CANADIAN FOEESTBT ASSOCIATION. 33 



fact that their trains did not start the fire, they will keep these material 

 witnesses close at hand, and will also put on enough guardians to see that 

 the forests of the country are protected. I think that was one of the moves 

 in the right direction that the Conservation Commission undertook, and 

 we wish to act hand in hand in such matters with the Canadian Forestry 

 Association. We want them to co-operate in the work, so as to protect 

 as far as possible the interests of the whole of Canada. With legislation 

 such as I have outlined, with fire guardians such as I think it might be pos- 

 sible to have in the Province of New Brunswick, we can very materially 

 reduce the number of fires and preserve this valuable forest asset we have 

 for future generations. 



Mr. Snowball spoke of Mr. Wilson's reference to the export of pulp- 

 wood, and held it should be fully and frankly discussed during the meeting, 

 and some resolution brought in on the subject. At a previous meeting he 

 had tried to bring in a resolution dealing with this question, but as it was 

 felt to be a political one, he had not been able to do so. He differed from 

 those who took this ground then, and did so now. He believed it should 

 be as freely discussed as any other question, and some resolution passed 

 showing the feeling of Canadians in the matter. 



MR. WHITMAN: W r e have a different ranger system in Nova Scotia, 

 worked out by adapting the best obtainable from the other Provinces and 

 States. It so nearly covers what the last speaker was talking about that I 

 should like to give a slight synopsis ol it. We have a chief ranger in each 

 municipality. In some counties there are two municipalities, which means 

 two chief rangers. They have authority to appoint as many sub-rangers 

 as they think necessary in the dry season; the sub-rangers and the chief 

 rangers patrol the woods. Nearly all of our chief rangers have telephone 

 conection, and the chief and the sub-rangers can get in touch as soon as a 

 fire is discovered. The sub-ranger will take charge of it, but if it becomes 

 alarming, he will send for the chief to take command, and if the latter can- 

 not meet the occasion, he will send for the Provincial ranger, who can bring 

 all the organized force of the Province to fight that fire if necessary. In that 

 way we have been able to prevent a great many serious fires. 



Mr. Whitman instanced a fire which two years ago threatened to burn 

 over a large amount of territory, but which, by the hard work of the 

 rangers, was put out before it had done any great damage at a cost of 

 $500. They had a good system and they intended to keep all interested 

 up to the mark. The timber limit holders contributed one-quarter of a cent 

 per acre per annum toward the support of this fire protection system. 



Some people said that black spruce would make a twelve-inch tree in 

 thirty or thirty-five years. It might in exceptional circumstances, but they 

 must deal with averages. In Nova Scotia black spruce would not grow 

 to that size in one hundred and fifty years. In fact, they could hardly call 

 it commercial timber. 



HON. J. D. HAZEN: Mr. Snowball referred to one matter which I 

 think is of very great importance, and in regard to which I think it would 

 be very desirable for this Convention to place itself on record, viz.: the 



