185 



Other kinds 26,290,264 



Pine logs 12,416,408 



Other logs 9,314,557 



Masts 121,685 Feet. 



Staves 34,706 M. 



Lath wood 25,706 Cords. 



Tan-bark 162,521 Cords. 



Firewood 8,713,083 Cords. 



Now, reducing these several quantities to trees, we have an aggregate of 22,271,384 

 trees. 



If you say 50 trees to the acre, we have a total of acres denuded in one year of 

 445,428 acres — equal to three townships. 



Now there has expired since this return was made 10 years, which gives no less than 

 30 township.s — equal to 3,240 square miles, or three whole counties, supposing each 

 county to consist of ten townships. 



Having ascertained the total amount of merchantable or exportable timber, we must 

 not forget the home consumption, which exceeds that exported. 



Now what have we done in the way of preservation, very little indeed. 



(1) The Quebec Legislature, by an Act of 1882, Chap. XIII, offers a bonus of $12 

 per acre to any one who will plant an aci'e of ground with trees, and keep it well 

 preserved. 



(2) They have passed an Act, 1882, Chap. XI, "no person shall burn or set fire to any 

 timber for the purpose of clearing land, from 1st July to 1st Sept." The Government, 

 in making their yearly estimates, generally say, amongst the items of revenue, that they 

 will get so and so from forests. Now, when they make or prepare their estimates, they 

 should carefully ponder on this item. Because it is not an annual revenue, it is absolutely 

 taken from capital, which capital is being so rapidly reduced that ere many years the 

 balance must be considered as nil, they are killing the goose that is laying the golden egg, 

 in fact they have nearly reached the backbone. 



I have now to stop and consider our present position, and ask what must be done 

 for the salvation of our trees — is there any means to replace some of the millions of trees 

 that are cut down annually 1 I reply in the affirmative ; everyone has the power and 

 capacity in aiding in this great work. Does not every tree bear its own seed ? and sow- 

 ing or planting seed is no harder than sowing grain ; in so doing you reproduce their 

 kind, and you alter even the temperature of the country ; you draw down moisture from 

 the clouds, the trees throw out a certain quantity of carbon, and by the vicinity of trees 

 the health of the surrounding country is benefited in a very large degree. 



I have made a calculation that 200 acres (lots such as the present divisions of our 

 townships) planted with a double row of trees, say maple, we will have a belt of trees 

 nearly three miles long and a plantation of 300 sugar or other trees. Experience has 

 shown that from 100 ft. square of well-prepared land, sown with ash and transplanted, 

 you can cover 100 acres from this 100 square Jeet, and have a return after three years, 

 using the smaller plants for hoops, poles, etc., and thinning again and again, until the 

 residue will leave you a fine plantation, and so on with other trees. Oak, walnut, and 

 butternut can be intermixed, as they require longer time to mature. If your soil is well 

 prepared, your farm will begin to give a return after three years at the rate of $10 per 

 acre, increasing year by year to $40, and then the residue will be your park. I have 

 heretofore, through the columns of your newspapers, advocated to the Manitoba emigrants 

 the necessity of taking up a box of our tree seeds. Trees planted in the open ground 

 thrive better and spread out their roots to a greater distance than in the forest, and they 

 have more hold and resistence to the elements, — and I am persuaded that no better invest- 

 ment could be found for the Manitoba farmer, because such a plantation would break the 

 heavy winds that sweep the prairies, and guard his home and crops, and shelter his farm, 

 and give him in return exactly what he has the most need of — timber for all purposes. 



