DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1928 71 



Instrument Work 

 A light mountain Gurley transit was used. This transit had been pre- 

 viously sent to the Surveyor-General at Ottawa to have the compass needle 

 tested. The magnetic variation varied from 2 to 8 degrees east, but in many 

 places the local attraction drew the needle as much as 180 degrees. 



Chainage 



Three-hundred-link steel tapes were used, and slope distances taken where 

 necessary and corrected by use of a clinometer and slope tables. 



Posts and Bearing Tree 



The most durable wood obtainable was used for posts. Approximately 35 

 per cent, of the iron posts planted were short ones cemented into bed rock, in 

 which case a rock mound of pyramid shape was built, the iron post being at the 

 north angle of the pyramid. Where the standard long iron post was used, pits 

 and mounds were made in authorized form. Practically all of the wooden posts 

 are in a cairn of stones. 



Two bearing trees were marked, care being taken to select them as nearly 

 opposite as possible. In a few cases it was not possible to mark trees in burnt 

 areas. 



Blazing of Lines 



The usual blazing was done, care being taken to mark the lines as plainly as 

 possible. Where sky lines are cut out, it necessarily follows that there cannot 

 be as much blazing done, as the trees which ordinarily would be blazed have been 

 cut out. 



Timber 



A very large percentage of the country in this area was overrun by fire at 

 the time of railway construction, and much of it now is slash with brush and 

 young trees growing through it. There are, of course, patches of green timber, 

 some of which apparently covers several square miles, but burnt areas extend as 

 far north as our work took us. The air photographs show up this situation very 

 well. 



The green timber areas were somewhat typical of that found in the north- 

 west portion of the province, viz., the spruce is of a size suitable for pulp and 

 there are occasional patches of poplar and birch and jack pine. There is very 

 little balsam in this section. 



The burned areas are fairly well covered with new growth, and in parts of it 

 the spruce regeneration is fairly good. 



Soil 



No part of the area covered by us around Savant lake will ever be suitable 

 for agriculture. It is a rock country. Where the rock is not exposed the soil is 

 chiefly sand and boulders. 



Water Courses 



Around Savant lake there are innumerable smaller lakes, but being close 

 to the height of land there are no large streams. Savant lake itself forms part 



