124 CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 



arrive at some conclusion as to the annual growth and reproduction; get 

 correct estimates of our annual production, as well as of our growing future 

 requirements; decide on the policy to be pursued as to the best interests of 

 the future of Canada in so far as our timber resources are concerned, and in 

 due course, pursue the same policy with reference to our mines and fisheries. 

 No one can estimate the future greatness and wealth of Canada if only her 

 vast natural resources are administered in her best interests. 



In conclusion, allow me to thank His Excellency the Governor-General, 

 and yourself, for singling me out as one of the two Canadians to participate 

 in the great object lesson given at Washington in the two great Conventions 

 which I have thus briefly reported upon, and to express the hope that the 

 reports of these Conventions, when published, may in some way be freely 

 circulated in Canada. 



Yours most sincerely, 



< 



(Signed) WM. C. EDWARDS. 



The reading of Senator Edwards' report was received with hearty 

 applause. At its conclusion, 



SENATOR EDWARDS said : Let me add that practical lumbermen are the 

 only ones who understand anything about the question so far as practical 

 operation is concerned. Now, although I have been in Parliament a great 

 many years I have never prepared a speech ; I have never had time to do so ; 

 and in talking I prefer to get right up after someone who has fired off some- 

 thing of which I disapprove, and fire back at him. (Laughter.) If I have 

 any capacity at all, it is in that direction. My friend who spoke before me 

 Mr. Zavitz, did not say anything that I can go at. (Laughter.) I would just 

 make the remark, however, that his estimate of the growth of the timber of 

 the forest is very far apart from that of my friend, Dr. Fernow, who esti- 

 mates the growth of timber for commercial purposes at 150 years; our 

 friend, Mr. Zavitz, makes it 60 years. 



Mr. ZAVITZ: May I just speak there for a moment? I am referring to 

 Southern Ontario areas. I think Dr. Fernow referred to the Laurentian 

 rock formation. 



f 



SENATOR EDWARDS : He was talking of the tops of the mountains, where 

 there is no soil to make anything grow it would take 500 years. (Laughter.) 

 On that subject let me say that I brought down, and have now at Ottawa, a 

 piece of pine representing the growth of timber which I bought as a farm 

 37 years ago, and those two trees are 16 inches in diameter. Now, to make 

 that statement would be very misleading, because that timber was grown on 

 a farm which had been cultivated, and the growth was very rapid. My own 

 view is that Dr. Fernow is perfectly right in saying that cutting every ten 

 years, as lumbermen freely talk about, is nonsense. I say so, too perfect 



