56 ADIAN FORE.<THV \XSOCIATION. 



Mr. LITTLE. Mr. Chairman,, in connection with this important subject, and the 

 rxceptionnl growth of spruce in some parts of New Brunswick, I mny say that about 

 a year ago I was told by o'ne of the most extensive lumber manufacturers operating 

 en one of the largest rivers of the province that he was unable to fully stock his 

 mills that season owing to the scarcity of large spruce timber tributary to his opera- 

 tions. 



About the stand of timber on Mr. Gibson's land, we are told that this is an ex- 

 ceptionally fine spruce district. It is about three thousand feet to the acre. Now, 

 supposing we admit of the high average of five thousand feet to the acre, that gives 

 one billion, one hundred and twenty-five million to start on. 



Now, when you start with one billion, one hundred and twenty-five million feet, 

 you have something substantial to work on and may cut away at the large timber for 

 a number of years. So that you may go back over the land for a second cut, say ten 

 years thereafter and by lowering the diameter limit a few inches, get a lot of fair 

 sized timber, but after the ground has been cut over a second time it will take a great 

 many years to regain the sizes of the original growth of the timber. 



People talk about the rapid growth of timber. I have had some experience in 

 watching it, and I assure you that it is very seldom that you will find a spruce tree 

 growing in our severe northern climate fifteen or eighteen inches in diameter which 

 is less than one hundred years old, whereas those growing in the open where every- 

 thing is cleared away for them, come up more quickly; but you take the mature 

 growth of timber here, and you will very seldom find one of the tall trees of the forest 

 which is less than from one hundred to one hundred and fifty years old. 



Dr. BELL. I am here, Mr. Chairman, rather to learn than to say anything, and 

 until a few moments ago, when you were kind enough to ask me to address the meet- 

 ing, I did not contemplate speaking, and I have not had an opportunity to prepare any- 

 thing in the way of a paper, but I will say something about our northern forests. 



Some of you are familiar with the conditions of the southern forests; possibly 

 fewer have given any great attention to our northern woods, but I think I may claim 

 to be fairly familiar with these, having travelled for many summers in the northern 

 country from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky mountains. I may be allowed just to 

 make a few remarks on two of my hobbies, one of which, as you perhaps know, is the dis- 

 tribution of the various species of forest trees. Another of my favourite subjects is 

 forest fires. 



As you are all aware, we have in Canada more than one hundred and twenty 

 species of native trees, ninety-five of which occur east of the Rocky mountains and 

 the balance west. Taking the United States and Canada together we have, I think, a 

 total of three hundred and forty species of forest trees, which is a very extraordinary 

 number and very much greater than is to be found in any other country in the world. 

 Just to show you the great contrast between the wealth of trees in America and Europe, 

 I might mention that there are only about thirty species at all common or conspicuous 

 in Europe, and originally there were only some seven or eight species in the British 

 islands. Whereas here, on this continent, the number, three hundred and forty, Is 

 something enormous in comparison with that. 



