122 



Canadian Forestry Journal 



the likely consequence? The experi- 

 ence of older provinces and of for- 

 eign states and countries (e.g., Wis- 

 consin) furnishes some idea of the 

 probable result. 



Ontario, the most advanced of the 

 older provinces, can suggest an an- 

 swer. Thirty years and more ago, 

 through a mistaken policy, the dis- 

 trict of Muskoka was thrown open 

 for settlement. Many went into the 

 district with fond hopes of establish- 

 ing comfortable homes, making 

 good livings and acquiring compet- 

 encies, and, years afterwards, many 

 of these persons would gladly have 

 sold out for a song, had they been 

 able, and left for more fertile fields. 

 But who would buy? 



Some of Ontario's older countries 

 furnish additional examples. Years 

 before the settling of Muskoka, set- 

 tlers went on the sand lands in Nor- 

 folk and other counties in the 

 southwest part of the province. For 

 a time things went well. But ere 

 long the humus of the soil was ex- 

 hausted and its fertility disappear- 

 ed, the crops were restricted to the 

 rough grains like barley and buck- 

 wheat, and the farmer of a couple of 

 hundred acres found that the re- 

 sults of his year's work gave him 

 little more than the same number of 

 dollars. He gained a bare subsist- 

 ence and his farm grew worse and 

 worse. 



Not the least lamentable conse- 

 quence is the moral deterioration 

 that frequently comes to people so 

 situated. Few in Ontario can have 

 forgotten one revolting case that 

 happened recently, in which the fact 

 of people having settled on, and 

 tried to make a living off, forest 

 land has undoubtedly a bearing. 

 And not all such cases come to trial. 



In his report on 'The Reforesta- 

 tion of Waste Lands in Southern 

 Ontario', Mr. E. J. Zavitz, speaking 

 of this social aspect of the question, 

 writes: — 'Many estimable and 

 worthy families have mistakenly 

 settled in these non-agricultural dis- 



tricts. The tendency, upon realiz- 

 ing the hopelessness of farming un- 

 der such conditions, is to sell out or 

 abandon the farm. Too frequently, 

 however, it is impossible for them to 

 sell the land and find means with 

 which to better their conditions. 

 This last state of affairs presents a 

 sad problem. The most serious sit- 

 uation, however, is that in which the 

 settler makes no struggle to improve 

 his surroundings, but simply drifts, 

 and gradually degenerates along 

 with the land. It is not advisable to 

 describe in these pages conditions 

 such as actually exist in some parts 

 of Ontario. A knowledge of the so- 

 cial conditions in these non-agricul- 

 tural areas would itself be a con- 

 vincing argument that such lands 

 should be managed only for forest 

 growth. These districts under at- 

 tempted agricultural management 

 cannot properly support social or- 

 ganizations, such as schools and 

 churches. The state cannot afford 

 to allow citizens to live and develop 

 under the enforced conditions ex- 

 isting in many , of these waste 

 areas'. 



Canada wants no 'poor white' ele- 

 ment among its citizens. 



FORESTRY IN SCOTLAND. 



The secretary for Scotland in the Brit- 

 ish parliament has appointed a committee 

 to consider and report on certain ques- 

 tions relative to forestry in Scotland. 

 The terms of the reference to the commit- 

 tee are as follows: 'To report as to the 

 selection of a suitable location for a dem- 

 onstration area in Scotland; the uses, pres- 

 ent and prospective, to which such area 

 may be put (including the use that may- 

 be made of it by the various forestry 

 teaching centres in Scotland) ; the staff 

 and equipment required for successful 

 working; the probable cost; and the most 

 suitable form of management. To report 

 as to any further steps following upon the 

 acquisition of the said area which, in the 

 opinion of the committee, it is desirable 

 should be taken with a view to promoting 

 sylviculture in Scotland, due regard being 

 had to the interests of other rural dis- 

 tricts. ' 



