978 



Canadian Forestry Journal, February, 1917 



of the forest protective system, the 

 campaign for reform was repeated 

 on nearly identical lines, the com- 

 bination of Boards of Trade, news- 

 papers, etc., until the press of the 

 province was practically unanimous 

 in insisting upon a radical forest ser- 

 vice reform along the lines laid down 

 by the Forestry Association. Then 

 followed investigations by the Sec- 

 retary of conditions in the fire-swept 

 districts with the result that the 

 Association was able to present fur- 

 ther evidence favoring the introduc- 

 tion of 'burning permits' for settlers' 

 clearing fires, better patrol and in- 

 spection of rangers, and other points 

 of improvement. Finally a large 

 deputation representing bankers, in 

 surance companies, manufacturers, 

 lumbermen, forest engineers, settlers, 

 mine owners, newspaper publishers, 

 and many other important interests 

 appeared before the Minister of 

 Lands, Forests and Mines, when the 

 subject of forest service re-organiza- 

 tion w^as discussed amicably and the 

 Government's decision announced. 

 Ontario's forest protective service is 

 now under a new department, with 

 Mr. E. J. Zavitz as its chief, and 

 there is every reason to look forward 

 to a quick fulfillment of the Minister's 

 assurances regarding a settlers' per- 

 mit law, re-organization of the ranger 

 system, the wider use of permanent 

 improvements, and other modern 

 methods capable of giving lives and 

 timber the protection from fire to 

 which they are entitled. 



Stimulating the West. 

 Realizing that the outstanding re- 

 quirement of the forested areas of 

 Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta 

 is the elimination of fire losses, as 

 far as possible, the Association under- 

 took to bring before the newspapers, 

 members of the Governments and 

 Legislatures, the Grain Growers and 

 co-operative associations, municipal 

 associations, etc., the need of super- 

 vising settlers' clearing fires in the 

 northern areas. This entailed a large 

 amount of special literature, the situa- 

 tion being explained to the people of 

 the West in brief illustration pamph- 

 lets, each discussing a new phase and 



supplying evidence of the importance 

 of the prairie timber possessions and 

 the successful protective schemes in 

 use elsewhere. While the members 

 of the legislatures were being inform- 

 ed continually on this question, the 

 Prairie Province members of the For- 

 estry Association, numbering 900 

 were persuaded to write to their re- 

 presentatives and Ministers of the 

 Governments, asking their support 

 of this and other progressive enact- 

 ments in forest conservation. ,By 

 these and other means, the Associa- 

 tion has stimulated Western interest 

 in problems of the provincial forests 

 and there seems a strong likelihood 

 that one or more of the provincial 

 governments will take the valuable 

 co-operative action in fire prevention 

 as has been outlined. 



Menace to White Pine. 



The finding of areas of white pine 

 in Ontario and Quebec, infected by 

 the White Pine Blister disease re- 

 ceived due attention. Newspaper 

 and magazine articles called the atten- 

 tion of the public to the seriousness 

 of the menace. Illustrated literature 

 was sent to all Eastern limit holders 

 and, more recently, a special pamph- 

 let, setting forth expertly the need of 

 action in suppressing the disease, was 

 written for us by the kindness of 

 H. T. Gussow, Dominion Botanist, 

 and sent to all known holders of white 

 pine in Ontario and Quebec. Letters 

 on the same subject supplemented 

 the printed issues and it is encourag- 

 ing to know that so many leading 

 lumber companies have instructed 

 their woods employees to use the 

 Association's literature in searching, 

 out infected trees and bushes. 



The Secretary delivered 37 illus- 

 trated addresses, at Winnipeg, Fort 

 William, Sudbury, Cobalt, Hailey- 

 bury, McGill University, Montreal 

 High School; Grand Mere; Cardinal, 

 Sault Ste. Marie, Hamilton, Brock- 

 ville, Marmora, Prescott, Queen's 

 University, Kingston; Bishop's Col- 

 lege, Lennoxville; Macdonald Col- 

 lege; St. Andrew's College, Toronto, 

 Montreal, and a series of seven open- 

 air illustrated addresses to large 

 audiences in the Georgian Bay and 



