360 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [APRIL 
The data on the growth of conifers in substrata other than sphagnum 
represented in table I were secured mainly from logged-off lands where 
natural reforestation was going on. All of the data for lodge pole pine 
and white pine, and most of those for Douglas fir, were obtained from 
trees growing on stony, infertile soils. A few of the Douglas firs, all of 
the hemlocks, and nearly all of the cedars from which data were obtained 
were growing on somewhat better soils, but in no case on the best class 
of forest soils. The data were all from young trees. 
Data by foresters for larger numbers of older trees growing under the 
best forest conditions show much more rapid growth in all cases. 
Table II compares the data of the foresters with those of the writer. 
TABLE II 
GROWTH OF CONIFERS IN DIAMETER OUTSIDE OF SPHAGNUM; 
COMPARISON OF DATA OF OTHER WORKERS WITH THOSE 
i Data of oth Data of i 
btu ‘workers | writer sg 
Tsuga ean oy eae Pera 3.60 1.56 2.3 
Pinus montic sig 2 ele eee 4.68 I.34 3-5 
Pus Contra 4.80 1.50 3.0 
Pseudotsuga ‘taxifolia, ee 9.43 1.69 5.5 
Differences in the character of the soil, the amount of moisture in 
soil and air, and the age of the trees are doubtless among the most impor- 
tant factors in producing the higher rate of growth found by the foresters. 
The comparison merely emphasizes the fact that these conifers, even 
when under the most unfavorable conditions outside of sphagnum, grow 
considerably more rapidly than they do in sphagnum. ‘The ratios of 
growth observed by the writer in sphagnum to that observed by the 
forestry workers under the best forest conditions is as follows: western 
hemlock 0.27, western white pine 0.166, lodge pole pine 0.163, Douglas 
fir o.ogT. 
It appears from these data that the western hemlock comes nearer 
to its normal growth in sphagnum than any other species. The ratio of 
its rate of growth in diameter in sphagnum to its growth in other — 
is greater than that of any other species in the regions examined. In 
ratio of its growth in height in sphagnum to that not in sphagnum it is 
surpassed by the western white pine only. The largest specimen found 
growing in sphagnum hasa height of 12 m. and a diameter of 45 cm. neat 
the base. Several others have been found that approximate this in size- 
