PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA BEPORT OF THE FOEEST BEANCH of the DEPARTMENT OF LANDS HON. T. D. PATTULLO, Minister P. Z. Cavekhill, Chief Forester FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST 1922 PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OP THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. VICTORIA, B.C.: Printed by William H. Cullin, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty. 1923. ■ I . Victoria, B.C., March 27th, 1923. To His Honour Walter Cameron Nichol, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of British Columbia. May it please Your Honour: Herewith I beg respectfully to submit the Annual Report of the Forest Branch of the Department of Lands for the year 1922. T. D. PATTULLO, Minister of Lands. The Hon. T. D. Pattullo, Minister of Lands, Victoria, B.C. Sir,—There are submitted herewith statistical tables with a brief comment thereon, covering the main activities of the Branch during the calendar year 1922. P. Z. CAVEKHILL, Chief Forester. f The future ot the industry depends on stands like this. REPORT OF THE FOREST BRANCH, DEPARTMENT OF LANDS. The fire season, with its outstanding hazards, risk, losses, and efforts at control, is the most notable occurrence of the year. The whole Pacific Coast region was visited by the driest and most hazardous season on record. We have had bad seasons before; 1914, 1919, and 1920 all stand out as above normal in risk and loss, but in these seasons the area of high hazard was more or less circumscribed as shown by the fire statistics. The year just passed produced a crop of fires 25 per cent, greater than our previous record and ISO per cent, over the average of the past ten years. Fire occurrence in previous outstanding years was:— Year. Southern Interior. Coast, Northern Interior. 1914 Per Cent. 56 45 45 38 Per Cent. 14 49 39 34 Per Cent. 30 6 1920 16 1922 28 Cost of fire-fighting is similarly divided :- Year. 1914 1919 1920. 1922. Southern Interior. 76 65 Per Cent. 14 23 Northern Interior. 7 1 2 28 These figures disclose the general distribution of the hazard and wider area covered as compared with previous years. The expenditure and losses are also greatly increased, as might be expected, but it is a matter for congratulation that increase in expenditure over 1921 is less than in adjoining regions, whereas our records of losses compare very favourably indeed. The more specific details on the season will be found in the forest-protection section of this report. The lessons of the year are:— In forest fires it is the unexpected that happens. It is necessary to always be prepared. We will not have conquered the fire situation until forest-protection is a national slogan. Every citizen has an individual responsibility in this question. This responsibility is now laid down in the " Forest Act." That given weather conditions favourable to the spread of fire it is almost impossible for human agencies to control a fire once well started. Every effort should be made for prevention. That the seriousness of the forest-fire situation is justification for the most drastic action for control. PERSONNEL. No work undertaken by the Forest Branch is of greater importance to the safeguarding and building-up of our forest properties than that of building up the personnel of the organization. The vast distances in the Province, the great mountains, barriers to direct and rapid communication, and the need of extreme economy in all Government enterprises means that much of the work must be done apart and alone by the Ranger or Supervisor. The men must have the integrity, the knowledge not only of wood technique, but Government policy, to be able to act as responsible agents of the Government in any emergency that may crop up in relation to forest matters. The duties imposed on a forest officer are many and varied. He must consider the forest, not as a mine to be worked, but as a field to be harvested, tilled, and replanted. Often without L 6 Department of Lands. 1923 time to consult a superior he must in cases of forest Are organize large crews; he must appraise stunrpage values of a tract of Crown timber at the request of logging companies, settle a grazing dispute, examine and report on a pre-emption, or prevent a trespass. Much depends on his own loyalty and integrity, as the work cannot he closely checked without doing it all over. The only means to efficient administration is to build up an organization which can carry the responsibility with credit to themselves and the country. The Branch is attempting this work by a careful selection on a competitive basis of personuel, and subsequent training through conferences of Rangers and District Foresters, where policy is explained, common problems discussed, and solutions arrived at; by correspondence and reading courses on forestry subjects for fieldmen; by requiring field officers to plan their work in advance; by organizing the headquarters staff as a mobile force for field inspection and support for field officers; by personal contact of superior and subordinate officers on the ground to carry policy into the field and at the same time, from observation of field conditions, to so mould our policy that the best is obtained. Results so far have been marked and the work cannot help but gather momentum as it goes along. The staff now consists of 218 on the permanent rolls. This is increased during the fire season by approximately 200 temporary Assistant Hangers and patrolmen. The direct organization for the year is given below. Distribution of Total Force, British Columbia Forest Branch. Permanent. Temporary. ■0 § T3 a a T3 "3 O CB OS "2 rt oi fc- g S t- rt Forest District. O o e o to 1 oi fc- GO DO a "55 to to fc- o cu 5 rt u o o o a hi) c rt as rt s ST f- O B rt fi OJ 5 T3 a ca i 3 rt B °„6 3 o g o If a o fc- s cu rt t- p P O o $ .2 B > si fc- jj < q rt GO fc- CU S3 O to 6? 9- a £■ a — +j o "3 as II CO CJ B OJ 11 D ri ft +? fc- O P. Jj E of B -3 | S ii a o A p. 03 "5 * m 1 OJ Jj 11 C rt 3 E O oj O o< *4< Q 1 1 1 'fi< 03 < M X< 9 CG^ M 3 5 3 1 Ed OS l i 9 B e i fi 4 14 ltf 3« J CM ...„ H 15 i 1 34 ?fi 1 l 1 2 6 5 6 i 3 2 8 9 8 3 13 9 9 6 i 34 Prince George 1 » 2 40 1 27 30 3 1 6 15 5 19 4 51 i "7 10 1 1 24 2 3t5 79 4 5 24 5 65 20 9 90 16 22 T 19 28 145 1 5 "3 3 23 3 6 2 2 3 3 1 1 2 2 1 1 9 83 Totals 428 In addition to this organization, the Branch, through co-operation with the public, enrolled honorary Fire Wardens, who in case of need pledged themselves to take that initial action to control any forest fire. The work done and the spirit in which these men undertook their responsibility for the public good is greatly appreciated by the Branch, and I have great pleasure in bringing to the attention of the public that in a number of cases the action taken by the honorary Fire Wardens has stopped what might have developed into a dangerous conflagration. CONDITIONS OF THE INDUSTRY. The industry during the year has given fresh indications of strength and has more than fulfilled the predictions of a year ago. Being largely deprived of its former local markets, it has again demonstrated the ability to go out and secure a larger percentage of the world's timber trade. The off-shore business increased 45 per cent, over 1921 and is now over six times the volume of 1917. Much of the increase went directly to the United States markets, especially California and Atlantic seaboard, in direct competition with material secured nearer home. As predicted a year ago, the period of deflation had been passed and the year has shown a steady increase in volume of business. The cut, 1,899,000,000 board-feet, is only second to the boom-year of 1920. Prices on an average were somewhat lower than in 1921, but this has been 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 7 offset somewhat by the cleaning-up and reduction of lower grades held in yards from previous years' business. Yard stocks have also been reduced, especially in mountain districts. The year 1923 would appear to offer more promise than ever before. The demand remains strong, price is strengthening, and money is more readily available for development. The grain-crop, while not removing all the difficulties of the Prairie farmer, 1ms materially helped the situation, and with the promise of a good harvest for 1923 the Prairie market should recover later in the year. The manufacturer, if he has not made a profit, has been able to readjust his operation, so that he is now running without loss and is able to meet competition in the markets of the world. it might be well at this point to sound a warning. It should be remembered that this trade will not stand any great inflation in prices. In the foreign markets now open British Columbia lumber will come into keen competition with substitutes and lumber from other regions and be replaced by them, or the cost of building will be pushed so high that average incomes will not be able to pay a rent sufficient to yield returns on the investment. Either will immediately kill the business, and we must needs go through another 1920 and a long slow building-up process to regain the lost ground. What our lumber trade now needs is tranquility and steady growth— not booms and periods of depression. Estimated Value op Production. Product. Lumber . Pulp and paper Shingles Boxes Piles, poles, and mine-props Cordwood, fence-posts, and mine-ties Ties, railway Additional value contributed by the wood-using industry. Laths and other miscellaneous products Logs exported Totals 1919. $31,000,000 12,554,257 12,801,564 2,142,000 1,532,448 5,256,520 2,091,346 1,720,000 195,594 991,365 $70,285,094 1920. $46,952,500 21,611,681 12,081,476 2,650,000 1,543,087 1,495,729 2,250,682 2,680,000 847,9-J0 615,732 $92,628,807 1921. $33,533,000 13,500,000 7,032,000 2,000,000 1,479,000 1,180,000 2,314,000 2,034,000 250,000 1,648,000 $64,970,000 1922. $26,400, 000 12,590,000 9,750,000 1,726,000 959,000 1,187,000 1,526,000 2,000,000 400,000 2,939,000 $59,477,000 WATER-BOKNE trade. The year witnessed a still further growth of our water-borne business, especially with California and the Atlantic seaboard. The total of this trade reached 273,000,000 feet, or an increase of 45 per cent. Noteworthy increases were recorded in trade with Japan—72,000,000 feet, or 40 per cent, over the previous year; Australia, 56,000,000 feet, or more than double 1921; and the United States, 83,000,000 feet, or over three times that of the previous year. This trade now equals 25 per cent, of the lumber produced, and at the present rate should soon rise to 40 per cent., which, if it can be maintained, will have a material effect on stabilizing conditions in the industry. The greatest care, however, must be exercised to retain our existing markets and not to drive these customers into other fields or to adopt substitutes. Water-borne Lumber Trade, 1919, 1920, 1921, and 1922. Destination. Australia ^ New Zealand South America China Japan United Kingdom and Continent.. South Africa India and Straits Settlements — United States Philippine and Hawaiian Islands . West Indies and Cuba South Sea Islands Mexico Egypt Totals 108,872,266 146,624,269 188,733,299 273,146,800 Feet B:M. 8,515,600 ' 1,55L574 17,183,430 4,675,730 65,381,100 5,044,672 475,088 5,259,346 785,726 Feet B.M. 32,218,155 4,159,099 5,523,102 14,911,232 5.990,266 61,217,805 7,330,531 5,619,747 4,162,845 2,996,123 1,479,950 "l.oisjiU Feet B.M. 27,275,928 4,553,603 1,317,825 41,944,011 52,447,160 13,592,562 2,931,969 8,429,403 25,553,543 1,158,805 20,668 941,422 ' 8,666,466 Feet B.M. 55,949,129 4,516,862 3,244,776 24,640,268 72,339,531 12,698,383 2,415,500 7,249,487 83,856,504 94,764 30,065 1,841,678 4,269,958 L 8 Department op Lands. 1923 WAr rER BO .A.S C OJ TOTAL RNE SHIPMENTS FROM B.C. MF>^RED WITH LOG SCALE ■ • ■ 1917 1918 ■ ■ 1919 1920 • - 1921 1922 i sos. Crows nest Fire.- A ' ** ? s® <\ ,\y ,® <o °$ d 9 ^°&S^ ■<** ,<1 *- .0^ <£ !«- 0< FOREST FIRES KOOTENAY DISTRICT History Recorded" on YELLOW PINE 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 9 PULP AND PAPER. Pulp and paper has shown a remarkable recovery, especially in demand for newsprint, the production of this paper being 14,500 tons greater than in 1921, or an increase of 13 per cent. Sulphite production was 18,000 tons, or an increase of 20 per cent. The beginning of 1923 saw not only a strong demand but increasing prices. Production figures in British Columbia for the past four years are:— Pulp and Paper. Pulp. Sulphite Sulphate Ground wood Tons. 80,347 9,473 99,769 92,299 16,380 108,665 Tons. 68,502 6,519 89,725 Tons. 86,894 9,674 100,759 All the ground wood and 35,000 tons of sulphite were manufactured into newsprint, the product being:— Newsprint. .. Other papers. 123,607 7,202 136,832 9,792 110,176 6,934 Tons. 124,639 7,945 FOREST INVESTIGATION. t Yellow Pine. Owing to the relatively high commercial importance of yellow pine (pinus ponderosa) and the rapidly diminishing supply, the Forest Branch undertook during the year a study to determine the principal characteristics shown by the species throughout its range, the rate of growth, and the effect of fire, logging, and insects on the crop prospects of the future. The species ranges from Chinook Cove on the North Thompson River to the International Boundary, and from the Cascades to the main Rocky Range, being confined more particularly to the valleys and lower slopes in what is known as the Dry Belt, where lack of moisture prevents too keen a competition with the more persistent fir, wdth which it associates. The open nature of our pineries is largely due to fire. Thirteen fires occurred in one area in 193 years (see plate). The reproduction between successive fires did not reach a sufficient size to survive the succeeding conflagrations. Since reproduction grows more rapidly and attains fire-resistance earlier on the better sites, it may establish itself there when it would not survive on the poorer. Two per cent, of the pine in merchantable stands are badly fire-scarred. This lessens the vigour and seeding capacity, decreasing the normal reproduction. In many pole stands over half the trees show fire-damage. The fertility of our pine lands varies with the moisture content, which largely depends on the water-holding capacity of the soil. When the duff is removed by fire and the winds sweep through the open stands there is excess evaporation, resulting in less favourable conditions for germination and growth. Pine is not a frequent seeder. The seeds germinate in the fall, resulting in a large mortality from winter-killing. The combination of a good seed year, a favourable seed-bed and conditions for germination, and sufficient time between successive fires to attain resistance is necessary for successful establishment of a new crop. In tne past these conditions have only occurred at long intervals. It is desirable in the Dry Belt to perpetuate pine rather than its main associate, Douglas fir. The latter species when associated with pine, on sites adapted to the pine, is subject to shake and the product is wholly inferior to the more valuable pine. On the moister sites and on the margins of the pine-belt fir is encroaching. Fir.ia a more frequent seeder, disseminates its seed farther, and can endure more shade than pine. The more frequent concurrence of conditions for establishment accounts for the preponderance of fir reproduction in the virgin pine-fir type. L 10 Department of Lands. 