S4 



COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



The average diameter of 20 white pine in this stand was 6.7 inches and the 

 average age 70 years, so the growth was 1 inch in diameter in 10.4 years. Balsam 

 reproduction was abundant beneath the stand, in the densest portion yielding 109 

 to the square rod. They were not over four feet high and ranged between 12 and 

 19 years old. 



The larger area was severely burned after the lumbering of about 35 years ago 

 The difference in the character of the stands arising from that fire allows a differen- 

 tiation into several well defined site classes, viz : the tops of the ridges, the base 

 of slopes and the flats between the ridges— the latter being the best, the first the poor- 

 est as regards pine reproduction. Sample plots taken on these sites reveal the 

 cbinposition given in the three tables below. 



NtTMBBR OF TbEBS PER ACHB, TOP OP RiDGB 



Species — Poles Saplings Total Percent 



Poplar 170 170 43.6 



Paper Birch 20 80 100 25.6 



White Pine 40 10 50 13.0 



Pin Cherry ' 40 40 10.2 



Red Pine 30 ... 30 7.6 



Total 90 300 390 100.0 



Percent 23.1 76.9 



Ntjmbee of Trees per Acre at the Base of Slopes 



Species — Poles Saplings Total 



Poplar 10 170 180 



White Pine 140 140 



Balsam 90 90 



Paper Birch 20 10 30 



Red Pine 20 20 



White Spruce 20 20 



Total 30 450 480 



Percent 6.3 93.7 



Number op Trees per Acre on Flats between Ridges 



Species — 

 White Pine. . . 



Poplar 



White Spruce . 

 Paper Birch. . 

 Tamarack. . . . 

 Red Maple . . . 

 Red Oak 



Total. . . 

 Per cent . 



100.0 



These plots represent patches which escaped a second fire that ran over the area 

 15 years later. _ The results of this later fire are their stands now 20 years old. Sam- 

 ple plots made in these indicate 250 poplar, 190 sugar maple, 20 pin cherry, 10 white 

 pine and 10 red pine saplings per acre. 



About 5,000 acres of the 16,000 acres were burned a third time 10 years ago 

 and the result is a region of poplar and birch thickets, of hazel and bracken fern, 

 with no reproduction of pine, although the skeletons of young trees indicate their 

 former presence. 



The old bum south of Salmon lake and Devil lake has apparently never been 

 re-bumcd and its reproduction is excellent. There are frequent patches several 

 acres in extent of rod pine and white pine, and the general average of pine repro- 

 duction may be takf^n as that given in the tables above for the area burned only 

 once. Aloug the southern shores of Salmon lake and in moist situations farther 

 inland a thick umlergrowth of balsam is found under the birch and poplar. This 

 area of good i cproduction of coniferous species covers about 6,000 acres. 



