250 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



6. Results. — The mapping of the area mentioned above, which had been 

 originally considered a season's work, having been completed in less time than 

 expected (August 2), and the method and results having proved so satisfactory, 

 plans were made for an extension of the survey. It was decided not only to 

 continue typing of the adjoining territory, but also to attempt a classification 

 of the three composition types into age or size classes. 



By October 12, when weather conditions stopped field work, an additional 

 area of almost equal size, bringing a total for the season up to approximately 

 10,000 square miles, was mapped to show in the three composition types, men- 

 tioned above, four size classes, viz.: 



(1) Mature stands, at least 75 per cent, of trees of commercial size. 



(2) Pole wood stands, not over twenty-five per cent, of commercial 



size. 



(3) Sapling growth, no trees of commercial size. 



(4) Reproduction, not over 3 feet in height. 



This was worked out by landings to relate the appearance from the air 

 to the actual condition of the stand as determined by ground work. Wherever 

 possible, during such landings, sample plots of the types were laid out and 

 measurements recorded. Results in this connection were extremely gratifying, 

 and in twenty-one landings, a total for the season, including thirteen where 

 sample plots were taken, no single case occurred in which the aerial cla»3ifica- 

 tion differed materially from conditions as actually found on the ground. 



The 10,000 square miles (6,400,000 acres) mapped, showed the forest 

 condition as a whole to be approximately one-quarter of the coniferous type, 

 one-third of the mixed type, and the remainder a burned-over type more or 

 less restocking. 



The coniferous type was defined as 75 per cent, or better coniferous, the 

 species being white and black spruce, jack pine and balsam. The mixed type 

 consisted of these species with poplar and birch. The original attempt to 

 dififerentiate poplar-birch stands, as a separate type, proved not feasible. The 

 burned-over type included only those areas where the second growth is mainly 

 still below commercial size; it was estimated that three-quarters of such areas 

 are restocking in some degree. 



While opportunities for ground study were very limited, as can be seen 

 by the small number of sample plots below, a few general remarks may be of 

 interest. 



The species composition, throughout the whole area covered, is very simple. 

 Jack pine, black and white spruce, balsam, birch and poplar make up over 

 ninety per cent, of the tree growth. White cedar occurs frequently in a dwarfed 

 condition along the lake and river margins. Red maple, American elm, and 

 black ash occurred occasionally. The proportion of white and red pine is very 

 much less than the favorite method of travel in the country — that is, by water 

 — would indicate. South of the G.T.P., red and white pine occur very fre- 

 quently on lake and river margins, and from the main line of the C.P.R. be- 

 come rapidly prominent, until at the international boundary, they are found 

 interspersed with birch and poplar in extensive stands and splendid develop- 

 ment. North of the G.T.P. (the region to which this survey relates) however, 

 they rapidly disappear, even on small islands and lake shores; and the most 

 northerly point at which white pine was noted, is not far from Sioux Lookout, 

 on the English River, above Lac Seul. It is, however, highly probable that 

 scattered blufTs and fringes would be found on the more southerly portions of 



