90 WESTERN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ployed on both occasions, and every effort made to check the 

 spread of the flames. Probably more timber was consumed 

 by fire in these two reserves than would supply the settlement 

 depending- on them for twenty years. A bush fire, when once 

 well started, cannot be extinguished by any present known 

 means. Back-firing was tried without any apparent success, 

 and the fires ran their course, regulated only by the wind, 

 and died out when stopped by natural causes. Forest rangers 

 will be placed in charge of these reserves the year round, and 

 it is expected that with the aid of properly constructed fire 

 g-uards and with the assistance of the municipal fire g-uardian 

 service, the chances of fires getting- into the timber on the 

 reserve will be reduced to a minimum. 



It is a regrettable, but an undoubted fact, that the set- 

 tler, who is reaping the largest benefits from the preservation 

 of the timber, and who has the most to lose by its destruc- 

 tion, is largely responsible for its diminution. The future is 

 simply not taken into account by him. Economy in the 

 cutting of his timber is not considered, and more timber is 

 frequently left on the ground where felled than is taken away. 

 Inexperienced men g-o into the woods for a set of house logs ; 

 upon being cut, a portion of the logs are found unsuited for 

 the purpose intended, and are left lying in the woods ; thus 

 two trees are often sacrificed where only one is made use of. 

 And the same thing may be said of the taking- of timber for 

 fuel ; only the best part of the tree being- taken, the remain- 

 der being left in the woods to be a menace to the green 

 timber in case of fire. I am glad to be in a position to in- 

 form you that this condition of affairs will be tolerated no 

 longer. The g-overnment timber regulations now in force, 

 provide that a settler cutting under permit shall take from 

 every tree felled all the timber there is in it ; and, further, 

 that the tops of trees and other refuse made in the cutting 

 shall be piled up in one place and not left, as heretofore, 

 scattered through the bush. It shall be the duty of the 

 forest ranger in charge of the reserve to se2 that these con- 

 ditions are rigidly enforced. 