1923 The general opinion that ground fires do little damage to our pineries is an economic misfortune. The prevention of burns is necessary for the improvement of these stands. The leaving of slash in early logging operations for yellow pine has been responsible for large areas of potential forest lands bearing no returns. The leaving of slash upset the balance of nature, in that beetles found in this half-green slash ideal conditions for breeding, multiplied more rapidly than their parasites, until at present they are depleting the stands to a greater extent than operators and fire combined. Seven per cent, of the trees on plots studied were killed by insects. Broadcast burning, on account of the small spread between operating cost and the selling-price of lumber seemed the only practical method of getting rid of slash, and in an effort to stop the infestation large areas were broadcast-burned. In most cases only defective, deformed trees remained, all young growth being killed by fire. Regeneration strips showed the following proportions of seedlings :— Areas not burned, S3 per cent, pine, 17 per cent. fir. Areas burned, 21 per cent. pine. 79 per cent. fir. Sufficient trees were left to seed the burned areas. The seedlings existing on these areas were found to be only one to ten as on areas not burned, this being mostly due to advanced reproduction on the unburned areas which had been destroyed with the burning. The increase in the value of pine and the subsequent increase in returns from our timber lands makes it now financially possible to pile and burn the slash, removing the danger from insects with least damage to young growth and soil. Yield tables give the fundamental data required for the determination of the value of forest lands, the appraisal of damages to forest property, the choice of rotations, the choice of species, and the relative profit from expenditures for all forestry operations on different sites. The following yield tables, prepared from data secured during the investigation, are based on even- aged fully stocked stands and form a basis of comparison of permanent value under the present changing conditions:— Normal Yield Table, Western Yellow Pine (pinus ponderosa). Based on 129 plots (average Y2 acre) scattered through commercial range in British Columbia. Site determined from height growth. Merchantable volume of trees over 9.5 inches D.B.H. compiled from standard volume table based on D.B.H. and total height. Site 1. Age. Average Maximum Height. Average D.B.H, No. Trees over 9.5" D.B.H. per Acre. Volume B.F. per Acre. 80 P0 92 102 109 114 119 122 125 13.3 16.0 18.6 20.9 22.4 23.3 23.8 24.0 80 68 61 56 52 49 46 44 12,500 20,750 28,600 100 120 220 38,000 40,000 41,600 Site 2. Age. Average Maximum Height. Average D.B.H. No. Trees over 9.6" D.B.H. per Acre. Volume B.F. per Acre'. 80 %i2 74 82 89 93 96 99 101 10.4 12.6 14.9 17.0 8.8 19.9 20.5 20.9 119 91 79 71 65 60 58 56 6,000 10,750 15,500 20,500 24,300 27,200 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 31,200 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 11 Site 3. Age. Average Maximum Height. Average D.B.H. No. Trees over 9.5" D.B.H. per Acre. Volume B.F. per Acre. 80 48 57 64 68 71 73 75 76 '9.7 11.3 12.9 14.1 15.3 16.1 16.6 136 101 89 80 77 75 73 100. 5,000 7,200 120 160- 9,750 12,150 14,400 16,300 17,800 180 200 220 ' To check up on the yield tables and other data gathered during the past summer, eight experimental plots, which can be re-examined at periodic intervals, were established. Certain of these plots will be cut over under different systems to determine the effect of various plans of management. The combined factors which influence growth determine the site quality. The average maximum height of a stand at any age was found to be an expression of the productive capacity of an area. There is almost cessation of height growth at maturity, so the height of mature dominant trees can also be used as an indication of site. Strips run through average stands show that our pine areas are only yielding one-quarter of their producing capacity. Just as good yellow pine exists 50 miles north of Kamldops at the limit of commercial stands as any place within the region. On an operation at Chinook Cove cutting-trees run four 16-foot logs to the thousand; one specimen measured 14 inches D.B.H. and 153 feet in height. It was a surprise to find this class of material so far north; however, the best pine is found in the valley-bottoms and moist places. The indications are that the northern limit of pine is due to its inability to compete with the more shade-enduring prolific species. Since our virgin stands consist mainly of mature timber and advance reproduction, we will be faced in the near future with large areas of young growth and very little saw material. The Vernon District contains the main reserve, one mill cutting about half of the total output for the Province. There is probably thirty-five years' supply of yellow pine of all grades, and only ten to fifteen years' supply of merchantable timber of the quality being cut at the present time. There is still considerable waste, mainly due to cutting standard-length logs and the use of sound pine for logging improvements where inferior material is available. In order that another crop may be assured from natural reproduction, the following should act as a guide in the management of our pineries:— All young growth should be guarded in logging operations. Where advanced reproduction is not of sufficient size to resist a ground fire, seed-trees should be left as an assurance of natural reproduction in case of fire. Where no reproduction exists, seed-trees should be left. Where the area is a pine-fir mixture, as many fir as practical should be removed, favouring the more valuable pine. Trees to be cut should be blazed below stump-height and branded with a distinctive mark. All slash should be piled on the stumps and tops away from young growth and burned at a time when least damage will be done to advanced reproduction. L 12 Department of Lands. 1923 T5W Ld O _J .J u > z 0 h u D Q 0 Q. U tr z CO Q Ld u r? I/) X h o cr CD i h o LI Ld < q: Ld > '< o o o o o 0 0 o o o o o 10 o 10 o in 0 cO CO OJ OJ — — o o 10 ajov -isd saejj_ jo jequun|s| io <o o ro 10 oe ro cd OS c <D < 01 raaj U| iL|§iaH 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 13 Volume Table, Western Yellow Pine (Pinus ponderosa). Basic trees scaled in 16.4-foot logs to nearest one-tenth inch and top diameter shown, in cubic feet. Compiled from taper curves. Based on data collected throughout the commercial range of yellow pine in British Columbia. Values within heavy lines based on reliable data. Check against basic trees, 0.3 per cent. Total Height (Feet). 0J tu H CQ D.B.H. 40. so. 60. 70. 80. 90 100. 110. 120. 130. 140. 150. Q Volume (Cubic Feet). o H 10 6 11 17 8 10 12 19 6 35 56 130 116 101 108 72 68 51 39 25 14 8 2 1 22 25 34 12 14 19 16 23 29 40 7.3 38 48 14 26 34 46 58 71 86 30 39 53 67 82 98 116 136 8.2 53 73 16 24 33 42 51 44 ' 60 76 92 111 130 153 176 8.5 79 101 18 66 84 102 123 144 170 196 222 110 133 160 188 221 255 289 325 367 409 452 20 50 61 74 87 102 117 93 112 135 159 187 216 245 275 9.2 143 172 202 238 276 312 349 395 441 487 22 122 .148 173 204 235 24 184 216 255 294 334 374 423 472 522 9.9 26 102 119 137 155 175 10.2 28 30 156 177 200 226 252 279 32 200 225 255 285 316 267 300 338 376 416 34 250 283 316 350 36 311 347 384 38 40 Trees- 4 16 45 173 188 145 131 72 43 113 4 832 L 14 Department of Lands. 1923 Volume Table, Western Yellow Pine (Pinus ponderosa). Basic trees scaled in 16.4-foot logs to top diameter shown. B.C. Dog Rule. Stump-height, 18 inches. Compiled from taper curves. Based on data collected throughout the commercial range of yellow pine in British Columbia. Values within heavy lines based on largest number of trees. Check against basic data, 0.35 per cent. Total Height (Feet). cn cu CD h S3 40. 50. 60. 70. 80. 90. 100. 110. 120. 130. 140. 150. 10 30 50 70 100 35 40 50 95 60 110 6 35 56 130 116 101 108 72 68 51 59 25 14 8 2 1 7.5 125 190 12 60 90 80 120 165 210 7.8 210 265 14 150 195 245 335 430 530 170 225 280 380 500 610 720 850 8.2 300 390 • 16 130 175 240 310 245 320 435 560 690 810 950 1,100 8.5 420 580 18 350 480 620 760 900 1,060 1,220 1,400 8.8 630 810 1,000 1,180 1,370 1,590 1,830 2,090 2,360 2,630 2,910 20 290 370 460 540 640 750 530 6F80 840 1,000 1,160 1,340 1,540 1,770 9.2 870 1,070 1,270 1,480 1,710 1,970 2,250 2,540 2,930 3,130 22 750 920 1,090 1,260 1,470 9.5 24 1,170 1,360 1,580 1,880 2,110 2,410 2,710 3,030 3,350 9.9 26 630 740 860 990 1,120 10.2 28 10.6 30 980 1,130 1,290 1,450 1,630 11.0 32 1,270 1,450 1,630 1,830 2,030 1,690 1,930 2,180 2,430 2,690 11.3 34 1,610 1,820 2,030 2,250 11.6 36 2,000 2,230 2,470 2.710 12.0 38 12.3 40 12.6 42 4 16 45 173 188 145 131 72 43 13 4 832 Bower Coast. The forest-investigation programme on the Lower Coast consisted of the establishment of a number of permanent and temporary sample plots on cut-over lands in the district for the purpose of studying:— (1.) The rate of growth of the different species on representative sites at various ages for individual trees and for stands. (2.) Natural regeneration on logged-over lands. (3.) Stem analysis for height, diameter, and volume tables. (4.) Seed dissemination from fir seed-trees. (5.) Hemlock utilization. Nineteen permanent plots were located, surveyed, and all young growth recorded and tagged with metal tags during 1921 and 1922. A wide range of age classes was selected, running from 1 to 100 years, of the principal species—fir, cedar, and hemlock. The plots varied in area from one-tenth to one acre, according to the objects for which they were established. Permanent scribed posts were placed at the four corners of each plot, the lines blazed between, and the plot tied into the nearest surveyed lot. Each tree 4 inches diameter and over on the plot was accurately measured to the nearest tenth of an inch and a numbered metal tag affixed to the trees at the point of measurement. In addition to these measurements, the species, height, crown class, and any peculiarities were recorded for each tree opposite the number corresponding to that on the metal tag. A number of reproduction plots of one square rod in area were located within the sample plots and each corner was marked by a post. Accurate count of all seedlings and saplings under 4 inches in diameter was made on these sub-plots and recorded according to species and height. " / \ ■ ■'■ ■■■■-. -, " ■ t '"':- -";■* •■' - The flre-Iiuo. A lire has cleaned out reproduction to centre of picture. Good reproduction under seed-trees. 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 15 A careful sylvicultural description of the area on which the plot is established was made and the history of the stand described as fully as possible. These plots will be measured periodically, probably every five years, and actual increment worked out for ten-year periods, together with the rate of height growth, diameter growth, and rate of mortality from suppression of the various species in pure and mixed stands. It is intended to extend and develop a systematic chain of these permanent sample plots, covering the main species on various classes of absolute forest lands throughout the Province. Natural Regeneration after Logging.—A number of permanent plots were also established for the study of regeneration conditions resulting after the cutting of the original stand. Permanent plots are located on: (1) Areas cut over and followed by spring or fall burning; (2) areas cut over and not burned; (3) areas burned immediately after logging operation; (4) areas burned over some time after reproduction had commenced following logging; (5) areas in virgin stands where openings have been made due to the large blow-down of January, 1921. In conjunction with this intensive study on specially selected plots, instructions were sent out in 1922 for a reconnaissance by ranger districts on an intensive scale of all areas of reproduction in the district. Maps of the district on the scale of 2 inches to the mile were supplied each Ranger and a legend drawn up for uniform notation of reproduction. All logged areas were grouped and denoted by distinctive hatching as:— (a.) Logged, unburned: (1) No reproduction; (2) scattered reproduction; (3) good reproduction. (b.) Logged, burned: (1) No reproduction; (2) scattered reproduction; (3) good reproduction. Species, age, and size of reproduction were noted. A study of conditions on permanent sample plots applied to these areas of reproduction will supply information of considerable accuracy as to the amount and age of second growth and the annual increment on logged-off lands in this district. This will enable calculations affecting rate of cutting and rate of replacement to be made. Stem Analysis.—A number of temporary sample plots were laid out for the purpose of securing material for stem analysis. Growth figures indicating a financial rotation of seventy years on certain sites yielding from 60 to 70 M. feet B.M. per acre were worked out in one instance for use as a rough guide for future expectation, The following tables show the increase in growth in height, D.B.H. (diameter at breast- height), and volume in ten-year periods for the average tree of the three most common Coast species on a quality 2 site at Wellbore Channel. This area is situated near sea-level and has a gentle slope with a south-eastern exposure. The type is mixed hemlock, fir, and cedar in the following proportions : Hemlock, 49 per cent.; fir, 35 per cent.; and cedar, 18 per cent. While the data from which these tables were compiled are based on too scanty a number of tree- measurements to be applicable to the whole southern coastal region, nevertheless the tables may be taken as giving a fair indication of growth for these species on a quality 2 site similarly situated. Fir (based on 129 Trees). Age in Years. Height in Feet. Diameter B.H. in Inches. Volume in Cubic Feet. 10 12.0 28.0 45.6 ' 63.0 80 0 92.0 102.0 110.0 117.0 124.0 0.8 8.3 4.2 6.2 8.4 10.1 11.6 12.9 14.1 15.4 20 0.8 30 2.0 40 5.0 60 11.1 17.0 70 24.0 90.. 32.0 41.0 100. . 52.0 ■ L 16 Department of Lands. 1923 Cedar (based on 71 Trees). 10. 20.. 30.. 40.. 50.. 60.. 70.. 80.. 90.. 100.. 110.. Age in Years. Height in Feet. 5 13 23 33 37 41 47 53 59 63 67 Diameter B.H. in Inches. 0.4 1.2 •2.3 3.7 4.4 5.0 6.1 7.3 9.0 10.5 13.0 Volume in Cubic Feet. 0.90 1.60 2.80 3.60 4.20 6.50 9.75 14.20 18.50 28.20 Hemlock (based on 190 Trees). Age in Years. Height in Feet. Diameter B.H. in Inches. Volume in Cubic Feet. 10 : 8.2 20.0 32.0 46.0 61.0 71.0 79.0 86.0 90.0 95.0 99.0 103.0 0.5 1.3 2.5 4.1 6.1 7.5 8.8 10.0 10.7 11.5 12.3 13.0 20 30 40 2.70 50 60 9 40 70 19.30 90 100. : 110 ; 120 Seed Dissemination.