26 



tigation of conditions on its limits, and it is not improbable that 

 this work will also be undertaken. As the tree species on the Abitibi 

 Company's limits differ materially from those on the Laurentide and 

 Riordon areas, such investigation would yield results of much value 

 with reference to that type of forest.* 



That means that we shall be able to extend our investigations 

 into that portion of Ontario lying to the north of the height-of-land. 



Aeroplane Lumber Production 



Prior to the entry of the United States into the war, large amounts 

 of Sitka spruce for aeroplane manufacture were purchased from 

 United States brokers, nearly all of which was obtained from the 

 forests of Washington and Oregon. In 1917, the requirements of the 

 aeroplane factories of the United States reduced the spruce avail- 

 able for export to an amount that jeopardized the air programme 

 of the Allies, and the Imperial Munitions Board in Canada was 

 requested to secure 24,000,000 feet of aeroplane lumber. 



„ ,. ^ In connection with our report on the Forest Resources 



Supplies of r T-. • • 7 ^ 7 7 • 11 11 1-1 



Sitka Spruce oj British Columbia, we had procured data which 



showed that there was, in that province, 14,165,345,000 

 board feet of Sitka spruce, of which approximately 34 per cent was 

 in the Queen Charlotte islands and 31 per cent on the Northern 

 Mainland coast. Most of this information was based upon confi- 

 dential data but, by loaning our Forest Engineer, Mr. R. W. Craig, 

 to the Munitions Board, these data were made available without 

 breach of confidence. f 



Owing to the rigid specifications, particularly as regards straight- 

 grained wood, only a small percentage of the lumber which could 

 be used for ordinary purposes was suitable for aircraft. In addition, 

 practically all the available timber had been alienated, the owners 

 were not prepared to operate their limits and the saw-mill capacity 

 in northern British Columbia — the area which contained 65 per cent 

 of the Sitka spruce — was inadequate. 



*Since the above was written, the following telegram has been received from 

 the Abitibi Pulp and Paper Company: 



"It is our intention to begin a reforestry programme this year along the lines 

 discussed with you here and desire co-operation of your department." 



tUnder date March 20, 1919, Brig. Gen. W. E. Edwards, Director of Inspec- 

 tion, Imperial Ministry of Munitions, wrote that, owing to the termination of the 

 war, Mr. Craig would shortly be able to return to the Commission. Gen. Edwards 

 added: 



"I desire to express my obligation to your Commission for the loan of Mr. 

 Craig's services. He has filled a difficult position, in which his expert knowledge 

 has been invaluable, with great credit" 



