DESCRIPTION OF THE FOREST. Lye 
DESCRIPTION OF THE FOREST. 
FACTORS CONTROLLING THE DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIES. 
The occurrence of the various species within the range of their gen- 
era! distribution is primarily determined by the local climate, the situa- 
tion and soil, and the qualities inherent in each species to carry on the 
struggle for existence. Often, however, where the conditions are other- 
wise equally favorable, it depends on purely accidental circumstances. 
Within the range of the distribution of each tree there is a region 
where the influences which control vegetable life are especially favora- 
ble to it, and here, as a result, the best development is found as regards 
yield, quality of wood, reproductive capacity, tolerance of shade, ability 
to grow in poor soils, and all other sylvicultural characteristics. 
The species whose regions of best development include the Adiron- 
dacks are Spruce,' Hard Maple, Beech, and Yellow Birch. Other spe- 
cies, though not necessarily inferior to these trees in their sylvicultural 
qualities, do not reach as high a development as in some other sections 
where the climate and other influences are more favorable to their 
growth. Those just enumerated usually win in the struggle for the 
occupancy of the situation suited to their requirements, and there form 
the principal part of the forest. This contest for the possession of the 
ground is most determined on the better classes of soil, because there a 
creater number of species find the possibilities for their development, 
and are more tolerant of shade and bear seed more abundantly than on 
poor soils. Where other things are equal, the trees which can bear the 
most shade usually win in the contest. ‘Thus on the better soils Hard 
Maple and Beech have the advantage over Yellow Birch because the 
latter is less tolerant of shade. They also have the advantage over 
Spruce, partly on account of their greater tolerance, but also because 
the conditions of reproduction in the hardwood forest are not favorable 
to the latter. Spruce and Birch therefore occupy a relatively small 
proportion of the forest on the best soils. The following list gives the 
relative degree of tolerance of the important trees in this section of 
the Adirondacks, beginning with those which require the most light: 
Tamarack, Poplar, Bird Cherry, Ash, Black Cherry, White Pine, Birch, 
Soft Maple, Balsam, Spruce, Hemlock, Beech, Hard Maple. 
Next to tolerance of shade the ability to grow on inferior soil is the 
most important of the qualities which enable.a tree to carry on the 
struggle for existence. Yellow Birch is usually crowded out on the 
best soils by Beech and Hard Maple, but it is able to thrive in places 
where the latter are unable to grow. In the same way Spruce is 
crowded out in many places by hardwoods, but it maintains its posi- 
tion in the forest by occupying the less favorable situations and soils, 
where fewer species are able to exist and the contest for the possession 
of the ground is less intense. The predominance of certain trees on 
'The generic word Spruce, used throughout the report, refers to Red Spruce, Picea 
rubra (Poir) Diet. 
