Canadian Forests in 



considerable areas and are locally important, they do not 

 form the type. They are confined mostly to Manitoba 

 and southeastern Saskatchewan, although the Manitoba 

 maple and the green ash extend their range well across the 

 prairie. Throughout the whole prairie region the tree 

 most frequently found is the aspen, or, as it is most com- 

 monly called, the "white poplar." In fact, the names 

 white and black poplar have become so universally asso- 

 ciated with the aspen and the balsam poplar respectively, 

 that it seems useless to protest. These are undoubtedly 

 local popular names, and as such must be recognized. 



Of the three prairie provinces, Manitoba has the greatest 

 proportion of forest. On the east side of Lake Winnipeg, 

 extending northward to Hudson Bay and westward from 

 the lower end of the lake, is the region of the spruce. 

 This was formerly well wooded, but unfortunately has been 

 much injured by fires passing over it during dry years. 

 From the age of the present trees, it appears that about 

 eighty years ago and again about forty years ago, there 

 were fires which devastated vast tracts of country, while 

 smaller conflagrations have occurred from time to time. 

 Only on islands and in locations protected from fire are 

 specimens of the primitive growth. Here, in places, trees 

 of a diameter of 24 inches show the possibilities of the 

 region, although the general stand over areas previously 

 burned is still too small to be marketable. As the greater 

 part of this region is unfit for cultivation, it is evident that 

 its greatest value will be as a forest. If it can be preserved 

 until the trees are matured, and cutting is then done under 



