82 CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 



and slid right into the river, practically changing its course. Investigation showed 

 that the surface soil was underlaid by a bed of blue clay, that, there being no forest 

 growth, the rain had permeated the surface, lubricated, as it were, the sub-stratum, 

 and thus released and set in motion the whole mass, causing devastation and worse. 



Now, had there been a narrow belt of timber along the banks it is questionable if 

 such a disaster \vmild have occurred. I think that the trees, firmly gripping t'he sur- 

 face, and their roots forming a network reaching deep down into the soil, would have 

 prevented the banks from giving way under the pressure. 



Can any of us cite instances of landslides, on anything like a scale such as this, 

 occurring in wooded districts ? 



At all events, here is a river partly in the park, partly outside; on that portion 

 situated within you may look in vain for evidences of extensive landslides, whereas 

 on the part outside, being destitute of forest, this eminently disastrous one occurred. 



The park, whilst not being selected for the wealth of its forests, carries a fair 

 stand of timber, the predominating varieties being three in number, viz., the spruces, 

 fir and birches. A partial list of trees indigenous to the territory would comprise 

 alder, basswood, birch (white, yellow and black) cedar, beech, cherry, ash, maple, 

 spruce, white pine, red pine, cypress, poplar, butternut, elm, tamarack, fir and willow, 

 but doubtless on closer investigation a number of others could be found. 



A conservative estimate, making allowance for water, old burnings, barren ground- 

 ! &c., would give 1,000,000 acres of timbered territory, and upon this one could safely 

 figure on 3,000 feet board measure to the acre, giving a total of three billion feet 

 consisting mainly of timber which could be operated under the existing regime. No 

 means have as yet been employed for exploiting the deciduous growth. 



It must be admitted that the park is a well watered area, and it its graphically 

 described by one person as 'peppered' with lakes. Within its boundaries there are 

 some large and noble sheets of water, e.g., Grand Lake Batiscan, Grand Lake Jacques 

 Cartier, Lake Jacques Cartier West, Lake Croche, Lake Moise, Grand Lake Malbaie, 

 Snow Lake, Lake aux Ecorces, Netascouac, des Passes and others. 



FISH. 



The rivers and lakes of the park may truly be described as teeming with fish. 

 Every one of its rivers abounds in brook trout (Salmo fontinalis), and with a few 

 exceptions the same -can be said of the lakes. 



In the Ste. Anne la Perade basin two or three lakes have been found without any 

 fish in them, but trout were taken from the neighbouring ponds and liberated there- 

 in. The results were astonishing, as in five years' time trout were captured there of 

 three to five pounds' weight, and there appeared to be plenty of them at that. 



Coarse fish, such as gudgeon, perch, carp, &c., are to be found in certain waters, 

 but the first sharp fall of prominence precludes their ascending any further, so by far 

 the major portion of the territory is free of them. 



Every one of its rivers abounds in brook trout (Salmo fontinalis), and with a few 

 they exist in one other sheet of water. These fish take the spoon or troll readily, and 

 specimens have been taken of- over 20 Ibs. in weight. 



There are several lakes and rivers in the park where the true brook trout attains 

 to a weight of from 7 to 10 Ibs., e.g., Grand Lake Batiscan, Grand Lake Jacques 

 Cartier, Rivers Murray, Montmorenci, Ste. Anne, aux Ecorces, Hetabetchouan. 



This statement may appear to some present as difficult of belief, but I would have 

 no trouble whatever in dispelling their doubts, since it would only be necessary for me 

 to ask certain Torontonians to detail their experiences in the park. 



I am positive that in Grand Lake Jacques Cartier and Grand Lake Batiscan there 

 exist brook trout of 10 Ibs., some having been captured of nearly that weight. In the 

 former they take the fly in the discharge of the lake from the 15th of August to the 

 end of the season ; in the latter trolling has to be resorted to to get them up. but in the 



