Canadian Forestry Journal, April, 1919 



163 



Some of the most useful trees for windbreaks 

 on the prairies are the Manitoba maple or Box 

 Elder (acer negundo), the laurel-leaved willow 

 (Salix pentandra), the native white spruce 

 (Picea canadensis), and the Siberian pea tree 

 (Caragana ajborescens). 



In planting trees for windbreaks on the 

 prairies, four feet apart in the row is a good 

 distance for all of the above except the Siberian 

 pea tree, which should be planted about eighteen 

 inches apart. 



RECLAIMING THE KOOTENAY FLATS 



A project in which western interest is rapidly 

 developing is the reclamation of the Kootenay 

 flats in Creston Valley, British Columbia. These 

 flats are eighteen miles long by five miles wide. 

 The soil is a sandy loam of alluvial origin and 

 is quite uniform in texture. The lower lands or 

 marshes that are wet throughout the year con- 

 tain considerably more humus than do the higher 

 knolls and river banks. Low-lying soils usually 

 are acid in character, but the soil of the Koote- 

 nay Valley is peculiar in that it is distinctly 

 alkaline, and contains a large amount of lime 

 and magnesia in carbonate form. Such land 

 cannot become sour, but at the same time is free 

 from alkali to any injurious extent. Analysis of 

 the soils have been made, samples being taken 

 from the river banks, higher meadow lands and 

 the low meadow or marsh. 



For about five weeks in June and July the 

 lands are more or less flooded. The total area 

 contained in the bottom lands of the Lower 

 KoKotenay is 77,204 acres of which 42,204 

 acres are in British Columbia. Inasmuch as 

 the project would entail national co-operation 

 between Idaho and British Columbia, it is in- 

 deed fortunate that the legal machinery is al- 

 ready in existence on both sides of the line for 

 the formation of the drainage districts, the as- 

 sessment of the lands to be benefited and the 

 carrying out of the works. 



In normal times British Columbia imports 

 about 25 million dollars worth of agricultural 

 produce per annum. It is proposed that by 

 means of reclamation the Kootenay flats might 

 easily displace a large part of this agricultural 

 import. Once the flooding is prevented, as is 

 already provided for in engineering plans in 

 the hands of the Provincial Government, the 

 tractor with the gang plow can start on the 

 furrow. No one has ever questioned the fer- 

 tility of the flooded lands. Some sections have 

 yielded 522 bushels of potatoes to the acre. 

 Another fortunate fact is that the area is in the 

 heart of a populous portion of the province 

 with large powers of consumption. Estimates 

 place the cost of reclamation at about $25 per 

 acre. 



THE MONEY CROP IN NOVA SCOTIA. 



Nova Scotia's Provincial Secretary reports an 

 increase of $101,000 in his revenues during the 

 year ended September 30, 1918. 



The Crown Lands Department also an- 

 nounces a net surplus for the year amounting 

 to $15,000. The wild land tax (imposed on 

 limit-holders) brought $29,000. 



This splendid financial showing warms the 

 hearts of all those now looking to the Nova 

 Scotia Government to appoint a Provincial For- 

 ester and put its forestry house in order. 



The right sort of Forester with the right sort 

 of backing will soon provide the Provincial Gov- 

 ernment with an insurance policy on its rev- 

 enues. Forest conservation, particularly in 

 Nova Scotia, is a guarantee of permanence for 

 coal mining, fisheries, farming, manufacturing, 

 shipbuilding and in fact every other activity from 

 which the people draw revenues. 



FROM A U. S. STATE FORESTER. 



"The Canadian Forestry Journal is undoubt- 

 edly the best popular forestry magazine that I 

 know of. It is most stimulating and suggestive 

 to me in my work and I would not be without it. 

 I wish you every success in your endeavor to 

 improve it, which I think will be difficult, and 

 in your very active campaign to secure better 

 protection for Canadian forests." 



CAMP FOREMAN UP TO DATE. 



James Ludgate, of Parry Sound, believes in 

 keeping his camp foremen in line with forestry 

 developments. Mr. Ludgate has ordered For- 

 estry Journal subscriptions for seven of these 

 officials. 



