Canadian Forestry Journal, October, ipij. 



225 



'•The area represented as covered 

 ^vith young production, 1,550 square 

 miles, is certainly a large area, but 

 yet less than 20 per cent, of the 

 whole. The growth covering this 

 area would probably not average 

 more than 20 years old. 



"As contrasted with the above 

 areas 4,050 square miles reported as 

 bearing a forest cover of all ages, 

 there is the brule with an area of 

 3,690 square miles. This area has 

 been mostly swept by fires during 

 the last thirty years. It represents 

 46 per cent, of the forest territory 

 examined. These figures are far 

 from being exaggerated. Taking in 

 the young reproduction area the per- 

 centage of the territory swept by 

 fires during the last 50 years is 

 brought up to about 65 per cent. 

 This is onl ya poor illustration of 

 the conditions prevailing as the im- 

 mediate result of these fires. In 

 some places the soil cover has been 

 entirely removed and it will take a 

 long time before another forest can 

 take root ; in some others the heavy 

 slash endangers the young growth 

 and what little is left of the old 

 forest. 



A Record of Thirty Years. 



"A very rough but conservative 

 estimate based on the general aver- 

 age of saw-timber production of the 

 forest patches as existing, shows 

 that during the last 30 years, over 

 the territory examined, the Domin- 

 ion of Canada has lost through fires 

 about 16.000,000,000 feet, board 

 measure, of merchantable spruce and 

 pine timber, which at 50 cents per 

 1.000 feet would represent the en- 

 ormous sum of $8,000,000. Besides 

 what about the prospects for the 

 future throughout the same terri- 

 tory? These figures are not given 

 as absolutely exact, they are as near 

 as possible to the truth, and al- 

 though very conservative they have 

 the advantage of showing effectively 

 and correctly the results of uncheck- 

 ed fires, and the destruction and 

 waste which are the lot of our un- 

 protected forests." 



The moral, of course, is that we 

 should get in and protect our forest 

 areas in advance of the prospector 

 and pioneer, so that when the set- 

 tler arrives there will be timber for 

 his buildings, ties for the new rail- 

 wavs and fuel for all. 



PUBLICITY AS A CURE 



"The Canadian Forestry Association is carrying on an excellent work 

 in connection with their publicity bureau. This was commenced some 

 four or five months ago, and has for its object the distribution of informa- 

 tion on forest affairs, and the better protection of forests from fires. 



Since the work has started a number of forest protective associations 

 such as the Lower Ottawa and the St. Maurice have co-operated with the 

 Canadian Forestry Association by publishing news items broadcast regard- 

 ing the prosecution of settlers who have caused forest fires. The publicity 

 given these offenders is having a wholesome effect.. .An individual may 

 commit offense with impunity so long as he is not found out, but no one 

 desires to get his name in the papers, and to be heralded forth as an offender 

 against the laws of the land. The Association is doing an excellent work, 

 as anything which will tend to lessen forest fires is deserving of the widest 

 support."— Pulp and Paper Magazine, Montreal, Oct. 15, 1915. 



