36 Canadian forestry Journal 



Let us make due allowance for this and estimate that only one- 

 fifth of this land contains timber fit for such purposes. One- 

 fifth of 1,406,200 gives 251,240 square miles. 



We have now taken from the total land area under Dominion 

 control the barren lands of the far north, and the prairie land, and 

 then taken only one-fifth of the remainder in our estimate 

 to represent the area of land containing merchantable timber: 

 and we have still left 281,240 square miles. Suppose that the 

 latter area contains only 2,000 feet, board measure, to the acre, 

 or 1,230,000 feet to the square mile over ten inches at the stump, 

 and we have left after all these reductions 359,987,200,000 feet 

 of mature timber, which at the low rate of royalty to the Govern- 

 ment of $1.00 per thousand would be $359,987,200, which sum 

 represents but a small part of its value to the community and 

 does not include the smaller growing timber which should be 

 regarded as the agriculturist does his growing crop. It 

 is true that much of this timber is not at present available, but 

 it is a portion of the nation's inheritance and the Government 

 astrusteesof the state, are in duty bound to conserve it whether 

 it is used by those now living or reserved for future generations. 

 This vast area represents Canada's woodlot. Let us save 

 it while we may ! The greater part of the timber is growing on 

 land unsuited for agriculture, either from its high altitude or 

 high latitude. We have in that great region, which is well 

 described as our subarctic forest belt, a vast tract of such land. 

 The spruce tree abounds everywhere, and as it is the most desir- 

 able of all varieties for pulp, it is even now being looked after 

 for that purpose. This region too is the home of a great variety 

 of the most valuable of the fur bearing animals whose existence 

 is dependent on the preservation of the forest. Within it are 

 many great lakes and rivers which, owing to the cool tempera- 

 ture of the water, contain fish of the finest quality. 



We have also in those wilds, owing to the rough character 

 of the country, rapids and waterfalls innumerable, which will 

 furnish sufficient power for all purposes at little expense. Of its 

 mineral wealth it is too early to speak, but the example of the 

 Yukon teaches us that the explorer need not confine himself to 

 the lower latitudes, and as timber is one of the great requisites 

 for mining, the forest is necessary to its success. 



But here too, important as the forest is for the purposes I 

 have named, it is even more so for its influences in various ways. 

 Time will not permit me to notice at any length, perhaps, the 

 most important of all reasons for immediate attention to our 

 forestry problem, and that is the necessity that the country at 

 the sources of our water supply should be kept in forest. Denude 

 for instance, the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains of its 

 forest growth, and as sure as result follows cause, you will destroy 



