 

 3.6 

 3.4 



6 1 



3 



11. 



3 9 



4 



12 



2.3 





Total 





6 



66.1 



124.6 



7 



Trees, 2 inches to 8 inches, 





8 



51.1 





9 



104.4 