—Two permanent plots were laid out during 1922 for the study of seed dissemination. Areas were selected where it was considered that the soil had been so heavily burned that all seed in the litter was destroyed. On these areas Douglas fir seed-trees had been left standing and the reproduction resulting must come from the seed-trees. It was found that the maximum radius of seed dissemination from a fir-tree 175 feet high was 325 feet against the prevailing wind, 525 feet with the wind, and 400 feet to right and left. This covered an oval area of about 13 acres on practically level land. The percentage of seed on each of six consecutive zones was as follows:— Mean radius in direction of wind: (Feet) 71; 142; 213; 284; 355; 426. Percentage of total seed disseminated: 29.3; 23.2; 19.5; 2.2; 9.7; 6.1. The effective radius of seeding was 300 feet; beyond this distance the seedlings were too sparse to ensure a fully stocked stand. Utilization.—Investigations were conducted during 1922 into the utilization of hemlock on the Lower Coast. Results appeared to indicate that from 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 feet of this species suitable for pulp and lumber, in addition to small trees of other species, were being wasted annually in this district. Modern methods of logging break down and destroy all standing trees not taken out. The prevailing price for hemlock has not made close utilization of this species attractive; consequently only the choicest in size and quality ever reached the market. As this species is found in mixture in practically all stands being operated to-day, and as the percentage admixture is increasing as the centre of logging moves north, the waste in hemlock, which should be utilized in our pulp, box, and lumber mills, will increase from year to year unless active steps are taken to bring about a closer utilization. One of the operations studied gave the following figures for material wasted in logging and left in the woods:— Material Quantity wasted per Acre. Hemlock, 12 to 20 inches D.B.H 2,000 F.B.M. Hemlock piling 400 lineal feet. Fir piling 600 Cedar poles 400 „ Mine-timbers 400 „ 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 17 The value of these products now left on the ground in this district would probably total upwards of $5,000,000 per year if harvested and a satisfactory market found for the product. Tn addition to this loss an additional fire hazard is created on logged-over lands owing to the existence of this material, which makes control of operation fires expensive and difficult and adds to the general cost of operations. VOLUME TABLES. During the year the following volume tables were compiled from the general data available in the Department, and for the time being can be taken as the most accurate tables available within the range of the species. As general tables these will now supersede those previously published. In the table for Sitka spruce the diameter of trees over 50 inches was taken at top of root swelling to avoid the excessive taper found in large trees of this species. South Coast Volume Table, Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga taxifolia). Based on measurements of mature trees felled during logging operations on Lower Coast and Vancouver Island. Stump-height, 2.5 to 6 feet according to diameter; 32-foot logs and B.C. Rule. Compiled by frustum form factor method. Check against basic trees, 0.3 per cent. Not applicable to young stands. Number of 32-foot Logs. TopD.I.B. 1. H- 2. 2J. 3. 31, 4. 41. 5. 51. 6. Basis. 16 75 80 85 130 150 165 195 190 225 265 305 340 385 435 495 555 245 296 355 415 480 545 625 705 795 885 970 1,065 1,170 8.5 8.8 9.2 9.6 9.9 10.2 10.6 11.0 11.3 - 11.6 12.0 12.3 12.6 12.8 13.1 13.4 13.6 13.8 14.1 14.3 14.5 14.7 15.0 15.2 15.4 15.6 16.0 18 375 460 530 620 71(1 810 915 1,030 1,145 1,270 1,400 1,540 1,690 1,820 1,930 20 ... 545 650 765 875 1,000 1,130 1,270 1,415 1,570 1,730 1,910 2,090 2,250 2,420 2,660 2,860 3,070 3,310 640 770 905 1,040 1,190 1,345 1,510 1,690 1,880 2,070 2,270 2,480 2,680 2,910 3,170 3,410 3,680 3,940 4,200 4.520 4,800 5,080 5,410 22 ... 24 26 47 28 1,380 1,560 1,750 1,960 2,180 2,400 2,630 2,890 3,150 3,400 3,680 3,970 4,280 4,580 4,900 5,250 5,580 5,930 6,290 6,650 36 30 21 32 1,190 2,230 2,480 2,730 3,000 3,270 3,580 3,900 4,200 4,540 4,870 5,220 5,590 5,970 6,370 6,780 7,180 7,590 7,820 53 34 57 36 17 38 40 • 42 3,650 4,030 4,390 4,720 5,090 5,470 5,860 6,300 6,700 7,150 7,600 8,070 8,540 8,980 4,030 4,480 4,890 5,230 5,720 6,060 6,490 7,020 7,430 7,940 8,450 8,960 9,490 10,040 67 44 44 46 42 48 61 50 . 52 34 21 54 37 56 16 58 19 60 18 62 64 4 66 3 68 1 17 Basis. 1 50 87 107 159 145 93 62 20 Total 730 L 18 Department of Lands. 1923 North Coast Volume Table, Sitka Spruce (Picea sitciiensis). Based on measurements of windfalls, and trees felled during logging operations on North Coast and Queen Charlotte Islands. Stump-height, 2.5 feet up to 50 inches, D.B.H. Above 50 inches D.B.H. stump-heights range to 10 feet on account of butt swelling and diameter taken at stump-height. 32-foot logs and B.C. Rule. Compiled by frustum form factor method. Check against basic trees, 0.4 per cent. D.B.H. Number of 32-foot Logs. 1. li 2. 21- 3. 31. 4. 41. 5. 5J. 6. 10 55 no 7.5 12 65 125 1S5 7.8 4 14 75 140 220 8.6 4 16 90 175 255 345 9.1 11 18 100 210 315 420 53 5 9.6 18 20 115 250 375 520 65 J 76 ) 10.2 14 22 295 455 610 77 0 92 ) 10.7 18 24 350 530 710 90 I 1,07 ) 11.3 20 26 400 605 810 1,03 I 1,24 i 1,47 ) 11.8 15 28 450 685 920 1,17 I 1,42 ) 1,70 1 12.5 22 30 770 1,050 1,33 3 1,63 ) 1,94 ) 12.9 23 32 850 1,180 1,51 D 1,84 1 2,18 1 13.4 32 34 930 1,310 1,69 ) 2,07 i 2,45 ) 2,99 ) 14.0 33 36 1,470 1,87 I 2,32 ) 2,72 i 3,15 ) 14.4 22 38 1,640 2,11 ) 2,58 ) 3,02 1 3,50( ) 15.0 25 40 1,810 2,32 ) 2,84 i 3,34( 3,86 ) 15.6 14 42 1,990 2,55 ) 3,111 ) 3,68 ) 4,24( ) 4,800 16.2 24 44 2,77 1 3,39' 4,01 4,63 ) 5,240 16.7 12 46 2,98 i 3,68' 4,36' 6,051 ) 5,720 17.3 9 48 3,23 ) 3,971 4,71( 5,37 ) 6,200 17.8 17 50 3,47 ) 4,28 5,09 5,90( ' 6,710 18.3 11 52 3,73 ) 4,62 5,51 ) 6,36( ) 7,240 8,130 18.9 10 54 4,03 l 4,9S 5,92 6,87( ) 7,810 8,750 19.4 10 56 4,32 1 6,33i 6,34( 7,36( 8,370 9,390 20.0 11 58 5,761 6,751 7,93( 8,960 10,040 20.0 2 60 6,11 7,22 8,43< 9,540 10,740 11,83( 20.0 3 62 7,66( 8,97( 1 10,130 11,400 12,62( 20.0 1 64 8,111 9,49i 10,740 12,150 13,401 20.0 2 66 8,671 10.15C 11,480 12,970 14,361 20.0 4 68 10,75( 12,150 13,740 16,241 20.0 1 70 11,88 13,000 14,610 16,17( 20.0 2 72 12,111 13,760 15,390 17,10( 20.0 2 74 12,821 14,570 16,470 18,261 20.0 1 76 13,711 15,440 17,420 19,321 20.0 78 14,381 16,280 18,630 20,431 20.0 1 80 17,280 19,510 21,601 20.0 1 82 18,190 20,580 22,801 20.0 3 84 19,240 21,980 24,13( 20.0 86 20,040 22,940 25,411 20.0 1 88 21,430 24,220 26,891 20.0 90 ii I 22,370 25,500 28.38C j 20.0 1 Basis. ( 27 42 17 ) 75 25 Total 404 13 Geo. o Forest Branch. L 19 Coast Volume Table, Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). Based on measurements of felled trees and windfalls, North and South Coast and Vancouver Island. Stump-height, 2.5 to 4 feet; 32-foot logs and B.C. rule. Compiled by frustum form factor method. Check against basic trees, 0.2 per cent. D.B.H. io 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 62 54 56 58 60 Basis. Number of 32-foot Logs. 1. li 2. 21. 3. SJ. 4. a. 5. 65 no 70 130 'ii ) '.'.'. 75 155 231 ... 80 ISO 28( ) 37( ) 470 90 205 32. 44( 555 230 371 421 ) 51( ) 581 ) 645 ) 740 '780 910 '920 1,080 46 ) 65< ) 840 1,040 1,230 51( ) 72( 1 940 1,160 1,380 66 ) 81( ) 1,050 1,300 1,540 62 ) 89 ) 1,150 1,420 1,690 1,960 68 ) 97( ) 1,260 1,560 1,850 2,140 1,06( ) 1,370 1,700 2,020 2,360 2,680 1,151 > 1,500 1,860 2,230 2,590 2,940 1,23( ) 1,620 2,010 2,390 2,780 3,170 1,33( ) 1,760 2,180 2,600 3,010 3,470 1,44( 1 1,890 2,360 2,800 3,280 3,710 1,65 ) 2,040 2,550 3,000 3,520 4,010 1,66 ) 2,190 2,750 2,940 3,150 3,350 3,660 3,260 3,500 3,750 4,010 4,290 4,550 4,880 3,800 4,060 4,370 4,670 4,990 5,330 5,660 4,360 4,650 4,990 5,320 5,690 6,050 8,440 8 5,160 32 6,010 3 6,850 1 8 36 ) 9 1 158 59 Top D. LB. 7.5 7.8 8.2 8.5 8.8 9.2 9.5 9.9 10.2 10.6 11.0 11.3 11.6 12.0 12.3 12.6 12.8 13.1 13.4 13.6 13.8 14.1 14.3 14.5 14.7 15.0 Total 5 16 17 39 50 49 60 51 37 40 23 25 15 23 12 7 4 480 Cubic-foot Volume Table, Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla). Based on measurements of windfalls from all types, Kitirnat Valley, 1921. Stump-height, 2.5 feet; 32-foot logs. Compiled, by frustum form factor method from taper curves. Check against basic trees, 0.4 per cent. Number of 32-foot Logs. Top D.I.B. D.B.H. 1 11. 2. 21. 3. 31. 4. ii. 5. 51. 6. Basis. 8 9 2 6 0 5. 0 5 13 18 23 30 37 44 53 61 ] Ii 2 3 4( 41 51 7( s 9< Oi 2 ! 1 30 39 50 62 74 ) 88 102 118 i 135 152 171 189 207 228 250 '47 eo 74 89 106 123 141 162 182 206 227 248 274 300 328 355 383 416 447 484 524 86 103 123 143 165 189 213 240 265 289 319 350 382 414 447 486 522 565 ell 163 188 216 243 274 303 331 365 400 436 473 510 656 596 646 698 6.0 6.0 6.3 6.6 6.9 7.2 7.5 7.8 8.1 8.4 8.7 9.0 9.3 9.6 9.9 10.2 10.6 10.8 11.1 11.4 11.7 12.0 12.3 4 10 1 12 1 9 14 5 16 5 18 ; 26 20 : 19 22 17 24 212 243 263 309 342 372 411 450 490 532 574 626 671 727 785 11 26 . ... 19 28 8 11 34 413 456 500 646 591 638 695 745 808 872 1 10 36 502 550 600 660 702 765 820 889 959 6 38 6 40 4 42 5 44 4 46 835 895 970 1,046 2 48 3 50 2 52 1 8 18 4 42 31 21 1 219 General Volume Table, Amabilis Fir (Abies amabilis). Based on measurements of windfalls, and trees felled during logging operations on North and South Coast and Vancouver Island. Stump-height, 2.5 feet; 32-foot logs and B.C. Rule. Compiled by frustum form factor method. Check against basic trees, 0.4 per cent. D.B.H. 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 Basis. Number of 32-foot Logs. Basis. 1. 11- 5 21. 3. 31. 4. 41. 5. 65 110 5 70 130 ] 90 16 75 165 g 30 31 0 15 85 185 2 80 37 5 475 24 90 210 I 30 46 0 570 31 95 240 I 80 si 0 ■ 670 810 33 260 •1 30 6( 3 770 940 34 290 i 80 68 0 870 1,080 1,280 35 b 30 76 0 990 1,220 1,450 27 ( 10 86 0 1,120 1,380 1,640 1,880 15 t 70 95 0 1,230 1,520 1,810 2,100 16 7 30 1,05 0 1,360 1,690 2,010 2,320 22 1,15 0 1,500 1,850 2,220 2,570 22 1,26 0 1,650 2,030 2,440 2,830 10 1,37 0 1,790 2,220 2,650 3,080 11 l,4f 0 1,960 2,430 2,900 3,360 3,860 5 1,62 0 2,130 2,650 3,140 3,680 4,160 5 1,75 ) 2,290 2,870 3,380 3,970 4,510 4 1,88 0 2,460 3,100 3,340 3,590 3,850 4,220 3,660 3,980 4,290 4,610 4,940 5,270 5,670 6,030 4,280 4,620 4,990 5,370 6,760 6,160 6,590 7,010 4,910 5,300 5,700 6,110 6,570 7,020 7,490 7,980 1 2 1 1 i 1 6 ! .4 54 5 S 87 49 38 9 1 336 Top D.I.B. 7.5 7.8 8.2 8.5 8.8 9.2 9.5 9.9 10.2 10.6 11.0 11.3 11.6 12.0 12.3 12.6 12.8 13.1 13.4 13.6 13.8 14.1 14.3 14.5 14.7 15.0 Volume Table, Western White Pine (Pinus monticola). Based on scaled contents of 170 felled trees, Southern Interior, to top D.I.B. shown. Logs scaled as cut by B.C. Rule. Average trimming allowance, 0.4-foot. Average stump-height, 2.5 feet. Compiled by frustum form factor method. Check against basic data, 0.5 per cent. low. Number of 16-foot Logs. Top D.I.B. D.B.H. Class. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Basis No. Trees. Volume, B.F. 10 25 30 35 60 .... 80 130 100 160 120 200 140 240 160 290 190 340 390 440 510 570 630 180 230 280 340 410 490 560 640 740 830 930 1,030 1,130 1,240 1,360 43 300 370 450 640 640 740 850 970 1,100 1,230 1,360 1,510 1,660 1,810 1,970 2,120 44 670 790 920 1,050 1,200 1,360 1,530 1,700 1,890 2,080 2,260 2,450 2,650 2,860 3,060 940 1,090 1,260 1.440 1,630 1,820 2,040 2,260 2,480 2,700 2,940 3,180 3,430 3,670 1,670 1,900 2,120 2,370 2,630 2,890 3,140 3,430 3,710 4,010 4,280 7.5 7.8 8.2 8.5 8.8 9.2 9.5 9.9 10.2 10.6 11.0 11.3 11.6 12.0 12.3 12.6 12.8 13.1 13.4 13.6 12 4, 4, 4 250 570 900 14 21 16 18 20 22 28 18 20 18 24 22 26 9 28 30 11 7 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 25 43 12 - 3 T<~—C ■-. ,'-■'. ■. 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 21 "..-..." L 22 Department of Lands. 1923 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 23 FOREST RECONNAISSANCE. Wigwam River Cruise. Early in 1922 an inquiry was received for a sale of the timber in the valley of the Wigwam River and tributaries, East Kootenay District, to form part of the supply for a proposed pulp-mill to be erected near Elko. The reconnaissance started on March 1st and finished on May 15th, having covered a total timbered area of 13,551 acres, bearing a total stand of 209,355,100 hoard- feet. Of this total stand, spruce comprised 50 per cent.; balsam, 8 per cent.; lodge-pole pine, 20 per cent.; Douglas fir, 16 per cent.; tamarack, 5 per cent.; and cedar, 1 per cent. The spruce, balsam, and lodge-pole pine will be used for pulp and the Douglas fir, tamarack, and cedar for sawlogs. The total amount of pulping species is therefore 162,200,000 board-feet, or 74 per cent, of the total. All the merchantable timber in the Wigwam Valley lies within a mile of the main river and its tributaries. The hills are steep, but with smooth, firm surface and little rock-outcrop. The Wigwam River averages a drop of 60 feet per mile, while its tributaries, rising high up in the mountains, have a much steeper fall. Snow-logging is most feasible. Several of the tributary streams will need flumes, while the Wigwam can be driven to its mouth. Lodgepole Cheek Area. The largest tributary of the Wigwam River is Lodgepole Creek. A separate cruise and report was made on the timber within its valley on the same basis as for the Wigwam. General topographic conditions were found to be similar to those in the main valley. A total stand of 112,951,200 board-feet of timber was found on a merchantable area of 3,633 acres. Spruce formed 53 per cent.; balsam, 13 per cent.; lodge-pole pine, 6 per cent.; Douglas fir, 13 per cent.; tamarack, 10 per cent.; and cedar, 5 per cent. The average stand per acre on the merchantable area was found to be 31,000 hoard-feet, with eleven or twelve logs per thousand. Upper Elk River Area. Upon the completion of the Wigwam River and Lodgepole Creek cruises, and as the result of the same inquiry, the 'reconnaissance party moved on to the Elk River above Natal, where several large bodies of Crown timber were cruised. A total area of 14,479 acres was covered, containing a total stand of 291,404,672 board-feet, of which spruce comprises 73 per cent.; balsam, 10 per cent.; lodge-pole pine, 15 per cent.; and Douglas fir, 2 per cent. Total pulp species is thus 98 per cent, of the stand, or 285,073,572 board-feet. The areas included in this cruise are vacant Crown lands lying outside the alienated lands, the latter taking in by far the greater part of the valley. The work was completed on August 30th. The Elk River Valley and its tributary valleys vary in width from % to 3 miles, with practically all the timber cruised lying within IV2 miles of its tributaries. The mountains rise steeply, as a rule, from the valley-floor, hut surfaces are regular and not too broken for profitable logging. Stands average 20,000 hoard-feet per acre, witli a maximum of 70,000 board-feet. Logs will run eleven or twelve per thousand. The timber can be skidded or hauled to the subsidiary or main streams, flumed or driven to the Elk River, and driven down the Elk to their destination. A railway has been surveyed through the valley and easy grades can be found. A common carrier or logging-railway might profitably be considered for handling this timber. A map was prepared to accompany this cruise, showing the topography in 100-foot contours and the location of the timber. Flathead Reconnaissance. Following the close of the Elk River reconnaissance, au extensive cruise of the Flathead Valley was made. This area comprises the watershed of the Flathead River north from the International Boundary to Corbin. It presents a fairly easy logging chance, all the timber being within skidding or easy hauling distance of the creeks. Many of these can be flumed for short distances, while chutes will take care of a large portion of the timber. The area covered by this reconnaissance contains a grand total of about 1,250,000,000 board- feet of timber, of which 71 per cent., or about 900,000,000 board-feet, is on vacant Crown lands. In addition, knowledge was obtained of another 250,000,000 board-feet in tributary valleys not I L 24 Department of Lands. 