Canadian Forestry Journal, February), 1920 



ment in a forestry society, the number of mem- 

 bers has increased from 300 to over 1,500 with- 

 in the last six months. In discussing the pro- 

 ject with many bodies of western business men 

 in October last, it was impressed upon the Sec- 

 retary that the appointment of a western pro- 

 pagandist, giving attention to the prairie 

 provinces and British Columbia, would give 

 new vitality to our enterprises beyond the Great 

 Lakes. 



Another project from which we are tempor- 

 arily debarred by lack of financial support is the 



establishment of a Children's Lecturer, devoting 

 his time entirely to propagandist work with Boy 

 Scouts, school children, etc. The contact al- 

 ready established between our work and the 

 growing generation demonstrates the remarkable 

 attractiveness of the forest conservation idea 

 to the child mind and the great possibilities of 

 inculcating during the early stages sound ideals 

 for the public administration of the natural 

 resources. 



RoBSON Black, Secretary;. 



DR. FERNOW ON THE TASK AHEAD 



(A teller n>ritlcn b]) ihe Dean Emeritus of the Faculty of Forestry;, Toronto, to the annual 

 meeting of the Canadian Forestry Association at Quebec.) 



Being by my physical condition prevented 

 from attending your meeting, I accept gladly the 

 invitation to express in writing some thoughts 

 fit for the occasion. 



In the first place, I want to congratulate you 

 on the excellent progress which the Association 

 has made under your guidance in spite of war 

 conditions. Having myself been identified with 

 the forestry movement on this continent for 

 some forty years, nearly half that time as Sec- 

 retary and as Chairman of the Executive Com- 

 mittee of the American Forestry Association, I 

 know and appreciate fully the difficulties of in- 

 troducing an economic reform in which the 

 human element is lacking or at least indirect. 



In this endeavor there are three phases of de- 

 velopment to be recognized, namely: the for- 

 mation of public opmion; the mfluencmg of 

 government activity; the providing of technical 

 knowledge and ability. The growth of the As- 

 sociation testifies to the success of having se- 

 cured large and influential public opinion on 

 the necessity of forestry reform. A partial 

 success has been attained in persuading the 

 authorities that the abandonment of methods 

 fit for the pioneering stages of national exist- 

 ence is necessary and are awaiting advice how 

 to secure such reform. But the third phase of 

 the development, the procuring of the means 

 for providing such advice is largely deferred. 



We have begun in earnest to eradicate the 

 greatest enemy of our forests — the fire; at least 



we know how to combat it if the necessary funds 

 are furnished. Forestry, however, is not ac- 

 complished by such protection against destruc- 

 tion. Forestry means reproduction, regenera- 

 tion, reforestation — silviculture. Of this sci- 

 ence we know but little that is applicable under 

 our special conditions. Silviculture is based 

 upon empiricism, experiment and experience in 

 the woods, and, to secure such, time is required 

 — a long time. In the forestry schools we can 

 impart the fundamental basis for silvicultural 

 practice and turn out men who may become 

 foresters if opportunity is given them to experi- 

 ment and gather experience in the woods. 



Such experimentation- -or research — to use 

 a term now become popular — has been begun 

 in a small way by the Commission of Conserva- 

 tion, the federal Forestry Branch, and a few 

 private concerns. It should be taken up on a 

 large scale by the Departments of Lands of the 

 provinces and by the Dominion Branch, so that 

 they may learn what conditions to prescribe for 

 the logging of their limits with a view of secur- 

 ing reproduction. 



This in my opinion, is now a most urgent 

 matter and should form a part of the programme 

 of the .Association, the securing of adequate en- 

 dowments and opportunities for educating for- 

 esters and gaining silvicultural experience. 



Sincerely yours. 



B. v.. Fkknovi. 



