76 Forests and Trees 



posts and fuel, which have grown up since the surrounding 

 land has been cultivated. The cultivation has protected 

 them from fire, and the natural vitality of the trees has 

 overcome the grass. But these are not the most valuable 

 species, and nature is slow in replacing them by others. 

 If the seed of conifers is available, their seedlings, pro- 

 tected by the shade of the poplars, will gradually grow up 

 and in time overtop the poplars. This stage of the re- 

 establishing of a forest is well illustrated along the main 

 line of the Canadian Pacific Railway north of the Great 

 Lakes. There may be seen quite a vigorous growth of 

 pine and spruce emerging from what a few years ago was 

 a complete cover of poplars and birch. In time other 

 species will establish themselves, and, under favorable 

 conditions of climate and soil, the hardwoods will replace 

 the conifers. While this is perhaps the only way in which 

 large areas can be re-clothed, it is very slow. There are 

 times and places where conditions are such that seeds of 

 the desirable species are not available, or a quicker method 

 is desired, and then artificial planting must be done. Just 

 as the custodian of a forest must know when to cut as well 

 as how to tend his trees, so he must know how to plant. 

 The output must be continuous, and growth must balance 

 with consumption. 



The supervisor of a forest reserve must understand all 

 these processes thoroughly. On him devolves the duty 

 of laying out the work and its general supervision, and this 

 requires both knowledge and judgment. Still the direct 

 oversight of much of the work falls to the lot of the forest 



