26 FORESTS OF WISCONSIN. 



SPRUCE. 



Spruce occurs scattered throughout the moister loam land 

 districts, especially of the northern and eastern part of this terri- 

 tory, but is more commonly restricted to the swamp and semi- 

 swamp areas. On many of the poor moss bogs it formsi the only 

 tree growth. It is nowhere abundant, form no solid bodies, in 

 a mere runty shrub or half tree on the moss bog and even on the 

 better soils attains a diameter of only about 12 inches with a 

 height of 50 feet. Trees over 12 inches are the exception, trees 

 18 inches and over are rare. It seems to reproduce fairly well, 

 endures shade but seems sensitive to changes in soil moisture, 

 thriving only in very moist localities. Being scattered, spruce 

 is logged only in a small way, though altogether considerable 

 quantities are being cut for pulp and an increase of this cut may 

 be expected. 



The total stand of spruce in North Wisconsin may be placed 

 at about 1,200,000 cords, including all wood down to 4 inches. 



BALSAM FIR. 



Balsam fir is thinly scattered in most forests of the more hu- 

 mid loam and clay lands. Like spruce it is often wanting over 

 considerable tracts, but few large districts are entirely without 

 it. It reproduces well, stands crowding, and endures shade; 

 grows fairly well when young and favorably situated, remains 

 small, but is never as shortlived as is often supposed. It is gen- 

 erally less than 12 inches in diameter and below 60 feet in 

 height. It never forms large bodies of forest, is little used as yet, 

 rarely cut for logs, occasionally for temporary buildings, and of 

 late, to some extent, for pulp wood. Being usually left out of 

 timber estimates, the amount of standing balsam is not easily 

 ascertained. In all forests where balsam fir occurs in commer- 

 cial quantities the yield per acre was placed at from 2 to 4: M. 

 feet B. M. or 4 to 8 cords per 40 acres, an estimate which agrees 

 with some estimates made by the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- 

 way company in Forest and adjoining counties. This figure wiU 



