'AX ADI AN Y-'O A' />'//>'> ASSOCIATION 10$ 



up there, and although it was a wet season and I never said a word \ tt tl !*< mm. thej 

 never left a camp without dousing their fire with water. The Hudson's Bay people 

 say that whenever a notice arrives, the Indians and half-breeds want to know all about 

 it, and the agents have instructions to explain it to those who cannot read what the 

 provisions arc, and the penalties attached. 



Now, with reference to another branch, that is tree planting on the plains, I 

 think it should go on record what we are attempting to do in that regard. Mr. Hutt 

 has mentioned that the Ontario government are about to start in the distribution of 

 plant material for afforestation. When I undertook the work for the Dominion, I 

 looked over the forest systems followed by other countries, but I do not suppose you 

 will find the system of any country entirely applicable and beneficial for any other 

 particular district. Certainly what would be applicable here in Ontario would not be 

 conducive to good results in the plains region. Heretofore the Experimental Farms 

 at Brandon and Indian Head have been sending out trees here and there, a few trees 

 to settlers asking for them. Those were sent out without supervision. People did 

 not know what kind of trees they should have, so I made up my mind that the only 

 way to be successful wou,ld be to co-operate with the settlers and to have inspection. 

 So our system I do not think I need go over it because probably many of you have 

 read it was adopted. But briefly, our system is this : - Any person wishing to avail 

 himself of the co-operation of the Government in planting out shelters, forest planta- 

 tion, or wind breaks, makes application to the Superintendent of Forestry at Ottawa. 

 These applications are filed. There is a certain time the time is up now for tliis 

 season for receiving them. The application of every man is tabulated arid next season 

 the inspectors will go out and visit those farms. They examine the soil and give in- 

 structions. But> before doing that there is sent out a circular showing how they 

 should prepare their soil. Then, as I say, in the summer, early next season, the in- 

 spectors will commence and visit all of those farma. We will have a great many to 

 visit. We had to haye four or five inspectors last year, and probably will have more 

 this year. They do not go over the ground more than once. They see what has been 

 done in former years and they see what is the character of the soil, and what kind of 

 ircr> an.- HI i table, and they instruct the meji where and how to plant. Then they make 

 out a little sketch from which a working plan is made, and the trees are furnished the 

 farmers the following year. That is the new applicants this season will receive a visit 

 next summer and will be furnished with trees in the spring of 1905. The American 

 Government do something similar to this, but do not furnish the plant material. I 

 do not think our plan would be successful if we did not furnish the young trees. 

 Suppose we sent those men out to inspect this land ami then let the settlers furnish 

 the trees themselves. Do you suppose that daring the busy season, when they should 

 be planted, one single man would l:e able to go off to the woods and get the trees? So 

 we are forced to supply the trees, and we have used a portion of the land at the Ex- 

 perimental Farms at Brandon and Indian Head on which to raise them, and we are 

 sending them from there out to the farmers. These trees will be inspected the follow- 

 ing year. They are all sent out at the proper time; they are well packed and cadi man 

 gets on an average about 2,000 each year. We are sending out this year 1,700.000 

 trees. Xow, the result of this planting is shown in these photographs. I will just 

 pass them around. Here is a farm, all prairie. Here is another picture of the same 



