Report of the Department of Lands and Forests for fiscal year ending March 31 , 1950 Page 128 



island with disease-free ruffed grouse, reared at one of the Department's Game Farms. 

 It is hoped that a study of an isolated island population may throw some light on the 

 factors which periodically decimate our grouse population. Since considerable diffi- 

 culty in rearing disease-free birds was encountered, not enough grouse reached maturity 

 to make stocking practical. The surviving stock will be kept for breeding purposes. 



In order to determine the effect of a few of the climatic factors on the 

 activity of the animals in the forest, the laboratory study of the relation between the 

 activity of the deer mouse and such factors as temperature and humidity was con- 

 tinued in co-operation with the Department of Zoology, University of Toronto. This 

 study promises to explain some of the behaviour patterns observed in animals in their 

 natural habitat. 



In order to provide a picture of deer management problems in Ontario, a pre- 

 liminary survey of the status of the deer throughout the l^rovince was initiated. During 

 the year, the forest districts of Rideau, Quinte, Trent, Algonquin and Parry Sound, 

 and Manitoulin Island, were surveyed. This survey has emphasized the importance 

 of this game animal in southern Ontario and has revealed some problems requiring 

 solution in the future. 



During the hunting season, data on success, sex ratio and other statistics were 

 collected from hunters. Through the excellent co-operation of sportsmen, a series of 

 deer heads were secured for studies of the age classes in our deer. 



The problem of improving the habitat for wildlife on farm areas in southern 

 Ontario has been under investigation for three years. Experimental plantings of 

 multi-flora rose and other imported shrubs have been established in order to determine 

 their hardiness in this latitude. 



Through the year, the Wildlife Section co-operated with several outside agencies 

 such as the Ontario Research Foundation and the University of Toronto in providing 

 working space at the Wildlife Research Station in Algonquin Park and in providing 

 facilities for a field course for biological students. 



Silviculture 



The silvicultural programs are under the general direction of A. P. Leslie. In 

 the following the projects are reported under the headings of Seeding Habit of Red 

 Pine; Forest Tree Breeding; Seed Treatment; and Silvicultural Field Tests. 



Seeding Habit of Red Pine. This project continues under the direction of 

 Dr. George Duff, who began this work in 1946. 



The importance of the project arises from the well-known fact that red pine 

 produces appreciable quantities of seed only in occasional years. The result is that 

 the expansion of planting programs of this preferred species is seriously restricted. 



The procedure was at first to survey the seeding habits as found in nature. 

 More recently the survey work has been increasingly supplemented by experiments 

 designed to modify seed productivity. The ultimate objective in view is the production 

 of seed from elite trees growing in orchards. 



The work is centered mainly in certain red pine plantations in Simcoe County 

 (Angus, Midhurst, Camp Borden. Craighurst) and at Chalk River. 



The survey data to 1949 led to the conclusion that the degree of productivity 

 depends mainly upon internal physiological factors. In this respect the chronological 



