Canadian Forestry Journal, October, ^P^S- 



217 



On the edge of the pine and balsam forest at Oka, Quebec. 



THE PINE FOREST AT OKA 



The pine forests at Oka, Quebec, 

 are a standing challenge to Can- 

 adian municipalities and individuals 

 who permit barren land to remain in 

 a state of uselessness. Oka's pine 

 plantations to-day represent the high 

 practical good that can come from 

 the application of the planting-up 

 idea. Widening sand dunes have 

 been subdued until only occasion- 

 al sandy ridges along a road side 

 testify to the conditions of a few 

 years ago. 



_ It is especially apropos at this 

 time to refer to the pines of Oka be- 

 cause of the recent death of Rev. 

 Father Lefebvre. the aged priest 

 whose brave spirit was responsible 

 twenty-six years ago for what seem- 

 ed then a strange undertaking. 



The story of Father Lefebvre's 

 planting work forms a strong incen- 

 tive to develop as far as practicable 

 m all parts of the Dominion the re- 



forestation of waste lands. \\ hat 

 was done at Oka may undoubtedly 

 be repeated in hundreds of other 

 localities. Furthermore the handi- 

 caps of very limited forestry knowl- 

 edge and public indifference and op- 

 position experienced by the Sulpi- 

 cian priest need not confront the 

 progressive planter in these days. 



Whirki'inds of Sand. 



No more engaging description can 

 be given than is contained in the 

 following words which, with the 

 photograi)hs. are from His Grace, 

 Archbishop Bruchesi : 



"The village of Oka was exposed 

 to terrible ravages by the sand hills 

 at the foot of which it is built. In 

 my childhood when I used to go to 

 this place to spend some weeks of 

 my vacations, I remember having 

 seen on certain days whirlwinds of 

 sand precipitating themselves from 



