1921-22 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS 255 



concerning the oecology and biology of these plants may turn out to be useful, 

 if not essential, to the formulation of a proper policy in respect to this problem. 

 The survey, the results of which are presented here, was undertaken with 

 these considerations in view. The territory to be covered by the survey was 

 determined by the fact that if large-scale eradication measures were ever to 

 be adopted it would probably be along some line between the Ottawa River and 

 Georgian Bay, and further, that even for the purposes of local eradication, in- 

 formation gathered in this territory would have a wide application on account 

 of the variety of conditions encountered. Consequently, a beginning was made 

 at Petawawa and Pembroke and, travelling along the line of the Grand Trunk 

 Railway, the survey terminated at Parry Sound with sufficient observations on 

 the Islands of Georgian Bay to make it certain that these must be taken into 

 consideration in any wholesale eradication project. The only deviation from 

 the line of the railway of more than fifteen or twenty miles was an excursion into 

 Himsworth Township between Powassan and Lake Nipissing, undertaken on the 

 advice of the district forester. 



Method, 



The mode of procedure was roughly as follows: On account of the desir- 

 ability of visiting a suitable variety of localities the topographical and type maps 

 of the district foresters' offices at Pembroke and Parry Sound were first con- 

 sulted. In this way a route was planned such as would make possible the use 

 of various stations along the Grand Trunk Railway as headquarters from which 

 excursions could be made. In as far as possible the travelling was done on foot, 

 though canoe and motor were used when necessary to reach desirable locations. 

 When "on location" an intensive search for currants and gooseberries was made. 

 If these were found the place was marked and the neighbouring territory was 

 examined cursorily to see that the spot chosen was typical of the particular 

 topographical or forest conditions represented at that point. If this turned out 

 to be so a plot was measured out by tape-line usually 100 by 100 feet in size. 

 In many cases this size of plot proved unnecessarily large on account of the 

 number of currants and gooseberries found. In these cases a smaller plot 

 50 by 50 feet was adopted. The plot was divided into lanes ten feet wide and 

 these lanes were carefully traversed up and down and the plants of the various 

 species found counted and recorded. This plot was then considered a "station" 

 and was located on the map and numbered. The notes taken were.of the follow- 

 ing sort: 



Station 63: Wolf Lake — Lot 19, Con. XH, Hunter Tp. Near portage from Mcintosh Lake. 



Topography: Fairly uneven, somewhat rocky, about 30° slope towards lake. 



Forest Cover: Mixed second-growth. Hardwoods. 



Ground Cover: Almost entirely young maple seedlings, fairly dense. 



Soil: Deep litter, raw humus and humus IJ^ inches, sandy loam beneath. Moist, 



but well drained. 

 Ribes: Ribes glandulosum 14 



R. lacustre 8 



Grossularia cynosbati 2 



Dimensions: 50 x 50 feet. 



In all ninety-four such plots were established, embracing every topographical 

 and forest type encountered. 



The counting of gooseberry plants presents no difficulties on account of 

 their more or less solitary habit. Nearly all the currants, however, and especially 

 the skunk currant {Ribes glandulosum) propagate vegetatively and frequently 

 form dense masses in which it is impossible to distinguish individual plants. 



