The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-11-16
NOVEMBER IS. 1904.
HOW FORESTS GROW
THERE ARE TWO GREAT TYPES,
THE PURE AND MIXED.

Is the balancing of Conditions
where Trees of Different Habits
Enter the struggle For Existence.
The laws which govern the distribu
ton of trees produce the two great
types, the pure and the mixed forest
The former is the result of local con
ditions which trees of one kind only
can survive.
In the North woods the bHlsam Oc-
cuples the swamps, usually to the eX-
cluslon cG all competitors, since no
other of the native trees can thrive in
wet places In the Black Hills and
other parts of the middle west the
small demands Of the bull pine upon
moisture enable 1t to form pure woods
on soil too dry 10 support other ma
tive trees The jack pine Of the New
Jersey barrens and the long leaf pine
Of the southern suites grow in pure
or nearly pure stands since they alone
can withstand the peculiar conditions
of these regions.
Where climate and soil are favorable
to various trees we find the mixed for
est the number of species In mixture
depending upon the suitability Of the
locality to forest growth.
Upon the hardwood flats of the Adj
rondacks the hard maple the yellow
birch and the beech are the only de
ciduous trees able To withstand the Sc
we're climate In the southern Appa-
lnchian forests where the trees of the
north and south meet under conditions
favorable to both, we find more than
100 different kinds
The distribution of trees, therefore,
IL the joint result of local conditions
and of the individual and varying re
quircmcnts of the different species up
on moisture, soil and climate. The
laws, however, which govern forest dis
tribution are not Identical With those
which regulate the behavior of trees
in mixture. They do not explain why
each species, If undisturbed, maintains
the same proportion In the mixed for
est. Why does not the hard maple
drive out its competitors In the Adiron-
dncks, the oak gain the upper hnnd In
the forests of the southern Appala
chlans. the red fir exterminate the
western hculock OH the Pacific slope?
Wherever II mixed forest occurs
there Is an unrelenting struggle going
On. Let us see how the combatnntS
are armed and why the representation
of ench species remains unchanged.
The more important of the character
istics which affect the capacity of II
tree TO hold its 0wn In mixture with
trees of other kinds are its demands
upon light, its rate of growth and Its
power of reproduction. No two species
require an clunl amount of light. grow
at the same rate or ARE Identical In
their capacity 10 reproduce themselves.
The endowment OF each, with habits
differing from those of its nelghbors,
but with strength and weakness so
balanced that all which occur In mix
ture enter the struggle for existence
upon an equal footing, is one of the
marvellous fcatS of nature.
The red spruce of the North woods.
through its ability to endure dense
shnde, has been given the power to
hold Its own against faster growing
competitors, some of which exceed ii
greatly in their capacity To reproduce
themselves. The young spruces which
spring up here and there throughout
the forest struggle along under the
heavy crowns of the hard woods, where
tree making more insistcnt demands
upon light could not survive.
In the forests of the southern APP
pulachiuns the oak is In many localities
the characteristic tree. Growing rap
idly and exceedingly hardy, II might be
expected TO Increase steadily its pro
portion in the mixture. The eQuilibri-
um IL maintained through the fact that
the oak can endure but little shade
and that its seed Is heavy, limiting Its
reproduction TO the immediate vicinity
Of the parent tree.
In the same region the yellow poplar
md the chestnut. both trees which
grow rapidly and are capable of endur-
ing considerable shade, are controlled,
the one because much of its seed is
barren. the other because many of the
nuts are eaten by animals And the
red cedar, of slow growth aud sparse
representation, IL aided through the
distribution of its seeds by birds, with
their power 10 terminate unlmpaired
The aspen. short lived and requiring
much light, holds its own with longer
lived and shade enduring trees because
Its downy seed is produced In great
quantities aud Is scattered far and
wide by the wind. The ash and the
Eastwood. of rapid growth and bearing
an abundance of seed, nre withheld by
strong demands upon light and by the
seed of II fresh and fertile soil The
red fir, cqualed by few North American
trees In rap;dity of growth and other
wise we'll equipped TO gain the upper
hand In its region is controlled through
the usual failure of its seed 10 germi-
nate except when accident has remov-
ed the leaf litter and exposed the min.
eral soil
The study of trees as living, striving
organisms in world of their own
leads an almost human interest in the
forest Every day spent In the woods
will be the plcasanter for some insight
gained into what is going ON within 1t,
and an earnest observer can gain
knowledge of practical value by an ut
tempt to discover the factors which
control the occurrence of trees in mix
ture. Forestry. which deals with the
development of the highest utility of
forests, means thorough understand
ing of the habits of trees. Oyerton w.
Price In Youths Companion.
There Is entirely too much time tax
on up every day trying to helm those