152 Canadian Forestry Journal. 



persons in what parts of the Province our valuable timber (hard 

 as well as soft) is found, and after the matter has been well dis- 

 cussed, determine on what course of action to pursue. Until 

 this be done it is of little use to attempt the formation of any 

 scheme for forest preservation." 



Dr. B. E. Fernow submitted a valuable paper on "Condi- 

 tions of Forest Growth." In opening he pointed out the differ- 

 ence between agriculture and forestry — that the agriculturist 

 had to bring about an artificial condition of the soil while the 

 forester's aim was to preserve the natural condition. Inas- 

 much as the trees derive a large proportion of their maferial from 

 the air, they do not depend to any great extent on the chemical 

 character of the soil. The claim was therefore made that any 

 soil in its natural condition contains sufficient organic ma- 

 terial for any timber growth ; that therefore the change of species 

 observed on this continent can hardly be attributable to an 

 exhaustion of the soil but rather to its physical condition, its 

 depth and looseness and, depending on these, the capacity of 

 absorbing and retaining moisture, which properties may be in- 

 creased or even compensated for by a sufficient layer of humus. 

 Attention was also called to the relative light requirements 

 of trees, now so familiar a principle in forestry, as an important 

 item in deciding the plans of management. In summarizing 

 Dr. Fernow stated that the principal effort of the forester must 

 be to preserve and increase the good condition of the soil since 

 upon it depends the productivity .of the forest. The measures 

 to be adopted for this purpose are not so much to be sought in 

 direct operations on the soil, but mainly in certain con- 

 siderations in the selection of species, methods of management, 

 terms of rotation, interlucation, methods of reproduction and 

 in the general care of the forests. Of all methods of manage- 

 ment the timber forest with natural reproduction from seed 

 trees is best calculated to maintain the vigor of the soil for the 

 shade enduring species, if the cutting is done with necessary 

 prudence so that the soil is exposed as little as possible. Next 

 to this method comes absolute clearing, with immediate ar- 

 tificial re-seeding or re-planting. This is almost the only me- 

 thod advisable for light foliaged trees. From this statement 

 it will be observed that Dr. Fernow's views have changed in 

 some respects. 



Mr. Edward Haycock, President of the Ottawa Iron and 

 Steel Manufacturing Company. Limited, spoke of the import- 

 ance of the forests to the steel industry in a paper on " Canada's 

 Forests and her future as a Steel Producer." Mr. Haycock 

 stated that in the manufacture of steel for the future, wood 

 charcoal was a necessity. 



"Spain, Algeria and the Mediterranean islands w4th their 

 rich ores have no wood. England is in a similar position, Nor- 



