DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1928 17 



officer to the scenes of timber and pulpwood operations make it possible for him 

 to acquaint himself with actual conditions on the ground and give counsel and 

 directions as to be best methods of economically cutting the timber that the 

 interests of conservation and reforestation may be served. Generally speaking, 

 the operators co-operate very satisfactorily along these lines and it is evident 

 there is a more decided tendency in this age for the practical and technical 

 viewpoints to be reconciled. 



Pulpwood 



The hope expressed by the pulpwood dealers and newprint manufacturers 

 in 1927 that their apprehensions of a serious instability in the trade would not 

 result was not realized. The newsprint industry upon which the pulpwood 

 operators are so largely dependent displayed a very uncertain tendency through- 

 out the year due to a variety of factors and a number of interests involved. 

 Alleged undue expansion and overproduction were not the least of the causes of 

 the affected market. The Government of Ontario being fully seized of the 

 importance of the situation is closely in touch with the movement towards 

 stabilizing the industry and encouraging the maintenance of certain Northern 

 Ontario communities. The leaders in the trade have held numerous conferences, 

 and negotiations to date justify confidence in their ability to adjust their 

 differences and thus establish further assurance that this comparatively new 

 though enormous business, that so largely now enters into the industrial and 

 commercial life of the nation, will be placed on a firm foundation. 



The cut of pulpwood on Crown lands during the year amounted to 684,582 

 cords, or a reduction from the year previous of 68,873 cords. Because of the 

 present situation it is felt that this cut will not be increased the coming year 

 unless prior to the opening of the season for operations a satisfactory solution 

 of the newsprint problem has been found. Settlers and patented lands produced 

 1,111,224 cords and of this some 612,000 cords were exported. In other words, 

 of the exportable material cut during the year less than 60 per cent, went out of 

 the country. Over eighty per cent, of the exported wood came from patented 

 lands, over which the Crown has no control; the balance came from lands of 

 settlers who have not yet acquired absolute title. 



The importance of the newsprint industry and its relation to the community 

 life of certain portions of the Province warrant the Crown in providing legislative 

 machinery to insure the gathering of detailed data and the adoption of plans 

 towards stabilization. With this end in view a Bill for submission to the Legis- 

 lature at its next sitting is being drafted. 



Jr 



Forest Fire Protection 



The season of 1928 was particularly favourable for forest fire control through- 

 out the province with the exception of portions of Patricia in the northwestern 

 part of the fire district. Eighty-seven per cent, of the total area burned in the 

 province is accounted for through the fires occurring early in May and June in 

 the inaccessible regions of northwestern Ontario. 



The total number of fires was 536 and the total area burned was 100,383 

 acres, of which 51,750 acres were beyond the reach of the present organization. 



Improvement work on communication and buildings was carried on this 

 sf^ason with satisfactory progress. 



Twenty-six steel lookout towers and 400 miles of telephone lines were 

 erected. The Department has 68 steel lookout towers and 137 wooden ones, the 



