Canadian Foreslrii Journal, AikjusI, I91S 



1831 



An Empire Partnership in Forestry 



By M. C. Duchesne, well-known British Forester. 



A Plan to Develop More Profitable Rela- 

 tions With Great Britain's Wood Consumers 



Let us consider the position of 

 Canada — and with Canada I inchide 

 Newfoundland. 



Canada contains the only vast 

 resources of timber within the Em- 

 pire. 



Figures show thai Canada in 1913 

 sent us only 10 per cent, of our 

 imports of coniferous timber and 

 pitwood. That country has the 

 largest reserves of probably the finest 

 timber in the world and of the varie- 

 ties most suitable for our require- 

 ments. Is there any reason, apart 

 from the matter of transport, why in 

 the future the 10 per cent, should not 

 be increased enormously? 



In the past the cost of transport 

 from the Baltic was low in comparison 

 with that from Canada, partly on 

 account of return freights and other 

 special facihties. Given cheap 

 freights and special exchange of trade 

 with Canada after the war, this 

 comparison might not stand in the 

 future. 



Canada's Advantages. 



Let me enumerate some of the 

 advantages of organising British and 

 Canadian forestry on broad lines, 

 looking to Canada for mature timber 

 while creating reserves by afforesta- 

 tion in Great Britain. 



I would first emphasise particular- 

 ly:— 



The geographical position of Can- 

 ada and its distance from the war 

 area. 



That lumbering is one of the prin- 

 cipal industries of Canada and can 

 be extended promptly and indefinite- 



ly. 



That Canada possesses exceptional 

 natural facilities relating to water 

 transport and other advantages. 

 Now as to mutual advantages: — 

 Firstly, Canada has unlimited 

 supplies of Douglas Fir, the "Oregon 

 Pine" of commerce, pre-eminently 



suitable for constructional work and 

 many other important purposes, as 

 has been abundantly ])roved in its 

 world-wide markets. 



Secondly, Canada possesses also 

 unlimited resources of other species 

 of timber, particularly varieties of 

 Spruce, the "White Deal" of com- 

 merce. The timber of Spruce is 

 used in great cpiantities in this coun- 

 try, and selected parcels of Canada's 

 Sitka Spruce are in large demand for 

 the construction of aeroplanes. Can- 

 ada has also the Thuya plicata 

 (known in British Columbia as 

 "Western Red Cedar"), one of the 

 most durable trees in the world, as 

 well as Weymouth Pine (the "White 

 Pine") of commerce and other im- 

 portant trees, including various 

 hardwoods. 



£5,000,000/0/- Pulp. 



Thirdly, our annual bill for wood- 

 pulp for paper-making totals five 

 million pounds. This material can 

 be supplied in conjunction with pit- 

 wood from the forests of Canada, 

 and the manufacture of pulp is one 

 of the most flourishing industries of 

 Canada. 



I have said sufficient as to timber 

 supplies, now as to forestry: — 



(1) Douglas Fir, Sitka Spruce, 

 and other timbers which Canada 

 will send us and which our markets 

 require are the very trees we sho\ild 

 plant here on a large scale for afTor- 

 estation. Spruce is the most suitable 

 tree for much of our waste hill land, 

 and Canada's Sitka Spruce is advo- 

 cated for planting on a large scale. 

 Spruce timber has unlimited uses here 

 and is the best wood for pulp as well 

 as for pitwood. For the valleys or 

 the better soils, Douglas Fir is the 

 most promising tree to plant. There 

 are many other Canadian trees that 

 may usefully be cultivated here. 



(2) Canada can teach us many 

 useful lessons, particularly in organ- 



