166 Forestry Quarterly 



stocked with forests of various species, including Lodgepole pine, 

 White, Black and Engelmann spruce, Alpine fir, tamarack, aspen 

 and birch. Of this area, only a very small percentage can ever be 

 used for agricultural purposes, on account of unfavorable soil and 

 topography. The agricultural lands are for the most part limited 

 to the prairie, of which there are considerable areas, and in the de- 

 velopment of which the timber resources would be of the great- 

 est value. 



The report shows that the results of the many repeated fires 

 in this region have been apalling : Out of the 8,000 square miles 

 well wooded even within the last hundred years, only 648 square 

 miles, or 8 per cent, still retain a forest cover 100 years old or 

 over. These are the only portions which can be regarded as 

 having a virgin cover. Thus, 92 per cent of the area has been 

 burned over from once to many times during the past hundred 

 years. 



About 8.5 per cent of the total area bears timber from 50 to 

 100 years old, averaging 70 years, while 14 per cent bears timber 

 of small pole size, averaging 25 years of age. Less than 20 per 

 cent is covered with young reproduction, while 3690 square miles, 

 or 46 per cent of the total area examined, is covered with brule, 

 mostly swept by fire within the last 30 years. 



Taking in the young reproduction area, the percentage of the 

 territory swept by fires during the last 50 years is brought up to 

 about 65 per cent. In some places, the soil cover has been en- 

 tirely removed, and it will take a long time before another forest 

 can take root; in others, the heavy slash endangers the young 

 growth and what little is left of the old forest. 



It is estimated that within the territory covered by the report, 

 not less than 16,000 million feet of merchantable pine and spruce 

 timber has been destroyed by fire during the last 30 years. At 

 an average valuation of 50 cents per thousand, this represents a 

 loss to the country of $8,000,000, in addition to the serious deple- 

 tion of game and fur-bearing animals. 



The report closes with a strong recommendation for the estab- 

 lishment of Forest Reserves and for the allotment of sufficient 

 funds to provide for adequate fire protection. 



A despatch from Victoria, B. C, states that a bill will be in- 

 troduced at the next meeting of the British Columbia Parliament 



