RESEARCH BRANCH 



THE Research Branch continues to operate in the fields of Fisheries, Forestry, 

 Wildhfe and Mechanical research. The Forestry field is divided under silvi- 

 cultural research and mensuration. The main objective of the Branch is the 

 provision of information for the operating branches for their current needs as well 

 as to carry on basic work to give the information necessary to remedy deficiencies 

 of the past and to provide for possible requirements in the future. 



In fisheries research, a broad line of research is being pursued but, in 

 particular, the development of the hybrid trout, or splake, is proceeding both to 

 fill the gaps left by the sea lamprey destruction of lake trout in the Great Lakes and 

 also as a game fish in its own right. Another fish, the Kokanee, a land-locked salmon 

 of British Columbia, which has shown some signs of success in Ontario waters, is 

 being sought for larger scale introduction. 



In the field of forestry, the agreements with the Federal Department were 

 redrafted so that one committee replaced the two formerly needed to cover the 

 fields of silviculture, entomology and pathology, and two meetings of the new 

 committee were held during the year. 



The development of seedlings started in plastic tubes for regeneration as an 

 adjunct to ordinary seedling stock holds out considerable promise for the future 

 and the development of this process has been almost perfected by research. The 

 cost should be low enough so that the tube method should enable the planting of 

 several times that of the conventional method for the same expenditure. This method 

 is described under "Highlights". 



In the wildlife field, the relationship between game animals, predation and 

 other environmental conditions is adding to the efficiency of the management of 

 these resources. Explorations in the north for caribou and polar bears have shown 

 some interesting possibilities. The goose census now carried out annually is yielding 

 important results in helping to regulate the "take" of these birds along their flyways 

 in Canada and the U.S. 



Mechanical research has shown how fire pump performance can be improved 

 by a factor of several times by careful lubrication with improved oils. 



Statistical research has demonstrated that computers can be used for the 

 rapid production of volume tables based on formulae which are superior to those 

 formerly used. 



WILDLIFE RESEARCH 



Wildlife research in Ontario is concerned with the collection and application 

 of knowledge about wild birds and mammals that are considered to be of economic 

 value to the province. Research programs have been organized to study big game, 

 predators, upland game and waterfowl, furbearers and the diseases and parasites 

 of these. 



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