I2^,(S R. O. I.l^WIS 



is the most durable of the conifers of the Dominion. The eastern tree; 

 white cedar {Thuya Occident alh) is found from the Atlantic to the south-eastern 

 part of Manitoba. It does not extend as far north as some of the other 

 conifers and is nowhere very plentiful, being confined to moist situations. 

 The wood has become so scarce in Eastern Canada that the supply is not 

 equal to the demand and the market for a light., durable wood is being partly 

 filled by imported cypress (Taxodium distichum) from the southern 

 United States. Cedar is preferred to all other native woods for shingles 

 and all .structural work exposed to moisture. In spite of the fact that the 

 wood is not strong, its great durability in contact with the soil makes it a 

 valuable railway tie material. In 1914, this wood came second on the list 

 for railway ties purchased by Canadian railways. It is used in enormous 

 quantities both locally and for export for fence-posts and its use for this 

 purpose is largely responsible for the increased scarcity of the lumber, as 

 young trees are used before the}^ have time to reach saw log sizes. The 

 western red cedar [Thuya plicata) is one of the giants of the Pacific Coast, 

 being only surpassed in size by Douglas fir. Its wood is sawn into lumber 

 of large dimensions and is made into shingles to a greater extent than any 

 other w'ood in Canada. 



Birch is Canada's most important hardwood and one of the few woods 

 of this class where the exported material exceeds that imported. There 

 are at least seven native species but onl}- two are worthy of any detailed 

 discussion. The yellow birch [Betula lutea) is the source of the most valu- 

 able birch lumber used for flooring, furniture, cabinet work and vehicle 

 stock. The tree grows only in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime Pro- 

 vinces and does not reach commercial dimensions north of the height-of- 

 land between the St. Lawrence River and Hudson Bay. Its wood is hard, 

 heavy, strong and tough but is not durable in contact with moisture. 



The paper birch {Betula alba var. papyrifera) has a much wider distri- 

 bution and is more abundant in its range, being common from the Atlantic 

 to the Rocky Mountains. Its wood is softer, weaker and less durable than 

 the yellow birch and is not at present of great commercial value. It is 

 usually considered as a " weed tree ", as it springs up with marvelous alac- 

 rity on burned-over or cut-over areas. It has certain qualities of tough- 

 ness and compactness which will in time win it a place among our more im- 

 portant woods when these qualities are better understood. The tough, 

 resinous bark of this tree has supplied the aborigines for centuries with the 

 material for covering their famous " birch bark canoes ". 



Of the three native tamarack or larch species, two are worthy of note. 

 The eastern tamarack {Larix laricina) is found in every province in the Do- 

 minion in swampy situations. Its wood is hard, strong and durable, being 

 similiar to that of Douglas fir and the Southern hard pines. The western 

 larch {Larix occidentalis) is more important conunercially. It is found only 

 in Biitish Columbia but grows on better sites and reaches greater size than 

 the eastern tree. The wood of these two species together is cut into lumber 

 and also used for railway- ties, coming third on the list in 1914, and for mining 

 timbers and fencing. 



