SWAMP LAND. 25 
Poplar. After a time, however, the former will creep back and grow 
under the thin cover of the Birch and Poplar, and eventually crowd 
them out. A good illustration of the same principle is found in Massa- 
chusetts, where in many sections the White Pine formed an important 
feature in the original forest. After the Pine was cut off the hardwoods 
predominated in the second growth. Now, however, there is abundant 
evidence that the White Pine is increasing in quantity, and if the woods 
were left untouched the original type would return. 
It is possible to differentiate the forest in the Adirondacks into a 
considerable number of types, but for simplicity only four have been 
recognized. These are as follows: Swamp land, Spruce flats, Hard- 
wood land, and Spruce slopes. The names chosen for these types 
describe rather the situation on which they are found than the forest 
itself. Lumbermen are, however, accustomed to speak of swamps, 
hardwood ridges, etc., and these familiar terms have been kept as far 
as possible. 
SWAMP LAND. 
All low flats with wet, spongy soils are comprised under this head. 
The characteristic species are Red Spruce, Black Spruce, Balsam, and 
Tamarack, some Soft Maple and Pine, and scattered Black Ash and 
Cedar. There are numerous small elevated flats and knolls within the 
limits of the swamps which really should be classified as Spruce flats, 
but which are too small to be segregated in making estimates. On 
these are found Red Spruce, Hemlock, Birch, and sometimes Beech 
and Hard Maple. 
The Red Spruce is usually rather short’ on swamp lands, partly on 
account of the character of the soil, but also because it is comparatively 
young. Spruce grows slowly in swamps, but the principal reason why 
only a few large trees are found is because they are blown down before 
they reach maturity. Occasionally, however, patches of old Spruce are 
found which have succeeded in withstanding the winds. These trees 
are fairly tall and clear of branches, but generally of comparatively 
small diameter. For Spruce over 10 inches the average diameter is 
about 13 inches and the average height under 60 feet. 
Balsam, like the swamp Spruce, is, as a rule, relatively young, and 
in consequence small. It is a short-lived tree in the Adirondacks, and 
the larger specimens are frequently unsound. It grows usually in 
dense stands, often nearly pure. The average diameter for trees over 
10 inches in diameter is about 11.5 inches. 
Black Spruce is, in the Adirondacks, a small spindling tree, never 
reaching a merchantable size. It is found growing almost pure in low 
wet marshes, and is seldom found mixed with other species. 
Throughout the swamps may be found remnants of an old forest of 
Tamarack, either as dead standing stubs or as decaying logs on the 
ground. Some years ago the greater part of the old timber was killed 
by a sawfly worm, which defoliated the trees, and now it is almost 
impossible to find a live speciinen over 10 inches in diameter. Here and 
