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CONVfiNTION

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HELD AT MONTREAL, U and J2 iBLARCH J90e

ADDRESSES

DELIVERED BY

The Hon. SYDNEY FISHER

Mr. E. G. JOLY de LOTBINIERE

Mr. HERBERT M. PRICE

QUEBEC Published by the Departement of Lands and Forest*

1908

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Canadian ^ohestsy

Convention

HELD AT MONTREAL, H and 12 MARCH J?08

ADDRESSES

dei.ivi;ri:d hy

The Hon-. SYDXKY FISHER

Mr. E. O. JOLV i)K LOTBINIERE

Mr. HERBERT M. PRICE

QUEBEC Published by the Departement of Lands and Forests

1908

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Extracts from the Proceedings of the Canadian Forestry Convention

ADDRESS OF HON. STDNfiT FISHES

A/ Montreal, 1 1 and u March J^oi'

Your Honor Sir Louis,

Mgr Brucht-si and .Mr ['resident,

I am \ery glad iiuleed. Ladies and Cenllemen, to lie i)resent at the open- ing meeting of this forestry conteience in the great city of Montreal. 1 feel it is very appropriate that we should liavr a meeting of tiiis kind in the com- mercial metropolis of the cnuntry. it i> true tiiat. to ;i large extent, the com- mercial men of tlii> city are not diecllv iniere^led in forestry. Ikit, I \ en- ture to think that there is nohody in the kngiii and lireadth of our coinitry wlio is more directly inierot'jd in tiiis work than are the great connnercial men of this city. We ha\e liad for a long time the advantage of the study of this important (|nestion by political econonii>ts, hy those who are resjionsihle for the legislatir)n of the country, and hy tlie studeiUs in our universities and schools. But it is high time that the man on the street, the average man who is interested in the business of the land, slioidd take uj) this (|uestion, so as to understand it sufficiently at all event-^, to induce him to gi\e iiis sup- port to the Governments, which are working in the direction of the conservii- tion of our forests, and of the students and jKjlitical economists who are pointing the way for those in authority to act.

T am glad to-day to see the rejjrcscntative of the King in our province of Quebec present to open this conferetice. It is fitting indeed that the head of t'ne State should do this work. Especially is tliis the case in regard to forestry, because, in the larger sense at all events, the forestry of Canada, applies chiefly and primarily to the Crown domain of our country, and the lands of our country, which are chiefly under forest in regard to which fo- restry must be applied, are chiefly the domain of the Crown. Especially is this the case in the various provinces, because in the purview and control of the Provincial Legislatures is the Crown domain of our provinces, while the Dominion lands which are outside the provinces, or which to a certain extent are still the property of the Dominion, are under the pur.'iew and control of the Government of Ottawa.

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This subject may then naturally divide itself into three ijoinis:

Firstly, the dealing with forestry tiom the ixjiiit of view ot the Dominion Government, in regard to those lands in the Western countries, which are still under the direct control of the Dominion;

Secondly, with regard to those Crown domains in the various iirovinces, which are under c<jiilrol of the I'rovincial authorities;

Thirdly and lastly, and very far behind in importance to the other '.wo, those forests under the control of private pr^ ietors.

Let me say. Sir, that S(.) far as the Domitiion C.Dvernment is concerned, and in this ! speak lor tlie (iovcniment. the DomiiiiDU (ioverniiient ot the present day is must earnestly enthusiastic in doing what it can to pre- serve our forest wealth on tlmse lands over which we have cuiiirol. ( Applause).

1 have only to point to the fact tliat the first and greatest Forestry Con- vention of our Dominion was called at the instance of Sir Wilfrid Uaurier, a few years ago, when it was held at Ottawa, the capital of the country, ami that the Dominion Government, on that occasion, laid before the ccnintry through that convention, its work, aiul ])rogramme and displayed its interest in tiiis verv imporlant (juestion. I tiiink that convention did great good in Canada. It is true before that tin ■ the students who were si)ccially inter- ested in this forestry work, and the lumbermen of the country, had been studying and thinking about the vast and terrible waste of our forest lands and wealth. lUit, I venture to think that the lutblic at large was aroused on that occasion to an interest in the work that it had never evinced iiefore. and 1 fear it was only too late that this event occurred.

We boast that we are a young n.ition. We believe that we arc a strong nation. We are proud of our material resources throughout the length and breadth r)f this vast area which is entrusted to our care. Hut. as we are a voung nation. 1 fe; we have a great many of the fauUs of youth, and have been blind to the necessity for thrift in our forest wealth just as the young man is extravagant with his patrimony, whose resources he does not pro- perly appreciate. We in Cana<la have had great wealth committed to our charge. We lavc not properly realized its importance or vastness. We have thought th;tt wealth was inexhaustible, and we have drawn upon the bank of our supplies to such an extent, so wastefully. extravagantly and un- scientifically, that to-day we a'-e face to face with the fact that our bank ac- count is almost at an end, even though to-day, as was said a few minutes ago, it has probably the greatest wealth of forest resources of any country in the world.

