HARD PINES 



The objectives of the hard pine breeding work are to produce a red pine or 

 red pine-Hke tree resistant to the pine shoot moth and of satisfactory growth rate 

 and growth form. 



Recent studies with red pine indicate that the species is genetically uniform. 

 This extreme uniformity and the difficulty encountered in obtaining interspecific 

 crosses limit its value as a source of variation from which selections can be made. 



During 1963, an intensive effort was made to cross red pine with other closely 

 related species. Work on shoot moth resistance was continued with other hard pine 

 species and hybrids. Pinus nigra var calabrica appears to be promising in this 

 respect. 



Report On Blister Rust Investigations — 1963 



Blister rust investigations in 1963 were pursued in the following Districts: 

 Lake Erie, Lindsay, Pembroke, Port Arthur, Fort Frances and Kenora. Work was 

 arranged in consultation with the Districts concerned, and was facilitated by the 

 participation of District staff in field surveys. 



Four categories of work were represented as follows: 



(1) Investigation of epidemic conditions at selected stations. The aim of this work, 

 a continuing project, is to document and interpret the spread and development 

 of blister rust in the pine forests of the province. The program was pursued in 

 all Districts above except Kenora. 



(2) Appraisal of damage to timber, natural regeneration and plantings. 



(3) Evaluation of risk. This work involves damage appraisal in relation to length 

 of exposure to infection, the rating of Ribes abundance and other determinative 

 factors. It serves to guide planting and other management and protection 

 decisions. 



(4) Inspection of nurseries at Fort William and Dryden. 



Wood Quality 



The Ontario Research Foundation obtains an annual grant from the Provincial 

 government to carry out a quality wood program. Their program is divided into 

 two spheres of activity; anatomical studies and studies of wood chemistry. The 

 function of the Quality Wood Unit is to ensure that the program carried out by the 

 Ontario Research Foundation is directed to the aims of the Steering Committee, 

 and to relate the findings to field applications, thus providing an improved wood 

 supply for industry. In addition, trials will be run to assess the natural variations 

 found in specific wood properties such as wood density and spiral grain. 



WOOD FIBRES 



The relationships between external foliar characteristics and wood fibre mor- 

 phology are being investigated. An assessment was made of the relationship between 

 needle spacing on shoots and needle mass per unit length of shoot for black spruce. 

 It was found that with increasing needle density, weight per needle tended to 

 decrease, but needle weight per centimetre increased. There was a significant 

 positive correlation between needle weight per centimetre and height or diameter. 



The present phase of the fibre investigation is to assess the relationship between 

 needle mass and fibre morphology, including tracheid length and diameter. 



256 



