Climate.

Central Section: Location.

Relief.

Bedrock.

A more fa vourable climate.

Upland hardwood forests.

Prince Edward Island.

& Clements 7929] points out that because of the lower altitude of these mountains when compared to the western ranges only one or two species were differentiated, one of these being presumably the red spruce. It is probable that in view of the Boreal antecedents of this species and the presence of such Boreal invaders as the white spruce, balsam fir, and the ubiquitous aspen and white birch, he has placed this area in question with the Boreal Forest and classes the Great Lakes — St. Lawrence dominants as relict species.

In the matter of climate, there is a considerably higher precipitation — in general over 40 inches, the bulk of which falls during the winter months — and a higher temperature than that found within the Boreal Forest.

[pp.10-11.]

A. 4. Central Section

This somewhat comprehensive section takes in the main St. John valley, the southern parts of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and the central and northwest—facing parts of Nova Scotia [see Figure 2]. It is probable that more detailed information will necessitate subdivision.

Not only is the land area diversified, but also the underlying rocks, soils, and topography. In general, the character is rolling, with highlands and peaks up to 1,000 feet. Prince Edward Island, however, is of low relief, and the St. John river valley is a prominent feature in New Brunswick.

The bed-rock is extremely varied, ranging from Palaeozoic sedimentaries, in part locally metamorphosed, in the northwest, through granitic intrusives of Devonian times, lower Carboniferous sandstones, and Palaeozoic and Precambrian intrusives, to the Permian sandstones, disturbed Palaeozoic sedimentaries, Carboniferous sandstones, Triassic extrusives, and intrusive granites of Nova Scotia. Glacial deposits form a large portion of the soils, but transported and residual materials are common. The most fertile soils are probably those of the upper St. John valley, derived from limestone, and the red soils of the Permo-Carboniferous and Carboniferous systems in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. In the main, the parent material is rich in lime, and podsols, and podsolic and, possibly, brown forest soil-types have been developed.

With such diversity of topography and soils, it is hard to assign any specific character to the forest of the whole section. The presence of certain species, however, would seem to indicate more favourable climatic conditions than obtain in other parts of the Forest Region. This may probably be correlated with length of growing season. The species in question are butternut and basswood in the St. John valley and round Grand Lake—red oak, extending from the upper waters of the Miramichi to Nova Scotia but now largely cut out, and bur oak. Both sweet birch and pitch pine have been also recorded in this Section.

In general. it can be said that the forest cover shows a definitely broad-leaved nature. In certain portions, hardwood stands are prominent, especially on the higher lands at the headwaters of the Miramichi, in the valleys of the upper St. John and the Tetagouche, where yellow birch, sugar maple, and beech associations are found. On the Kennebecasis river, yellow birch and sugar maple stands are common on ridges, and on the intrusive granites pure stands of beech occur. In the parts of Nova Scotia falling within this Section, Fernow [1912] states that a better—developed hardwood growth and more luxuriant forest is found than that in the remainder of the Province. In Prince Edward Island, in spite of the

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