But countrv after country have found that they could not go on drawing \i\)on this fund without coming to an end. and we, in Canada, young as we are, with the immense resources that we have, are face to face with the end of that account unless "'c take care to husband it, and replace it by replant- ing those trees that are necessary. ("Applause)

A reference was made bv vou, Mr. President, to a recommendation which

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was made at tliat convention tor tlie establislinienl of forest reserves, l.et inc irKJSt lieartily endorse that reconimeudatioii : I atn glail to say tliat tltc Donniiiiin (lovcrnnn'iit, so far as its Western lands are conrcrned, lias to a considerable <xtenl acted ujxjii that recoinniendatiim and the Mitiister of the Interior, during,' the la>t few years, liis set aside lar^'e areas in the W estern provinces and in Mrilish Colnn.hia as forest reser\es.

1 am ),dad to he in a jxisiiion to-day to say fiirtiier that in the near future it is tiie ijecision ui the ("n i\ eminent that the whuje eastern sIdjc of the Rocky M' r.taius, stretchinj; from tiie Intercolonial lioundary Line north- wards. ;duicist indetinilels . shall he estahlislied .is an in.dieu.ahle forest re- serve (loud ajiplause), and let me say to those here who may he interesteil in lumherinj,^ who may helicve that e\cn thoujili we must conserve our resour- ces, that we sliould at the same time enjny them and reap the full la-uetit of them — and 1 a^ree witli tiiose ^'entlcmen must emiihatically — th.it the creation of a forest reserve does not necess.-irily mea'' lliat the trees and products of that rest-rve sh.'dl nut he utili/ed fur the present or future generations. A forest reserve must he kip, in forest, hut for the hi},'hest development and utilization of those forests the crop must he cut year after year, time after time, so as to he utilized for the heiietit of the jieople of the country, (.\pplause).

And therefore. thouf,'h the great eastern slo])e of the Rocky .Momitains may he made a forest reserve, the |H'ople of the jjrovinces which rei|uire that lumber will not be debarred from it. n<»r cui out from getting the lumlKr which is the natural |)roduct from that slope. Rut this b.unher will be cut at the pro])er time, under strict forestry regulations and in such ;i manner, as tf) conserve its resources for a future generation, and still supply tne imme- diate necessities of the settlers on the prairies, where lumber is so haril to get (Applause).

Let nie now say another word in regard to the work of the Dominion authorities. In the eastern part of Canada peo])le can har'.ly realize the ne- cessity of forest plantation. I speak of the farmers and I know that the farmers of the eastern provinces look upon the iree as their natural enemy, The tree, in the field cultivated f<ir ordinary crojjs, is undoubtedly a difficulty and an obstruction, and interferes to that extent with the agricultural opera- tions of the land. But in the old days as our farmers and settlers were obliged to go to t! e woodlands of the eastern provinces, they could not make a farm without cutting down the trees. That general custom which was to cut the trees down is passing or has passed away, but unfortunately the spirit, that imbued them with the idea that the tree was the natural enemy to agri- culture, still seems to possess ; majority of their descendants, and to-day there are few farmers in these eastern provinces who realize that large bodies of woodland are the best friends of agriculture in the eastern provinces as everywhere else.

The eastern people therefore can hardly realize or understand the ne-

— 6 —

cessities of the Western fanner on the great uu-treed plains of our prairie provinces for plantation. iSlgr Bruchesi has instanced one of the most suc- cessful experin^ents at planting on record even in this forest province of Quebec. If they had an opportunity of examining that Oka plantation — and let me say in that, just as in many other things quite apart from the re- ligious aspect of tlie question, that the Koman Catholic Ciiurch has taken the lead in this country and given us the example which should be followed by the whole land — I am sure that the farmers of the oliler parts of tliis pro- vince would receive a very useful lesson as to the necessities and advantages of re-afforestation.

Vou know, Sir, that in the original discoveries of this part of North- America, the missinnaries of the Church carried the cross into the forests, over tiie plains and u\) the rivers. We know that later on the same

Church glo-itied bv the b

if its martyrs ca'Tied the progress of settle-

ment through our land and over our continent. lUit we know tn-dny that the Missionnaire .Vgricole. many of whom 1 know well and have met in my iV()rk, is doing to-day for ilie farmers of the eastern ])ro\ inces tlie same work of ])reac'i.ing the gospel of agriculture that in the jKisi days the spirifial missionaries di 1 lor the souls of their diarges. .\n<l. Sir, [ hope in the future tf) see the .Missioimaire .\gricole succeeded by the .Missionnaire I'o- restier. and I am _,da(l to see from what 1 have heard to-day from \riii- bishop Bruchesi that in this as in the other two branches tlie Roman Catho- lic Church will again take the lead and Ije in the forefront of this forestry work in Canada. I am tii;uikful to find Archbisho]) Bruchesi ])resent at this meeting to give us words of encouragement and knowledge on this sub- ject, and to tell us what advance and progress has beer made under the lead of his Church, which has set an example by this pnn ince of Quebec, that may well be emidated throughout the Dominir.u.

