Rotation-Cutting in British Columbia. 



573 



that now annually felled. How then shall 112,500 acres ripe for 

 felling be obtained 100 years hence if only a small proportion of 

 the 430,000 acres already denuded be found to be satisfactorily 

 re-stocking? Again, only by continuous and patient investigation 

 of young growth of known ages can the probable average in- 

 crease in the growth per acre be determined with any certainty; 

 and the dividing-up of the entire forest into a proper number of 

 tracts carrying trees of the requisite ages will be an arduous and 

 lengthy task for the forest service which is about to be established. 



All that we can do now to prepare the way for the establish- 

 ment of sound business methods such as these is to devote a pro- 

 portion of the income derived from the forests at the present 

 time to that purpose, together with whatever contribution may 

 be drawn from owners of timber lands in part payment for pro- 

 tection from fire. The expenditure of this proportion of forest 

 income has been strongly recommended by the Forestry Com- 

 mission. The forest expenditure for the fiscal year 1909-1910 

 was 3-5C an acre, and for 1910-1911, i 7-ioc an acre. It may 

 be noted that Saxony spends $3.00 an acre in the administration 

 of her forests ; France 95c and Austria 56c. 



In the opinion of the present writer the Crown Forests are 

 capable of supplying a constant annual yield as great as the total 

 amount taken from them in the course of the last 30 years, and 

 from six to eight times greater than the present yearly supply : 

 and to devote to their conservation every cent that can be reason- 

 ably spared is absolutely essential for the future of the lumber 

 industry and the prosperity of our Forest Province. 



The appended table reveals the possibilities of yield and reve- 

 nue for rotation-periods of from 50 to 120 years. 



Possible Yield of Fir, Spruce, Cedar and Hemlock. 



(One-half Hunger's Bstiniate of Douglas Fir.) 



Stumpage value calculated at $5.50 in 1902, increasing 50 cents per decade. 



