466 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



No additions to the reserved area were made during the year, but 

 six reconnaissance parties were engaged through the summer — Toronto 

 students are used for this purpose — looking over some 30,000 square 

 miles to determine the desirability of reserving portions. 



It may be of interest to note that one of these surveys, embodying 

 nearly 14,000 square miles in the Peace River country, containing 12 

 billion feet of saw timber, was made at a cost of 42 cents per square 

 mile. Some 6,789 square miles of this area were recommended for 

 reservation. 



From a statistical table and discussion, it appears that the total 

 value of forest products for the year 1915 was placed at $172,880,000; 

 quantities are not given, but we note that Itimber, lath and shingles 

 represent in value about 40 per cent, fuelwood 35 per cent and pulp wood 

 less than 10 per cent of this total. 



The total cut of pulp wood was 2,355,550 cords, of which nearly 60 

 per cent was used in Canadian mills, 40 per cent being exported to the 

 United States. .Only eight years ago the condition was reversed, the 

 larger portion being exported. 



The general report of the director is followed by reports from the 

 four district inspectors of reserves, the districts coinciding with the 

 four provincial boundaries, from the tree planting division and the 

 forest products laboratories. 



Drouth is, of course, the bane of the nurseries, which are located in 

 the dry plains country, as well as frost; and these troubles were par- 

 ticularly bad in the season reported ; exceptionally late and severe frosts 

 in some cases killed 35 to 40 per cent of the stock; the ashes were twice 

 defoliated. "Following two exceptionally dry seasons, the subsoil was 

 completely dried out, and the rains, though heavy, were unable to 

 penetrate deeply enough to reach the tree roots in poorly cultivated 

 land." Insects, especially aphids and canker worm, are also com- 

 plained of. 



The nurseries are too well established to be moved, but it has always 

 appeared to us a mistake to place them in climatically difficult country 

 under the mistaken notion that the plants should be grown under the 

 natural conditions under which they are to be used; the importance of 

 the climatic derivation of the seed being meanwhile, considered much 

 less important. 



The species grown for free distribution are to the largest extent 

 broadleaf, some 29 acres of Manitoba maple, some 45 acres of ash 

 (green?), 4 acres of Russian poplar, several varieties; 3 acres of willows. 



