1909-10 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. 99 



operations here during the past summer, and had the Department not made an 

 effort to save the timber, not only would the beauty of the Park have been de- 

 stroyed, but a slash would have been left that would make it impossible to save 

 the balance of the woods from fire, which would mean a loss that would be hard 

 indeed to estimate. 



Our staff has been increased to twenty men, and I look for a good year's work 

 during the coming year. 



I am. Sir, 



Yours very truly, 



G. W. Bartlett, 



Superintendent. 



Appendix No. 35. 



Rondeau Park, 



Morpeth P.O., Nov. 14, 1910. 



To the Honourable the Minister of Lands, Forests and Mines, 



Toronto. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit this my report as Caretaker and Ranger 

 of the Rondeau Provincial Park for the year ending October 31st, 1910. 



In looking over my last year's report, I find that some of the improvements 

 that were suggested for the Park this season have been carried into effect, and 

 some have been laid over for another season. We went over the road near the lake 

 shore leading to the upper fisheries, and filled up a number of holes, thus greatly 

 improving its condition, especially for those who frequent the road with autos and 

 other vehicles. 



The work that is being carried on at present is the levelling of the grounds 

 around the pavilion and covering it with marsh grass. After ploughing, scraping 

 and levelling the knolls and sand drifts, we sowed suitable grass seed (as an ex- 

 periment), thinking that when it was all covered with grass a foot thick the seed 

 would germinate and grow in the spring. This covering will help to retain the 

 moisture that is necessary for the growth of the young grass. We are cutting and 

 putting up a few small stacks extra of the grass, so that if any part of the present 

 covering should wear thin by the traffic over it, we can put on more as it is re- 

 quired. The cost of this work will not exceed $200.00. 



We covered a small patch of this sand with grass this summer, and it not only 

 made the soft sand quite firm for walking and driving on, but the seed of the 

 natural grass that we used to cover it with germinated and came up quite thick in 

 {)laces. Our experience with this small patch is what led me to recommend cover- 

 ing all the bare sand in this way. To cover the same ground with clay and gravel, 

 which was at first spoken of, would cost upwards of $1,200.00. This amount of 

 clay and gravel drawn over the Park road (which is in excellent condition now) 

 would, in all probability, cut it up so that it would have to be re-gravelled; but 

 as it is now, all the road will require for 1911 will be to go over it with the heavy 

 road scraper in the spring. 



The repairs that we put on the Park dock last year are in very good condition 

 as yet. The muskrats made a little trouble on the low dock or sand approach. The 

 life preservers served an excellent purpose this season ; they were the means of pre- 

 venting two or three drowning accidents. 



