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