THE RED SPRUCE. 13 



mediate development here, while birch and the better hardwoods are 

 inferior in development as compared with the same species growing 

 on the hardwood lands. Hemlock and red maple find the best con- 

 ditions for their development in this type. Windfall is not uncom- 

 mon, and as a result young even-aged stands of spruce are found 

 occupying the ground where this has taken place. Second-growth 

 stands of birch and red maple may also be found occupying such 

 areas. 



MIXED HARDWOOD LANDS. 



The mixed hardwood type occupies the best soil sites of the region, 

 usually the benches and the lower mountain slopes. The soil is here 

 best adapted to hardwood growth, is deep, of more or less even 

 texture, fresh, and well-drained. Besides spruce, sugar maple, beech, 

 and birch predominate, and there is a scattering of hemlock, white 

 pine, soft maple, cherry, and a variety of other species. The propor- 

 tion of spruce in mixture depends on topographic conditions. On 

 gentle slopes, broad benches, and low ridges the hardwoods find con- 

 ditions so favorable to their development that the spruce is largely 

 crowded out. The more irregular and broken topography enables 

 the spruce to compete with the hardwoods on more nearly equal 

 terms. What spruce lacks in reproductive power it makes up by 

 its superior ability to grow on the rougher, thinner soils. The broken 

 topography undoubtedly favors spruce on account of the higher per- 

 centage of moisture to be found in the soils of the protected coves 

 and slopes than in those of the gentle and more regular slopes of 

 uniform exposure. Spruce attains its maximum development in the 

 mixed hardwood type, as do also most of the hardwoods. 



SPRUCE SLOPES. 



The slope type occupies the steeper slopes, with thin, stony soil, 

 above the hardwood land, and may extend to the limits of tree 

 growth, although not infrequently it gives way to a scrubby alpine 

 growth composed almost exclusively of balsam. The type is char- 

 acterized by a nearly pure coniferous growth with spruce pre- 

 dominating. Balsam is also present in appreciable quantities. 

 The characteristic hardwood is yellow birch, which is generally of 

 excellent quality. Hemlock, white pine, and a variety of hard- 

 woods occur sparingly in the lower portions of this type or on the 

 better soils of the lower ridges. Spruce of good quality, with tall, 

 clean boles, closely set together in a dense stand, is produced on this 

 type. As compared with the hardwood lands, spruce development 

 is inferior here on account of the greater liability to windfall and 

 poorer soils. Also because of the liability to windfall the forest 

 is often comparatively young. 