1923 examined. Of the total amount, spruce makes up 60 per cent.; balsam, 5 per cent.; lodge-pole pine, 15 per cent.; Douglas fir, 10 per cent.; and tamarack, 10 per cent. This gives a total of SO per cent, pulping species, or about 1,250,000,000 board-feet. This area in itself would supply a pulp-mill of 100 tons daily capacity for forty or fifty years. Suitable locations for such a mill can be found, either close to existing railways or made accessible by an easily constructed branch line. , Khimat Area. During 1921 the vacant Crown lands in the Kitirnat Valley were cruised, but it was found impossible at that time to complete one of the tributaries—namely, the Clearwater River. A small party was organized in the spring of 1922 and commenced work on May 12th. A total area of 4,099 acres was cruised, bearing a stand of 79,086,900 board-feet of timber, of which 52 per cent, is hemlock, 33 per cent, balsam, 13 per cent, spruce, and 2 per cent, cedar, or practically all species suitable for pulp purposes. This cruise was made on a 5-per-cent. basis and a map prepared showing 100-foot contours, timber types, and streams. Elevations were carried in from tide-water by aneroid barometers, being checked several times during the reconnaissance. The topographic Abney level and trailer tape were used for measuring distances and elevations on the cruise strips. Volume tables constructed for the Kitirnat Valley by a special party in 1921 were used and checked for local application. The topography presents a series of high benches, one rising steeply above another, and dissected by many steep and deep ravines. However, the difficulties of logging the area are not great. The timber would be removed by logging-railway, as the river is not drivable. Nass Riveb Area. During 1921 some 31,000 acres were cruised in the Nass River Valley. Reports showed additional large bodies of timber farther up the river, and these were partly cruised to the extent of 75,000 acres during 1922. The Tseax Valley, a tributary of the Nass, contains 24,000 acres of this, and the east side of the Nass, between the Tseax and Cranberry Rivers, the balance. A total stand of 888,000,000 board-feet was found, of which hemlock made up 46 per cent.; spruce, 27 per cent.; balsam fir, 14 per cent.; cedar, 9 per cent.; and lodge-pole pine, 4 per cent. This makes a total for the Nass below the Cranberry and Kinskooch Rivers of 1,350,000,000 board-feet. Further large bodies of timber extend more or less continuously to the headwaters of the Nass. Judged by present-day standards, the stands become progressively smaller and of less merchantable character, but will eventually prove of great value for pulp-manufacture. Stands reported after an extensive reconnaissance in 1913, corrected on a basis of comparison with the accurate figures obtained during the past two years, indicate additional timber chiefly hemlock and spruce, on the upper reaches of the river to the extent of 4,000,000,000 board-feet. Actual logging of those areas already cruised will present no unusual difficulties. Most of the timber is found on moderately sloping benches along the river, extending back to 5 miles in width, and on the mountain-sides. For the most part the mountains are not nearly so precipitous as many chances now being logged on the Lower Coast. The climate is very moderate and logging operations will be possible, except for about two months in the spring and a like period of heavy rains before the freeze up in the fall. Transportation facilities present the only obstacle to immediate utilization of these 5,000,000 M. feet of timber. The Nass River below Aiyansh is broad, shallow, and badly obstructed by islands. It is drivable during two months in the spring and a like period during the fall. Improvements necessary will consist chiefly of sheer-booms around islands and sandbars. For 20 miles above Aiyansh the river is narrow, deep, and swift and will present no difficulties to driving. Above this again it takes on the character of the lower river. The tributaries are not drivable. There is possibly an alternative route to the Canadian National Railway at Terrace for all timber on the Tseax and on the Nass above Aiyansh. Levels over the existing survey are sufficiently accurate to indicate this possibility, but a careful survey by competent engineers would be necessary to definitely decide on this course. This route would tap a large body of 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 25 timber on the Kitsumgallum, for delivery at a mill situated on Kitsumgallum or Mud Lake, approximately 15 miles from the Canadian National. CjiPiLANo Cruise. A detailed cruise of the unalienated timber in the Capilano watershed was undertaken during the year as a result of an application to purchase this timber for logging purposes. The City of Vancouver and adjacent municipalities are dependent on this watershed for a part of their water-supply, and it is of the utmost importance that logging operations conducted therein should be so regulated as to cause the least deleterious effect on the watershed, either as to the quantity or purity of the water derived therefrom. The object of the cruise was to determine the quality, quantity, and Value of the timber therein, and if possible to devise some means of logging without impairment of the watershed value. The Capilano is a typical mountain stream, the valley being bordered by steep slopes extending up to an extreme elevation of 6,200 feet. The timber is situated along the valley-floor and extends up the slopes to an elevation of 3,500 feet, where it is replaced by scrubby, unmerchantable species, which, however, will serve for watershed-protection. The timber along the main valleys and the lower reaches of the side-valleys is already alienated and is being logged, the Crown timber being found along the higher slopes and the upper reaches of the tributaries, especially along the East Fork and Sisters Creek. The stand, estimated at 230,000,000 feet, consists of: Cedar, 57 per cent.; hemlock, 17 per cent.; balsam, 10 per cent.; other species, 16 per cent. Logging can easily be conducted through extension of the logging-railway and system already employed by the Capilano Timber Company, some -of the upper slopes being operated by hand- logging methods down to where they can be reached by the sky-line. The chief concern, however, . is in establishing a new crop which will protect the slopes from erosion and maintain the porosity of the soil to equalize run-off. Reproduction on areas already logged was found unsatisfactory, and in order to ensure a new crop on this site artificial reforestation will have to be resorted to in order to assist the scanty natural growth. Any scheme of reforestation should include all the lands in the valley. The risk of fire makes it impossible to undertake the planting of the higher Crown lands without including the lower valley now held in private hands. Such a scheme would also require assurance of sufficient appropriations to replant year by year the area logged over, and to provide an adequate system of forest-protection. The timber value in the valley is more than sufficient for this purpose, and it is estimated that in seventy-five years a new crop of timber would be of sufficient size to permit of relogging the valley. FOREST RESERVES. During 1922 there were established, under authority of section 12 of the " Forest Act," four forest reserves, totalling approximately 1,250,000 acres, covering the higher elevations of the watershed of Okanagan Lake. The areas so reserved have been carefully examined, a cover map and a contour map prepared, and areas which are suitable for agriculture have, so far as possible, been eliminated. It is from streams which have their sources on these reserves that the fruit-growing districts of the Okanagan District receive their water-supply for irrigation. The double purpose of having certain areas not in demand for other purposes dedicated to growing timber, which at the same time preserve the run-off of water needed and used in iirigation, is served by the creation of these reserves. To produce a crop of merchantable timber requires a long period of years, probably more than a century in most parts of the Province. It also requires the expenditure of funds for the re-establishment of new stands either by natural or artificial means, and the protection and administration of the area while trees are growing to maturity. A more or less fixed and unalterable policy with regard to lands which are to be used for growing timber is therefore necessary. Forest reserves are created to fix definitely and permanently an area of land to be used for the purpose of growing timber and to preserve the forest-cover, which regulates the flow of streams. It is not intended that the resources within forest reserves should be locked up, and other legitimate uses of the areas, not incompatible with the principal reasons for their reservation, are desirable and should be encouraged. Forest reserves should be regarded as a public resource. They are in the nature of fields set aside for the production of the only crop capable of yielding a return on investment, " timber." L 26 Department of Lands. 1923 Exhibit, 51 Yonge Street, Toronto. Royal Red Cedar Shingles, with Western White Pine trim. Dining-room in P.vitish Columbia Lumber Commissioner's Exhibit, 51 Yonge Street, Toronto. Western Larch Floors; Western Hemlock Panelling; Red Cedar Ream Ceiling ; Cottonwood Celling Panels. 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 27 LUMBER TRADE EXTENSION. The outstanding accomplishment in this field has been the completion of the splendid permanent exhibit of British Columbia woods at 51 Yonge Street, Toronto, in the business centre of the city. This exhibit includes two large rooms finished in British Columbia woods and completely furnished, so that architects and builders can easily visualize the effects obtainable. An exterior is also shown, featuring red cedar shingles for roofing and side-walls. The other woods featured are Douglas fir, western hemlock, western white pine, larch, and cottonwood ply-wood. The exhibit is very effective and is attracting large numbers of potential purchasers of British Columbia forest products. The exhibit was installed by the lumber and shingle manufacturers of the Province in co-operation with the Forest Branch. Very effective changes were made in our exhibit at the Canada National Exhibition at Toronto. The exhibition was visited by 1,372,500 people this year. A large number of architects and builders were visited this year in order to show them samples and give them information personally pertaining to our woods and the best methods of using them. Very effective work in this way was done with school architects and small-house builders. Heretofore 3X shingles have been used almost universally in Eastern Canada. This year two cars of Royal shingles were sold in Toronto as the result of trade-extension work there: Western hemlock, for which it is highly desirable to create a market in order that it may be logged with the other species with which it occurs, is proving very popular with those builders and architects who have tried it. One architect, after seeing our exhibit-room finished in hemlock, specified it for interior finish and floors in a large housing development scheme. Every builder who has used it is very well pleased. In the railway field a large order for railway-cars has been placed specifying Douglas fir for car material. This item had previously been specified in,a foreign wood, but was changed, due to tests made for the railways by the Lumber Commissioner, which proved Douglas fir the more suitable wood. Considerable effort has been made to find markets for our lower grades and waste material. Progress in this work was shown by the fact that a market has been found which will at present consume all the waste from cross-arm manufacture, and when developed will take approximately 2,000,000 feet per year in small clears for stave-manufacture. Eastern Canadian manufacturers now using Douglas fir for stave stock formerly imported all their lumber requirements for that purpose. The market for fir shop should develop rapidly, and this will take care of a large quantity of large knotted stock which will grade shop, but is at present going into No. 1 and No. 2 common. Several thousand bulletins showing the uses of British Columbia woods have been distributed on the Prairies and in Eastern Canada. All of the architects, builders, and retail lumbermen in Ontario have been sent bulletins. A new bulletin has been prepared, giving information as to how to finish British Columbia woods and containing illustrations of interiors and exteriors in which they have been used, together with tables for architects, engineers, and builders showing the safe loads for various-sized joists and beams of British Columbia woods. Advertising calling attention to the uses of British Columbia woods has been carried in a few selected trade and professional journals. Trade-extension work will be largely confined to Ontario and Quebec during 1923. A study of railway uses and the market for shop lumber will be made. All of the leading architects and engineers in the two Provinces will be visited and as much work as possible done with individual builders and contractors. . L 28 Department of Lands. 1923 TIMBER SCALED BY DISTRICTS 1918 1919 CRANBROOK 1920 1921 1922 19 2 OP CARIBOO 1921 1922 1918 ^„„^_, 1919 "™« SS" 1922 1918 1919 PRINCE 920I RUPERT \H<* 1922; 1918 1919 KAMLOOPS I920| 1921 1922! NELSON VERNON 1918 1919 I920| 1921 I922| I9IS 1919 19201 1921 I922| 1918 1919 VANCOUVER I920| 1921 19221 o o o <5~ o CO o o o 10 o (0 o o o CD o 0) o o o o- o o o CJ o o CO o o ? 