88 The Ottawa Naturalist. [June 



its severity in the winter. Consequently, the destruction of a 

 large portion ot the forest growth of a country is generally attend- 

 ed by a deterioration in its climate. History proves that many 

 countries which once possessed forests became sterile after having 

 been deprived of them. 



a natural sanitarium. 

 Owing to the altitude of this region, and its bracing atmos- 

 phere — redolent with the resinous odours of the pine and balsam, 

 it is a great natural sanitarium, where consumptives may recover 

 lost health and vigor. The idea has been shown to be well 

 founded that pine forests are of specific value in the cure of lung 

 disease. The old Romans sent sufferers of this class to Libra, 

 where, by breathing the bal samic emanations of the pines which 

 there abounded, they are said to have received much benefit. In 

 the Adirondack Forest of New York State a sanitarium has been 

 in operation for many years, with the special object of relieving 

 patients in the early stages of consumption. It offers to such the 

 benefit of climatic treatment, a systematic out-door life, hygienic 

 habits and suitable medical treatment, and its reports show that 

 twenty-five per cent of the patients are apparently cured ; while 

 twenty-five or thirty per cent more are sufficiently restored in 

 health to resume their work or support themselves by their own 

 efforts while living in a suitable climate. The Gravenhurst sani- 

 tarium on Lake Muskoka is a newer institution, which has also 

 attained a considerable measure of success in this sort of 

 treatment, but perhaps the results obtained by the famous 

 Dr. Otto Walther, at the sanitarium at Nordrach, in the Baden 

 Black Forest, Germany, are better than those obtained at any 

 similar hospital in the world. However, there can be little doubt 

 but that a sojourn in the pine forests of this Nipissing upland, 

 with its pure air, good water and aromatic breezes, would be 

 beneficial to many afflicted with weak lungs. 



THE park headquarters. 



The Park headquarters were at first situated on Canoe Lake, 

 but, for various reasons. Cache Lake was considered a more 

 suitable spot for them, and they were removed thither. Suitable 

 buildings for the accommodation of the superintendent and his 



