14 The Forests of Canada. 



central parts of the district between the Ottawa and 

 G-eorgian Bay. There is also more or less red pine 

 in the district referred to. The newly constructed Cana- 

 dian Pacific Railwa}^ between Lake Nipissing and Lake 

 Superior has afforded a means of access to the centre 

 of this great pine region, which could not so well be 

 reached by any of the rivers. Lumbei-ing operations have 

 ah'cady begun near the railway west of Lake Nipissing, 

 and unless the charges for transport pi-ove too high, the pro 

 babilities are that hereafter a large amount of timber will be 

 sent out of this district by rail. When the exportable wliite 

 pine shall have become exhausted, as it must before many 

 more years, we have still vast quantities of spruce and larcli, 

 which may even now be regarded as the principal timber 

 available for tliis purpose in the future. But our stock of 

 these woods is to be found mostly in the great country which 

 drains into James Bay, whose numerous large rivers afford 

 facilities for floating timber to the sea, and in the country 

 thence westward to Lake Winnipeg. Fine white spruce is 

 likwise found in some localities in the Northwest Terri- 

 tories between the prairie regions and the country of small 

 timber to the north-east. The Banksian pine, which ranges 

 all the wavfrom New Brunswick to Mackenzie River, is often 

 large enough for sawing into deals, and will afford large 

 quantities of good railway ties. 



If the vast northei-n forests can be preserved from fire in 

 the future, our suf)ply of small timber is practicably inex- 

 haustible. When larger trees elsewhere shall have become 

 scarce, much of it may some day be sawn into boards, scant- 

 ling, joists, rafters, flooring, etc. Supplies of timber for rail- 

 way-ties, telegraph-poles, mines, fencing, piling, small spars, 

 cordwood, charcoal, paper-making, etc., may be drawn from 

 these immense districts for all time, since the greater part 

 of the regions referred to are not likely to be required for 

 agricultural purposes, and by a proper system of cutting, 

 a new growth will spring up to replace the timber 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 be left on any 



