The Portland daily press., 1871-11-16
The Canadian F0rests-A Protest A gal 81


The Montreal Gazette has timely article on
the destruction OF the forests on those lands
that are comparatively worthless for any other
purpose than for timber. The subject is one OF
as great importance to Maine as to any coun-
try, since her forests have been and must still
continue to be great source of wealth to say
nothing of the disastrous effects upon the eli
mate of sweeping away the timber from large
traces of land:
The destructive fires that have swept over
many parts OF this Continent during the last
two years, running thousands in their progress,
have also caused incalculAble loss in the for
ests which is not 80 evident to the general pub
lic aud less notice is taken OF it than the sub
.jecb deserves. Tho last two seasons have boon
prolific Of much destruction, and every year,
more or less large areas are burned, so that the
fire and the lumberman will soon clear away
the whole. Looking at home, and beginning
with the Province OF Quebec, drawing nearly
its entire revenue from the forests, their rapid
destruction bodies little good for our prosperity,
as not only the income of the government is
derived from that source but the living and
occupation OF large majority of our people.
Much of our land north of the Ottawa cam
not be cultivated, and must remain o wilder
ness. Already there is very large area in this
condition, no growth of any sort of useful tim
Der being on any part Of it, fire having swept it
surface is covered. Many districts, also, that
have not been burned are entirely denuded of
all timber that baars any commercial value,
and every year this area increases, the demand
for timber being SO great that where the access
Is at all easy, every green tree is turned to
some economic purpose. Those who know the
statistics OF our square and sawed lumber bust
ness can appreciate its Importance to the coun-
try, and they can also see that the present and
yearly increasing operations must ultimately
clear off the eptira M " ha n
or remote, but it will come.
Many think that our forests are practically
inc xhaustible, but these know little Of the cir
cumstances. 1t is well known to all whose
| calling takes them to the woods, that there is
no supply coming on at all adequate to the de-
| mand, there being ia many places no growth
| Of young trees at ALL and where they do grow
the quantity is very limited. The principal
growth is poplar, with here and there only a
few pines; but they grow luxuriantly, and in
dictate what might be il the entire area could
| be seeded with pine instead OF poplar. The
seed of the poplar is very light and downy, and
is carried in large quantities for many miles
over the country, while the seed OF the pine is
| comparatively heavy, and does not scatter far
| from its parent tree. There is, therefore, no
| probability of much spontaneous planting, and
| any part denuded of the pine will naturally re-
main 80. This is exemplfied in many parts
where the growth is entirely poplar and had at
| one time been pine and burned down, the evil.
| dsnce Of which is seen in blackened stumps
still standing aud charred trees still lying
along the ground. Nearly the whole country
beyond AZ IL degrees of latitude has been de-
stroyed in this way and very little pine is
to be found in Canada anywhere beyond that
| line. f7tH
! Our men in authority should at once en-
deavor to find cut the best plan for renewing
our forests, and should they do so, there will be
10 difficulty that cannot be easily met. Rep
reservations, We believe. of this matter, have
been made to the present Commissioners OIL
Crown Lands for Quebec, and it was hoped
that something would he done; but it evident
| ~ takes long time for a new idea to de.
velop in official headquarters. 1t would
cost very little to plant ono million trees year
| ~ to begin with, and the success attending
such an experiment. would soon convince the
public that the outlay would return a mine o
| wealth in the shape of timber, besides keeping
it up and improving the value of all the cult
waited lands within the range of our forests
| Such an example would stimulate all owners
| OF waste. lands to plant every available nook
and corner; and they would soon find that the
value of what is now worthless would equal, il
| not exceed, that of average cultivated fields
| Timber is yearly increasing in demand and
value, and will continue to do so, the more es-
pecially as this country has to supply the
| world with variety that grows nowhere else.
Delay in this matter will be dangerous. Ac-
| ton taken at once may prevent total extinct
| ton of the lumber trade and the new growth
may be fit for use before the present is ex
hausted. There is ample evidence of the rich
ness of our back country i'll minerals OF many
kinds; and many say we will fall back on then
when the lumber is exhausted. That may be
so; but it certainly would be better to conserve
our forests when it can be done SO easily and
| so cheaply, and still have the minerals to
| tempt additional industry If nothing is done
and the present and increasing destruction Of
forest goes Cd, the end will be comparatively
| barren wilderness. Our cultivated and rich
valleys will be parched in the heat of summer
and frozen in winter Rainfall will diminish
aud our rivers dry up; and the country which
| to day offers great attractions to the indus
! trial settler from foreign countries, will be-
come scarcely tolerable to its resident inhab-
| itants.