Fire Protection on Forest Reserves. 



153 



of wood by the settlers is restricted to 

 this dead material, the taking of green 

 timber being prohibited, until the forest 

 is clean of dry logs and brush. 



Grazing. 



The Department encourages grazing 

 on the forest reserves and the removal 

 of hay therefrom as a means of reducing 

 the danger of fire. On every reserve 



there are grazing areas and hay lands 

 among the tiinber. In some places there 

 is a dense growth of long grass and pea- 

 vine. This, when dry, offers fuel for 

 fire, and, when the fire gets into it, it is 

 almost impossible to check the flames. 

 Moreover, cattle going to water from 

 the pasture lands make paths, which, 

 though small, offer some resistance to 

 lire and give lines from which to back- 

 fire. 



Some Manitoba Tree Claims. 



In the course of the proceedings of the 

 forestry convention held at Regina in 

 September last a resolution was offered 

 suggesting that the homestead laws be 

 amended so as to provide for the grant- 

 ing of a homestead in return for the 

 planting and successful cultivation in 

 forest trees of a certain proportion of 

 the quarter section. 



The idea called forth some discussion, 

 and among other points attention was 

 drawn to the fact that action similar to 

 that suggested had already been taken 

 by the Dominion Government, but with- 

 out much success. 



It was in 1876 — considerabh' over 

 thirty years ago — that certain clauses 

 .were inserted in the Dominion Lands 

 Act having reference to "forest tree 

 culture" claims. These clauses provided 

 that any person, male or female, of 

 eighteen years of age or over could make 

 entry for a quarter section, or other 

 area of land, after paying the usual fee 

 of ten dollars. Six years were required 

 to elapse after the date of entry before 

 a patent could be issued. One-fifth of 

 the land applied for was to be planted 

 with trees, that area amounting, in the 

 case of an ordinary quarter-section, to 

 thirty-two'acres. 



In the case of an entry for a quarter- 

 section (160 acres) eight acres had to be 

 broken and prepared for planting during 

 the first year, the same amount during 

 the second year and the remaining six- 

 teen acres within the third year. Eight 

 acres must be planted to trees during 

 the second year, an additional eight 



acres during the third year and the re- 

 maining sixteen acres within four years 

 from the date of entry. Trees were to 

 be planted not less than twelve feet 

 apart each way. Cultivation of the 

 trees up to the end of the six years from 

 date of entry had also to be shown. 



If less or more land than 160 acres 

 were applied for, the areas specified 

 above were changed to correspond. 



These clauses remained in the act 

 with some slight amendments until 

 1883, when they were dropped. 



Only seven patents were ever taken 

 out under these provisions. One of theee 

 was near Cartwright, Man., the re- 

 mainder are within a few miles of 

 Morden, Man. 



During the past season Mr. A. P. 

 Stevenson, of Dunston, Man., acting 

 under instructions from Mr. R. H. 

 Campbell, made an inspection of a 

 number of these plantations. 



The best of these was found to be 

 that on the north-east quarter of Section 

 28, Township 3, Range 5; this is now 

 owned by Dr. McConnell, of Morden. 

 The plantation consists of aspen and 

 Balm of Gilead trees, and is six acret^ 

 in extent. The trees average about 

 forty feet in height and 4f inches in 

 diameter at two feet above the ground. 

 Originally the trees were spaced eight 

 feet apart each way, but as the young 

 shoots and suckers were never cut out, 

 the nuinber of trees has increased until 

 thev now .^tand at an average distance 

 of five feet apart each way. The soil is 

 a moist sandy loam. 



