NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION 63 



river. Mr. Gibson purchased the greater part of these lands in the early 

 sixties, and he has been cutting them ever since without a break. 



The growth is nearly altogether black spruce, which rotates about every 

 ten years, in cutting down to merchantable logs. 



In a conversation I had with Mr. Gibson some ten years ago he esti- 

 mated these lands as worth to him twenty dollars per acre. It must be 

 understood, however, that any such high valuation can only be explained by 

 the peculiar advantages possessed by the owner. 1,200 millions of spruce 

 have been cut on this property since Mr. Gibson's purchase, and judging 

 from reports the lands today are fairly abundant in spruce. 



It may be mentioned here that as much as 20,000 sup. ft. per acre of 

 spruce has been cut on choice bits of this property. 



In this connection I may mention the cut of a block of 3,000 acres I 

 purchased on the Keswick River in the year 1887 a tract not particularly 

 well timbered at the time, but fast growing black spruce. In that year I let 

 the stumpage on one million ft. ; again in 1892 it produced two million ft., 

 and again ia 1900 the operator paid me stumpage on two million ft. more. 

 In 1903 I am looking for a further crop of two millions. It is a well-known 

 fact that where light and air are allowed in by cutting out the larger logs, 

 the growth is much quicker. So much then for the old Scotch proverb : 



" .Be aye stickin' in a tree, 



It'll be growin' when ye're sleepin'." 



These logs were all chopped down with the axe, but in future operations the 

 saw only will be used, as it is estimated tliat trees sawn down turn off from 

 5 to 10 per cent, more scale. 



The lands of Mr. Gibson have not been subject to much forest fire, 

 partially owing to the distance from railway lines, but more particularly to 

 the vigilance which the owner displays in dry times. 



Another larcre tract is that located on the upper waters of the South 

 West Miramichi, embracing an area of 160,000 acres, which I understand has 

 lately passed into the hands of an American syndicate, at a price of upwards 

 of $600,000. The timber growth is much the same as on Mr. 

 property The owners of the land are displaying'great judgment in insii 

 on the removal of tops, which are limbed off up to four or five inches 



