18 CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 



drawn upon the bank of our supplies to such an extent, so wastefully, extravagantly 

 and unscientifically that to-day we are face to face with the fact that our bank 

 account is almost at an end, even though to-day, as was said a few minutes ago, 

 it has- probably the greatest wealth of forest resources of any country in the world. 



But, country after country, has found that it could not go on drawing upon 

 this wealth without coming to an end, and we in Canada, young as we are, with the 

 immense resources that we have, are face to face with the end of that account 

 unless we take care to husband it, and replace it by replanting those trees that are 

 necessary. (Applause) . 



A reference was made by you, Mr. President, regarding a recommendation 

 which was made at that convention for the establishment of Forest Reserves. Let 

 me most heartily endorse that recommendation. I am glad to say that the Dom- 

 inion Government, so far as its western lands are concerned, has to a considerable 

 extent acted upon that recommendation, and the Minister of the Interior, during the 

 last few years, has set aside large areas in the western provinces and in British 

 Columbia as Forest Reserves. 



I am glad to be in a position to-day to say further that in the near future it 

 is the decision of the Government, that the whole eastern slope of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, stretching from the International Boundary Line northwards, almost inde- 

 finitely, shall be established as an inalienable Forest Reserve. (Loud applause). 

 And let me say to those here who may be interested in lumbering, who may believe 

 that even though we must conserve our resources, that we should at the same time 

 enjoy them and reap the full benefit of them and I agree with those gentlemen 

 most emphatically that the creation of a forest reserve does not necessarily 

 mean that the trees and products of that reserve shall not be utilized for the present 

 or future generations. A forest reserve must be kept in forests, but for the highest 

 development and utilization of those forests the crop must be cut year after year, 

 time after time, so as to be utilized for the benefit of the people of the country. 

 (Applause) . 



And therefore, though this great eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains may 

 be made a Forest Reserve, the people of the provinces which require that lumber 

 will not be debarred from it, nor cut off from getting the lumber which is the natural 

 produce from that slope. But this lumber will be cut at the proper time, under 

 strict forestry regulations, in such a manner as to conserve its resources for a future 

 generation, and still supply the immediate necessities of the settlers in the prairies, 

 where lumber is so hard to get. (Applause). 



Let me now say another word in regard to the work of the Dominion 

 authorities. In this eastern part of Canada people can hardly realise the 

 necessities of forest plantation. I speak of the farmer, and I know that the 



