134 Canadian Forestry Journal. 



When the Rutland Railway into Canada was in contempla- 

 tion, dead tamarack trees lay so thickly in the swamp half way 

 between Alburgh and Noyan that they had to be hauled out of the 

 way, before the survey for the line could be effected. This was 

 in the fall and winter of 1898-9. The authority for this state- 

 ment is Mr. Alanson Vosburgh, per Miss May G. Johnson, of 

 Miranda, P.Q. 



In the part of Bury where I saw Maddock's gang getting 

 out the knees for vessels, in 1891, the land has been brought 

 under cultivation. 



A few notes to tell further of the kinds of trees that are 

 springing up in place of the tamarack may be desirable. 



In the Ditton Swamp, which is about three miles long and a 

 mile broad, the tamaracks, young and old, are all dead. Spruce is 

 taking their place. 



In the Spalding Hill Swamp, in Eaton Township, cedar, 

 poplar and some young tamarack are growing. 



In the Harrison Neighbourhood, in Bury Township, in parts 

 where the soil is sandy, white birch and a few balsams are growing ; 

 on wet clay, the poplar appears. 



In Long Swamp, which extends through Newport, Hampden, 

 and over to Ling wick, spruce and balsam are growing. 



To those who would see a tamarack swamp in its infancy, 

 I would recommend a visit to "The Gomin" w^hich lies to the 

 west of Bergerville, about 4 or 5 miles from Quebec. In the early 

 summer it is all aglow with rhodora, sheep-laurel, orchids and 

 pitcher plants. When I first saw it, in 1886, it was a broad 

 expanse of sphagnum, unoccupied, save on its outskirts, by any 

 larger plants than those I have mentioned. I re-visited the 

 swamp on the 10th of July last, and found that it was dotted all 

 over with voung tamarack from a foot to fifteen feet high. On 

 the borders of the swamp near the cultivated land there w^ere 

 tamaracks twenty-five feet high or more. 



Doubtless, if left undisturbed, the growth on this tract will, 

 in process of time, become a forest. And so — 



"The old order changeth and giveth place to new." 



The State Fire Warden estimates that in the State of 

 Washington 42,000.000,000 feet of standing timber has been 

 destroyed by fire, and only 30,000,000,000 logged off. Forest 

 fires, according to this estimate, have destroyed twelve biUion 

 more feet of timber than has been cut and sold. 



