Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-04-30
r. H. Sudworth in the American In
NRnfnr

The composition and present CCnii-
ton of the timber areas 81 Cana Ia
are not generally understood Is tie
people of the United States. They
are too much inclined to llCh unon
them as one unbroken forest rather
than as separate aud distinct areas.
and they enormously associate wi Il
these different areas the best timbers
known to have their habitat III this
northern country. 4 general idea q
the composition of the Dominion
forests may be formed by ignoring
the minor belts OF timber and tbs
isolated forest reserves, and dividing
the main forest lands into three great
belts or divisions.
This, of course, neCessitateS leav-
ing cut of the report the forests ol
the maritime provinces, which are
extensive and valuable, GOVERNS
about one-tenth of the area of those
of Ontario and Quebec; hut the
forests of New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia may be compared in a general
way to those of Maine. BY the
division suggested we have three
great timber belts in the Dominion
the northern or spruce belt, the
southern or commercial belt-both
east of the Rocky mountains and
the British Columbia belt. west of
the Rocky mountains. In point of
value, for general purposes the
western or British Columbia belt Is
far superior to either of the eastern
areas mentioned, for the reason that
the climate, tempered as it is by the
warm waters of the Pacific ocean,
promotes a more perfect growth and
development of the different species.
Here is found not only the valuable
red fir or oregon pine, generally dis,
tributed throughout the entire
province along the coast and on the
mountains, but also the red cedar
the western spruce, the yellow cedar
the hemlock, the balsam fir the
western white pine, the western yell
low pine, the maple. and the western
oak in such quantities as to make
this, perhaps, the most valuable
timber belt on the North American
continent. This belt extends from
the 10th parallel north to the Goth
parallel, distance of some no miles,
and is from 200 TO 300 miles wide.
The best timber does not extend to
the extreme north. That portion is
covered with black and white spruce,
and constitutes a very extensive pulp
wood range.
DR. Dawson, in describing the red
fir, or Oregon pine, says: The best
grown specimens are found near the
coast in proximity to the waters Of
the many bays and inlets which in
dent it. Here the tree frequently sur
passes eight feet in diameter, at con-
siderable height above the ground,
and reaches a height of from 70 to
800 feet, forming prodigious and lark
forests. The timber is used for
lousebuilding, shipbuilding, wharyes
piles. masts. furniture fencing, etc"
Next in importance to the oregon
pine is the red cedar. j. II. Audor
son, deputy minister of agriculture
for the province says The tree Is
very generally distributed in Van
couver island and on the coast On
the mainland to the westward of the
coast range, Scarce in the dry
central plateau, it again occurs in
considerable quantities in the SelliirK
and gold ranges Of the mountains
As in the case of the Douglas, or red
fir, and finest specimens are to be
obtained in proximity to the sea
coast Here. the tree attains an i'm
mense size, an idea of which may be
formed from the fact that some of
the natives CanOes-which are al.
hewn out of the trunks-are six feet
and more from the level of the gun,
vale to the bottom Although secona
in importance. as regards its econ.
omiC value. it is a more valuable
wood than the Oregon pine beins
used principally for interior finishing,
cabinetmaking. doors, shingles and
posts" But this region by reason of
its great distance from the markets
in the east and the lack Of cheap
transportation, will remain com.
paratively in its primeval state until
the eastern forests, which are more
accessible are nearly exhausted CT
until better transport facilities are
afforded.
The northern belt is, perhaps,
greater in extent than all the other
timber belts and reserves of Canada
combined According to the Lest
authority. it extends from the eastern
coast of Labrador north Of the 50th
parallel in a northwesterly direction
to Alaska a distance of some 5000
miles, with an average width of per.
haps 500 miles. This vast strip OF
timber land. if placed upon the ter,
ritory of the United States, would
extend from Maine to California ana
from the southern shore of Lake Erie
to the northern boundary line OF
Georgia. It is known as the spruce
forest of the Dominion, the great
bulk OF the timber being of that
species-black and white; the other
important trees being larch and
poplar Although this region has
been nut partiallv explored II Is