The Montreal Forest Congress. 153 



way nearly so. Sweden, the present great steel producing re- 

 gion, is rapidly approaching the same position. Germany and 

 France are in the same situation. The United States, with their 

 vast consumption and rapid increase of charcoal blast furn- 

 aces, will hardly be able to keep up their supply many years. 

 Russia's freights and internal dissensions kill the possibility 

 of a supply being drawn from her. Where then can the coming 

 "Steel Age" derive its supply from unless from Canada with 

 her extensive woodlands and rich ore beds." 

 Alas for prophecies! 



A paper on "Forest and Fruit Culture in Manitoba," by 

 Mr. J. W. Taylor, United States Consul at Winnipeg, was trans- 

 mitted by the Government of that Province to be read at the 

 Convention. As to the causes of the present condition of the 

 treeless areas in the West, Mr. Taylor quoted a statement made 

 by Capt. Palliser in 1858 as follows: — 



"Large tracts of country now prairie lands have at one 

 time grown valuable forests and their present absence is the 

 result of the repeated ravages of fires. Where a scattered and 

 stunted growth of willows is found as a general rule was ancient 

 forest land, which when dug to a sufficient depth still discloses 

 numerous roots of destro3xd timber. It is most lamentable 

 to see so often such masses of valuable timber destroyed, almost 

 invariably by wanton carelessness and mischief. The most 

 trivial sign of one Indian to another has often lost hundreds 

 of acres of forest trees, which might have brought wealth and 

 comfort to the future settler, while it has brought starvation 

 and misery to the Indian tribes themselves by spoiling their 

 hunting grounds." 



It was noticed in the Red River Settlement, although the 

 primeval forest along the course of the river consisting largely 

 of oak, elm and ash, had been long cleared away, as much for 

 building the block or timber houses of the early settlers as for 

 fuel, that yet there had been a succession of poplar and other 

 trees of quick growth. Artificial aids to the reproduction of the 

 forest were however adopted such as the Tree Culture Claim 

 Act of the Dominion Government, under which 160 acres of 

 land might be obtained by planting part with trees under cer- 

 tain conditions. 



An interesting item in the history of forestry legislation 

 mentioned was an act passed by the Legislature of Manitoba 

 in 1882 by which the residue of the great highways and road 

 allowances, after reserving one chain for road purposes, can be 

 transferred to adjacent owners on the payment of one dollar per 

 acre. The strips of land contiguous to the highwavs were 

 thirty-three feet on each side in the case of the great highways 

 and eighteen and a half feet in road allowances. Contracts with 



