10 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



which rise occasional hills of the harder Archaean rocks, makes a region 

 entirely unsuited for agriculture, and useftd only for forest growth. 

 The result of glacial action north of the Palaeozoic rocks has been the 

 formation of poor soils deficient in lime and often also in clayey con- 

 stituents, except for the occasional lime-stone or shale and clay de- 

 posits." 



While the lumber industry was thriving and a home market existed, 

 the farmer on these poor soils could produce and sell enough potatoes, 

 oats, hay, and meat products, to make a fair living. With the extinc- 

 tion of this market, however, the trouble began, and at present aban- 

 doned farms — abandoned by the more enterprising young men of a new 

 generation — and run-down farms and farmers, too poor and too lacking 

 in enterprise to move, testify to the mistaken policy of allowing ir- 

 responsible settlement on non-agricultural soils. Conservation of 

 human life and energy, conservation of decency in popiilation, conser- 

 vation of soils for useful production, alike call for a readjustment of this 

 undesirable state of affairs. 



That these statements are not overdrawn is shown by the fann 

 statistics and is corroborated by the testimony of the people living in 

 the area reported on.* 



Results of the Survey 



Preliminary to the formulation of recommendations, a summary 

 of the findings of Messrs. Howe and White, as detailed in their reports, 

 was drawn up. A table gives a classification of the whole area in i8 

 classes. t Since the seven northern townships are, for the most part, still 

 covered with a virgin or semi -virgin forest, they have been enumerated 

 separately, and the discussion refers, therefore, mainly to the 1,171,614 

 acres in the lower watershed. Here, 83.5 per cent is still forest-covered, 

 but only 700 acres are virgin forest, and less than 90,000 acres have been 

 moderately culled ; the rest have been severely culled and are, therefore, 

 in unmerchantable condition. Nearly 60,000 acres are waste 

 lands, the result of fires. Some 580,000 acres are covered with young 

 and second-growth trees ; less than 12 per cent, 134,000 acres, are 

 farmed. A table compiled from assessors' returns is added for com- 

 parison and to give an idea of values. J Discrepancies in details of area 

 from the survey are explained in part by either inclusion or exclusion 

 of areas in the two lists, in part by difference of method in statement. 

 On the whole, however, the results coincide fairly in so far as percentages 

 are concerned. 



* Sec p. 95 and Appendix v, p. 120. 

 t See pp. 21-28. 

 t See p. 29. 