That is an unusual thing in the jn-ovince of Quebec, but in the great West, my friend. Mr Sifton, then Minister of the Inte-'ior. who having dwelt in the treeless prairie country, appreciated and imderstood years ago that the planting of tru ■; there fore wind-breaks, and to conserve tlie moisture neces- sary for the good growth of crops in that region, in order to help the set- tlers ihrougli the ))rairies, established a Forestry Branch of the Dominion De- partment of the Interior. I am g1;<d to say that the Forestry Branch during the last seven or eight years has lieen able to plant millions of trees in the prairie districts of our Dominion, and as a general rule these trees have been successful, and sliow that it is r|uite possible, even on the treeless plains, and in what has been su))posed to be our semi-arid region, to jiroduce trees suffi- cient to shelter tlie hoinestcails and barns of the settlers.

I am also glac' to say that we have been able, by the work of the De- partment of the Interior, and my own Department of .\griculture, to show, not only that we cnn pinnt •shelter trcc=. hr,t I nm in a p--=ition to-dav to sav that we can produce fruit trees in the far northern region of our western

7 —

country, where up to a few years ago it was supix)sed to be absolutely impos- sible for the settlers to grow any kind of fruit fit fir human use. This is a triumph, I will not say, of forestry, but of horticulture of which I am proud as a member of the Government of Canada, that it has been able to show such success.

A word or two in regard to forestry and agriculture, and as Minister of Agriculture I am particularly interested in that science.

1 have dwelt very i)riefly on the importanc of forestry production in the west to agriculture on our treeless ])lains. Let me say a word here for the province of Queljec in regard to the importance and necessny of forestry to agriculture even in the eastern provinces, perhaps not so much in the province of (Juebec, but still a little in the great plain of the St-Lawrence, and much more in the older parts of Ontario. There is no doubt to-day that the farmers of these two provinces are suffering irom the fact that their fore- fathers swept the forests out of existence over large areas of what is at pre- sent cultivated lands. It is not necessary in tiiis country especially, where, as in Ontario and Outbcc, stock raising and kec])ing are the basis of agricul- ture, to say that it is absolutely necessary for the farmer to have abundant i)ast- urage and forest thnnighnut tlie hot seasm. as well as a good supplv of water ■ for his stock througlimii tlie summer. What is the condition of affairs in many portions of the.se two provinces? In the old days on the hills and slopes and even clown thn)ugh tlie \alleys there were large !)0(lies of woodlands which con.served the moisture and jMxvented the too rapid melting of the snows in the spring, and great blocks of comparatively swamp latv'. which held like a sponge the water trickling down through the whole season to supjily the lower lands and pastures witii a constant, unfailing and sufficient sujiplv of moist- ure for the creeks, rivers and lakes of the country. .\s these bodies of wood have been cut away an 1 tiic valleys denuded of trees, the result has been to change entirely the condition of tlie creeks, streams and rivers, so that while in former days they were constant n their llow. and hud an abundance of water throughout the whole season, men liviii'j; to-day can tell von that the streams are dried uj) in the hot months of July and August where in earlier years there was a constant sujiply of water. The result is that to-day the jiastures are dried and burnt in summer at the very liiue when their supply of food is iTiost necessary for the cattle Where witliin the memory of many men living there used to be rm abundant and constant supjilv of fodder for the animals on the farms, to-day that is not the case, and this unfortunate change has been caused by the wasteful cutting away of the forests. It is time that the farmers and the owners of jMixate iiropcrties, wherever they have uncultivable lands, should immediately set to work to i)lant that land, and bring it back to its original condition, thus supplying those forest lands, so necessary not (^dy for fuel and to beautify the landscajie. but actuallv to sui)- ply them with the moisttire necessary for their crops through the summer. And if they do not change their methods in this respect I venture to sav to

the farmers of Ontario and Quebec that their agriculture will decrease and that they cannot hope to be so successful in the future as in the past. (Ap- plause).

A word or two specially witii regard to this province of Quebec: We here, in Quebec, have the natural conditions most suitable to prevent the conditions I have just pictured. Our great cultivable section of Quebec province lies on each side of the St-Lawrence river. To the south we have the alluvial stretches of the counties bordering the south bank, and on the north we have the long strip stretching from Ottawa to Quebec of good cul- tivable land, between the Laurentian Mountains and the rivers. There lie the agricultural riches of the province of Quebec, and it is necessary for the preservation of tne richness of that piece of land that the rivers and streams in it shoiild be kept at a constant flow throughout the whole season. It is necessary that the people should have a constant supply of good wholesome water the whole season through for themselves and their live stock. We have the natural conditions to give it to them, i' we are only sensible to the con- servation of those conditions. Take the southern bank of the St-Lawrence. While there is a broad plain of almost dead level land alongside the river in , that valley which is suitable to agricultural work, immediately to the south of that plain we have the mountainous regions of the Eastern Townships, the Adirondacks, and further east the Maine mountains extending into Ca- nada. If we preserve the forests in tiiat mountainous country, we ha\e a'' the conditions necessary to supply an abundant, constant source of water to the plains between tliem an<l the river. Therefore I venture to say for the province of Quebec agriculture that it is absolutely necessary that the hill sides and mountain regions near the American frontier sould be carefully preserved in forest and in blocks of forest land, so that the sources of the streams which flow into the St-Lawrence from the south, will be maintained as a reservoir for the water supply of that country, so that we may be able to utilize the blocks of forest lands on those mountains and hills to the best ad- vantage of the iieople. who own them, and of tlie country at large. This, if done under proper forestry conditions, will continue indefinitely the lumber- ing industry and the cutting of pulpwood in these regions in addition to be- nefitting the agricultural conditions below.

