14 



Canadian Forestry Journal, January, 1919 



1^ 



Changing the tune of the prairie to "Home, Sweet Home." A fine growth of Manitoba Maple on 

 the farm of Mr. W. Slade, in the Carseland district. Alberta. 



generally retarded. The principal trees of 

 Northci-n Manitoba include only a few species, 

 namely, spruce, white and black, poplar, tamar- 

 ack, birch, and jack pine. Of these, the white 

 spruce is practically the only durable species for 

 saw-mill purposes. It grows to a fair size on 

 high land surrounding the lakes, averaging from 

 18 to 24 inches in diameter. Samples up to 36 

 inches diameter have been found on the shores 

 of Reed lake. It generally grows tall and 

 straight, up to 90 feet in height, and makes 

 excellent lumber, pulp and paper. The black 

 spruce is a slower-growmg tree and does not 

 usually reach such a size as the white spruce. 

 It is found in low swampy ground. Jack pine 

 is found on nearly all dry sandy ridges. It is 

 used extensively for ties. Tamarack grows ex- 

 tensively throughout the district, and is used for 

 poles, fences, ties, and fuel. The poplars, aspens 

 or cottonwoods, and the birches have not yet 

 been found of much commercial importance, but 

 are extensively used locally as fuel. 

 The Fire Loss. 



The greater part of Northern Manitoba was 

 covered with a much heavier forest than that at 

 present standing. This was nearly destroyed by 

 disastrous fires many years ago. The present 

 forests are principally second-growth — follow- 

 ing such fire. Many regions, for instance, the 

 Burntwood River district, have not reforested. 



The cut of timber in Manitoba has been com- 

 paratively small, in 1916 being less than one 

 million dollars in value as compared with sixty- 



six milloins for the whole of Canada. The Finger 

 mill, located at The Pas, is one of the largest 

 operating in the Prairie Provinces, the cut for 

 1917 being 15 million board-feet. This con- 

 sisted entirely of spruce cut on timber berths 

 along the Carrot river withm the boundaries of 

 Saskatchewan. Three small portable saw-mills 

 are m operation north of The Pas. The Hudson 

 Bay Construction Company operate one at mile 

 185, for their own use. The Mandy Mining 

 Company have one on Schist lake, while one has 

 recently been installed on Wekusko lake in con- 

 nection with the Rex mine. The annual cut of 

 these three mills amounts to about half a million 

 feet. 



A Pulpwood Plant. 



Great quantities of wood for the manufacture 

 of pulp are available, and plans are being con- 

 sidered for the erection of a plant at Grand 

 Rapids, where the Saskatchewan river enters 

 lake Winnipeg. Water-power is available at this 

 point, and the location is favourable for the 

 transportation of wood to the site. 



Other resources of these forest areas are the 

 extensive bogs and swamps which occur in low- 

 lying parts. While no steps have been taken to 

 utilize them it is believed that thy might be made 

 to profitably yield vast quantities of peat. The 

 production of either pulp or peat, however, has 

 yet to be inaugurated, and more definite infor- 

 mation must first be obtained with respect to the 

 extent of the raw material available. It is 

 reasonable, however, to expect that great possi- 



