1*4 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



The White Birch is another valuable tree. The spools which are of use 

 all over the world are made from its wood. 



There are districts in which the White Birch (or "Bouleau," as the 

 French call it) grows abundantly. Such a tract is that from Matane to Cap 

 Chat, on the south coast of the St. Lawrence. 



The firm operating in that part of the country is James E-ichardson & Co. 



The timber is sawn into strips 1^ to 6 feet long, 2 inches broad, 2 inches 

 deep. The white wood only is used ; the heart wood is laid aside for fuel. 



The strips of white wood are tied up in bundles, and shipped from 

 Matane, in Norwegian sailing vessels, to Coats & Co., of Glasgow, who with 

 some associated companies have the spool business entirely in their own 

 hands. 



The vessels that convey the spool wood to Scotland, when taking in cargo 

 at Matane lie half a mile, or more, from the shore ; and the lumber is carried 

 out to them in scows, open boats and schooners. 3,000,000 feet of spool-wood 

 board measure is exported from the Matane district every year. 



Observe that small tree with blossoms resembling hops. It is the Hop 

 Hornbeam or Iron Wood (Ostrua virginicd). Young trees of this kind and 

 young ash trees furnish the farmer with levers firm and good. 



Speaking of levers, this incident came under my observation some years 

 ago: — A farmer made a "Bee" for the purpose of drawing sawlogs to the 

 mill. The neighbours came. On entering the wood, those who were not 

 already supplied cut levers for themselves. An emigrant, who had been 

 engaged by one of the men, observing this, cut a lever for himself. The work 

 commenced. The emigrant made a great show of strenuous effort — it was 

 but a show. The man beside him called out, "Lift man, lift!" Then he 

 added, "Let me see your pry." Holding this up, he shouted, "A basswood ! 

 A basswood !" A roar of contemptuous laughter followed from the other men. 

 The immigrant stood amazed. In his ignorance of the nature of the wood, 

 he did not know that his pretentious ineffectiveness had been exposed. 



Even the bushes around us are worthy of attention. There is the Moose- 

 wood, also called Wicopy {Dirca palustvis). You cannot break a stick of it — ■ 

 the rind is too tough; but the wood, when peeled, is remarkably brittle. 

 The farmers, when short of string, use strips of the bark, which is pliant as 

 well as tough, for tying up the mouths of their sacks of grain, etc. 



As we make for home, let us consider the condition of things in some 

 parts of the country. 



It is grievous to see the way in which farms are often mismanaged. 

 Men with little means and less judgment, buy farms "on time" at more than 

 their value. To meet their payments these men have to part with every- 

 thing that will bring money. They have not wherewithal to purchase suf- 

 ficient stock; and they sell the hay off their land year after year, impover- 

 ishing the farms more and more. They cut down their woods, and sell the 

 maple for fuel, and the spruce for pulp wood. Where there are chemical 

 works within reach the denudation of the land goes on rapidly, for hard 

 wood is in demand for the distillation of wood alcohol, and other wood for 

 feeding the furnaces in the work. By and bye the farm will be so unpro- 

 ductive that the owner will have to leave it. 



According to the latest reports there are in Rhode Island 228 abandoned 

 farms. In Massachusetts the abandoned and waste land amounts to one- 

 tenth the total area of the state. But wealth v and intelligent men are now 

 buying up the abandoned tracts and planting them with trees. One of them 

 this year has planted 63 acres with white pine, and intends to plant 50 acres 

 per year for the next ten years. vSee the "Richford Gazette" for October 

 9th,' 1908. 



