362 Canadian Forcstr\) Journal, September, 1919 



FUTURE FACTS THAT THE PRESENT MUST FACE 



By Hon. E. A. Smith, Minister of Lands and Mines, Nerv Brunswiclf. 



On one section of our best growing Crown 

 lands, Dr. C. D. Howe reports as follows on the 

 average of a number of sample acres studied: 



"This land was cut 25 years ago, and 37 

 spruce trees 12 to 20 inches in diameter were 

 removed per acre. It was again cut 10 years 

 ago, and 19 spruce trees 10 to 12 inches in 

 diameter removed." This means that approx- 

 imately 56 trees or about five thousand board 

 feet was removed from this land during the 

 last twenty-five years. 



"There is now standing on this a total of 

 149 trees, 58 spruce trees per acre and 91 fir 

 trees, over one inch in diameter. Of these 

 growing trees 7 spruce and 8 fir trees are now 

 of commercial size and if cut now would still 

 leave II spruce and 10 fir trees, which would 

 reach commercial size during the next thirty 

 years. That is, there are 36 trees to provide 

 the cut for the next 30 years." Dr. Howe 

 states that if all our cut-over lands gave as 

 good a showing and this, there would be little 

 cause for worry, but the following counts made 

 in another part of the province will give many 

 of us cause for thought. 



This locality was cut over three times, 30 

 years ago, 16 years ago and 4 years ago, and 

 97 spruce and 15 fir trees removed per acre 

 averaging 8 to 18 inches in diameter on the 

 stump. This means that 112 trees or probably 

 between 9 and 10 thousand board feet or more 

 was cut from this area during the last 30 years. 



The trees still standing on the area show an 

 average of 108 spruce and 186 fir per acre over 

 one inch in diameter, but there are only nine 

 of these trees large enough now to reach com- 

 mercial size during the next 30 years. Dr. 

 Hawe says: "That this has been a very pro- 

 ductive area, as the 112 trees removed per acre 

 shows, but it has been quite evidently abused, 

 as there are only 4 spruce trees that can reach 

 commercial size in the next 30 years." 



Plainly stated, this average acre from which 

 at least 9,000 feet was removed during the last 

 30 years cannot produce more than 1 ,000 feet 

 of commercial sized lumber during the next 30 

 years. 



Of course these averages were secured over 

 small areas, but they serve to indicate the need 



of thorough study of this problem of annua! 

 growth. 



Maintaining a Great Asset. 



Dr. Howe is one of the most widely known 

 and experienced foresters in Canada and I have 

 been able to arrange with the Conservation Com- 

 mission to allow Dr. Howe to continue his study 

 of the cut-over lands in New Brunswick. This 

 particular branch of the Forest Survey will be 

 given special attention during 1919, and I ex- 

 pect that Dr. Howe will be able to give us fairly 

 definite estimates of our annual growth and also 

 suggestions as to what changes are necessary in 

 our logging regulations in order to maintain 

 our greatest asset, the forest, in its fullest pro- 

 ducing capacity. 



The greatly depleted forests of France and 

 England, together with the enormous require- 

 ments of lumber to rebuild the devastated por- 

 tions of France and Belgium must open a great- 

 er market for our Canadian woods, and ^vhile 

 we must take full advantage of this demand, 

 we must be very careful not to ruin the poten- 

 tial value of our forests, but to conserve the 

 greatest natural resources of our land, and in 

 turn hand down to posterity, unexhausted, the 

 great heritage so freely bestowed by nature. 



MY GARDEN. 



A garden is a lovesome thing, God wot! 



Rose plot. 



Fringed pool, 



Ferned grot — 

 The veriest school of peace! And yet the fool 



Contends that God is not — 

 Not God! In garden! When the eve is cool! 



Nay, but I have a sign! 

 'Tis very sure Gcd walks in mine. 



— Thomas Edward Brown. 



OUR SEED FOR BRITISH PLANTING. 



Canadian tree seed is being supplied to Brit- 

 ish woodland planters in a steady stream. The 

 Dominion Forestry Branch at the request of 

 British authorities sent over 125 pounds of 

 miscellaneous seed in 1917, 450 pounds of 

 Douglas Fir seed last year, and will duplicate 

 that amount both in Douglas Fir and Sitka 

 Spruce seed this year. 