Again on the northern '■■<le of the St-Lawrence we have the strip of cul- tivable land between the Laurentians and the river. But back of it in the Laurentian country we have a large area of land not particularly favorable or suitable to agriculture. It is rough, broken, hilly land with not very rich soil in most cases. If we can keep that district as a forest reserve, and pre- serve the great bulk of forest land in these hills, we have an assurance that the streams which come from it and break through the hills from the north- em country, will be kept at an even flow of water 'and will supply that strip of cultivable land lietween the Laurentian= and the river with .ibuudant water for the agricultural well being of that country.

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You, gentlement of Montreal, are dependent upon the maintaining of the water level of the St-Lawreiice for your coninierLC. The depth of water in the channel is a measure of the advantages of the Port of Montreal, and it }uu are going to have large vessels coining to your wharves and quays to supply the commerce and trade of Montreal and to preserve it as the commercial metropolis of the Dominion, it is necessary that the water supply of the St- Lawrence should be maintained and not be allowed to go down and down as it has in the past every summer. (ApplauseJ Von, therefore, you, mer- chants of Montreal, you, people who are dependent upon the commercial pro- gress and commercial success of this city, are vitally interested in the forest reserves which will maintain the summer level of your great river and its trade chamiel to the sea. it is only by these reservoirs of w^ier which wdl come down gradually from the mountains that the high level during summer can be maintained.

Xovv, if I may say a word or two with regard to something the President al- luded to, that is. with regard to pulpwood. My lines have been laid for many years in tiie thick of political warfare throughout the country. During that time I have constantly been mixed up in public affairs, regarding them from a jjolitical Rtandi)oint. Uagree with the President entirely that this (|ucstion of pulpwood should not become a jwlitical (|ncstir)n, and I wish to say a word cir two entirely apart from political views, l)r'. regarding it from a inmlv econ(jmical standpoint. Tliere has been an agitation, and it is spreadiiig aninngst those sjiecially interested in Forcstrv to |)ut an export dnt\ on puip- wood. I grant that as a Forester, antl intere-^ted in I-'orestry, at first siglit I have been rather temi)ted to think- that this slmidd be a good thing Piut tne more I have examined it. and tlie more I have studied it, I find this, that every argument which can fairly be brouglit forward to put an exjiort duty upon ])ulpwood is equally a])plicable to the initting of an exi;ort duty on the pul]) itself, and I was glad to hear in your President's address just now that he pointed out, that in the near future, an 1 the nearer the better, the inilp- wood of Canada would be made into jnilp in Canada, and tlie pulp into paper also in Canada. (.Apiilause)

If we are going to build up our industries in this country along that line, why not go to the full extent? Why stop short at the export of pul]) and allow .\nicricans and others making tlie pajier for us or for themselves to do it with Canadian products. We have had instances of late years of the fact that the great industrial corp<irations in the L'nited States have found it to their interest to establish branches in Canada and manufacture for the iriar- kets o." the world under the jirotection of tlie British flag, rather than the Stars and Stripes. I am proud of the fact. I will go further and ho])? that in the near future the great paper manufacturing industry of the world will have its centre in this, our country, where the raw material of paper is the greatest of any part of the world and that the paper manufacturing of the world will be done under the British flag instead of the .American. (.Xpplanse")

— lO —

Tliis is an economic (luestion, and we have a just right to look forward to an economic solution of it, and I think it is not beyond tiie proper ambi- tion of the people of Canada to come to that iniint.

Sir, 1 hoi)e and believe that this meeting here in Montreal will arouse an interest in a large number of classes of people in the country in this '" ir^stry question — people who have been hitherto inditTerent, to say the least, in the matter, and sometimes, perhaps, actively antagonistic. 1 have iiointed out brietly why the peoi)le of Montreal particularly are interested in this ques- tion.

Let me say. now, a word or tw( i.. regard to the lumbermen of the country, and the interests of Montreal ire largely concerned in the way of investment in lumbering also. I want to say emphatically that in my opinion forestry is the best friend of the lumberman. Instead of there being any antagonism between the foresters and the lumbermen, the latter are the very people who most require education along forestry lines throughout the land. They own the limits and have the right to cut the wood. Thev own these limits practically in perpetuity. If they can conserve these limits indefinitely by scientific forestry methods, they have an asset not onlv for their own fu- ture but for the future generations of lumbermen -in Canada, which is ,ab solutely incalculable, and can be made just as advantageous and pr >fital)le to their great-great-grand-ciiildren as it is to tliem. ( .\i)pl;uise). I'ut if instead of doing this and instead of the a<loption of scientific methods thev coutinue tlic crude and wasteful methods of making the largest jinifits thev can to-dav and leaving the to-mornnv I" take care of itself, they may make ( [ do not >av they wilki. but they may make a few more dollars tn-day. V>\n when thev ])ass fp ; this spliere they will leave behin<l them an asset, which will he valueless and earn for them tlie curses of the future generaunns instead of their blessing, and will show tliat they regarded not at all tiie future of their children or the future of the cnuntry. (.\pplause)

