CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 17 



the Crown domain of our country, and the lands of our country which are chiefly 

 under forest, in regard to which forestry must be applied, is chiefly the domain of 

 the Crown. Especially is this the case in the various provinces, because in the prov- 

 inces in the purview and control of the Provincial Legislature is the Crown domain 

 of our provinces, and the Dominion Government can only deal with and apply 

 forestry to those Dominion lands which are outside the Provinces or which to a 

 certain extent are still under the purview and control of the Government at Ottawa. 



This subject may then naturally divide itself into three parts. 



First, the part dealing with forestry from the point of view of the Dominion 

 Government, in regard to those lands in the Western countries which are still under 

 the direct control of the Dominion. 



Second, with regard to those Crown domains in the various provinces, which 

 are under control of the Provincial authorities. 



Thirdly and lastly, and very far behind in importance to the other two, those 

 forests under the control of private owners. 



Let me say, sir, that so far as the Dominion Government is concerned, and in 

 this I speak for the Government, that the Dominion Government of the present day 

 is most earnestly enthusiastic in doing what it can to preserve our forest wealth in 

 those lands over which we have control. (Applause). 



I have only to point to the. fact that the first and greatest Forestry Convention 

 of our Dominion was called at the instance of Sir Wilfred Laurier two years ago, 

 when it was held at Ottawa, the capital of the country, and that the Dominion Gov- 

 ernment on that occasion laid before the country, through that Convention, a working 

 programme and displayed its interest in this very important question. I think 

 that Convention did great good in Canada. It is true that before that time the 

 students who were especially interested in this forestry work, and the lumbermen of 

 the country, had been studying and thinking about the vast and terrible waste of 

 our forest lands and wealth. But, I venture to think that the public at large was 

 aroused on that occasion to an interest in the work that it had never evinced before, 

 and I fear it was only too late that this event occurred. 



We boast that we are a young nation. We believe that we are a strong nation. 

 We are proud of our material resources throughout the length and breadth of this vast 

 area which is entrusted to our care. But as we are a young nation, I fear we have a 

 great many of the faults of youth, and have been blind to the necessity for thrift 

 in our forest wealth just as the young man is extravagant with his patrimony, 

 whose resources he does not properly appreciate. We in Canada have had a great 

 wealth committed to our charge. We have not properly realized its importance or 

 vastness. We have thought that that wealth was inexhaustible, and we have 



