Some Notes on Forestry in Ontario. 25 



nursery and utilized in various -^'B-ys, in protecting and managing 

 the larger area. 



Throughout the older parts of the province, there exist 

 many similar bodies of waste lands which have been cleared 

 for agricultural purposes or denuded by the lumberman. These 

 areas, being sand or rock formation, will never be suited to 

 agricultural development. The policy of the Department is to 

 gradually segregate these lands and place them under provincial 

 forestry management, a policy the advisability of which may 

 be shown b}^ many sound arguments. Such a policy will 

 eventually release many struggling farmers who are fighting 

 losing battles with a soil which was never intended for cultiva- 

 tion. Every year there are farms being abandoned in Norfolk 

 which should never have been cleared. 



A brief consideration of the figures given below will show 

 that there is good reason for leaving the sand-farm in the hands 

 of a loan company for mortgage or of the township for taxes. 

 The figures have been collected from typical cases, and can be 

 vouched for as correct. 



There are two supposed sources of revenue on these lands, 

 viz., the growing of rye and of buckwheat. On such land rye 

 produces an average of ten bushels to the acre; this, at seventy 

 five cents per bushel, a good price, gives a gross revenue of 

 $7.50 for the acre. Taking the cost of a man and a team at 

 $2.50 per day (not an excessive figure), plowing the acre, which 

 will take the man and team about half a day, will cost $1.25. 

 Harrowing and rolling (at the rate of ten acres per day) will cost 

 25 cents, and seeding (at the same rate) 25 cents more. The 

 seed (li bushels to the acre) will cost $1.12. Cutting with the 

 binder will cost another 75 cents, and threshing, at two cents 

 per bushel, 20 cents. 



The account for the acre will then stand as follows : — 



Proceeds of crop $7.50 



Cost of crop — 



Ploughing $1.25 



Harrowing and rolling 25 



Seeding 25 



Seed 1.12 



Cutting 75 



Threshing 20 



3.82 



Net proceeds $3.68 



This shows an annual revenue of $3.68 per acre, but does 

 not take into consideration taxes, etc., which should also be 

 charged against the crop. This argument need not be carried 

 further to show that farming is a very poor proposition on such 