I know that t<i-day the lumbermen uf Canada have awakenefl to these facts, and th.at they have alread\ adopted imi)rove(l methods to a verv large extent I kimw that t(>-<lay tin- lumbermen are ])erh;ips the best supporters of the forestry organi/^alKi- ' inada. and I lionor them for it and con-

gratulate them u])on this chai,„ ■ want to impress still more ui)on them th.at if they spent even more of their i)rolits. and in that i)usiness their profits are large, very large. I do not know any body making more monev in Canada in the last few yea.s tlian lumbermen. I say this withottt retlectiou or reproach, t congratulate them on it. It is their right aiul it is wise that they should do so. But they might spend a little fiore of these iirofit^ in the conservation of their patrimony, rather than try to make a little more monev in immediate returns. f Applause)

I have touched lightly upon a number of points which I think are of im- portance !!": coimeftiuii V. :i:; !';;■, question of forestry. I do not intend to make any exhaustive address. I see by your programme that you have the

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advantage of paiiers or addresses by exiierts, and let me say here that this is a subject of science — a subject in whicli we retjuire llie aid of experts. The rule of thumb in methods of forestry and of luml)eriiij{ in Canada is no long- er sufficient. We want to give the lead to the men who have studied these questions by scientific methods, who are ex[)crtM. We have here on tiiis i)r(j- granimc, first, Mgr Lallamme, let me say again tiial I am proud and glad to find so distinguished a member of the Roman Catholic Churcii in Canada, engaged in this research, h'verywhere througout Canada his name is known as a student, as an expert, and I am (pnte sure the pajjcr he will read to us will be of the greatest value, not only to this Convention but to the country, and 1 hope that later on it will be distributed e\erywhere. He is speaking for the farmer, and with due deference to my French-Canadian compatriots, i think there are no farmei ; in Canada to-day who reipiire instruction uikjii forestry metliods and the value of the tree to the i)ractice of agriculture more than our French-Canadian habitants. I say this without retlection or reproach. Our Ivnglish speaking farmers are only too near them in that respect, lint I hope as a result of the work of such gentlemen as Mgr Laflamme, the French- CaiKulian habitant will speedily awake to the necessity of changing his methods and to the importance <>f the conservation of wli.'it woodlands he has, and to the further iini)ortaiKe of adding to them by planting, as has been s<> well done at Oka.

.\gain 1 fnid we are to have an illu^lratcd ieclure by I'rofessor Roth, I'riiicipal of tiie I'acully of l-'orestry at t!ie university of .Michigan. I wel- come to this Convention the foresters who ;\re rejircsenting those of the L'nit- ed States who are taking the lead in tins work. I may say that although the L'nited States has large forest areas — ni>t so large as ours — and although thev have done much in the way of forestry, tliey have ^l•.own us the lead and given us an example which it is well we shou! 1 follow in Canada, and spend more money on this work. We are not as rich as the L'nited Spates, and caimot si)end so much, but we can work as well and I t!iink we should take hold of this work and learn from their example, and for this reason I atn glad that there should be a representative of their work to tell us how it should be done.

I will not go ever the other s')eakers, but. 1 am sure if all this iirogramine is carried through, information and instruction of very great importance to the ])eople of this coiuitry will be jirovided. and that inspiration will be given to arouse the enthusiasm of new workers which will excite you to still furtl.er work and interest in the matter.

I thank you, Mr President, and officers of the Canadian l-'orestry Asso- ciation, for the op])ortnnitv vou have given me of coming before you and saying a few words I ho])e to be able to take some i)art to-morrow in the real work of the Convention, and in concluding I nuist wish that you Forest- ers of Canada shall liavc every success in tiiis inns! iii:p(!rta;;; v. oik v-;; lia-.e undertaken in the interest of the whole country. ' I.oud .\pi)lause).

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Compulsory Timber Reserves on Settlers' lands

Addreu of Mr. £. 0. Joly de Lotbiniire

Mr. President and Gentlemen,

Since lun:bering became an industry in Canada, no period ever offered Pfreater incentives than the present, to the holder of timber lands, to attack and destroy our spruce and balsam forests.

Before Canada became the great pulp wood producer that she is to-day, our forests were, comparatively speaking, safe, and no one, even the most pessimistic, ever believed in the possibility of their exhaustion.

They had their natural enemies, fire, disease and insect pest, but lumber- ing, as carried on 30 years ago, where only mature and adiUt timber was felled, for conversion into dimension timber, deals and boards, was far from being a menace to the perpetuity of our forest wealth. It was rational ex- ploitation, removing the mature timber to make room for the young growth.

But all that is now changed, spntce and balsam which thirty years ago commanded but a limited market and comparatively low prices, now has the world .is a market and prices undreamt of at the period I allude to.

