TABLE 2. Erskine’s (1960) speculative reconstruction of the forest-types occuring on Prince Edward Island before European settlement — the following is my summary interpretation of Erskine’s descriptive text.

'UPLAND' AREAS : Tolerant Hardwood Forest

A mixed forest of beech, sugar maple, yellow birch (+ red maple) and their coniferous associates (white pine, hemlock, red spruce), with possible sub-types as follows :

The dry hilltops of the central — pure stands of beech and south-eastern uplands

The more gradual slopes of the — sugar maple + some central uplands; in the north—east peninsula yellow birch and the upland areas of western Prince county

North—facing slopes / shady ravines — red maple and hemlock (especially in the central and

south-eastern uplands)

Clay slopes on the O’Leary soil — red maple; or red maple series in western Prince county with yellow birch

’LOWLAND' AREAS :

Wet areas — Red Maple Forest :

(especially on stream- red maple (plus, in places: white cedar, valley clay soils) black ash, white ash, elm)

Sandy soils — Pine Forest :

white pine, or white pine with red oak (plus in places: red pine, grey birch, and occasionally black spruce)

Sandy soils with — Cedar Woods : a high water table white cedar Swamps / bogs — Black Spruce Forest :

black spruce with tamarack

Exposed coastal areas — White Spruce Woods : white spruce