94 WESTERN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



tion of the bush, gives no assistance in case of fire, and hence 

 they do not feel called upon to do all the work. 



The Society, I believe, is doing- good work, along- horti- 

 cultural lines (if I may borrow a commercial expression) in 

 the Province. Would it be practicable to make an effort on 

 its own behalf, or throug-h the Provincial Government to 

 educate the people up to a proper appreciation of the value 

 of our forests to the community, and to enlist the services of 

 the many throug-hout the country who have the ability to 

 place the subject before the people in its proper lig-ht. A 

 study of the principles of forestry is, in my opinion, a great 

 need in this country. 



It is not yet too late, by attention to this subject, by put- 

 ting- into operation the g-eneral principles which underlie 

 forest manag-ement, to recover much of the loss that has 

 already taken place, and to ensure an adequate supply of 

 timber for future g-euerations in Manitoba and the North- 

 west Territories. Where fires occurred, in most cases a new 

 growth is spring-ing- up, which will, under proper forest man- 

 agement, in a few years grow to be useful timber. 



Keep down fires, and restrict cutting- to the dry and fallen 

 timber and mature trees, and there need be no alarm felt for 

 the future in respect of timber supplies. 



I regret, Mr. President, the inadequate manner in which 

 I have been oblig-ed to treat this important subject, but having 

 only returned to my office this morning, after an absence of 

 two months, I found it impossible to give the matter the 

 attention it deserved, and to take up some other phases of 

 the question, which impress me as equally important, such as 

 the effect of forest on the water supply and climate. These 

 might be brought up for discussion at a future meeting. 



