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day. But we can know in what direction to strive here, and where forest overspreads the 

 whole country, as in part of our territory elsewhere, very much indeed can be done. 



It must always, however, be remembered that east, and even north-east winds, can 

 and do bring rain of their own force from the Atlantic direction. But the south-west 

 wind is the chief rain bringer. The others may be called, with reference to Ontario, 

 local. The south-west wind brings moisture to the whole northern hemisphere. 



TREES BY THE ROADSIDE. 



Premiums have been very properly offered here, in a Bill just passed through Parlia- 

 ment, to those farmers who shall plant and maintain in growth certain descriptions of 

 trees. The Bill refers principally to lines of trees set along the highway and the dividing 

 lines of farms. These, or small plantations of any sort, are valuable, but by no meant 

 fulfil the functions of deep belts of forest. Their great value is, if planted over sufficient 

 sections of country, that they preserve the land from drying winds, and in that way, if 

 they do not, as the forest does, bring rain, they preserve the eflfects of rain for a much 

 longer period. Secondly, and a very important benefit indeed, they prevent the wind 

 from drifting the snow off the fields they enclose, and the roads bordering them. Left 

 evenly on the ground, the snow is a vast benefit to the soil and the coming or existing 

 plant; driven into great heaps by the wind, it not only injures both, but also renders 

 transport over the roads difficult or impossible. 



A WORD ON THE PRESENT AMOUNT OF FOREST IN ONTARIO. 



It will be seen by the accompanying list that the state of Ontario, as regards posses- 

 sion of forest land, is as follows :^0n the north-east she has a large forest, and in Mus- 

 koka and the Georgian Bay District, forests of some size. These are all the Province 

 possesses to feed the streams, we may say, east and north-east of Toronto, and they 

 largely at present perform that function. But the whole great peninsula to the west is 

 destitute of most of the original forests on the elevated lands which gave her rivers water, 

 and has little in the way of woods save the small reserves farmers have kept for them- 

 selves on their farms. As I pointed out previously, these are being rapidly used ; one 

 after another they fade away from the land and are not replaced. The accompanying 

 lists will show exactly exactly the acreage under wood still left in each county, and when 

 we remember that but a century ago all was forest, we shall be amazed at the rapidity of 

 destruction ; and, noticing how fast the small reserve is disappearing, we shall be quite 

 convinced that in a very few years, unless remedial measures are successfully applied, the 

 creat peninsula of Ontario — our chief territory in a farming sense— will be to all intents 

 and purposes, as far as climatic influences and connections are concerned, a disforested 

 land. And I may here observe the fallacy of the statement sometimes ventured, "Oh, 

 we cannot be in want of forests, there are so many million acres in Ontario, and of 

 them only so many are cleared!" May I ask what this has to do with the question? 

 Neither the woods of Keewatin nor of Muskoka can in any degree assist the farmers of 

 the great Ontario peninsula, from Windsor on the west to Toronto and Collingwood on 

 the east. Nor will the small patches left on each farm assist them. They are too small 

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