10 Figures indicate Millions of Feet B.M. 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. I, 29 SPECIES CUT 1922 DOUGLAS FIR SPRUCE HEMLOCK CEDAR WESTERN SOFT PINE LARCH ALL OTHER SPECIES :™.:::!ai 1918 1919 1920 192 1922 1918 1919 I920 192 1918 1919 1920 1921 192201 1918 I9I3; 1920 192 1938 wowo o njiQNo o - OJ o o ro O O . o o o io <a o o IV- o o CO o o 01 OOO OOO o = cu Figures indicate Millions of Feet B.M. L 30 Department of Lands. 1923 . . . <m . • OO • * .10 . i> ■ • © • • 00 • ■ 00 • . Tf . . .CO . -cs • • O . . -* . . . "O . . os . • OS • .» •OS • - ■* • ■Ci • ■ io - . cm . . t* . CM ■Hi CO ■ ■CJ ■ • rH - .r-. . . ■ OS • • tu • ■o • ■r- . 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IC ■ - ■ • • o CO ■ • rH IO • 00 ; OOOCOMOHCOOO^OHiMqOOCOOO COC4NCONCOCOOCO(Mr-OSWrlH CO WOO) COTfCO CO CO co i-HN 30U5 TfiOT M-rfCM COiOC io co oi a O^CO-j* I 00 Tf Tf Tf I oc cm oq COMNMCOMMCONONOiCOHiii'MCOWM Nh-CONMHTtiriHINXOIOaiMMOiOCO TfOOCi I-CiO CO CM CO i-tCMOS CDCOfM iCOCMCOOOCOrtcOi-HOi f co cm co m co o iocs 3 0i_0 CO t^. O Ci 00 joTiq" ofiaoo co* s^ co r %-B .•a tf J- H ^ M '» » T co co wj a? m cu wj • •O T3 .tJ .Ti ."O T3 ."o 33 s5 s5 £5 s£ »5 a5 CO r pqr CO r W : W r CO r MJ" 8 g>C g.aj ifiC ft* tan &_cu gTg 5.2 g1 C 58 gjg fc.| ^c "J- S _^ . .2 o°C o 4i^SC S5 05 r ■I I-l §1 >- ^p "■3 rrig'irrO.: 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 31 LOG-SCALE. The timber scaled during the year shows an increase of 109,000,000 feet, or 6 per cent. The quantity of sawlogs, however, increased from 1,4S1,000,000 feet to 1,645,000,000 feet, or 10 per cent. Hewn ties fell from 3,856,203 in 1921 to 2,543,763 during 1922. The increase in sawlog production was chiefly in the Vancouver and Cranbrook Districts. Vernon and Prince Rupert showed a distinct falling-off. All districts showed a falling-off in ties and minor products. The table of species cut discloses the gradual increasing percentage of hemlock and other inferior species used, thus: Hemlock increased from 8 per cent, in 1915 to 10 per cent, in 1918 and 12 per cent, in 1922; balsam from 0.01 per cent, in 1915 to 2 per cent, in 1922; lodge-pole pine from 0.07 per cent, in 1915 to 2 per cent, in 1922. Species cut in 1922, Forest District. =c! -J •a* §S os ■am ii ■ MS Sri o • SS So OJ . as HH ii s IN t-S c 5> . %s 2 sj •ss ai C 'e-s J3'S rt ^ •a o c £ . gs JjCQ O ■ OS OJ HH <fi ■ t. "^ is 66,287 1,073 4,351 16,071 10,168 8,589 106,539 1,540 1,416 9,090 25,480 833 38,359 25,648 120 23,316 2,502 2,616 552 1,645 9 7,964 1,849 70 1,664 Id 139 12,982 1,125 2,434 27,089 43,630 7,904 2,299 16,212 7 26,422 8,986 11,283 9 2 330 32,078 271 10 159,200 1,263 42,030 31,256 72,202 37,923 Prince George "hi 7,167 373 39,759 30 150 10 12 221 Totals, Interior 54,754 9,608 19,301 209,982 229,283 238,891 195,005 3,732 20,610 23,164 23,164 43,774 451 343,874 Prince Rupert 5,052 734,580 739,632 24,182 398,724 422,906 52,946 41,547 94,493 9,401 25,771 35,172 2 7,981 7,983 375 2,043 134,435 1,420,849 Totals, Coast.. 39,759 45,245 2,418 233 243 106 1,555,284 Grand totals, 1922. 846,171 821,025 461,265 450,368 149,247 38,904 32,023 43,630 34,405 2,869 1,899,158 Grand totals, 1921. 151,792 41,869 18,838 30,785 2,961 1,790,017 Total Amounts of Timber scaled in British Columbia for Years 1921-22 (Comparative Statement in Board-feet). Forest District. 1921. 1922. Gain. Loss. Net Loss. Net Gain. 161,038,620 43,689,461 4,539,924 31,379,605 89,374,662 52,740,408 159,200,392 42,030,343 1,262,836 31,255,790 72,201,521 37,922,757 1,838,228 1,659,118 3,277,088 123,815 17,173.141 14,817,651 382,762,680 343,873,639 38,889,041 38,889,041 171,264,991 1,235,989,694 134,434,962 1,420,849,672 184,859,978 36,830,029 1,407,254,685 1,555,284,634 148,029,949 Totals for B.C 1,790,017,365 1,899,158,273 109,140,9 08 TIMBER-SALES. The sale of Crown timber is one of the most exacting functions of the Branch. With the staking of timber licences many small fractions of timber were left in the hands of the Crown, in addition to the larger bodies in the more remote and inaccessible valleys. It is not the policy of the Branch to force these reserves on the market in competition with private holdings, but where tracts are isolated and form a natural logging unit with existing operations a sale must he made to avoid loss through excessive overhead in opening a new operation at a later date. Many small operators are also dependent on Crown stumpage to meet their requirements. Although several pulp inquiries reached the Department, no large sales were put through. The total number of sales completed reached 671, covering 108,501 acres and containing 249,000 M. feet of saw-timber in addition to minor products. The quantity of timber scaled from sales was 187,000 M. feet, an increase of 10,000 M. feet over 1921. The average stumpage on • L 32 Department op Lands. 1923 all species received from sales made during the year was $1.39, to which must be added the royalty reserved under the " Boyalty Act" to arrive at the true value the Government received for this timber. A comparison of prices for species and years is given in the second table hereunder. Timber-sales awarded by Districts, 1922. Forest District. No. of Sales. Acreage. Saw-timber (Ft. B.M.). Poles and Piles (Lineal Feet). No. of Posts. Shingle-bolts and Cordvvood (No. of Cords). No. of Railway- ties. Estimated Revenue. Caribooo Cranbrook Fort George. ...... Kamloops 13 39 44 15 58 182 284 36 1,311 6,242 6,933 4,583 6,785 25,087 50,324 7,236 611,188 6,667,340 13,625,587 14,195,480 14,619,980 62,559,793 119,108,000 18,255,440 235,500 217,265 2,028,520 363,825 352,764 106,380 895 4,828 963 4,000 2,680 1,100 24,654 2,460 28,810 133,982 20,757 80,550 606,493 9,7i5 880,307 * 1,916 60 23,167 34 52,060 53 34,246 97 74,707 35 Prince Rupert Vernon 180,017 93 448,049 08 48,722 69 Totals, 1922. 671 108,501 249,572,808 3,304,254 41,580 S 862, S88 49 Totals, 1921. 531 91,614 188,971,774 2,479,095 34,291 993,417 6,415,349 $ 646,487 65 Totals, 1920. 594 356 121,690 440,649,755 245,209,300 2,811,095 2,899,000 378,080 149,300 86,726 $ 1,799,039 03 Totals, 1919. 61,809 5,000 20,000 40,000 52,657 18,478 43,756 957,804 701,654 381,200 92,000 1 654,372 99 Totals, 1918. 227 34,257 159,659,000 240,307,057 t 380,408 33 Totals, 1917. 256 133 44,914 1,517,450 $ 483,281 50 Totals, 1916. 23,318 136,345,000 435,S10 26,666 * 259,769 12 Average Sale Price by Species. B'lGL'RES FOR 1922. Figures for 1921. Figures for 1920. FlGURF.S FOR 1919. Saw-timber. Board-feet. Price per M. Board- feet. Price per M. Board-feet. Price per M. Board-feet. Price per M. Douglas fir 58,467,465 62,788,240 42,207,248 42,987,260 16,757,880 4,304,380 9,704,386 2,998,750 9,357,200 249,572,808 $1 43 1 66 1 46 1 01 1 04 1 93 1 47 1 75 78 SI 39 44,835,675 41,980,000 22,588,143 40,866,166 12,834,000 1,662,500 11,009,710 8,679,480 4,516,100 $1 65 1 67 1 60 1 08 98 1 56 1 82 1 79 1 31 93,483,893 75,223,700 141,849,200 71,176,462 25,056,500 3,457,000 20,919,000 5,437,000 4,047,000 440,649,755 S2 04 2 23 2 06 1 06 1 23 2 06 1 37 2 24 1 78 57,456,450 55,655,350 69,151,000 28,836,200 17,296,000 2,257,600 7,479,900 3,019,400 4,057,500 245,209,300 $1 48 1 64 Spruce." Balsam 1 56 73 82 1 63 Tamarack 1 50 1 65 1 18 Totals 188,971,774 $1 46 SI 84 81 38 Timber cut from Timber-sales during 1922. Forest District. .a Feet B.M. Lineal feet. Cords. Ties. 867,620 4,9S9,759 12,020,634 1,529,128 5,424,796 58,244,446 92,830,481 11,310,287 32,410 212,966 120,522 562,502 314,078 142,709 138,557 1,523,744 467.00 1,111.00 884.00 164.00 1,318.85 1,059.00 31,686.71 655.36 2,056 28,885 118,919 124,854 57,924 158,968 743 3,323 Totals, 1922 187,217,151 179,780,056 37,345.91 495,672 Totals, 1921 2,169,550 1,638,549 672,699 499,589 545,429 10,483.00 831,423 168,783,812 17,703.00 654,829 Totals, 1919 107,701,950 12,208.00 15,539.00 14,862.00 Totals, 1918 Totals, 1917 113,927,610 99,078,832 63,055,102 146,807 34,937 Totals, 1916 226,799 8,425.00 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 33 LOGGING INSPECTION. The number of logging operations have doubled during the last four years, there being 2,652 in 1922 as compared with 1,322 during 1919. Inspection of these operations is essential to assure proper segregation and marking of the logs and to prevent trespass. These inspections are a protection to the private timber-holder as well as to the Crown, since any trespass occurring on private lands is reported to the owner for settlement. During the year 4,654 inspection reports were received by the Branch from its field staff, as compared with 1,884 in 1919, or an increase in this work of 147 per cent, in four years. The result of inspection is disclosed in the trespass table hereunder, that whereas the number of trespasses caught have increased, the quantities cut have been materially reduced. In addition to the ninety-eight cases of trespass against the Crown, thirty-four cases were reported to private owners for settlement. Logging Inspection, 1922. Operations. Forest District. Timber-sales. Hand-loggers' Licences. Leases, Licences, Crown Grants, and Pre-emptions. Totals. No. of Inspections. 10 52 39 120 53 173 403 64 914 115 44 16 29 71 179 157 192 750 185 26 81 110 299 210 480 1,197 249 2,662 40 93 161 406 253 699 2,633 369 Totals, 1922 159 1,579 4,654 Totals, 1921 691 186 1,331 2,208 4,053 605 365 220 1,961 2,796 2,703 Totals, 1919 200 757 1,322 1,884 TRESPASSES, 1922. No. of Cases. Areas cut over (Acres). Quantity cut. bo a HH J- o s . N °'£ 55 05 Feet B.M. Lineal Feet. Cords. Ties. 4 8 5 14 4 30 7 26 98 98 73 35 141 127 117 17 379 67 176 1,059 90,000 436,210 798,183 436,555 694,090 127,040 420,803 45,960 16,420 14,965 6,920 7,178 7,460 29 216 '83 8 40 17 2,198 672 5,328 1,825 19,297 1 '2 '6 7 S 149 60 1,934 33 2,964 55 1,356 84 236 75 3,323 70 506 82 . 5,933 81 Totals, 1922 3,002,881 98,903 2,591 1,639 1,882 88 27,022 21,605 16 10 $16,406 30 1,938 1,788 3,222,673 209,395 104,048 48,860 $15,924 22 Totals, 1920 4,904,079 6,716 10 $17,119 85 Totals, 1919 87 2,454 12,708,365 87,120 8 921,730 12 3 L 34 Department oe1 Lands. 1923 SAW AND SHINGLE MILLS OF THE PROVINCE, 1922. Sawmills. Shingle-mills. Sawmills. Shingle-mills. Forest District. d 8 26 9 34 21 23 136 35 Operating:, Estimated Daily Capacity, M.B.M. 6 55 •a OJ § s-i . SO" HH 5jjj' onoo 0 55 Shut down, Estimated Daily Capacity, M.B.M. 0 55 •a a eS 1 £ H.-H . - « *H » ft . ji'"^s 44 1,215 323 680 519 550 5,748 604 9,683 8,912 i 11 "i 92 120 595 '75 14,754 19 9 2 10 2 20 26 2 95 295 65 355 85 621 473 65 2 6 45 635 Totals for 1922 292 108 15,544 90 2,054 8 680 289 79 10,885 78 2,029 6 Totals for 1920 341 10,729 109 13,426 37 909 2 30 TIMBER EXPORTS. Export of Logs dubing Yeae 1922. Species. Grade No. 1. Grade No. 2. Grade No. 3. Ungraded. Totals. 7,390,114 3,860,485 669,602 45,824 28,668 33,441,110 27,791,458 4,569,217 387,038 158,472 25,812,208 7,243,737 1,737,697 74,072 62,811 816,238 30,796,845 1,397,464 6,335,652 66,643,432 38,895,680 7,692,754 30,796,845 1,904,398 Fir Totals, 1922 11,894,693 66,347,295 34,930,525 38,346,199 151,518,712 Totals, 1921 10,457,378 42,860,296 18,524,059 18,374,774 90,216,507 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 35 Export of Poles, Piling, Mine-pkops, Ties, Fence-posts, Shingle-bolts, and Coedwood. Forest District. Cranbrook— Cord wood.... Poles Piling- Mine-props . Fence-posts . Mine-ties Railway-ties.. Prince George— Poles Piling Mine-props .. Fence-posts.. Cordwood.... Mine-ties Railway-ties.. Kamloops— Poles Piling Fence-posts... Nelson — Poles Piling Fence-posts... Prince Rupert— Poles Vancouver— Poles Piling Fence-posts.. Shingle-bolts Vernon— Poles Piling Total, 1922, Total, 1921 . Quantity exported. Cords, Lin. ft., Lin. ft., Cords, Cords, Cords, Number, Lin. ft., Lin. ft., Cords, Cords, Cords, Cords, Number, Lin. ft., Lin. ft., Cords, 1,147 37,940 159,370 3,725 7,019 48 962,605 212,570 6,295 1,275 459 48 48 354,679 767,125 23,950 243 Lin. ft., 3,989,618 Lin. ft., 2,884 Cords, 4,611 Lin. ft., 190,775 1,842,074 55,760 2,940 2,195 522,981 32,680 Lin. ft., Lin. ft., Cords, Cords, Lin. ft., Lin. ft., Approximate Value, F.O.B. $ 8,030 4,553 19,124 37,250 63,171 1,440 510,180 25,508 755 12,750 4,131 336 1,440 187,979 76,712 2,395 2,430 398,962 288 323 19,078 184,207 6,576 29,400 21,950 62,758 3,922 $1,684,648 $1,773,034 Where marketed. United States. 92,500 588,165 2,938,122 2,701 190,775 1,842,074 55,760 2,940 2,195 513,011 32,680 1,147 37,940 66,870 3,725 7,019 48 962,605 6,295 1,275 459 48 48 354,679 178,960 23,950 243 1,051,496 2,884 1,910 1,970 LAND CLASSIFICATION. The work of land classification and inspection of pre-emptions was carried on as in previous years. Some 129,481 acres of land were examined, of "which 14,S4S were recommended for reservation as timbered land; 41,066 acres were found to he suitable for agriculture. Pre-emption inspection for the information of the Lands Branch totalled 3,266 reports during the year. Areas examined, 1922. Forest District. Applications for Crown Grants. Applications for Grazing and Hay Leases. Applications for Pre-emption Records. Applications to Purchase. Miscellaneous. No. 3 2 4 6 5 16 19 6 Acres. 640 333 605 834 690 2,458 2,264 1,051 No. 103 i 3 4 Acres. 9,666 641 '656 '565 No. 147 6 143 11 26 5 21 22 Acres. 21,760 890 21,954 1,342 3,475 2,725 3,393 3,264 55,803 No. 55 12 19 4 27 20 26 20 Acres. 8,802 2,876 5,675 614 2,868 3,200 1,463 4,903 No. 9 2 8 2 20 11 41 4 97 Acres. 1,171 5,057 465 1,093 6,949 215 6,253 1,671 Totals 61 8,875 111 11,528 381 183 30,401 22,874 L 36 Department of Lands. 1923 Classification of Areas examined, 1922. Cariboo Cranbrook Fort George... Kamloops Nelson Prince Rupert. Vancouver .... Vernon Forest District. Totals. Total Area. Acres. 42,039 9,156 29,340 3,883 13,982 7,254 12,373 11,454 129,481 Agricultural Land. Acres. 4,956 1,258 20,524 2,024 3,159 4,053 3,480 1,612 41,066 Area recommended for Reserve. 653 7,517 40 2,122 855 2,399 1,199 14,848 Estimate of Timber on Reserved Area. M.B.M. 970 67,063 5,724 19,874 28,026 5,852 127,509 Pre-emption Record Examinations, 1922. Cariboo 716 Cranbrook 99 Kamloops 180 Nelson 174 Prince George • 436 Prince Rupert 582 Vancouver '. 752 Vernon 327 Total 3,266 FOREST ENTOMOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY. The Control of Forest Insects.