ffo. 3 Report of the Department of Lands and Forests for 1950 



Mensuration 



This is a study of growth and yield by Mr. M. Ardenne in the hardwoods of 

 Southern Ontario and as a first step involves the preparation of volume tables for the 

 principal species. Two student assistants were employed on this project. To facilitate 

 computation, the Reinecke form for tree volumes was used. 



Pathology 



For the first time, a serious attempt to meet the forest tree disease menace on 

 a large scale is being made. Through a co-operative arrangement with the Dominion 

 Government, and the University of Toronto. Dr. J. E. Bier of the Science Service 

 has transferred to Toronto from British Columbia. He instructs students at the 

 University of Toronto in Pathology and supervises all the field work agreed on by the 

 Dominion and Provincial Governments. A complete laboratory is being set up in 

 Toronto. This Division pays the salaries of two students on Dr. Bier's staff. Studies 

 of birch die back, white pine needle blight and Dutch elm disease are under way. and 

 will be greatly expanded. An assessment of the rate of deterioration of damaged trees 

 in budworm infested areas has been made. 



Southern and Other Research Stations 



Some additional land was added to the Southern Research Station during the 

 year, increasing its area to 100 acres. The fisheries research building and the artificial 

 lake are now practically completed. A greenhouse was completed. 



Apart from purely research activities, a water reservoir and w^ater supply 

 system was constructed on the property as well as a radio station and house for the 

 operator. This radio station, connected by direct wire to the Parliament Buildings, 

 will give immediate contact with the Districts in the north. This will be especially 

 important during the fire season when the commercial telephone and telegraph lines 

 are overloaded. 



A start was made on the use of all possible material from the Station woodlot 

 for lumber, fuel, and other uses. 



Areas were selected in the South Central, Central. Northern and Midwestern 

 Regions to serve as research and demonstration areas and when legally set aside, they 

 will be used to demonstrate the lessons learned in regeneration surveys, and to 

 provide a forest working space for co-operating research bodies. 



The Fisheries Research Station at South Bay has been referred to under 

 "Great Lakes Fisheries". 



Sylviculture 



Under this heading are grouped all the Departmental activities in forest tree 

 seed production and treatment, regeneration surveys and co-operative cutting ventures 

 with operating companies. The sylviculture and regeneration section is under the 

 direction of A. P. Leslie. 



The seed production experiment in red pine under Dr. George Duff, University 

 of Toronto, has now reached the stage where plots of jiine are being treated along 

 the lines determined by Dr. Duff to intluence the productions of seed. The ultimate 

 end of this study is the establishment of controlled areas (seed orchards) where 

 destructive agencies such as diseases and insects may be kept in check and maximum 

 yields of seeds of desirable strains obtained. 



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