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5*6 dm* in diameter and was fruiting heavily. It grows more 
rapidly than the maple end in its earlier stages requires 
muoh nore light* Seedlings are comparatively rare in the 
hemlock forest; when found, they are apt to occur in well- 
lighted windfalls* Sometimes they arc; very numerous on a 
email area in full sunlight• They occur also on rotting logs 
with hemlock and other seedlings, and are apparently free from 
disease. The natural point of regeneration for the apscics 
is in vindfall ureas* Where an area has been slightly burned 
over, the seedlings are sometimes very numerous* At one point, 
where the forest had been cut away, the mature specimens cf 
birch seemed nore prone to rot than the maple, apparently 
suffering from a sudden influx of bright sunlight; in other 
words, maple seems to be u less critical tree in most cf its 
stages, than the birch* The latter is a much less aggressive 
reproducer than the maple, in spite of the fact that it seeds 
mere often* It may and often does become extensiv e in its 
habit (Prothingham 13), producing largo stands of even-aged 
trees, which shows that its seed production has a high enough 
"factor of safety" to be vvell within the limits reouired by 
nature* Besides reproduction by seeds, this species readily 
sprouts from the stump* It seems clear that its relative 
distribution in the hemlock: climax is net based cn the perform¬ 
ance of its seeds, but on its less tolerance for shade con- 