—During the past summer further work was carried on in controlling the epidemic of bark-beetles which is infesting the western yellow pine in the Vernon District, and has been the cause of killing millions of feet of standing timber over the past few years. This is a continuation of the work carried on during 1920 and 1921. During 1922 three distinct areas were worked over by parties under the direction of forest officers:— (1.) In the Voght Valley an area of about 2% square miles was covered with direct control and 4,502 trees, scaling 894 M. feet, were treated by felling the trees and peeling and burning the hark and slash on the spot. (2.) An area north of Kettle Valley Railway between the sidings of Stirling and Phalia, covering approximately 2 square miles, was covered and 2,619 trees, scaling 1,045 M. feet, were treated. (3.) On the Coutlee Plateau lying south and east of Merritt an area of 72 acres containing 536 infested trees, scaling 225 M. feet, were treated. Due to the late spring the work was not commenced until the middle of April and was finished up when the beetles commenced to emerge in large numbers towards the end of June. In the Kamloops District direct control was followed up on the isolated areas at Adams Lake and Rock Creek; in all, 415 trees were treated in the district. In addition to the areas enumerated above, the lessees of Timher Licences 12907 and 12908P, located on Pike Mountain, carried out their own control measure under our supervision. The beetle-infested trees were marked for cutting by forest officers. In the Midday area slash resulting from the logging operations of the Nicola Pine Mills, Limited, was left to serve as a trap for the fresh broods and was burned during May and June by the company. The work is being carried on as heretofore under the direction of Ralph Hopping, of the Division of Entomology, Ottawa. He reports in part as follows:— "The entomological aspect was practically the same in 1922 as 1921, except that unworked areas showed an increase in some instances of 300 per cent, and demonstrated the necessity of covering the epidemic areas as soon as possible in order to check this tremendous increase. Every year's work has demonstrated that instead of this enormous increase we have reduced the loss on all worked areas at least 80 per cent. The controlled area in Midday Valley, although 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 37 not worked in 1922, showed only 16.7 per cent, reinfestation in spite of the menace from heavily infested timber on Timber Sale X2076. " The Kingsvale area worked in 1921 showed very little infestation, probahly not more than 10 per cent. The most notahle factor recorded was the occurrence of a beetle usually killing individual limbs on trees known as Pityogenes carinulatus. This beetle, usually of secondary importance, increased so rapidly in the epidemic area of Voght Valley that many trees not attacked by Dendroctonus or any other beetle on the hole of the tree had every limb killed. This, of course, added to the mortality in the area and emphasized the necessity of immediately controlling the bulk of the infestation in epidemic area." White-pine Blister-rust.—The white-pine blister-rust, a disease that affects all five needle (white) pines, was discovered during the fall of 1921 to be present in the Province. On account of the lateness of the season little work could be done that year, but a hurried examination established the fact that the disease was present on imported eastern white pines in the neighbourhood of Vancouver. No trace was found in the limited portion of the Interior that could be covered. The possibility that this destroyer of white pines that has caused enormous damage in the Eastern Provinces and States should become prevalent among the white pines of British Columbia caused considerable alarm. Action was at once taken by the Department of Agriculture to establish a quarantine against white-pine seedlings entering the Interior from the Coast. The peculiar fact that this rust has an alternate host in the plants of the gooseberry and currant family made it also necessary to quarantine them. Plans were made for a complete survey of the Province in 1922. Beginning in April, on the Coast, the Forest Branch co-operated with the Dominion and Provincial Departments of Agriculture in scouting for the white-pine blister-rust. Before the middle of the summer it had been found on white pines and currant-hushes throughout the range of the white pine on the Coast, both on western white pine (Pinus montieola) and imported eastern white pine (P. strobus). At the end of July the scouting-parties were moved to the Interior, and between then and the end of the field season in October a thorough search for the rust was made throughout the white-pine belt. This included the valleys of the Shuswap, Columbia, and Kootenay Rivers, from Chase, on the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, to Cranbrook, in the East Kootenays. The rust was found in spots in the northern end of this belt, notably near Lumby, Revelstoke, Canoe, Heaton, Taft, Craigellachie, Malakwa, Solsqua, Sicamous, Salmon Arm, Tappen, Notch Hill, Mara, Grindrod, and Enderhy, but the infections were not widespread. However, the season was too late to determine the extent of the attack on pine, the infection found being mainly on currants. The season's scouting has shown that the white-pine blister-rust has secured a firm hold on the Coast, but may not yet be widespread in the Interior. Another season's scouting will have to be done before the absolute extent of the disease east of the Cascades can be determined, and what control measures, if any, are deemed advisable. As western white pine is one of the most valuable species in the Province, though not the most widespread, any effort possible to control the spread of this disease should he taken. Grateful acknowledgment is made to the various officers of the United States Department of Agriculture for their assistance and advice in scouting for this disease. FOREST FINANCE. It is gratifying to record that while collections for the year increased 19 per cent, or more than $500,000, expenditure on general administration showed a decrease. For the nine months of the fiscal year to December 31st, 1922, expenditure was $315,474.05, as compared with $351,570.13 the previous year. The amount of revenue derived from licence fees and rentals is gradually diminishing, while trie revenue from active operations is increasing with the development of logging and the increasing value of stumpage and royalty. It must be borne in mind, however, that whereas the collection of rentals and licence fees is a simple matter, the safeguarding of our revenue from operations can only be done by a vigilant field staff through inspection, scaling, and a close appraisal of stumpage values. - L 38 Department of Lands. 1923 Forest Protection Fund.—The extra hazardous fire season caused another heavy drain on the Forest Protection Fund, which made it necessary to call a special levy under provision of section 26 of the " Forest Act." This levy amounted to 3% cents per acre on timber land, which together with the Government contribution of $338,100 will liquidate the accumulated deficit to date. The collection of the levy has been most satisfactory. Forest Revenue. 12 Months to Dec, 1922. 12 Months to Dec, 1921. 12 Months to Dec, 1920. 12 Months to Dec, 1919. 12 Months to Dec, 1918. 12 Months to Dec, 1917. Timber-licence rentals Timber-lease rentals $1,390,999 64 13,397 91 1,203,884 89 94,392 31 3,138 05 1,061 94 454 35 83,376 60 358,984 19 1,950 00 6,050 00 247 77 26,790 12 8,699 60 2,188 63 175 00 3,135 47 357 14 $1,193,654 58 11,245 86 990,326 99 81,840 61 2,015 83 765 98 330 80 50,859 19 317,488 77 3,735 00 9,175 00 21 85 12,659 91 4,640 39 1,695 08 455 00 1,972 33 291 03 $1,654,747 43 18,114 34 879,003 16 81,989 68 25,476 91 5,041 71 530 03 232,309 85 247,234 71 4,855 00 6,525 00 12 59 17,881 40 7,642 80 2,749 93 670 00 3,363 90 2,519 43 §1,236.530 41 7,464 12 788,746 69 85,101 37 64,571 19 13,072 79 280 12 49,259 95 219,012 08 2,790 00 7,250 00 345 10 10,045 26 3,763 49 1,929 71 205 00 1,055 67 3,550 80 $1,372,789 28 1,599 38 698,059 27 77,748 25 56,304 90 9,753 29 2,813 82 79,605 09 151,598 86 4,625 00 2,975 00 69 67 7,753 84 1,921 73 1,152 40 315 00 1,980 70 1,637 91 $1,074,129 07 3,207 32 785,543 42 76,426 74 62,381 50 Licence penalty 6,055 74 607 11 11,928 01 113,498 13 4,070 00 Hand-loggers' licence fees Timber-sales cruising ... Timber-sales advertising. Scalers' examination fees. General miscellaneous ... 9,700 00 68 04 9,457 72 2,687 03 1,183 35 295 00 561 53 470 61 $3,199,283 51 8,171 21 319,410 51 $2,683,174 20 11,221 79 261,896 49 $2,956,292 48 $3,190,667 87 15,617 44 302,567 26 $2,494,973 75 9,500 41 251,264 82 $2,472,703 39 258,105 14 $2,162,170 32 Taxation from Crown- 176,163 20 Total revenue from forest sources $3,526,865 23 $3,508,812 57 $2,755,738 98 $2,730,808 53 $2,338,333 52 Revenue from Logging Operations, 1922. (Amounts charged.) Scaling Fund. Forest Royalty and Trespass Stumpage. Total. District. Tax. Penalties. Expenses. Expenses.* Fees.* Scaling Scaling Expenses. Fees. Vancouver and Island.. ? 844,692 10 $ 4,702 19 $ 136 35 $ 420 46 $ 1,228 66 $11,424 71 $ 96,852 33 $192,475 82 $ 1,151,932 62 1,208 75 145 50 29 85 5 00 1,500 43 2,889 53 Cranbrook ... 105,291 69 1,351 61 25 95 280 94 11,844 65 118,794 84 Prince Rupert 81,699 07 3,042 58 182 05 114 05 711 42 982 79 6,922 57 74,457 48 168,112 01 42,396 i4 3,257 54 1 92 125 85 23,894 52 69,676 27 29,034 18 374 10 19,093 90 48,502 18 Fort George.. 34,913 75 947 68 987 42 34,720 74 71,569 59 Kamloops 10,509 78 2,053 11 3 00 t 1,933 72 $103,774 90 17,619 88 30,185 77 Totals $1,149,745 76 $14,926 63 $1,326 80 $ 516 85 $ 1,940 08 $ 1,256 70 $12,407 50 $375,607 42 $ 1,661,662 81 Totals, 1921 $ 1,005,261 61 $ 1,091,389 81 $14,297 39 $15,284 61 $ 769 08 $11,396 11 $114,450 43 $ 90,889 44 $396,303 19 $ 1,544,251 36 Totals, 1920 $ 121 33 $ 2,677 68 $14,155 57 $10,114 36 $322,828 67 $ 1,547,461 47 *On scales made by Rangers, etc Forest Expenditure. The sums voted for the fiscal year 1922-23 were as follows:— Vote No. 171—Salaries $218,120 00 „ 173—Travelling expenses and wireless telephone 50,250 00 „ 175—Lumber-trade extension 20,000 00 „ 176—Reconnaissance, etc 30,000 00 „ 177—Insect damage: investigation and control 10,000 00 „ 178—Grazing: range improvement 6,000 00 $334,370 00 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 39 In addition to this total, sums were available from Vote No. 172 for temporary assistance, and from Vote No. 173 for office supplies, maintenance of launches and autos, and miscellaneous expenses; from Vote No. 186 for publicity ; from Vote No. 187, general investigations; and from Vote No. 188, contingencies. The sum of $300,000 was also voted as the amount of the contribution of the Government to the Forest Protection Fund under Vote No. 174. General Administrative Expenditure. (For Nine Months, April to December, inclusive, 1922.) Forest District. Headquarters., Cariboo Cranbrook Kamloops Nelson....... Prince George. Prince Rupert. Vancouver Vernon Totals Vote 171: Salaries. $ 66,459 12 3,630 79 9,100 81 5,999 97 11,057 26 11,163 52 39,327 65 58,390 15 7,243 26 $212,372 53 Vote 172 : Temporary Assistance. $ 342 60 100 00 665 80 416 66 564 00 1,114 33 592 42 1,632 78 352 16 $ 5,780 76 Vote 173: Expenses. $13,833 56 3,854 09 6,043 47 3,217 61 4,509 03 3,520 98 18,757 91 39,731 14 3,852 98 $97,320 77 Total. 80,635 28 7,584 88 15,810 08 9,634 24 16,130 29 15,798 83 58,677 98 99,754 07 11,448 40 $315,474 05 Forest Protection Fund. The following statement shows the standing of the Forest Protection Fund as of December 31st, 1922:— Deficit brought forward from fiscal year 1920-21 $360,690 22 Expenditure, fiscal year 1921-22 $471,341 70 Less refunds 14,143 51 457,198 19 $817,888 41 Collections, fiscal year 1921-22 ...'. $192,601 31 Government contribution 324,777 02 $517,378 33 Government loan (special advance) 300,000 00 $817,378 33 Less amount transferred to Special Advance A/c. 49,503 08 i 767,875 25 Balance (deficit) * $ 50,013 16 * In addition to this deficit, the sum of $250,496.92 was owing to the Government on March 31st, 1922, in respect of Special Advance Account. Balance (deficit) at April 1st, 1922 : $ 50,013 16 Expenditure, April-Dec, 1922 (nine mths.) $722,865 86 Less refunds 11,290 72 $711,575 14 Refunds of revenue 316 39 711,891 53 $761,904 69 Collections, April to December $158,438 40 Collections under special levy 29,065 79 Carried forward $187,504 19 $761,904 69 L 40 Department of Lands. Forest Protection Fund—Continued. Brought forward $187,504 19 $761,904 69 Government contribution 232,677 02 Government contribution under special warrant 100,000 00 $520,181 21 Less amount transferred to Special Advance A/c. 15,303 08 504,878 13 Balance (deficit) * $257,026 56 * In addition to this deficit, the sum of $235,193.84 was owing to the Government on December 31st, 1922, in respect of Special Advance Account. Forest Protection Expenditure. Fiscal Years. 1915-16. 1916-17. 1917-18. 1918-19. 1919-20. 1920-21. 1921-22. 1922-23. (9 mos., April 1st to Dec. 31st, 1922.) $157,432 5,151 19,449 $144,251 3,747 7,124 $100,304 20,111 91,470 $159,030 36,913 50,293 $198,172 36 28,397 43 165,688' 80 $267,402 76 85,548 87 292,890 66 $339,163 85 25,286 68 106,891 17 $219,166 85 Fires 12,707 95 490,991 06 Totals $182,032 $155,122 $211,885 $246,236 $392,258 58 $645,842 29 $471,341 70 $722,865 86 For Twelve Months, April, 1921, to March, 1922, inclusive. Forest District. Victoria Cariboo Cranbrook Kamloops.... Nelson Prince George Prince Rupert Vancouver Vernon Undistributed. Totals. $ 21,889 76 14,126 45 33,019 82 28,377 20 32,338 51 24,027 54 16,822 02 107,740 66 20,821 89 40,000 00 $339,163 85 4,028 15 22,900 14 2,713 94 44,339 64 2,607 96 692 30 16,348 56 14,360 48 $106,891 17 Improvements. 2,064 57 1,446 91 1,591 80 2,486 37 3,545 43 532 11 12,287 40 1,332 09 Total. $ 21,889 76 20,219 17 57,366 87 32,682 94 79,164 52 30,080 93 18,046 43 135,376 62 36,514 46 40,000 00 $25,286 68 $471,341 70 By Districts for Nine Months ending December 31st, 1922. Forest District. Cariboo Cranbrook.... Kamloops Nelson Prince George. Prince Rupert Vancouver.... Vernon Victoria Totals Patrol. $ 11, 20, 16, 23, 15, 12, 84, 181 87 147 68 642 15 809 94 494 30 476 38 288 37 748 10 378 06 $219,166 85 Fires. $ 9,484 62 51,990 34 21,922 34 106,909 96 34,090 34 86,627 45 167,294 14 12,671 87 $490,991 06 Improvements. * 765 13 864 70 1,675 57 1,338 09 392 60 519 75 6,072 69 1,079 42 $12,707 95 Total $ 21,431 62 73,002 72 40,240 06 132,057 99 49,977 24 99,623 58 257,655 20 28,499 39 20,378 06 $722,365 86 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 41 Crown-grant Timber Lands. Area of Private Timber Lands (Acres). 1911 824,814 1912 874,715 1913 922,948 1914 960,464 1915 913,245 1916 t 922,206 1917 916,726 1918 896,188 1919 883,491 1920 867,921 1921 : 845,111 1922 887,980 Average Value per Acre. $ 8 72 8 60 9 02 9 66 9 55 9 73 9 61 V 60 9 4S 11 62 10 33 11 99 The extent and value of timber land in the various assessment districts are shown by the following table:— Assessment District. Alberni ". Comox Cowichan Fort Steele Golden Kettle River Nanaimo Nelson Prince Rupert Revelstoke Rossland (district merged with others).. Slocan Vancouver Victoria Totals. Acreage, 1922. 45,251 187,694 93,849 29,732 81,098 4,908 87,772 201,444 1,100 48,609 80,900 2,660 22,963 Increase or Decrease in Acreage over 1921. i change. +1,334 -1,100 i change. -200 +393 -373 +16,592 -68 i change. -16,673 +36,450 > change. +6,514 +42,869 Average Value per Acre. $25 89 15 61 19 68 11 83 4 77 3 92 15 93 4 17 20 90 14 40 6 15 31 25 20 79 11 99 Change in Value per Acre since 1921. +$5 17 + 2 45 + 2 92 + 80 + 97 + 95 + 3 42 + 79 + 4 39 + 2 88 - 1 82 + 6 25 +$1 l Report on Timber-marks for the Year 1922. 