COMMENT 



During the last year or so the British Columbia Forest Branch 

 has been strenuously and most efficiently at work to secure in- 

 creased markets for the mill product of the Province. This has 

 been done by installing promotion offices and exhibits at industrial 

 centers and by publishing various series of bulletins. One of 

 these is entitled Farm Building Series, of which eight have 

 reached us, each of which takes up one class of wooden structures, 

 such as General Purpose Barns, Sheep Barns, Horse Barns, Pig- 

 geries and Smoke Houses, Poultry Houses, Implement Sheds and 

 Granaries, etc. These bulletins are written for the prairie farmer 

 and give detail instructions, as to plan, dimensions, quantities, etc., 

 and as they are prepared in cooperation with Agricultural College 

 instructors may be supposed to be thoroughly practical. 



A second series called the Timber Series discusses British 

 Columbia woods, their uses and proper handling, e. g.. How to 

 Finish British Columbia Woods, Boxwoods, Tie Timber, Dimen- 

 sion Timber, Red Cedar Shingles, Western Larch, Douglas Fir, 

 Western Soft Pine (an unfortunate name given to the Yellow 

 pine!). Each of these gives a brief description of the tree, its 

 habitat, qualities of wood and its uses, profusely illustrated. One 

 handsome summary discusses the timber resources of British 

 Columbia in general, and more briefly than in the series the dif- 

 ferent species and products and their uses in various directions. 



A third series appears under the title Markets Bulletin, of 

 which some ten numbers have reached us. While the other series 

 are addressed to the consumer, this series is to keep the loggers, 

 mills and trade informed of market conditions not only at home, 

 but abroad. 



To cap the climax of this remarkable activity of the Forest 

 Branch in securing markets, the Chief Forester, Mr. H. R. Mac- 

 Millan, who is responsible for developing this phase of the Forest 

 Branch, was appointed Special Trade Commissioner of the Do- 

 minion Department of Trade and Commerce, and has been travel- 

 ing for nearly a year to all parts of the world, with a view of 

 establishing trade connections for British Columbia mill products 

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