JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 27 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Read before the Hamillon Associaiion, May 4th, iSgg. 

 BY WILLIAM YATES, ESQ. 



A source of loss and regret to great numbers of Canadian land- 

 holders in the Province of Ontario was the rather sudden dying of 

 the fine forests of black ask trees (Fraxitms Samhucifolia) about the 

 year 1888. Immense areas were occupied in the early period of the 

 colony by this fine and useful tree, as, in a majority of the annu- 

 ally flooded lowlands, this species held almost entire possession, 

 these areas being generally known to the pioneer settlers by the 

 term " black ash swales." The timber was of inestimable value to 

 the land clearers as fencing material, by virtue of its free splitting 

 qualities and durability. 



From some not easily ascertainable cause (in a very extensive 

 portion of Ontario) death overtook simultaneously the whole of 

 these forests about eight or nine years ago. Various causes of the 

 phenomenon were assigned. By some the loss was attributed to the 

 clearing up of the environing dry lands ; by others extensive draining 

 operations were given as a reason, while others asserted that exces- 

 sive cold during winter or else abnormal summer frosts suffered to 

 bring about the effect. There was much conflicting opinion 

 expressed, and the real cause seems still surrounded by mystery. 

 As we heard of few or no insect depredations being concerned in 

 the matter, and as the decadence was sudden and quite general, 

 only a very small percentage of saplings being left as survivors, the 

 cause seems to have been atmospheric changes as to moisture, or 

 abnormalities in temperature and new cycles of growth. Since the 

 change adverted to there has been a very general invasion in semi- 

 cleared and neglected lands of the poplar, which was in the early 

 days of Canadian settlement a tree quite of rare occurrence. 



Allusion to the recent disappearance of the black ash forests, 

 which appear to have lived out their appointed time (for it was a 