1921. Old Crown grants 106 Crown grants, 1887-1906 73 Crown grants, 1906-1914 83 " Royalty Act" 240 Stumpage reservations 26 Pre-emptions under sections 28a and 28b, " Land Act " 53 Timber leases (50 cents royalty) 3 Dominion lands 36 Timber-sales 524 Hand-loggers 140 Special marks ; 1 Rights-of-way 2 Totals 1,287 Trespass and changes of marks 350 Hand-loggers' licences issued 370 1922. 129 120 132 291 26 20 3 58 671 58 3 1,511 345 288 . L 42 Department op Lands. 1923 Correspondence. Letters inward, numbered and recorded 29,500 Letters, reports, etc., received, not numbered or recorded 12,500 Total 42,000 Outward typed letters 21,000 i Outward circulars, form letters, etc 23,000 Total 44,000 FORE ST-PROTECTI ON. The fire season of 1922 was abnormal throughout the Province. A long, cold winter, during which little snow fell, froze the ground deeply in every forest district in the Province. The spring was late and cold, with the result that the early vegetation did not start until late May or early June. As a result of this the previous year's ground-cover was left in a condition that tended to spread the early spring fires rapidly. Late in May the weather broke suddenly to hot and dry, and this was not followed by the rains which usually prevail in the month of June. The vegetation that did start was soon dried and left the forest-floor a veritable tinder-heap for the spread of any fire which might occur. The season, as a matter of fact, was the driest of which we have record, the prolonged drought being alike disastrous to the farmer and the forest. The result of these conditions was a fire situation frought^with the gravest danger which might have at any moment developed a conflagration of which the disasters at Merville and Lang Bay would have been mere details. Causes of Fires.—The causes of fires show that the travelling public is still the biggest single factor in causing the outbreak of fires. Campers and travellers are responsible for 626, or 24.2 per cent, of the total. Brush-burning is responsible for 355, or 13.7 per cent; railway operations for 332, or 12.4 per cent.; lightning for 246, or 9.5 per cent.; while industrial operations and miscellaneous known causes are each responsible for 203, or 7.8 per cent. Sixty-nine fires are known to be of incendiary origin, and public road-construction for 22, or less than 1 per cent., while the remaining 536 fires started from causes unknown. It seems incredible that the travelling public should year after year head the list in starting fires, but it is to be hoped that the educational work that is being assiduously carried on, assisted by the stern prosecution of known offenders, will result in a decreased number of fires as time progresses. Number and Causes of Fires, 1922. Forest District. Cariboo Cranbrook Kamloops Nelson .. Prince George.... Prince Rupert.... Vancouver Vernon Totals Per cent. a ei ■» rf 0) bo o k ■a 5 o Ifr •a O 3 s rt O io c '3 bo 3 *hS §•! ii tH OH o il o Ph'S p 'hh to O £■? !§ ShO •^'5 ** •=33-5 tt o <y B co oS — o P-t VI II (5 '•a a 0) O □ o c •Jfl a 3 o 6 81 2 15 2 2 5 42 155 46 52 33 13 1 9 18 6 56 234 44 9 86 14 2 16 4 8 183 118 83 103 41 7 6 4 17 33 412 5 117 36 46 . 8 3 11 16 65 307 53 18 65 7 6 13 105 257 9 172 30 158 1 172 3 131 207 883 18 59 24 13 1 4 203 11 10 202 20 160 246 626 332 355 22 69 536 2,591 9.5 24.2 12.8 13.7 0.8 7.8 2.7 7.8 20.7 100.0 5.9 9.1 7.1 15.9 11.8 9.9 34.1 6.2 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 43 Number and Causes of Forest Fires for the Last Nine Tears. Lightning1 Campers and travellers Railway operation Railways under construction Brush-burning, not railway-clearing. Public road-construction Industrial operation Incendiary Miscellaneous (known causesj Unknown causes Totals 1922. 1921. 1920. 1919. 1918. 1917. 1916. 1915. 246 164 304 115 134 48 67 100 626 308 246 310 158 209 268 305 332 283 227 146 104 335 121 82 2 1 22 1 17 355 126 96 97 100 48 148 267 22 20 7 5 2 5 12 20 203 119 104 129 80 59 59 28 69 40 32 21 15 13 22 28 202 64 69 140 72 55 19 24 536 204 165 1,251 166 1,141 224 214 148 160 2,691 1,330 910 986 864 1,031 1914. 169 487 361 98 164 11 50 42 83 367 FOREST-FIRE PUBLICITY. Between 80 and 90 per cent, of the fires originate from human causes, mostly due to carelessness or the procrastination of taking precautionary measures until too late. Eliminate these fires and much of the problem is solved. The work conducted by the Forest Branch with this end in view is along the line of educational publicity, and the past season was as follows:— Early in the season the Department arranged with the Canadian Forestry Association to send its Forests Exhibits car on a tour through Vancouver Island and that portion of the Province south of the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The car had models which portrayed in miniature the principal wood-manufacturing industries of Canada, and was specially designed to show the necessity for preventing fires in the woods. A lecturer accompanied the car, and gave lectures, illustrated by moving pictures, to show the necessity of forest-protection. Schoolchildren were especially invited, and lectures were also given to different schools and moving- picture houses. The proprietors of the moving-picture houses throughout the Province co-operated splendidly, lending the theatres free of charge, and in many cases lending the lecturer a standard moving-picture projector and operating it as well. Upwards of 70,000 people visited the car and attended these lectures. The benefit of this sort of educational work is difficult to measure, but there is but little doubt that it did much good. Even though throughout the season the number of fires increased, it is hard to say what might have been the result in these years of exceptional hazard if it were not for this and other educational work that is being carried out along forest- protection lines. We must bring our citizens to the point where they realize that the forests are our chief natural asset, that their welfare largely depends on the welfare of our timber land, and that in careless use of fire they are not merely burning brush, hut are destroying real wealth in which they themselves have a vital interest. Advertisements during the fire season were again carried in local newspapers. Posters, calendars, and envelopes were printed and distributed and forest-protection literature was supplied to schools; also publicity by the press was given to prosecutions. All is helping to mould public opinion more favourably to forest-protection. FIRE OCCURRENCE AND CONTROL. The weather charts which follow show very clearly the causes for the rapid spread of fires, which in the season of 1922 reached the record number of 2,591. The fact that 1,546 fires, or almost 60 per cent, of the fires which broke out, were extinguished before they reached 10 acres in size is a convincing record of the work put in by the field and organizing staffs, when the fire conditions were taken into consideration. The total number of fires fought amounted to 2,591, of which number 637, or 24.6 per cent., were extinguished before they had reached a quarter of an acre in size; 909, or 35.1 per cent., were extinguished before they grew to be of 10 acres; while 1,045 spread over 10 acres before they were finally extinguished. Classification according to damage done shows that 2,171 fires, or 83.8 per cent., were extinguished before the damage done amounted to $100; 9.8 per cent, before $1,000 damage was done; and 6.4 per cent, of the total did damage over the $1,000 mark. Again, 64.9 per cent, of the fires, or a total of 1,665, were caught and extinguished by patrol forces without additional cost. Such figures speak for themselves; and while there is an increase in the percentage of fires which burned property over those of 1921, it is felt that in view of the conditions which existed during the past season, credit is due to the field staff, who in spite of the numerous calls day and night were able to come out of the season as well as these records show. L 44 Department of Lands. 1923 FIRE CHART. SEASON 1922. RAINFALL 1 1 VERTICAL DIVISION = MNCH. FIRES^ 1 VERTICAL DIVISION - IO FIRES TEMPERATURES IVERTICAL DIVISION = IO DEGREES. VI r- n "N. yi h n /' II in f' II UJ ,s-' -Jpr- 0> / -tr OJ \ yy L- yd r- > •' \d ^ y !d£ \ vi oj -> s w o z< \ z< I IK \ If 1 Vd ) ( Vd ' Zl3 \ \ nh N <•' / G -• s / / ■ 01 D 5 \ fc' cc v \ S s , t' Ifi I yd (( \ \ / / ' yd . u Xt Ol UJ j_ fl \ Ol u 7 5» li y * di D s s* —1 dl D 5 u ->*, Si J u u \ \, S "P S< \ T fcJri o 4 \ \ yd • s / dc; ^ 1 / dd . ->£ ■•** \. 51 S Ut r N_ \; yi < LI 2 y - > y z- in cc r- In tf. ir In 1 * V. cc Tr N tr tr ir. tc 91 ^ n V \ Wlh / 11 bJ / Z II UJ ./' tr UJ .^'* T6™ tr UJ i yd L \ \, yd |_ id a / id ^ i 3 / Z < ./' /^ i< V \ iy ""*%,, ■n.; iy 1 Vti \ t^d V l_ N / ZIJ h ^' _j 0 '' / Ul 3 1 S Ni n mi ■ oi D \ \ t y tf] \ \ yd E °° i yd o a Bl i£ u w SI LI 7 0 = A • •41 D D. DC dlD U j B J < ^\ i' ~> °< -. «d A< ^^v- b'd l-s / r dd > zE / T ^J 5° N •,v yi s N, s J 0 r Ii. y ■L cc 0. y ^ In a. fc tc If CC tr tr 10 If tc •<1 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 45 FIRE CHART. SEASON 1922. RAINFALL I 1 VERTICAL DIVISION- 1 INCH: FIRES 1 VERTICAL DIVISION- IO FIRES TEMPERATURE 1 VERTICAL DIVISION - IO DEGR EES \ \ WI r- n \ 'S /*- n uj V w £'■1- V ld 0) -1 ——.? v\ 2 / \ i< / \ iy / l7d f 1 il > _J u 5 / 01 3 r ct 1 i y 5U yd .- Q \ yi uj 2: di5 > j \ y J 0< \ tid g-fc 1 \ <L6 . ?£ \ b'l 4 5 H z In CC lc N hZ lc 10 to ^ wi h n "S, yl 1- n / J 11 L \\ 11 t .H*'' <■' / -tr CO . ■ V <" \ h rfd |_ \ Wd |_ Id -ij \ Id UJ y '' \ " fl O S S t>i 0 / * < 1 \ \ If \ it; i / \, trd V \ n J 51 'v.. N.v \ ^' _l c s' Ol D . , "1 l W H* Ol D , -> h-a \ f r w tf) <e «2 « \ yd 5E j 9"d ti U ) t \ Ul w Ul V "X yi li 7 i? il 1 / 1 dl 3 0 li y dlD D. b v.. \, \ y J 0 '•Hh y ? O J n <i \t v \ " 6d a < 1 1 bd j h < / L dd > r-, -rt \. dd y <° > \ bl H 2° N. yi h i 9 4 0 y *~ cr a if Ir - if If if tr CC ir if 1 in if lc • L 46 Department of Lands. 1923 FIRE CHART. SEASON 1922. RAINFALL 1 1 VERTICAL DIVISION- 1 INCH. FIRES/M VERTICAL DIVISION- IO FIRES. TEMPERATURE/'^ 1 VERTICAL DIVISION = IO DEGREES. C/ WR Tf IB >T o< Al > I >l! n 57 RF "R 1! lR 85 7ft" ■ / *<s. v. ,y» >>"' \ i \ fifi \ / / \ "\ —• ' / \ N , S ,55 i \ 4-f? V ■ 1 1 1 -4 .1 l^s 1 1 i nr^. cc IC (V. a cr a ic a <? a. cn O [V ct iv 3 a ct ^t - cc MA Y t» JU -IE JU LV AL GUST SE=>T RAINFALL 1 1 VERTICAL DIVISION' 1 INCH. FIRES/M VERTICAL DIVISION =30 FIRES. TEMPERATURE/v | VERTICAL DIVISION- IO DEGREES. TC >T Al ri RE S ir 1 F >R o\ rIMC E zs 91 / \ | - M ■ 7 p \ 7S firi ' 1 *, \ CO- h N, ui. **• \ s \ ,\ ■ K=> I / \ / \ -s.^ / / ,55 *' y/ ■—— \ \ 4r> 1 K 1 i . E ■ . 1 1 1 1 \ -" cc if: 0. a 0" a LO a CO a (X O t 1 cr N i a cc cv St CC f 4 A Y »- JU me; JU LV AL IGl JS' r < dE =>T 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 47 FlEES, 1922, CLASSIFIED BY PLACE OF OEIGIN AND COST OF FlBE-FIGHTING. Forest District. Cariboo Cranbrook Kamloops Nelson Prince George Prince Rupert Vancouver Vernon Totals Per cent.... Totals, 1921 Per cent... Totals, 1920 Per cent.... c ¥ o 6$ o 1 <** !/i •a c 3« ti 3 CH . oj o . ■OOh ft-Rrf 5 s; El, •=3 a .h H OJ5. O a 155 105 50 234 60 174 183 57 126 412 102 310 307 104 203 257 82 176 883 204 679 160 52 108 2,591 766 1,826 100.0 29.5 70.5 1,330 415 915 100.0 31.2 68.8 1,251 384 867 100.0 30.7 69.3 Extinguished without Cost. d "c3 . ti 94 134 135 236 231 123 607 105 60.6 57.5 73.6 57.3 75.0 47.8 68.7 65.6 1,665 64.29 - 891 67.0 611 48.8 E-f-S 45« |.S 21 0J — CCfc 3.63 5.17 5.22 9.12 8.91 4.74 23.45 4.05 64.29 48 Cost Money to extinguish. 48 176 76 135 276 55 926 35.71 439 33.0 646 51.2 cc c a -Cc O tn 39.4 42.5 26.4 42.7 25.0 52.2 81.3 34.4 OJ.CC 2.35 3.82 1.85 6.79 2.93 5.21 10.64 2.12 35.71 33.0 51.2 Total Cost of fighting Fire. 5 M« HS.S -h-hH > ■ «fi CQ °i .5 O^ a, v Qi tH P Oh mS 9,484 62 1.9 61,990 34 10.8 21,922 34 4.6 102,307 32 21.3 34,068 84 7.1 88,977 40 18.6 158,378 12 33.1 12,671 87 2.6 479,800 85 100.0 98,476 00 257,126 00 Average Cost per Fiee. 61 19 222 18 119 79 248 31 110 97 346 21 179.36 79.19 185 17 74.04 205.53 Fires, 1922. classified by Size and Damage. Total Fires. Undrr i Acre. \ Acre to 10 Acres. Over 10 Acres in Extent. Damage. Forest District. d fc c3 OJ u O £ S.S D » «.ic Pnfc d fc II HH HH S c o'S t. v %I HO •S-S HH ** g C O 'Z tH 0 0i -~ A. En d fc 13 li -LJ'O CC c QJ — O m «• t a>.CC PjEl, 31 H° •w to °2 1.S O w S.cc &,El, d fc "a If S.5 O a, L" lJ OuEl, fl HO 0).CC O «i l. CJ Si © L. ti ■a e 1= ■a a eS O O s& a <a . OO |8 o o o_ > O 155 234 183 412 807 257 883 160 5.0 9.1. 7.2 15.9 11.9 9.9 34.1 6.9 26 75 68 173 29 19 215 32 16.7 32.1 37.2 41.9 9.4 7.4 24.4 20.0 4.8 11.7 10.6 27.2 4.4 2.7 33.6 5.0 14 82 70 140 103 62 360 78 9.2 35.1 38.2 34.1 33.5 24.2 40.8 48.7 1.5 8.8 7.7 15.4 11.7 6.7 39.6 8.6 115 77 45 99 175 176 308 50 74.1 32.8 24.6 24.0 57.1 68.4 34.8 31.3 10.9 7.4 4.4 9.5 16.7 16.8 29.5 4.8 115 208 159 316 246 205 774 148 35 16 17 65 25 36 50 9 5 10 7 31 36 16 59 3 Totals 2,591 100.0 100.0 637 24.6 100.0 909 35.1 436 32.8 100.0 1,045 40.3 100.0 2,171 83.8 253 9.8 167 6.4 Totals, 1921 1,330 100.0 654 41.6 340 25.6 1,169 88.0 134 10.0 27 2.0 Totals, 1920... . 1,251 100.0 345 27.6 392 31.3 514 41.1 1,049 83.8 107 8.6 95 7.6 DAMAGE BY FIRE. The appalling loss by fire this year is shown in the total of almost 729,000,000 feet of timber killed, of which 117,000,000 feet will be salvaged, causing a net stumpage loss of over $1,500,000. Other forms of property destroyed amounted to $693,016, of which total, $232,783 was the loss of logs, shingle-bolts, and other forest products; $127,587 damage to buildings; $217,270 was the value of railway and logging equipment destroyed; and miscellaneous damage to the extent of $115,376 was done. The fact that this huge loss of property, largely logging equipment and property in and around logging operations, again stresses the fact that the hazard in the woods was unusually high, as the property was destroyed in places where fire-fighting gangs, in the persons of the logging crews, were instantly available and every known effort was made to control the situation. 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Cariboo Cranbrook Kamloops Nelson Prince George Prince Rupert Vancouver Vernon Totals Products in Process of Manufacture. 33,600 30 60,600 31,230 1,650 106,418 90 $232,783 Buildings. $ 1,250 1,200 375 30,500 6,490 9,890 73,382 5,500 $127,587 Railway and Logging- Equipment. $ 5,500 1,000 600 210,270 $217,270 Miscellaneous. $ 3,404 2,070 106 3,370 3,525 4,118 98,658 125 $115,37i Totals. $ 4,919 42,270 511 94,470 41,245 16,158 487,728 5,715 $693,016 Per Cent, of Total. 0.7 6.1 0.07 13.7 5.9 2.4 70.3 0.83 100.00 Comparison of Damage caused by Forest Fires in the Last Seven Years. 1922. 1921. 1920. 1919. 1918. 1917. 1916. 2,591 1,568,585 729,941 117,006 - $1,531,300 693,016 $2,224,316 1,330 145,838 68,476 39,553 $ 97,332 195,221 $292,553 1,251 389,846 229,253 49,575 $485,963 473,900 $959,863 1,141 433,797 287,520 93,559 $393,183 345,787 $738,970 910 140,085 42,886 22,387 $ 26,930 200,335 986 237,289 267,186 48,133 $129,125 162,333 864 161,288 Standing timber destroyed or damaged (M. ft. B.M.) ' Amount salvable (M. ft. B.M.). 