The reasons which have led to the rise in the value of spruce are well known, .\mong many I will mention but two, the scarcity and exorbitant price of pine and the unprecedented demand for pulp wood coupled with the practically irresistible prices consumers are ready to pav for the article.

It may be of interest in support of what I have just said to draw atten- tion to the rise in the price of pulp-wood during the last ten years. The fol- lowing figures may be open to criticism, but they are on the whole, I think, fairly correct and represent the price of the wotxl at Quebec :

In 189Q, rough wood was worth, say. $4.25 per cord, rosscd wood. $6.75. Prices between 1809 ai 1 1907 fluctuated considerably for better or worse, but in 1907. rough woo<l was selling at $6.50 to $7.50 per cord and rossed from $9.00 to $10.00.

In 1 890 the Ignited Stntes imported from Canada 369.217 cords of pulp- wood, in 1906 738,872 cords, an increa.se of 369.655 cords. I have not the figures for 1907, but I am told that the imports by the l-nited States almost reached i. 000.000 cords. If that figure is exagen-^ted lor 1907, il will not be so for 1908,

With .such a demand for pulp-wood, and with present prices, it is not to be wondered that the future is forgotten, and that our forests are being sacrificed to the golden present'.

The few remarks I wish to m.ike. h.ive n!!*-. howpv;-^-, n« their object a requiem on the disappearance of our pine forests, though it might not be out of place to chant one. nor do T wish them to be considered as a validictory

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to our spruce wealth. My object is to suggest to this meeting a means by which we may secure, for the Province of Quebec at least, a constant and perpetual aupply of timber for our settlers, wood to enable theni to build and repair their homes and fuel to heat themselves and their descendants for ever. What I am ateut to suggest may ap])e;ir to some hee to-day. as an invitation to bar the stable door, after horse is stolen. But such is not the case. It is true that millions of acres in the Province of Quebec are held in freehold, or under patent, with no restriction whatsoever as to the way timber on such areas may be treate<l. but gentlemen, there are yet millions of acres of Provincial lands which will ultimately be opened to colonisation and my re- marks apply to those lands.

I will now put before you a scheme devised by my father to compel the habitant to preserve as " perpetual bush lot " a certain pclion of his prop- erty. This scheme has been in operation for over 30 years and has proved a success. If success has attended the efforts of a private individual, I can see no reason why our Provincial Government, if it is willing to adopt the scheme and honestly and conscientiously carry it out. should not obtain a measure of success at least e(|ual to that which we have attained.

Within the lasi' thirty years, my father has made many sales of timber lands on his Seigniory of Lotbiniere. These sales have been of a twofold nature. Some lands have been sold as " terre a bois ". small bush lots of from 15 to 20 acres each, to provide fuel and construction material to the purchaser, others have been sold a.s agricultural lands, but with a bush lot reserve.

I will now draw your attention to the clauses in these deec" , referring to the protection of the timber.

The following clause is ftnind in the deed of sale of all timber lands, sold simply to supply the purchaser and his descendants with fuel and build- ing material : — " It is moreover agreed between the parties to the present " deed, that the said lot is sold upon the express condition, that no portion " of the same shall he cultivated, that no wockI or branches shall be burnt " thereupon, that the lot will be preserved as a " wood lot " by the purchaser " his heirs and assigns, and that no wood from the said lot shall be sold, " under penalty of paying to the seller, his heirs and assigns the sum of "$100.00.

Where a lot is sold for the purpose of settlement, a timber reserve was always stipulated, in the following terms : — " Permission is given to open " and cultivate the said lot up to such and such limit, (and then comes the "restriction) that the remaindei of the said lot shall not be cultivated, that " no wood or branches shall be burnf upon it, that the said portion of said " lot shall be preserved as a " wood lot " by the purchasers, his heirs and as- " signs for their own use and that no wood will be sold from the said reserve " under a penalty of $100.00.

In both cases the deeds further sav, that the clauses I have cited are not

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cnly for the protection of the seller from fire that might spread to his ad- jacent lands, but to protect the purchasers also from the same danger. Al- lusion is alsf) made to the fact (and that 30 years ago), that the sale in the case of a " bush lot '" is made to furnish the purchaser with fuel and build- mg material that he can no lunger hnd anywhere in the vicinity of his home.

In the case of lands to l>e settled, the forest reserve or ' bush lot " was invariably made at one end of the Ujt or the other, so that all the bush lots should be contiguous. The purchaser was not allowed to select his timber resene. Had he been permitted to do so, he would invariably have chosen ar his bush lot the -vorst part of his land and that cor.laining the feast timber.

.\s 1 said iHjfcre, this scheme of my father's, which has now had over 30 years trial, has proved a success. The lands sold as purely " wcwd lots " are to-day covered with a dense growth of timber and on the lamds which were sold i'oi settlement, the reserve has l>ecn almost invariably respected and the terms of the deed adherd to.

On a 100 acres lot. a reserve of say 20 acres, with the restrictions I have menti'ined, as " 'jerpetual fore>t reserve ". would l)e amply sufficient to supply the purchaser and his representatives with an ine.xhaustib'e supply of fuel and building material and not only that, but every new township instead of shorllv becoming the treeless, parched desert our old settlements now are. would be covered with an ample supply of timl>er.

