468 



Canadian Forestry Journal, April, ipi6. 



Burning Off the Claybelt 



Peculiar Problems of Agricultural Areas of Northern Ontario 



Investigated by the Association. 



Forest conservation in Northern 

 Ontario offers more than the normal 

 complications. Several weeks ago 

 the Canadian Forestry Association 

 submitted to some of the Boards of 

 Trade along the Temiskaming and 

 Northern Ontario Railway a form 

 of resolution the main points of 

 which they were asked to endorse. 

 The resolution called upon the On- 

 tario Government to find some 

 means to curb the number and des- 

 tructiveness of settlers' fires in the 

 forested districts of Ontario and 

 suggested an investigation of the 

 "permit system" in use in British 

 Columbia and Quebec. Secondly it 

 was asked that "the forest protec- 

 tion service should be so reorganized 

 as to bring about adec[uate field 

 supervision and inspection which 

 would ensure efficient work by the 

 rangers." 



At a meeting of the Associated 

 Boards of Trade, held at Hailey- 

 bury. March 8th. the Secretary of 

 the Forestry Association was given 

 a courteous hearing and laid before 

 the large number of delegates the 

 main contentions. He stated that in 

 advocating reasonable safeguards 

 against indiscriminate burning, no 

 one wished to hamper the settler in 

 the necessary work of clearing the 

 land, or in the liberal use of fire for 

 that -purpose. All that was asked 

 was the supervision of clearing fires 

 by a simple and convenient plan of 

 permits from rangers, these officers 

 assisting the settler to accomplish 

 his results with the minimum of 

 danger to standing growth and to 

 neighbors' property. 



An objection was taken by two 



or three members present to any 

 government supervision of clearing 

 fires whatever. These delegates 

 ad\ocated unrestricted employment 

 of fires, big and small, to clear the 

 lands of the Claybelt free them 

 from excessive moisture, the perils 

 of frosts and lengthen the growing 

 season. 



Others, however, strongly op- 

 posed such a view and believed that 

 clearing could be done with some re- 

 gard for the future. Non-agricul- 

 tural lands, bordering the Claybelt 

 and A\ ithin it should be protected 

 from fire. 



A Ha e discussion followed, in 

 which many phases of the question 

 were given expression. Finally a 

 committee was appointed to investi- 

 gate the question more fully and 

 this committee will report back to 

 the Associated Boards of Trade. 



A Special Situation. 



Peculiar local conditions in some 

 at least of the agricultural communi- 

 ties of Northern Ontario undoubt- 

 edly call for special treatment as 

 concerns forest protection. At the 

 present time the settler away from 

 the lines of the T. and N. O. rail- 

 way appears to have a free hand in 

 the use of tree growth. Many con- 

 flicting statements are heard in re- 

 gard to the profit and lack of profit 

 from settlers' pulp wood. Certain- 

 ly a very large amount of pulpwood 

 is cut by settlers and marketed, for 

 over 110.000 cords from homesteads 

 came down the T. and N. O. Rail- 

 way last year. On the other hand, 

 one will meet with plenty of settlers, 

 capable looking men, who will give 



