TABLE 3 (cont’d). The natural forest as an indicator of soil quality: forest descriptions in the early literature applicable to the island in general or at particular sites.

RECORDER

Selkirk (1805) (visting proprietor and author)

Stewart (1806) (resident politician/ office-holder, and author)

Johnstone (1822) (visitor and author)

SOIL OR LAND

DESCRIPTION

‘a soil of an inferior quality’

‘the best land’

‘the next best’ land [i.e. the second best]

‘the next’ [i.e. the third best]

‘the worst land’

‘the best soil’ ‘the second best Iand’

‘third soil in

quality‘

‘the worst soil in quality’

FOREST DESCRIPTION

“In some places the pines entirely predominate: this is considered as indicating a soil of inferior quality, but to compensate this disadvantage, the timber of the white pine is valuable for exportation."

"The quality of the soil in its natural state, may always be known by the kind of timber it produces; the best land growing together, large maple, beech, black and yellow birch, mixed with the different kinds of pine and fir, the trees stand at a distance, and the roots do not appear to run along the surface, which in general will be found covered with the dwarf yew, or as is commonly called ground spruce, which is always an indication of good land."

"The next best kind is that which produces large hard wood of the kinds above mentioned, unmixed with any evergreens or soft wood, if the trees stand at a great distance, and push their roots well out of sight, and the surface is covered with the dwarf yew, this land is very little inferior to the first mentioned kind.”

“The next indication is, when the land being covered with hard wood, and the roots run much along the surface, and that is without the dwarf yew on it, this land is poor in comparison to the others, the upper stratum of the soil will be found thin, and the subsoil cold and hard.”

"The worst land in its natural state, is that which produces nothing but spruce, small white birch, and scrubby pines, this land is generally very light and sandy, and requires too much manure, to be profitably cultivated in the present state of the Island."

“A mixture of hard wood with a small portion of soft wood in it, is indicative of the best soil upon the Island.”

“the beech, when growing separately by itself, the land, when cleared, is reckoned the second best in quality of any in the Island.”

“Hemlock, The soil congenial to the production of this kind of wood, may be reckoned the third in quality upon the Island; yet in backward seasons it will surpass any other description of soil in the quality of the grain it produces.”

“Spruce and var [i.e. fir] The ground naturally productive of these may be ranked as the worst in quality of any in the Island. It is all of a swampy nature; that is, a soil with much white sand upon the surface, and a red cla below, of such an adhesive nature as not to allow the wet to et down to a career deth."

CONJECTURED FOREST-TYPE

Pine forest, or perhaps conifer forest in general.

Hardwood forest (beech, maple, yellow birch) with Canada yew and some conifers (white pine, red spruce, and ?hemlock) — (on deeper soils).

Hardwood forest (beech, maple, yellow birch) with Canada yew, but no conifers — (on deeper soils).

Hardwood forest (beech, maple, yellow birch) without Canada yew or conifers — (shallow soils).

Conifer forest (light sandy soils).

Mixed hardwoods with some conifers.

Beech forest.

Hemlock forest.

Spruce and fir swamp forest (sandy soils; poor drainage).