This forest cover would not only give the settler Hie fuL'l and building material he would need, but it would powerfully aid in maintaining the water powers with which a iirovident hand has so liberally endowed our favoured Proviiiice. Industries dependant on cheap motive power would be assured, agriculture would be enormously benefitted, our settler would be free from :my possible wofxl famine and nothing but gt>od could result from the ado])tion of the policy I have but briefly outlined.

The siiggesticMi I have made may. 1 trust, find sympathisers amongst those here to-day and I earnestly hope that this association, in its wisdom, will take the necessary steps to draw the different Provincial Crwernments attention to the reform I have attempted :'o advocate. Its adojuion cannot be prejudicial to the country, it can only be a practical factor for good.

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Address of the President Mr. HERBERT M. PRICI

Al Montreal, 11 and 12 March

Kirst of all I iinist congraAilalc our Associatimi on tlie fact that the an- nual meeting is held in .Nhintreal, as it is now sonic zd years since the last (and al tliat time the first) meeting was held here by the American Forestry Association. This city is capable, with its jjreat intlnence, in being almost a determining factor in nu>vcmems in this province tending towards the good of onr forests and water iK)wers. I must mention that the desire of the Direct- ors of the Association to come into closer touch with, and get an expression of opinion front an increa-e in the interest of our l-Vencli Canadian friends had much to do with the decision to hold the meeting here, as Toronto was anxious for the meeting to be held there.

We all hope that the two languages will l»e jointly used in papers and discussions, as in this way only a permanent interest can be worked up and a knowledge of the objects of the .Association made widely known. We must reach the jveople in the country and it can only be done by popu'arizing the subject and we are now using articles for j'l'.hlication and for translation in the French i>ress. I trust that the .\ssociation will this year publish in I'.n- glish and French, as suggested by Monsignor Latlammc. 'he annual report, which will include a full account of this meeting.

It is most encouraging to see His Kxcellency the Governor-General and our Premier. Sir Wilfrid Laurier. lending lite forces of Forestrv progress in this cn;mtry and taking such, a deej) interest in everything appertaining to the subject and ait the same time the President of the great and friendly nation to the south of us working on similar lines.

It appears to me that there is much to be done 'n this country as regards the peo])le getting fuller inforn^ttion as to our true resources in the wav of timber and wood generalJy and. although I know that all these statements must be estiiuates, yet a beginning should Ik; made and I think that a report from the Forestry Branch of the Inteinor Department somewhat on the lines of the publications issued by the Forest* Service of the T'nited States, such as " Forest Products of the I'nited States. " " The I'se Book ", etc.. would be invaluable.

There is a great want of a more thorough exploration of the timber to the north, not only of this province, but of Ontario, and the Doinim'on Gov- ernment might explore the northern parts of Manitoba. .Mberta and Saskatche- wan, as ottr knowledge of these is very limited and. if it weiv auipler v\oaid be invalunble. The publication " Canada's Fertile Northland", with the useful maps annexed, issued last year by the Railway and Swamp Lands Branch,

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Department of the Interior, giving, as it states, a glimpse of the enormous resources of a part of the unexplored regions of the Dominion, is a valuable contribution to what information we have on this subject.

As regards Canada's legislative action on such questions as export duty, etc., statistics should be issued annually as regards the cut and consumption

ot wood in Canada.

it has been suggested that a desirable means of encouraging the objects our .\ss..ciati.Mi have in view would be to establish braucii association in the dilTerent provinces and then have them affiliated with the parent one. I would, therefore, ask those of our nieinbers who reside outside the provinces of Quebec and Ontario if they would take up this question without delay, I'eriiaps, as the parent scxiety is at Ottawa, it would not necessitate branches in the province of (Juebec ami Ontario. The parent assixriation would thus be in constant touch with the sentiment throughout the whole Dominion.

It is satisfactory to learn that Newfoundland has a Forestry Association

well under way.

I would call attention to a condition in the Regulations re licenses and permits U> cut on Dominion Lands in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta,^ the N'ortli-West Territories and witliin twenty miles on either side of the C. I'. K- in ilie prnvince nf British Colnmbia, that the lic-ensee shall keep in operation for at least six months in each year a sawmill capable of cutting i. coo feet in every 24 lunirs for every aj.-j square miles under license. This is, in my opi- nion, an un.lesirable condition and tends in the contrary direction to an en- lightened forestrv nolicv. T'.etter t.« raise the annual ground rent and spend more or !ire protection in the northern parts of the above mentioned territor- ies than 10 li^nke cutting' compulsory. The timber ie going fast enough.

My attention has been cplled to the large shipments of small spruce trees from tlie pnnince of Ouebec. particularly in the Shcrhrooke district, to the United States for Chrirtinas t.ecs. These run from 3 to 8 feet in height and sei; for from 10 to 2~ cents eacl'. in Canada. This trade should be prohibited, as it has assumed large proportions, trees going as far south as Pensylvania. It appears that the Commissioner for the New V<irk State Forest. Game & Fish Commission has drawn the public attention to the grave consequences that must result from this great tlcstruction in New York State.

