Appendix V 



Extracts from Letters of Township Clerks and Reeves to 

 the Dominion Forestry Branch Regarding Conditions 

 in the Trent Watershed and Neighbouring 

 Counties 



Before the survey was begun, the Dominion Forestry Branch 

 made some enquiries to ascertain conditions and sentiments regarding 

 a forest policy in the counties of the Trent watershed and neighbouring 

 counties. This correspondence was placed at the disposal of the Com- 

 mission, and the following extracts are reproduced to show that simi- 

 lar conditions prevail in the adjoining counties, and that, in general, 

 the idea of a forest policy finds the general approval of those conversant 

 with the conditions. 



Cardiff Township, Haliburton County. 



There is probably 50% of the land in this township imfit for agri- 

 culture, being rough and rocky. This land has formerly been covered 

 with pine timber and is now growing maple and beech, which, owing to 

 distance from rail, are practically valueless. There is very little danger 

 here from fire as the country is so cut up with lakes, etc., and, if refor- 

 ested with valuable varieties, which would grow just as well as the pre- 

 sent valueless ones, these lands woiild be a source of perpetual income, 

 while now they offer no inducements to settlers. There will never be 

 any more than a belt a few miles wide along the line of the Irondale, 

 Bancroft and Ottawa railway successfully settled by farmers. The 

 maple and beech cannot be taken out by water and cannot be worked 

 profitably more than 5 miles from a railway. The result is that all lots 

 are being stripped of everything valuable, and that locators then 

 abandoned them outside this 5 miles ; and it will become increasingly 

 difficult to reforest with more valuable varieties as time goes on. 



Monmouth Township, Haliburton County. 



Your letter of the 14th instant re non-agricultural land, town- 

 ship of Monmouth. The 191 2 assessment roll is in the hands of the 

 assessor at present, but as near as I can estimate from the 191 1 roll, 

 there is just about one-quarter of the township land in the hands of the 

 Government, and this land is almost entirely unfit for agricultural 

 purposes. And in my estimation, I think it would be a grand step for 

 the Government to preserve the forest. It is a disgrace the way- 

 the settlers are destroying the forests, not only in this township but 

 all over the north country. They think they are getting something 

 for nothing. Lots of wood of their own to last their children's children, 

 and yet they go into the Government land and slash away, taking only 

 the good body wood and leaving a great slash to help on the forest fires. 



Trusting you will be successftil in your attempt to preserve the 

 forest 



