134 



Mr. Budd, of Iowa, who has grown trees largely, says : — 



" A grove of tea acres of white ash, thinned to six feet apart, containing twelve 

 thousand trees, at twelve years were eight inches in diameter and thirty-five feet high, the 

 previous thinning paying all expenses of planting and cultivation. Ten feet of the bodies 

 of these trees were worth, for making bent stuff, etc., forty cents each, and the remaining 

 top ten cents, making a total of six thousand dollars as the profits on ten acres in twelve 

 years, or a yearly profit of fifty dollars per acre. Mr. Everett is said to have sold twenty- 

 three acres of black walnut, of twenty-three years growth, for twenty-seven thousand 

 dollars, of fifty dollars per acre for each year's growth. By the way, it is well to remem- 

 ber that ash will grow where many trees will not. 



" But the great point noticeable is that the money is secured, or rather secures itself, 

 without labour after the first ten years. Any plantation, men of experience say, in which 

 the trees are six feet high, and the ground so shaded that weeds and grasses cannot grow, 

 needs no more care till the time comes to thin it for posts. As Mr. Dutnbiedifces observed, 

 the trees grow while we sleep. It may be of interest to remark how diligently Scott 

 practised his maxim. For planting, we are told ' he had always, no doubt, entertained a 

 strong partiality. Even in childhood,' he says, ' his sympathies were stirred by reading 

 the account of Shenstones ' Leasowes,' and in after life there was nothing which seemed 

 to afford him so much pride and pleasure as in watching the naked hill-sides gradually 

 sprouting with the saplings he had planted. 



"You can have no idea," said Scott to Captain Basil Hall, "of the exquisite delight 

 of a planter ; he is like a painter laying on his colonrs ; at every moment he sees his 

 effects coming out. There is no art or occupation comparable to this. It is full of past, 

 present and future enjoyment. I look back to the time when there was not a tree here, 

 only bare heath ; I look around and see thousands of trees growing up, aU of which, I may 

 say almost each of which, have received my personal attention. I remember five years 

 ago, looking forward with the most delighted expectation, to this very hour, and, as each 

 year has passed, the expectation has gone on increasing. I do the same now ; I anticipate 

 what this plantation and that one will presently be, if only taken care of, and there is not 

 a spot of which I do not watch the progress. Unlike building, or even painting, or in- 

 deed any other pursuit, this has no end, and is never interrupted, but goes on from day to 

 day, and from year to year, with a perpetually augmenting interest." 



RAVAGES OF FIRE. 



To show what loss is being incurred by the fires which run through our forests, let 

 us take up the report of the Commissioner of Crown Lands for 18S2. There are nine 

 reports of surveys. Let us see what they say in succession : — 



" Timber Berths North of French River. — The greater part of my line passed through 

 a burnt country, the fire having gone over some parts a second time. Over this burnt 

 country all the timber has been killed." 



" Township oj Dunnet. — Over one-half of this township has been burnt." 



" Township of Hugel.—Thti greater portion of this township has been overran by fire 

 and the timber destroyed." 



" Towiuhip of Riller. — About one-sixth of the township has been burnt over, all the 

 timber being utterly destroyed." 



" Township of Kirkpatrick. — Nearly the whole of the township has been burnt over." 



" Township oj Ragar. — Bush fires have destroyed nearly all the timber." 



" Township of Field. — No mention of fire." 



"Township of Dryden. — The greater portion of the timber has been destroyed by 

 fire." 



" Township of Wilkes. — Not injured by fire.'' 



