104 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



might be expected, due to its proximity to the railway, suffered more from fire. 

 Eighteen per cent, of the Upper and Lower Sturgeon has been reduced to the 

 recent burn classification through this agent. 



The southern section of Parks Lake, Poskogami and Lake Superior blocks 

 has the most pronounced relief of the three areas. It is characterized topo- 

 graphically by being hilly with deep valleys and rocky outcrops common. Soils 

 are thinner with the better stands occurring in pockets of deeper soils. This 

 area is well drained and carries the highest percentage of mixed stands. The 

 hardwoods are more prominent in the south than the north with the greater 

 proportion birch. The amount of hardwood is closely related to better drainage 

 but more to the average age of the stands, i.e., they are younger than the stands 

 in the north, ranging between eighty and one hundred years. 



The whole tract has been classified, showing age-class relationships, and, 

 percentically, 69 per cent, is merchantable, 4 per cent, second growth, 8 per cent, 

 young growth, and 19 per cent, unproductive. This 19 per cent, includes water, 

 recent burn, muskeg and natural or fire barrens. 



Again, considering the whole tract, 81 per cent, is forested and 19 per cent, 

 unproductive. 



During the past season investigation of the reproduction and growth of 

 white pine stands was undertaken, in charge of Mr. T. W. Dwight of the Faculty 

 of Forestry, University of Toronto. Attached is a summary from Mr. Dwight's 

 preliminary report in connection with this work. 



Studies of Young White Pine Stands: 



The steady removal of the existing stands of mature white pine in Ontario 

 year by year is having a twofold effect, particularly noticeable in the more 

 accessible forest areas such as the territory south of Lake Nipissing, where 

 lumbering operations have been carried on longest. First, there is an increasing 

 tendency to cut small trees, and, second, a more definite value is placed on 

 second-growth stands, which, while not yet of merchantable size, may be ex- 

 pected to be ready for the market within the present generation. Such changes 

 in conditions bring new problems in forest administration. The questions 

 naturally arise: How small timber should be allowed to be cut, and in what 

 manner can a check best be placed on the cutting of too small timber? 



As regards the stands definitely below merchantable size, data is not avail- 

 able for Ontario at least that would permit any accurate prediction for their future 

 value when they do reach merchantable size, nor of the amount of wood that is 

 being annually added to their volume. Both these items of information it is 

 highly desirable to have, not only to demonstrate the concrete benefits that will 

 accrue from protection of these young stands from fire, but also to indicate how 

 much expenditure is justified for that purpose. 



With the object of securing data along these lines, investigations were made 

 during the past summer in six localities where there were available stands of pine 

 of seven different ages. All of these had originated after fires, and the timber 

 on any one area was consequently of approximately the same age, except where 

 two successive fires had occurred. The four localities were decided upon after a 

 two-weeks' trip through the forest region lying south of Sudbury and North Bay, 

 during which a considerable number of areas were inspected and all possible 

 information secured from the Crown timber agents and district foresters. The 

 cordial co-operation of all these men is gratefully acknowledged. 



