xii EEPORT OF THE No. 3 



firerangers. Owing to this close supervision and the season being a wet one, no 

 forest fires took place. 



The Mississaga Reserve contains an area of about 3,000 miles. It is called 

 after the large river whose tributaries meander through it. There is a large quan- 

 tity of first class pine in this Reserve, which, owing to its quality, accessibility, and 

 short drive to Lake Huron, is extremely valuable. Some few years ago a consider- 

 able qualltity of pine in this reserve was damaged by fire, and we sold it, obtaining 

 as high as $13.37 per thousand feet board measure, including dues. There have 

 been no serious fires in this reserve since. The fireranging staff consists of one chief 

 and S2 firerangers under him. These men are distributed in such manner as to 

 have complete supervision of the routes of travel through the Reserve, the lumber- 

 ing operations, etc. There is no mining or settlement in or near this Reserve. 

 The only danger, therefore, would be from tourists, explorers and lumbermen, but 

 these are carefully looked after by the ranging staff. 



The Nepigon Reserve is the largest in the Province, having an area of 7,300 

 miles. There is no large quantity of pine timber in this Reserve, but there is an 

 illimitable quantity of pulpwood, consisting of spruce, Jackpine, and poplar. The 

 Nepigon River is the most celebrated trout stream on the continent, and visitors 

 from all over the United States come to enjoy the sport afforded by its waters. Great 

 care is exercised by rangers along the portages and camping places to see that fires 

 are extinguished by campers and others using the stream. The large lake from 

 which the Reserve takes its name is one of the most beautiful lakes in Canada — 60 

 or 70 miles long by about 35 miles wide. It contains a large number of islands, 

 and is becoming better known each season. Here is one of the oldest Hudson Bay 

 Company posts — Nepigon House — which is continually referred to in the history 

 of the fur trade in its very earliest stages in that immense region. Two of the three 

 transcontinental railways run through this Reserve, viz., the Grand Trunk Pacific 

 and the Canadian Northern, while the Canadian Pacific Railway runs along its 

 southern boundary. Great care was exercised this past season along the construc- 

 tion work of the Canadian Northern and the Grand Trunk l^acific. In the Reserve 

 proper there was a chief ranger and 20 firerangers on duty under him; and in 

 addition there were two firerangers on every two miles of railway construction on 

 the two railways being built through the Reserve. The Canadian Northern Rail- 

 way comes into the Reserve at what is now called Orient Bay, which is at the east 

 end of the lake. It is in contemplation to make this a divisional point and erect a 

 summer hotel there. There have been no serious fires in this reserve of late years, 

 not withstanding, the thousands of employees on the railway which built through it. 

 When the two railways are finished and in running order — one touching it at the 

 north end and one at the south — ^it will become one of the greatesit summer resorts 

 in Canada. 



The Quetico Reserve is situated in the Rainy River District abutting on the 

 boundary waters between Canada and the United States. It contains an area of 

 1,500 miles and there is a very large quantity of good pine in it. There is no 

 settlement in or near it and few prospectors. A few timber berths were sold before 

 the Reserve was created, and some lumbering has been carried on. There are two 

 or three Indian Reserves in this Reserve and an Indian population of 123. The 

 Quetico Reserve is a harbour for game, and is well protected by a permanent -staff. 

 It lies immediately north of a game reserve on the United States side of the waters. 

 There was on duty in this Reserve last summer a chief ranger and fourteen fire- 



