Canadian Forestry Journal, August, ipij. 



165 



lumbia, Quebec, and New Bruns- a splendid forest possession still 



wick have now recognized the neces- intact should take hold of the ques- 



sity of settlers' permits, it would tion and decide upon a permanent 



seem only logical that Ontario with and practical policy. 



A Survey of New Brunswick's Forests 



In New Brunswick there are about 

 eight million acres of forest lands 

 held by the Crown, part of it under 

 lease, and about four million acres 

 held in fee simple. The Crown has, 

 therefore, an immense asset within 

 its control which intelligent manage- 

 ment will turn to the permanent en- 

 richment of the people. Lumbering 

 and its allied industries form a sub- 

 stantial part of New Brunswick's 

 commercial interests. Although im- 

 mense quantities of timber have 

 been destroyed by tires in the past 

 and present, enough remains to 

 give foundation to the lumber indus- 

 try for all time to come, if the 

 administration makes itself equal to 

 the opportunity. 



The estimates of merchantable 

 timber, of burned areas, of barren 

 lands, etc., as applied to New Bruns- 

 wick, are vague and unsatisfactory. 

 The present Government, at the 

 head of which is Hon. Geo. J. 

 Clarke. Minister of Lands, recog- 

 nizes the necessity for a forest sur- 

 vey very clearly. The agitation for 

 such action in the province is quite 

 pronounced. At the last session of 

 the Legislature the sum of $50,000 

 was arranged to be spent during 

 1915 and it is understood to be the 

 intention of the Premier to have the 

 survey started within a very short 

 time. 



During recent weeks, Mr. Clarke, 

 and the Provincial Treasurer, Dr. 

 Landry, have taken the question 

 actively in hand, and paid visits to 

 Quebec and Montreal with a view to 

 gathering information useful in 

 launching the new policy. A press 

 despatch from St. John gives the 

 following summary: 



"It is not suggested that as a 

 beginning such a comprehensive 

 scheme as that adopted in Que- 

 bec shall be carried out, but that 

 a well defined plan be adopted 

 as a foundation, and that the 

 policy be expanded from time to 

 time as circumstances justify. 

 The proper classification of the 

 Crown Lands in New Bruns- 

 wick may be regarded as a pre- 

 liminary step to be followed by 

 such action as may be deemed 

 advisable in the matter of grant- 

 ing such lands for settling, and 

 in controlling in so far as pos- 

 sible the timber cutting by set- 

 tlers on these lands. It is 

 realized that in the past con- 

 siderable areas granted for set- 

 tlement purposes, proving un- 

 suited for cultivation, have 

 simply been cut over for the 

 timber carried and then aban- 

 doned, and it is felt that by a 

 thorough knowledge of the na- 

 ture of the soil in all Crown 

 Lands, standing timber may be 

 protected from this form of loss, 

 and settlers provided only with 

 ^uch grants as are formed of soil 

 suitable for general agriculture. 

 Ultimately it is hoped to intro- 

 duce a preliminary scheme of 

 reforestation in which respect 

 but little is now being done in 

 New Brunswick, in fact the only 

 definite work along this line be- 

 ing carried on by the Pejepscot 

 Lumber Company. If all goes 

 well Premier Clarke and Dr. 

 Landry will have some definite 

 suggestions to lay before the 

 next session of the legislature." 



