FIRE. 5D 
are readily snapped off at the butt, and often sound trees are broken 
down. Balsam tops heavily loaded with cones are unable to withstand 
heavy winds. A marked example of this is shown in PI. XIII. 
Constant racking of trees by the wind sometimes causes large seams 
which run through the entire stem. (See Pl. XIV, fig. 2.) It is not 
uncommon for such seamy trees to become twisted and broken down 
by strong winds. Shakes or large cracks, following the grain of the 
wood, are often caused at the base of large trees, especially of Pine 
and Hemlock. : 
FIRE. 
Recent fires have done but little damage on the two tracts considered 
in this report. In fact there are but two conspicuous instances of fire 
burning over more than an acre or two within the last decade, and these 
were confined to a very limited area. Formerly the land was less care- 
fully guarded and fire was frequently started by campers. The effects 
of old fires are found in abundance on sandy points on the lakes, and 
there are a number of steep mountains which were burned over fully 20 
years ago and are now becoming restocked with timber. There are 
three such high ridges in the Whitney Preserve and one in Nehasane 
Park, on which the timber was entirely destroyed by old fires and on 
which the tree growth is now beginning to return. 
During the greater part of the year the forest is so damp that fire 
will not run easily. When a fire once gains headway, however, it is 
extremely difficult to extinguish it, because it burns in the deep vegeta- 
ble duff and smoulders for weeks and even months, defying all efforts 
to put it out. The damage by such a fire is very great, and usually all 
the timber is killed on the area burned over. Spruce and Balsam are 
especially subject to injury from fire. 
Where the timber is destroyed on the sandy shores of lakes the 
return of the forest is very quick, for the surface cover is merely burned 
off and the deep soil remains in a receptive condition for the seed. On 
steep slopes, on the other hand, there is but little or no soil under the 
vegetable cover, and when this is burned off there is practically noth- 
ing but bare rock left to receive the seed. In such places seedlings do 
not return for many years. The reproduction after fire is slow also on 
the rolling flats where the soil is extremely thin and is covered with 
stones and bowlders. Pl. XIV, fig. 1, illustrates the effect of fire in such 
a Situation. 
In certain sections of the Adirondacks the destruction of the forest 
by fire has been very great. This is notably the case in the northwest- 
ern portion of the mountains, where considerable areas, especially near 
the railroad, have been burned over. After lumbering, the danger from 
fire is always increased, on account of the large amount of inflammable 
material left in the form of tops, culled logs, broken saplings, etc., and 
also because the leaves and other material on the ground become very 
dry through the thinning of the forest and admission of the sunlight 
