98 



The Canadian Forestry Journal. 



than that of the United States. Esti- 

 mates of the extent of Canada's forests 

 varied from 800,000,000 acres down to 

 103,030,001 acres. In the north country 

 timber was largely confined to the banks 

 and immediate vicinity of rivers. In 

 northern British Columbia, owing to the 

 ravages of fire, the areas of good timber 

 were limited. 



Mr. Young concluded by urging the 

 need of protection of the forests from 

 fire, especially in the northern districts. 



Mr. R. H. Campbell, Superintendent 

 of Forestry, twice appeared before the 

 committee. On the first occasion Mr. 

 Campbell prefaced his evidence by 

 briefly reviewing the history of the 

 Forestry Branch of the Department of 

 the Interior and comparing it with the 

 U. S. Forest Service in respect to the 

 number of employees (in the U. S. 

 service, over 2,000; in Canada, 40), and 

 annual appropriation (in the U. S., 

 $4,640,000; in Canada, $100,000). He 

 then outlined the organization of the 

 fire ranging staff and the working of 

 the patrol system, especially along the 

 railways. In 1908, out of 251 fires 

 reported on Dominion territory, the 

 great majority were put out without 

 loss; the most serious had been one in 

 the Spray River Valley, Alberta, where 

 four million feet B. M. of timber were 

 destroyed. The need of more money for 

 fire protection was emphasized and ways 

 of fighting fires discussed. An inspector 

 of rangers was needed for the northern 

 district of British Columbia. In the 

 construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific 

 Railway much stricter regulations were 

 being enforced than in former railway 

 construction and these were well ob- 

 served. The patrol system should be 

 extended and on all railways passing 

 through forested territory an inspector, 

 with authority from the Railway Com- 

 missioners, should be kept at divisional 

 points to watch the equipment of 

 locomotives with spark arresters. 



The question of jurisdiction in the 

 case of railways operating under Domin- 

 ion 'charters and running through 

 provincial territory was discussed at 

 some length by the committee. 



Mr. Campbell, resuming, spoke of the 

 present area of the Dominion forest 

 reserves and proposed extensions. The 

 purpose of setting aside a wooded tract 

 as a forest reserve, he stated, was to 

 regulate and administer it for wise use. 



not to close it altogether; and he gave, 

 in detail, reasons for so reserving such an 

 area. The work on the Dominion forest 

 reserves and the staff in charge of it was 

 outlined and regulations regarding the 

 cutting of timber and of hay were 

 sketched, also regulations for the use of 

 the reserves by campers. Experiments 

 in reforestation on some of the reserves 

 were referred to, and the provincial 

 reserves and their areas were given. 



The question of forming a forest re- 

 serve on the eastern slope of the Rocky 

 Mountains was then taken up. Title to 

 the land included in such a reserve, 

 examination of the land, protection of 

 the woodland from fire, the relation of 

 the reserve to the water supply of the 

 plains, the stream measurements and 

 existing irrigation schemes were discus- 

 sed. 



At Mr. Campbell's second hearing the 

 question of the forest reserve on the 

 eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains 

 was investigated in considerable detail. 

 The districts already reserved (as 

 National Parks) were described, and 

 also land already examined and recom- 

 mended to be included in the reserve. 

 The question of a supply of timber for 

 the mines, especially in the Crow's Nest 

 district, was given special consideration, 

 and the advantage to the mines and 

 mining industry of the proposed reserve 

 brought out. The areas under grazing 

 leases and timber licenses were also 

 given. The present administration of 

 the territory and the need for an increas- 

 ed staff were dwelt upon, and the varie- 

 ties of timber growing on the area and 

 their use and value were also discussed. 



The causes of forest fires, especially 

 the danger from railways, were next 

 spoken of and the best width for the 

 right of way and the burning of all 

 debris along the railway were discussed. 



Some discussion also took place with 

 regard to the country north of Jasper 

 Park, but it was pointed out that know- 

 ledge of that country was very limited. 



Mr. P. E. Ryan, Secretary of the 

 National Transcontinental Railway Com- 

 mission, gave evidence in regard to fire 

 patrol and other fire-preventive mea- 

 sures along the lin? of that railway. At 

 the verv b?ginning of their work, he 

 said, th? engineers had b?en instructed 

 in regard to the forest fire laws of the 

 country through which the railway 

 would pass. Contractors were com- 



