[ii:|:|r 



860 



llEiORT — 188-i. 



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of spruce and larcli, which may even now be regarded as the principal timler 

 available for this purpose in the future. But our stock of these woods is to be 

 found mostly in tlie great country which drains into J nines' Bay, wlio.se numerous 

 largo rivers ail'ord facilities for floating timber to tho sea, and in the country 

 thence westward to Lalie Winnipeg. Fine while spruce is lilvewise I'ciuml ii. >.(,iu,. 

 localities in tlie Xortli-Wf.-t Territories between the prairie regions and tLi' country 

 of small timber to the north-euht. The Banksian pine, which ranges all the way 

 from Now Brunswick to tlu; Maclienzie lliver, is often large enough for sawing- 

 into deals, and will alford large quantities of good railway ties. 



If the vast northern forests can be preserved from fire in the future our supjilv 

 of small timber is practicably inexhaustible. When larger trees elsewhere shall 

 have become scarce, much of it may some day be sawn into boards, scantlin" 

 joists, rafters, flooring, &c. Supplies of timber for railway-ties, telegrapli-polos, 

 mines, fencing, piling, small spars, cordwood, charcoal, paper-making, &c., may be 

 drawn from these immense districts for all time, sinci; the greater part of the 

 regions referred to are not likely to be required for agricultural purposes, .and dva 

 proper system of cutting a new growth will spring up to replace tlie tlmiwr 

 removed, and in its turn become available to keep up the supply. The practically 

 interminable extent of these forests will allow ample time for the smaller trees 

 which may he left uu any ground cut over to come to nuiturity before it is again 

 called upon to furnish its quota. Some of the woods of the more southern districts 

 of Canada, which have had but little value hitherto, except for fuel, only require to 

 be better known to be utilised for many purposes. 



The people of Canada have heretofore been accustomed to such an abundance 

 of wood, and to the idea that trees stood in the w.iy of the progress of the country, 

 that tree-planting has as yet made but little progress among us. A beginning lias, 

 liowever, been made in the last two years in the provinces of New Brunswick and 

 (Quebec, where ' Arbor Days" have been proclaimed. In Ontario an Act waspas.-eil 

 in 1883, and a fund set apart, for the encouragement of tree-plauting along lu;:h- 

 ways. The time has arrived ff)r more vigorous action by the general (Tovernnieiit 

 and the local Legislatures looking to the improvement and preservation of tlie 

 forests which still remain in Canada, and for the partial restoration of those whicli 

 have been destroyed. 



I I 



I t 



10. Forests — their Value MtteoroloqicalJij and as National Reseri-es. 



Jhj G. P. Hughes. 



The author taking a retrfispect of the Primeval Forest, and regarding it geo- 

 logically, pointed out that civilisation and the arts must ever remain indebted to 

 the vast embedded forests of })re-glacial t imes. He referred to some of the histaires 

 we have in Great Britain and America of forests perpendicularly fossilised . sub- 

 sidence into tranquil waters, thereby furnishing a means by which the age of the 

 formation may be calculated, and the structure of the trees be observed. I le referred 

 to the dependence of man in all ages of his history upon the forest for material fin- 

 houses, ships, implements, and the production of heat, calling attention to the de- 

 nudation of most eastern countries once famous for civilisation and the arts, and to 

 the wasteful destruction of valuable timber even in our daj'. The result has been 

 greater climatic changes, and in the tropics a barren wilderness, where once great 

 States held sway. lie advocated planting the creek and reservoir margins in 

 Northern Australia and tropical India, and quoted authors to back up his (avii 

 opinion, that among improvements to landed property, planting oflirs the mo-^t 

 certain returns in material, shelter, and ornament. 



He gave a sketch of a course of study for a school of forestry, and advocated 

 State aid or privileges to such institutions, in order that our national forests may In- 

 supplied with scientific heads of departments. 



lie made an appeal to British America to set aside forest reserves adeq-aate for 

 all future requirements. 



