The Nipigon Timber Reserve. 117 



belt, through which the new transcontinental railway line is to run 

 and causes a deviation to the north. It is now accessible from the 

 Canadian Pacific Railway by way of the Nipigon River, and is 

 already a favourite resort of sportsmen. The Nipigon trout is 

 famous and is a great attraction to all lovers of the rod. 



While the agricultural value of most of the district is of little 

 moment and its mineral resources are yet uncertain, the value as a 

 timber preserve is unquestionable, although the pine is not now the 

 characteristic tree in that region. The forest consists mainly of 

 spruce, tamarac, jackpine and birch. Considerable areas have 

 been burned over but are renewing the forest where second fires 

 have not completed the work of destruction by sweeping away 

 the new growth. There are still good timber areas, as that along 

 the Ombabika River which enters the north-east comer of the 

 lake, in which it is estimated that there are 1.484,000 acres o^f 

 pulpwood aggregating 56,346,400 cords. With protection from 

 fire it may be expected that this reserve will in time become again 

 well timbered throughout its area, and will be of great value not 

 only on account of the pulpwood but also for the supply of ties 

 for the railway developmcint which that district may expect in 

 the not distant future. 



A description of the district along the Ombabika River is 

 given as follows : — 



" In commencing our work we went up the Ombabika River 

 and, as we ascendc'd this river, as far as we could see from our 

 canoe, both banks are well timbered. The land along the banks 

 is mostly sandy ; and about ten miles up this river from Lake 

 Nipigon I was instructed to make my first exploration at right 

 angles from the river, and in this trip for the first mile was roll- 

 ing sandy soil timbered with wliite iMrch, spru.cc and ])Oplar. and 

 then a rocky country evidently an old bnilc, as it is now grown 

 up with small jack pine and scrub spruce, and the timber in this 

 exploration would onl\- cut out about ten cords of wood por acre. 

 On the north-west side of the river, and some three or four mil'^s 

 farther up stream in this exploration the timber is nuich beiter 

 and the land rolling, with some nice sandy loam flats broken by 

 rocky ridges, and I put the pulpwood. jack pine and spruce onlv. 