Can -da has immense areas and. in proportion, a smalkr number of men to protect same against fire, compared to the I'nited States, although of late vears more active measures have been taken against this enemy of our forests by all the provinces.

I think it is right to =ay sometl:ing on the much discussed question of an export duty on pulp wood, which, of late, has been brought prominently to the front by President Roosevelt's proposal to take the duty of? wood pulp in return for free pulpvaxid from Canada. I believe this proposal might justly he made more favorable to Canada by lowering the duties on paper, as the freight on wood pulp is always a serious factor in its shipment.

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That an atrangenieut in this direction is more desirable than an export duty on pulpwood 1 strongly beheve, luving advocated at «iur Ottawa Conven- tion in Janu'.ry, iyo6, a policy of reciprocity as opposed to one of reprisal and I liavf no dunbt thai Canada will get a fair (jiiid pro quo for her supply of pulpwcxid. The progress niaile by Canada in tin- last six or seven yeais in the pulp and paper trades has been in a greater ratio than that made by the L'nited States, in connection with this export duty, 1 may mention that the last report of the American Forest Service states tliat the average estimate of length of supply of pulpwood given by 164 mills was 21 years and Mr. Giflford I'inchot last year estimated that the timber sujjply of the United States would last, at present rate of tutting, from twenty to twenty-live vears.

If we had careful estimates made in Canada by our Forest r\- Department and information given by the provinces as is giveii in the official publication "I-'orest I'roducts of the L'nited States", we would ijet at an approximate estim- ate of our production and supply.

The Directors of the Association have decided that it is not expedient that any resolution shall be accepted on this subject at this meeting lest it might have a political complexion and as the subject is one on which strong differences of opinion exi>t. It is very probable that the report of the Royal Commission will be acceptable to the country as a solution of juestion.

It is very encouraging to see the principles the Forestr .ssocialions advocate being generally put in practice throu;jhout this contine... and I note that, in his last message to Congress. President R.Kisevelt, who is a strong friend of Forestry, recommended the establishment of Appalachian and White Mountain reserves. This .|ucsiioii of reserves is i),,\v gcnernllv reco-nized by all the provinces of the Dominioin and they are annuallv increasing such areas gradually.

The Government of the province of New Brunswick held a very success- ful Forestry meeting at Frcdericton in Februarv of last vear. a full report of which they have issued and it was generally admitted that it had the l)eneficial effect of spreading much information and creating many friends for the prin- ciples we advocate.

The good effects of the meeting of this Association in British Columbia, at Vanco'.n-er in September. IQ06. have been apparent in the increased pre- cautions taken against fire which that province was much in need of and the live interest now taken in the subject of forestry generally in British Columbia.

I feel that it is not out of place on my part to suggest that the Federal rnd Provincial Governments pnx-ure and publish accurate reixirts on the water powers and also the water storage facilities of this country.

The storage question will at no distant date be one of vrtal importance to Canada ns it has now become in the United States and was brought pro- minently before this Association by Mr. Cecil B. Smith in his address .it the Ottawa Convention in i()Ou, wlsich issued a nr.tc of warning;. csiR-cially as elec- tric roads run by water power can supplant steam and so prevent fires.

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Storage means tnuch tu forest, aniitial and fish life anJ, to quote an ex- prcssiun, " And it is amiinu because it will pay. "

This Atisociatiun in now eight ymirs uld and our niemltership stands at :ilH)ut 1,^00, but I tnist that before tlrs meeting; tcnninales nvu^y new names V. HI Ik: ackkd. I would ask every meinl)er lo aid the work of the Association by handing in the name of a new n)cniber within a short tnne i>f this appeal reaching him and re(|uest tliem ti» aid the wok of our ijiiar.crly journal by contributions of interest on forestry ;uid kindred questions, for our object is to make tliis journal one of general interest and not purefy acailemical.

This Association is greatly indebtcil to the Dominion Governmenit as well as the I'mvinclia dovernments of (Juelwc, Ont.'rio and ISrilish Columbia f(jr the grants made by tlu-ni tir- ards aiding; the work of the Association.

I have no doubt that Mr. Campbell will give us useful information on the great work being done in the North West Territorie<j by the Federal Gov- ernment in the way of tree planting.

The Federal and Provincial Governments an<l all the Legiskitive bodies of the Dominion are united on the preservation of the forests an<l the neces- stt\- for preserving the sources of our water powers and the ground is, there- lore, ready for the seed that this Ass(X'iation is endeavoring to sow.

.\s regards some definite national policy to be advfKate<l by this Associa- tion, I think that outlined by Sir Wilfrid l.anrier. in his address at the Ot- tawa Convention, in January two years since, is the most definite and prac- tical. It was that all the hills, monnt.'iins and plateaux which arc the sources of flowing' -streams and rivers should never be allowed for any consideration wintever ti> ninain anything else than forest; that these portions of the eartli'- surface shuiili! form ])art of the national dotnain and belong to the State, whicl; iiuhi'lc^ I'edcral and Provincial Goverinnents and that where such IHntiiiiis of these wiiei-Iicds have been alienated and transferred to private ownershi]!, the ])oliov shoiilil be to repurchase llieni for the national di>main.

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