THE WEST INDIES. 159 



retention of rough areas under wood and the replanting of 

 areas unsuited for agriculture would be encouraged if some 

 action in the direction of relieving the same from taxation 

 could be put into effect by the Local Government and the 

 Municipalities. 



9. Eesolved that the Government be and is hereby requested 

 to place forest tree seeds imported for afforestation purposes 

 on the free list." 



It is not too much to say that the Dominion of Canada, as 

 well as the whole world, owes a great debt of gratitude to 

 Mr. Stewart for having brought the importance of forest 

 conservancy prominently before the people of Canada. That 

 importance has been repeatedly urged by the author during 

 the last twenty years, and it is a great satisfaction to him that 

 at last something substantial is likely to be done. The 

 resolutions passed at the Convention are in the right direction, 

 and it is hoped, that the Dominion Government, as well as the 

 Governments of the several provinces, will, without delay, 

 take measures to give effect to them. 



A general forest law should be passed, to give the necessary 

 legal power for enforcing the sustained preservation and 

 systematic management of the reserved State forests already 

 established or about to be declared. The author has repeatedly 

 pointed out that the Canadian forests are capable of providing 

 the necessary coniferous timber to all countries of the earth 

 which are in want of it, and that Canada will by degrees derive 

 an enormous income from the forests. There is a sufficient 

 area available for the purpose, without in any way whatever 

 interfering with new settlements and extensions of agriculture 

 on the lands most suitable for it. 



THE WEST INDIES. 



These numerous islands have an area of 12,010 square 

 miles and a population of 1,583,480, making an average of 

 132 to the square mile. The density of population differs very 

 greatly in the several islands. 



