120 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



hardwoods supply a smaller, but nevertheless, a very important part 

 of the market, and it is desirable that some day British Columbia 

 should supply her own requirements in this regard much more fully 

 than at present. 



Various theories, the discussion of which is not pertinent to -the 

 subject, have been advanced to explain why the forests of the Pacific 

 slope are prevailingly coniferous or evergreen instead of hardwood or 

 deciduous. One of these theories, however, touches on a vital point. 

 It suggests that the explanation lies in the diflEerence, in the east and 

 west, of the distribution of rainfall between the summer, or growing 

 season, and the winter, or period of rest. In the east, the distribution 

 is quite even, so that, with a lesser total aimual precipitation, more 

 of it falls in the summer, favouring a deciduous growth. In the west, 

 with a greater total aimual precipitation, nearly all the precipitation 

 falls during the winter or period of rest, thus favouring an evergreen 

 growth. 



The question arises then, is it possible for British Coltmibia to 

 grow her own hardwoods ? Among the reasons for an affirmative 

 answer may be mentioned : 



(i) We have some native hardwoods as oak, maple, poplar, 

 arbutus, etc. 



(2) The growing season is longer and, at least in the lower 



altitudes, the climate is milder and more tmiform. 



(3) Exotic hardwoods planted as ornamental trees thrive 



exceedingly well. 



(4) In forest planting; of hardwoods, they would be guarded 



from dangerous competition of the evergreens. 



No conclusive data exist in regard to actual forest planting of 

 hardwoods in British Columbia, any more than with regard to soft- 

 woods. Nevertheless planting of a kind has been done at certain places. 

 These include the Dominion experimental farms at Agassiz and Sidney, 

 and Stadacona Park in Victoria. 



Of the above, the Agassiz inspection proved by far the most 

 interesting and important. The planting there has been done on two 

 separate sites. The material for both was obtained chiefly from the 

 Central Experimental Farm at Ottawa, and also from nurseries in the 

 eastern United States, in the form of nuts and yovmg trees two years 

 old. No detailed records of origin were kept however. 



The first and larger of these plantations is in the form of a shelter 

 belt, planted 23 years ago with two-year-old stock on level ground, ex- 



