148 Canadian Forestry Journal. 



Some were presented V)y lumbermen, others represented the 

 agricultural interests. Many of them were very valuable, though 

 there was in others considerable more of theorizing than of 

 actual experience. Even these latter, however, were suggestive 

 and at least showed interest and enthusiasm. Several des- 

 criptive of the trees of different classes or districts gave useful 

 information for reference purposes. Canada was largely re- 

 presented on the list. 



On Monday evening a meeting of a more popular character 

 was held at the Queen's Hall. At this meeting an address was 

 given by Hon. Henri Joly. Mr. Joly stated that the timber 

 supplies of Canada were considered inexhaustible, and therefore 

 it was difficult to arouse interest on the question. He, however, 

 pointed out that the lumber that Canada supplied to England 

 was not one-fourth of the import while what was sent to other 

 parts of Europe was but as a drop in the sea, and 5^et cutting 

 had so far advanced that it had reached the height of land 

 between the St. Lawrence and Hudson Bay. Mr. Joly thought 

 that not only should the forests in existence be protected but 

 that something should be done to plant trees where they did 

 not now exist. He instanced his own experience with a forest 

 tract of 100,000 acres. From this he turned out 35,000 to 

 40,000 spruce logs ever}^ year, and by following the rule of not all- 

 owing any tree under twelve inches in diameter to be cut he 

 expected to have a supply of spruce in perpetuity. A little 

 joke by Sir Henri, which will be appreciated by anyone con- 

 versant with the history of the Province of Quebec, and which 

 was received by the audience with laughter and applause, is 

 well worth repeating, althotigh it contains a heresy according 

 to what are usually accepted as orthodox forestry ideas. Mr. 

 Joly said that some people were of the opinion that our Gov- 

 ernments should take hold of this matter as men's lives were too 

 short, but he could assure them that if men's lives were short 

 Government's lives were generally still shorter. 



The principal address of the evening was made by F. B. 

 Hough, Chief of the Forestry Division of the United States, 

 and was too comprehensive for any attempt at svmimary. His 

 statement of the principle on which the question of forestry 

 should be approached is worthy of quotation. He said: 



"It has often been said, in a way intended to be amusing, 

 that 'posterity has done nothing for me — why should I care 

 for it?' Now, this is neither wise nor witty. It is not wise, 

 because it is foolish — nor witty, because, like an oft told tale, 

 it has lost all novelty and is at best but a stale and silly joke. 



" It is part of true wisdom to look upon this beautiful earth 

 as held by us in trust — it is, at best, only a life lease that a man 

 holds to the estate for which he holds an absolute deed of pos- 



