Mercier. — Effect of Forest Protection 103 



tree as an enemy. "Cut it down," is the battle cry; "why 

 cumbereth it the ground?" I wish that all such men 

 would bear in mind the quaint remark of an old writer 

 on forest trees quoted by Evelyn: 



Trees and woods have twice saved the world, first by the Ark, then 

 by the Cross, making full amends for the evil fruit borne by the Tree 

 in Paradise by that which was borne on the Tree of Calvary. 



That accomplished botanist and brilliant writer. Dr. 

 Hugh Macmillan, speaking of the influences and functions 

 of a pine forest, says: 



The pine is the earth's divining-rod that discovers water in the 

 thirsty desert, the rod of Moses that smites the barren rock and causes 

 the living fountain to gush forth. * * * \Ye see the presence and 

 hear the voice of the Creator among the pine trees as among the trees 

 of the garden of Eden. Each tree is aflame with Him as truly as was 

 the Burning Bush. 



If I have said anything at all that may suggest addi- 

 tional precautions against forest fires, or that may tend to 

 enlist your further sympathy and aid for the promotion of 

 forest growth, I shall feel that I have spoken a good word 

 for the fish and game life in which we are all so much in- 

 terested. 



I address an appeal to the members of the American 

 Fisheries Society to work with us for the preservation of 

 fish and game. May I be allowed, sir, to point to one 

 special instance and to ask their help in securing the adop- 

 tion of a uniform system between the different provinces 

 of Canada, as well as between Canada and the United 

 States? 



A few years' ago we in Quebec enacted a law by which 

 we established a system of controlling the commerce in 

 all fur-bearing animals trapped or hunted on our terri- 

 tory. Other provinces have passed a similar law. One 

 of the clauses of that law is that if any of our game war- 

 dens learn that any wild animal has been killed outside 

 of the close season established by law, no matter where 



