568 Canadian Record of Science. 
saw logs, instead of square timber, which wastes one-third 
of the tree in the squaring. 
FourtHiy.—Protection against fire which destroys more 
trees than the axe, precautions in lighting fires in the 
woods and in clearing lands by fire, for settlement; this last 
subject is closely connected with the question of the classifi- 
cation of lands and the keeping of settlers from lands unfit for 
agriculture. Fires are more to be apprehended in pineries 
and among resinous trees, where the soil is very often unfit 
for agriculture, than among hardwood trees where the 
quality of the soil is much better as a rule. Our Provincial 
Legislature is now considering.a good measure calling on 
the lessees of timber limits to contribute one-half of the 
costs of protecting their limits against fires, the Province 
paying the other half. Itis, I think, the law in Ontario. 
Firraty.—Export duty on saw logs, a most important 
question. Sir John Macdonald was asked, a few weeks ago, 
by an influential deputation of lumbermen to repeal the ex- 
port duty on round logs. He reminded them that in 1886 
that export duty had actually been increased at their own 
request, and told them that the Government would con- 
sider before all, the good of the country at large. 
We are striving to increase the numbers of our people; 
we deplore the large emigration from Canada to the United 
States. Shall we encourage that emigration, by sending 
away the logs which feed our saw-mills, so that they may 
get sawn by our neighbours? The sawyer will follow the 
logs, and we shall drive away thousands of industrious men 
who will follow the raw material in which they find their 
work. True, we are offered by the United States free entry 
for our sawn lumber (or rather there is a talk of its being 
offered) if we repeal our export duty on logs. On the other 
side, we are threatened with an addition to the present im- 
port duty on sawn lumber, equal to the amount of our ex- 
port duty on logs, if we persist in retaining it. 
Very likely that threat: will not be carried out; but what- 
ever happens, unless we give up forever all considera- 
tion for the welfare of our uwn country, we must retain our 
