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forests with a view to the continuance of that industry. The drain 

 which has been going on for thirty years past on the resources of 

 these forests has been so enormous and so continued that though 

 it may have contributed largely to swelling our exports, drawing 

 wealth to the country and giving us increased commercial status 

 in other countries, it yet opens up the consideration of how long 

 the supply will last. And if, as is self-evident, under the present 

 system of farming out the public lands, a day is drawing near when 

 the supply will not equal the demand, it behooves us, if possible, 

 to adopt some means to preserve or recuperate these forests. A 

 reference to the accompanying map will convince any one 'ac- 

 quainted with the localities each year extending further north- 

 ward and westward where the lumbermen obtain their logs, that 

 the area in which the pine may be expected to be found in fair 

 abundance and accessible at a moderate cost, is not so extensive 

 but that another twenty years of working the timber limits to the 

 extent done for a few years past, will result in a very sensible les- 

 sening of our exports of white pine. The lumberman's axe is not, 

 however, the only, or even the greatest drain on the pineries. 

 Forest fires, it is believed, have caused even greater destruction, 

 not only by reason of the vast area ruined, but because that large 

 and small trees are alike consumed, as well the huge trunk which 

 would be suitable for the lumbermen as the smaller trees, which in 

 the course of successive years would also become large enough to 

 attract their attention. The extent of this ruin will be appreciated 

 when it is remembered that not until the pine is about one hundred 

 years old is it of good merchantable size for square timber, and 

 that therefore to replace the pine groves would be the work of 

 towards a century. There is, however, the further important fact 

 that after a forest fire, pines are usually replaced by a growth of 

 birch, poplar, and other trees, though whether the pine gradually 

 asserts its position and overshadowing these in turn replaces them, 

 is a question yet to be settled. 



Two very pertinent considerations therefore present them- 

 selves : 



First, forest fires and their prevention. 



