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south-west winds coming across Ontario and Erie, which rain would then have frequently 

 and regularly fallen through the summer on the great cultivable area of land to the 

 north, instead of passing, as it now does, largely on to the Nipissing forests. In any scheme 

 of planting forests for the benefit of the Ontario climate, the reforesting of portions of 

 these ridges would exercise an influence extremely valuable. I should therefore recom- 

 mend that the possibilities of working in this direction should be carefully considered. 



The Watershed between Kingston and Nipissing. 



This is a true watershed, the rivers running both ways from its summit. The height 

 of land extends, with a slight curve to the north, from Kingston to Lake Nipissing. To 

 the east of this all streams flow into the Ottawa ; to the west of it they flow 

 into Lake Ontario. Much of the land on this ridge is still in the hands of Govern- 

 ment, and, both for purposes of increasing rainfall, and preserving moisture at the 

 source of numerous and important streams, it would be well that large masses of 

 forest were preserved along the whole line. Along this line, if possible, hundreds of 

 thousands, or even millions of acres might well be left in forests ; for this ridge should be 

 the preserver of fertility and source of moisture to the whole of eastern Ontario, from 

 Torontp to the Ottawa. If this line should be allowed to become deforested, very injuri- 

 ous results may be expected throughout all Ontario, east of Toronto. On the other hand, 

 if forest be maintained there, clearing can then be proceeded jyith along the whole 

 north-east of the preserved forest, and this cleared region will then receive the spring 

 and summer rain precipitated by the preserved line of forest along this watershed. 



The Watershed op Western Ontaeio. 



This is a height of land in about the centre of western Ontario, and is best known 

 as the locality of the great Garafraxa Swamp, which contains many thousand acres. Such 

 of this as is not in Government hands, might, no doubt, easily be obtained, and probably, 

 much land in the neighbourhood cheaply added thereto, and the timber on the whole, 

 reservation carefully preserved and increased by planting. This central point is a thou- 

 sand feet above Lake Ontario, and from its four sides the rivers run to the Georgian Bay, 

 to Lake Huron, to Lake Erie, and to Lake Ontario. 



The Blue Mountains. 



This is a ridge of mountains at the extreme north of our peninsula, extending from 

 near Collingwood, past Owen Sound, and to the northern point of the promontory extend- 

 ing between Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay. Much of this is yet in the hands of the 

 Government, and much of it should, if possible, be preserved in timber. 



For the purpose of attracting rain in summer and spring, which would otherwise 

 probably pass to the north on its way to the pole in the great equatorial air current, there 

 is little reason to doubt that large masses or belts of forest, left standing on these ridges, 

 would be more eflicacious than a much larger amount left scattered through the country. 

 Moreover, these elevations are the natural storehouses and reservoirs of moisture. The 

 woods on their slopes were intended to hold the water of rain and snow from flooding the 

 land when it was not needed, and to deal it out in creek, river and underground channel, as 



