Canadian Forestry Maga::ine, Xorcmher, ig20 



503 



Ontario to Establish Demonstration 



Woodlands 



Ontario has taken an important for- 

 Avard step in the encouragement of tree 

 planting on barren areas. Hon. Manning 

 Doherty, Alinister of i\griculture, re- 

 cently instructed the Agricultural Repre- 

 sentatives of the Provinces in the various 

 counties to take up with the Township 

 Councils the question of establishing de- 

 monstration plots of planted trees along 

 well traveled roads. The educational 

 effect of such an enterprise would be 

 incalculable just as demonstration 

 orchards are the most effective form of 

 'propaganda' in the encouragement of 

 apple production. A letter from the Min- 

 ister of Agriculture to the Forestry As- 

 sociation states that "the Department is 

 co-operating with the Department of 

 Lands and Forests by endeavoring to 

 interest local Township Councils in the 

 matter and possibly later on giving gen- 

 eral supervision to any woodlots which 

 tnay be established." 



^Ir. Doherty's letter to all agricultural 

 representatives was as follows : 



Toronto. October 4, 1920. 



It is the desire of the Government that 

 the reforestration of waste lands be en- 

 couraged as generally and as rapifUy as 

 possible. In every Township there are 

 areas of land which are used for abso- 

 lutely no purpose but which would, with 

 attention, produce a crop of timber in 

 a comparatively few years am! fully re- 

 \Yci\ the effort and expenditure devoted to 

 the matter. This l)ei)artment is co-ojier- 

 ating with the I'"'irestr\ i'>ranch of the 

 Dei)artment of Lands and Forests in 

 this matter. 



To bring this subject prominently lo 

 the attention ,of the i)eople the ( lovern- 

 nient would like to see a denmnslralion 

 plot established in each township and 

 to this (i\u\ desires the co-operation (tf tlie 

 Townshij) Councils. It' the Township 

 Council will purchase an area Miitable 

 for tliis purpose oti a well tra\elled mad 

 ancl ]ia\e it propeiK fenced, the ( jo\ern- 

 ment will luidertake to suppl\' and plant 

 trees to reforest such area and look after 



it in the early years of growth. Such 

 an area of land should not be less than 

 five acres or more than ten acres. 



It is my desire that you should bring 

 this proposition to the attention of the 

 Township Councils in your County. I 

 would suggest that you write a letter to 

 the Reeve of each Township outlining the 

 proposition and that you endeavor to see 

 the Reeve of each township personally 

 and discuss the matter with him or as far 

 as possible attend the meeting of the 

 Township Council at which the proposi- 

 tion is discussed. Ilease assurfc the 

 Councils that your services are at their 

 disposal in the selection of land for this 

 purpose, as it will of course be expected 

 that you will give the matter your super- 

 vision in anv Townshij) in which -^ucli 

 ('.emonstration wootl lots are establishetl. 



It should be possible to have a large 

 mmiber of these demonstration wood lots 

 started next spring and applications 

 .should l)e received before December 

 31st. It should be clearl\- understood 

 that all such demonstration plots will be 

 vested in ilie Township and any profit 

 which ma\ ultimately accrue will go to 

 the Township. The expense involved 

 on the ])ari of aii\ Townshi]) L'ouncil 

 is small and I feel that the result in the 

 awakening t»f a greater interest in this 

 most important itroblem woul 1 inaugur- 

 ate a movemeiH which would be of great 

 value to iIk- permanent dexelopment of 

 this l'ro\iiice. 



rrusting the matter will have your 

 prompt and continued intere-^t and atten- 

 tion. I am. 



^"ours very truly. 



.\lannini; W . Dohertw 



Mini-ter of .\gricuhure. 



