180 Canadian Forestry Journal. 



or are, at least, much better adapted to being used for wood 

 crops than for other crops. Their present condition is that 

 they are lying almost wholly unproductive and their owners 

 have neither the knowledge of how to again restore them to pro- 

 duction by afforestation, nor the capital with which to do it. 

 Nor would they have the power to protect the growing crop were 

 both the skill and capital available to make the start. 



The districts of Muskoka, Haliburton and others furnish 

 striking examples of the results of throwing open for settlement 

 territory largely unadapted for agriculture. The settlers upon 

 many of the lots being unable to live solely by cultivating their 

 land have in many cases, when the timber has been removed, 

 abandoned their farms. Much of this land, if managed upon 

 forestry principles, would continue a permanent source of wealth; 

 but under the present system it is simply despoiled of its growth 

 and partly farmed under very disadvantageous conditions, and 

 partly allowed to remain waste, the second growth not being 

 protected. A large proportion of the lots after being denuded 

 of saleable timber are of so little value that the owners allow 

 them to be sold for municipal taxes, and are frequently bought 

 in by the municipalities. Were the townships permitted to 

 retain the ownership of the lots which thus fall into their hands, 

 the nucleus might in this way be established of a system of 

 municipal forest reserves, which would not only supply the 

 public requirements for timber for bridges, culverts, piles and 

 other construction works, but would in time become a consider- 

 able source of revenue. As the law stands, however, munici- 

 palities can only buy lots ofTered at tax sales on the condition 

 that they are re-sold within seven years, so that the only result 

 is that the old chaotic and wasteful process of exploitation is 

 again put into operation. 



A suggestion is made that in the opening up of new districts, 

 before any new township is thrown open for settlement, the 

 surveyors be instructed to report as to rough and non-agricul- 

 tural land embraced within its boundaries, with a view to with- 

 drawing such areas from settlement and retaining them as 

 timber reserves. 



The question of municipal reserves is certainly one well 

 worthy of consideration. In Germany the communal forests 

 make many of the towns which are fortunate enough to own 

 them, independent of taxation altogether. When money is re- 

 quired for any purpose the town forest is ready to supply the 

 need, and in some cases instead of taxation there is a bonus for 

 the citizens. 



Mr. Nash also contributes a paper on the farm wood lot, 

 so that the whole question of forestry in Ontario is fully covered 

 in the report. One of the greatest conveniences a farmer can 



