ST. JOHN: SABLE ISLAND. 55 



miles east of main station, is most promising, and next is 4th station 

 plot. In all plots planted the weeds and grass has grown freely, and 

 I am satisfied now that this is best for the trees; it gives shelter. If 

 the ground had been kept clear the drifting sand would abrade the 

 bark, and it is very noticeable that trees do best where sheltered by 

 grass or wild plants. In 'Gourdeau Park' there is shelter owing to 

 the conformation of the ground, and the slopes have different expos- 

 ures. I find where the slopes are exposed to the south-west and west 

 winds (our prevailing winds) the trees are least promising. " 



In the following year, Dr. Saunders in an additional report 1 gave 

 the latest news concerning the plantation on Sable Island. The first 

 letter received in 1902 was written May 26. In this Mr. Bouteillier 

 says, "I will give you the latest news of the trees. Our winter has 

 been very mild; not much snow and not much frost. When a cold 

 snap occurred it was followed by enough mild weather to take all the 

 frost cut of the ground. March was very mild; April was cold and 

 windy, and that has continued up to a week ago. Many pines that 

 seemed to stand the winter went red in March and April, and many 

 that turned color have recovered and are putting out new buds. 

 Survivors of Austrian, Mountain and Maritime pines are the most 

 promising, and those that are not doing well are the small specimens ; 

 nearly all the larger ones planted are killed. A few spruces of all 

 kinds survive, but they are not promising. Of the arbor vitae only 

 a few are living. Juniper of both kinds nearly all dead; perhaps four 

 or five survivors. 



"Of the Maritime pines raised from the seed you brought, these 

 were killed wherever they were scattered on the bare ground, but 

 where they came up among the grass they are growing finely in this 

 shelter, and there are thousands now green and putting out new buds. 

 When sowing these I put them in thick, and after they came up I 

 thought that in spots they were too thick; but this was their salvation, 

 as the winds subsequently killed those on the outside, while those in 

 the middle of these bunches were protected and have remained green. 



"The deciduous trees were killed down from the top, some to the 

 ground, others killed outright, but they are no exceptions, all are 

 killed at least half way down. Included in these are Pyrus pruni- 

 folia, P. baccata, Caragana arborescens and Silver Poplar. All these 

 deciduous sorts put out leaves a month ago, but lately we have had 



1 Saunders, Wm.: Reports from Sable Island in 1902, I. c. 56-58 (1902). 



