14- 
by the fine spray of the hemlocks. An examination over a 
large area shows considerable diversity in regard to light 
conditions, the differences boing due to more or less open 
areas caused by windfalls of varying ages. In reality the 
forest may be considered as a patchwork of these windfalls, 
which are ever appearing, maturing their growth and con¬ 
sequently producing a general shift in the position of the 
better lighted areas. 
The forest floor is rather uneven and on the whole 
well drained, the general direction of the gullies being 
north (towards Lake Superior). A few of these gullies are 
occupied by small streams, even during the summer months, 
while others contain no running water* but are very moist, 
so that the moisture content of the soil is quite variable 
for different portions of the forest. This seems to be the 
controlling factor in causing certain departures from the 
ordinary composition of the forest (fig. 7). 
There is comparatively little shrubby vegetation 
in the dense hemlock forest. Of the few shrubs found, 
probably Lonicera canadensis Harsh, (bush honeysuckle) is 
the most shade tolerant. The most important ecologically 
is Rub us parvlflorus Ifutt. (salmon berry), which is very 
quick to appear where an opening admits even a little more 
light to the forest floor. The bottoms of shallow draws 
