8 
proper attention to this matter, and I feel certain that if the 
true causes were properly investigated where fish were said 
to disappear from a stream, in half the cases it would be 
found that the shade and shelter of the forests or protecting 
border trees had been taken away. It was said at the read- 
ing of Sir James Gibson Maitland’s excellent paper on the 
“Salmonide,” that it was not enough to place spawn and 
fry in a water, they must be provided with proper food, 
and the best means to do this is to preserve the border 
trees and ensure a steady supply of water and food by pre- 
serving the forests from whence the supply of water is 
derived. But, as before remarked, it is not enough to 
preserve the present forest. New forest must be culti- 
vated on the barren ranges, and many a stream, now 
nearly empty during dry seasons, will be re-filled and 
soon teem with fish and food for the many. So far 
for the principle of the conservation of the forest. I 
will now briefly mention the most suitable trees and their 
culture. But before entering upon this, I must draw 
your attention to the important condition to be observed in 
the management of such forest areas, as are preserved for 
the sake of conservation of water. Ths condition is density. 
In the dense shade of a well-closed forest are developed all 
those atmospheric conditions on which depend the greatest 
effects of the forest in regard to climate and water con- 
servation. The so-called periodical thinning out in these 
areas should be carried on with the greatest care, and might 
with advantage be nearly dispensed with, if the economy of 
the management would permit it. The result would be, 
besides the effect upon the water conservation, that tall 
straight trees would be reared, yielding timber most valu- 
able for all practical purposes. Nature itself would do the 
thinning out, and do it in a better way than we could hope 
