304 Forestry Quarterly 



acres and the timber destroyed amounted to 508 million feet 

 b.m. As this shows an average stand of only 730 feet per 

 acre, it is some indication of the lightness of the stands in these 

 forests, since it is known that fires in the region generally 

 cause the death of all the timber within the area covered by 

 them. The Forestry Branch on the Reserves probably receives 

 the most complete and detailed reports of the actual fire situa- 

 tion each year secured by any agency in Canada, and their reports 

 of present conditions on protected areas, considered in connec- 

 tion with the facts as to past destruction revealed by its forest 

 surveys, should be carefully studied by those interested in secur- 

 ing efficient protection of Canada's remaining timber resources. 

 One disquieting feature of these reports is the large percentage 

 of fires that attain a considerable size. Nearly 50 per cent 

 of the fires on the Reserves attained a large size, indicating that 

 the fire protection has not been developed to a state of efficiency 

 that is essential. The inspectors who comment on this rather 

 obvious situation attribute it to lack of permanent improvements, 

 and in some cases, to faulty personnel and lack of training. 



The distribution of trees for prairie planting shows a slight 

 increase. The total for the year was over 3,800,000 trees dis- 

 tributed. A new nursery was established near Saskatoon, to take 

 care of the distribution to the more northern sections. 



The Forest Products Laboratories reports considerable pro- 

 gress in organization and also in the starting of several impor- 

 tant investigations. Much of the year was taken up in getting 

 together the necessary equipment and stafif, especially in the pulp 

 and paper division. As in other divisions of the Forestry 

 Branch, the war has affected the work of the Laboratories 

 through reductions in staff. This influence has been especially 

 important in the clerical and technical staff of the Laboratories 

 and in many instances has greatly handicapped the prosecution 

 of established lines of work and prevented the undertaking of 

 new work almost entirely. W. N. M. 



Report of the Forest Branch of the Department of Lands, 

 Province of British Columbia, for the Year Ending December 

 31, 1915. Victoria, B. C. 1916. Pp. 56. 



This report is divided into eight sections: Market Extension, 



