68 FOBESTS OF WISCONSIN. 



4. TAMARACK. 



Tamarack (Larix laricina) is the common swamp tree of North Wis- 

 consin; it forms dense groves of pure growth, mixes with arborvitse 

 and spruce, remains small in the swamps of the "openings," but 

 reaches a fair size (80 to 90 feet in height) in the swamps of the for- 

 est region proper; of secondary value. 



5. SPBUCE. 



Spruce — ^White spruce, cat spruce (Picea canadensis) and black 

 spruce (Picea mariana) are small shrubby half trees on the moss- 

 covered bogs, and small to medium-sized trees on the better timbered 

 swamps and the more humid portions of the loam and gravel land 

 mixed forests. No distinction of species is made in using the wood, 

 the logger's distinction of white and black spruce referring to qual- 

 ity of wood merely. The spruce occurs in all parts but is most 

 abundant in the northern and eastern counties. 



6. BALSAM. 



Balsam flr, commonly called balsam (Abies lalsamea), is a small 

 tree growing scattered in nearly all parts of the mixed forest. 



II. BEO AD-LB AVED TKEES (HARDWOODS). 



1. BASSWOOD. 



Basswood (Tilia americana) is a rather tall, long-shafted tree, com- 

 mon in all hardwood forests; one of the most useful and best devel- 

 oped. 



3. BIECH. 



a. Yellow birch (Betula lutea) (also called erroneously "red birch," 

 "black birch" and "white birch" when in the log to distinguish char- 

 acter of wood), is predominant in the hardwood forest within the 

 hemlock area, grows on all loam and clay lands, but rarely enters the 

 regular pinery. Though it is here assumed that the birch generally 

 pronounced yellow birch is truly the Betula lutea, this cannot be con- 

 sidered as settled, since the imperfect botanical distinctions between 

 Betula lenta and Betula lutea render it diificult, if not impossible, to 

 distinguish these two species in the field. 



How far the true sweet (or red) birch (Betula lenta) replaces the 

 yellow birch is as yet not certain. The woodsmen do not distinguish, 

 except by the wood, and thus their classification is mainly one of qual- 

 ity of timber and not of species. 



b. Paper birch (Betula papyrifera), commonly called white birch, is 



