14 
At the head waters of the Kokisilah river, I found a six- 
inch alder growing in the centre of a log shanty that I had 
slept in 25 years previously. 
GARRY OAK (Quercus garryana) 
This is the only species of oak in the Province. It is 
almost entirely indigenous to Vancouver Island. A few odd 
trees have been noted on the mainland. It is abundant in the 
immediate neighborhood of Victoria. It forms a few park-like 
groves on Saanich peninsula and in Cowichan and Comox dis- 
tricts ; also a few trees at Quatsino and on the Gulf islands. 
It grows on dry, well-drained table lands, frequently rocky. 
It is a very slow growing tree, reaching occasionally four feet 
in diameter, with short trunk and broad spreading crown. Age 
limit is probably about 500 years. It is not sufficiently abund- 
ant to be of much commercial importance, although on account 
of its valuable properties should receive the forester’s attention. 
I have thus briefly sketched the character and occurrence 
of all our forest trees of special commercial importance. There 
are quite a number, of limited occurrence, which may be re- 
garded more in the light of scientific interest, although having 
a certain value for special purposes, namely: Arbutus, Birch, 
several Willows, Black Spruce, Dogwood, White Bark Pine, 
Mountain Hemlock, Alpine Fir, Alpine Larch, Yew, Vine 
Maple, Cherry, Crab-apple, Balm of Giliad, Juniper, Ash, 
Elderberry and Bearberry, and possibly several others. 
It will now be in order to take a summary view of the 
relative extent of the forest lands of the whole Province. Some 
writers have, in glowing terms, dwelt upon the vast and un- 
limited extent of our forest wealth, so that the general public 
have, I think, erroneous impressions regarding our timbei 
resources. 
It is high time that we should look the actual facts full in 
the face, and not be carried away by inflated notions. 
I beg to state that the timber resources of British Colum- 
bia are comparatively limited. In comparison with the vast 