50,415 2,767 $ 48,913 Damage to other forms of property. 26,962 $226,265 $291,467 $75,875 SLASH-BURNING. The late spring, followed by a hot, dry summer, greatly interfered with the burning of slash; but in spite of this, 59,396 acres of slash was destroyed by the Department and private interests, and 103,700 acres of slash was burned over during the course of several fires. A total of 12,120 permits to burn was issued, compared with 12,730 last year, a decrease of 610, or 5 per cent. These figures show that the permit system does not hold up the farmer and prevent land- clearing, but rather encourages burning at the proper time. The farmer knows that he will not be allowed to burn should the season become dangerous, and consequently hurries his clearing at a time when it is safe. Of the total of 12,120 permits issued, 163, or 1.3 per cent., escaped control, showing that reasonable care is exercised in regard to these privileges by the field staff and permittees in regard to granting permits and the privilege so granted. . L 50 Department of Lands. 1923 « H P-l i H « •^rauaj ^noqqiA\ .jas ssjij^ d ^ <N CO CO 3d © I-H rH © Sd © ■lOJ^UOO podBOSO S3.XIJ 0 ■ CO <M cn in OO 00 00 HWCOHiO CO© H eso to • 0 0 \19A0 paiwnq -eajy CU < 2,613 3,619 1,426 4,831 7,091 7,423 25,850 6,543 © © © ■ CO © © © © • © © ■panssi sjiimaj 6 317 496 642 1,460 924 712 6,769 710 ©© CM - r-\0 Ol"2 ©© CO • r~ © rH12 5 o as a a o g rU ■cjirajaj .jnoqqiM .jas S9JiLri 0 : * : • ■ m CO • - 00 in m CM © oi *IOJcjuoq paduosa sajj^ 6 ■©CM - -CM CO t-CO •J9A0 paiunq voiy S CMr- CJ r-- -* cd co © t— CM © ■* ©CO rH Ol rH © IO ■ in © CO CO t- CM 'panssi s-jiuuaj • m co ■* © © co •* t> to r- 00 ■ © I>CO © • rH© a? •^luuaj -jnoq^iAA. .jas saiL^ g qoj^uoo pad'BOsa saaij[ ^ •jaAO paiunq 'eaay CM © CO t- r CO CM © r CM CO Ci •panssi s^muaa g •.jiuuad ^noq^TAV^assaJiji •IOJ-juoq pad^osa saat^ •J8ao paiunq -eaay ■panssi s-jiuua<j 01 © in © coco © CO Ol • l> © 1 co j © ■ I CO © CO © 00 • CD © © tH CO ■ CM CM ** IO Ol • CO Ol oi P, 'liuuaj cjnoq'ji.w .jas saai^ _: © • th © rH b-m m O . Meq © ">* I-H rHCO © 'pj^uoo padBosa saai^ ^ • Ol rH 1>.-* CO © © O * rH rH CM rH lO ft : -* Ol CO ■ rH Ol CO rH© CO ■ CM © 1 _; COCO©CO ©© ©*- \ CZ£~ aj ©CO©rHJ>CMrH01 OJ • uaAO paiunq Ttajy £ "* co„M^'?l^.':o.t^ *1£2 -fl* rH -* © Tjf t- ■ r- in 10 ©° •panssi sjiuuaj No. 302 466 558 1,397 924 709 6,586 679 rH CO CM • © to -© r-II> 00 • rH in :o« ggg § g g *C C3 OJ 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 51 FIRE-LAW ENFORCEMENT. The enforcement of the law against fire trespass is a matter which is receiving every possible attention, and wherever there was clearly cause the offenders were prosecuted. One hundred and thirty-five convictions were recorded during 1922, as against 61 in 1921, while the fines levied amounted to $2,543, as compared with $1,029 in 1921. In a few cases stiff fines were levied; the penalty meted out for leaving a camp-fire burning in one instance was $150. It must be understood that the person who wilfully or carelessly causes a fire is guilty of an offence and detrimental to the public welfare. The Department has the same obligation in bringing these offenders to justice as in fighting the fire which results from these actions. The amendments to the " Forest Act" provide for an increase in the minimum fine for such offences, and the Forest Branch has every intention of rigorously enforcing these provisions. In this I believe we have the support of the majority of law-abiding citizens. Thanks is due to the Provincial and various municipal authorities who co-operated with the Branch during the past fire season. ■Prosecutions for Fibe Trespass, 1922. Forest District. Cariboo Cranbrook Kamloops Nelson Prince George Prince Rupert Vancouver Vernon Totals Totals, 1921 . ;» 4J X 3 Oi CJ Fines. CJ Q.b o J pa © CJ S a H,'iH '5 as cr .-£ o a > o o -H O E =XPh c o J3 _c3 a .2 o o E rH 0 CKl o o c«_ 2 ° >, 2 o GO cc o G CJ ai ■a 13 si a T5 c3 £ tH o if! cl 4i o g cj ft. 5 g 50 . C HH IP c Oi CJ a be be a § 'go c No. Amount. 13 a CJ a •3 OS a> P. i 1-1 &H O©! Oco<! Uto«! o S Oai< BPh ►5,5 P5 CO o o 12 1 2 8 1 10 $ 116 00 1 1 16 1 14 1 8 ISO 00 3 5 1 1 3 3 30 00 1 1 9 2 6 1 6 116 00 2 1 28 5 1 19 2 1 18 220 00 8 1 29 2 1 21 2 3 26 265 00 3 67 6 l 9 39 6 6 63 1,558 00 2 8 1 4 170 3 2 1 3 70 00 6 1 26 2 13 1 l 17 111 10 16 126 $2,543 00 79 2 1 2 2 6 45 2 14 6 54 1,029 50 7 9 7 FLYING OPERATIONS. The use of air-craft during the season of 1922 was subjected to a very severe test. The very smoky condition of the atmosphere, commencing as early as June 1st, restricted their use by restricting the visibility from the machine. Later on it became difficult and sometimes dangerous to navigate, owing to the pall of smoke which hung over the whole district. The results obtained from the use of air-craft in our opinion fully justified the expenditure incurred, and the uses to which air-craft were put bore out the methods and plans formulated in conjunction with the Air Board officials. The mention of air-craft in this district must be coupled with an appreciation of the wonderful personality and work of Major O. McLaurin, who was in charge of the Air Station at Jericho Beach, and who gave his life towards the end of the season in the cause of flying. To Major McLaurin's personal efforts can be attributed a great measure of the success which was obtained. He personally did a great deal of the flying for fire-protection work, and his experience and wonderful sense of direction was called on many times to overcome difficulties which few others would have faced. He was on the job twenty-four hours in the day, and on more than one occasion he got out of his machine and helped fight fires of his own free will,-to make things a success. In spite of the handicap of obsolete types of machines and of flying operations many miles from his base, he rendered a service to the cause of forest-protection in this district that will not be forgotten. An appreciation is also due to the staff of the Jericho Air Station for the excellent co-operation rendered the Forest Service throughout the trying period of the 1922 fire season. The plans for 1922 proposed the use of air-craft principally on: (1) Supervision of fire- fighting; (2) transportation of fire-fighters and equipment; (3) general supervision of a field staff spread over 22,000,000 acres; (4) fire-detection. L 52 Department of Lands. 1923 Possibly the most outstanding feat of the season was the transporting of fire-fighters to Buttle Lake in the centre of Vancouver Island. This fire was reported on July 2Sth. To get into this lake with a crew of men would have required a two-day trip and construction of about 14 miles of trail over a difficult country. By the time the crew arrived in all probability the fire would have been of such a size that it would have been impossible to have taken in sufficient additional men to have fought it. The big machine and emergency fire-fighting equipment were wired for. The equipment consisted of a portable pump and set of tools. These were loaded together with 1,200 feet of hose, a sixteen-man tent, six shovels, six mattocks, six axes, camp outfit, and provisions for six men for two weeks. Four fire-fighters were carried also, in addition to the crew of the machine. The total load on this trip was 4,895 lb. Visibility was very poor, but the machine rose to the height of 1,000 feet and hit across Vancouver Island in the direction of Buttle Lake. The route following the Campbell River to Campbell Lake was taken, crossing the Campbell River fire; then following the Elk River and landing in Buttle Lake about fifty- four minutes from Campbell River. Equipment and personnel were put ashore at the fire in collapsible boats. The machine then returned to Campbell River and picked up three more fire-fighters and took them in to the fire. The fire-fighters were landed at 4 in the afternoon, fought fire all night, surrounded the fire with a fire-trench, and got the pump into action. The fire was practically under control in the morning. The crew were left on the fire for two more days, and on the fourth day the machine wrent in and took out the crew and equipment. The gasolene taken in for the portable pump was used as extra fuel and one man was left to patrol the fire. The total flying-time for the seascn of 1922 was 105 hours 51 minutes. One hundred and ninety-seven passengers wore transported, a total of 6,606 miles. WIRELESS TELEPHONE. The hazardous season is reflected no less in the record of the Department's wireless telephone service than in the other tables compiled. For instance, during the month of July a total of 1,150 messages were transmitted, containing 51,000 words. During the year a total of 4,690 messages were transmitted (which number does not include the necessary relays), or a total of 177,266 words. With the growing use of the wireless telephone it is expected that improvements will be made, especially in the smaller or portable sets, which will greatly extend the usefulness of this aerial communication. EQUIPMENT. The standardization of mechanical equipment has proceeded with satisfactory results, ■ as borne out by the saving in time in obtaining and applying spare parts at less cost and increasing the efficiency thereby. Two standard types of launch have heen evolved and adopted, and in each type the whole equipment is standard, from the lines of the hull to the cooking-utensils. Parts of engines or equipment are thus interchangeable between the launches of each type and between the types. These are showing a great improvement in efficiency and economy of operation over previous years' transportation costs. Motor-cars used are two-seater Ford cars, with a standard Forest Branch delivery-box attached, capable of carrying a load up to 800 lb. The parts for these are readily obtained in all parts of the Province. Standard types of pumps are in use, and the equipment and parts of the several forest fire-fighting units are identical with one another. . The number of launches maintained on the Coast, amounting to twenty-seven out of a total of forty-two, were kept in running-order mainly by the Department's repair station at Thurston Bay, Sonora Island, and in addition to the ordinary repair-work several launches were entirely rebuilt. The station machine-shop also kept forty forest-fire pumps in working-order, and considerable repair-work was carried out with the utmost efficiency and the least loss of time. During the fire season forty-two launches covered a total of 103,711 miles, or an average of 2,593 miles per launch. The fifty-one cars used by the Department covered a total of 271,203 miles, or an average of 5,317.7 miles per car in the same period. Thirteen Forest Branch railway speeders ran a distance of 39,528 miles, averaging 3,040.6 miles each. The total distance covered for six months (April to September, inclusive) for all transportation units above mentioned was 414,542 miles. Pump-hours run were 4,932, which means that the amount of water pumped on fires amounted to (at 30 gallons per minute) 8,877,600 gallons, 44,388 tons. The service given by these units 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 53 was uniformly good, and instances abound showing where the use of these pumps saved valuable property and timber. Fire-fighting equipment was kept up to strength; the only departure this year was the use of portable hand-power tank pumps holding 5 gallons of water, which proved to be extraordinarily useful in extinguishing spot and smudge fires. IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE, 1922. The following amounts, were spent on improvements and maintenance, by districts:— Cariboo. Improvements— Launch " Poplar " $ 606 00 One Ford car 764 00 One outboard motor 175 00 $ 1,545 00 Cranbrook. Improvements— Two Ford cars $ 1,411 00 One fire-fighting pump and equipment 900 00 Bridge Creek Trail 107 00 Lizard Patrol Station 73 00 Inlet Creek Trail 164 00 9-Mile Lake Ranger Station 77 00 Wigwam River Trail 300 00 McQuarrie Creek Trail 125 00 Bugaboo River Trail 120 00 Camp-sites 73 00 $ 3,350 00 Maintenance— Bridge Creek Trail $ 128 00 Casey Mountain Telephone Line 34 00 • Elk Valley Telephone Line 70 00 Baker River Trail 120 00 Elk River Valley Trail 350 00 Flathead Valley Trail 270 00 Kootenay River Trail 220 00 Bugaboo River Trail 120 00 $ 1,312 00 Kamloops. Improvements— One Ford car $ 717 00 One fire-fighting pump and equipment 706 00 Two hand-pumps • 28 00 One rowboat for Humamilt Lake 99 00 Clearwater-Blue River Trail 39 00 Bear Creek Ranger Station Cabin 244 00 New engine for launch " Aspen " 785 00 $ 2,618 00 Maintenance— • Clearwater-Blue River Trail $ 14 00 Pyramid Trail 28 00 Adams-Seymour River Arm Trail 27 00 Carried forward $ 69 00 L 54 Department of Lands. 1923 Kamloops—-Continued. Brought forward $ 69 00 Maintenance—Continued. Albas-Humamilt Lake 4 00 Main Seymour River Trail 27 00 Main Columbia River Trail 4 00 Canoe River Trail , 124 00 Barriere-Adams Lake Trail 11 00 Birch Island Telephone Line 9 00 Big Bend Telephone Line 21 00 Seymour River Ferry 29 00 $ 298 00 Improvements— Nelson. Two Ford cars $ 1,445 00 One fire-fighting pump and equipment 747 00 Five hand-pumps 70 00 One gasolene-speeder 512 00 One launch (" Juniper ") and boat-house " 300 00 Duncan River Crossing at Boulder 137 00 $ 3,211 00 Maintenance— ■ Duncan River Crossing No. 2 $ 94 00 Lardeau Trail 79 00 Hamil Creek Trail , 109 00 Duncan River Trail 63 00 Lardeau Telephone Line 30 00 Davis Creek Trail 13 00 Fry Creek Trail 9 00 Hooker Creek Trail 68 00 Gray Creek Trail 96 00 Grizzly Creek Trail 84 00 Green Mountain Trail 4 00 Black Rock Trail 24 00 West Fork Trail 84 00 Big Slide Trail 12 00 Rest Creek Trail 8 00 Hilltop Creek Trail 32 00 $ 809 00 Prince George. Improvements—■ Two outboard motors $ 255 00 One hand-speeder 177 00 $ 432 00 Maintenance— Hose for fire-fighting pump $ 81 00 Prince Rupert. Improvements— One Ford car $ 730 00 Four outboard motors 606 00 One hand-speeder 93 00 $ 1,429 00 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 55 Prince Rupert—Continued. Maintenance— Smithers garage $ 38 00 Vancouver. Improvements— Six Wonder pumps $ 2,850 00 One Wonder gear-pump 75 00 Hose, discharge, suction, and fastenings 3,686 56 Miscellaneous equipment, fire-fighting 212 80 Four new launches— " Balsam " 2,794 05 " Cherry " 2,787 82 " Cottonwood" 5,123 31 " Yew " 250 00 One Elto outboard motor 175 55 Six new cars 4,345 90 Garage lean-to, Victoria 10 00 Two dinghies 83 86 " Alanbee " wireless 244 50 One rowboat 74 50 Chemainus Trail 381 75 " Cottonwood " wireless : 542 47 Elk Trail 100 00 Mooring, " W. Hemlock " 20 30 Various Island trails 8 29 $23,766 66 Maintenance— Wellbore Ranger Station $ 29 80 Thurston Bay Station 56 06 Myrtle Point Station 63 57 Pitt River Cabin 60 Cowichan Lake Boat-house 1 20 Lynn Creek Cabin 3 30 Squamish Ranger Station 108 60 Heriot Bay-Roy Line 31 32 Myrtle Point Telephone Line 96 12 Thurston Bay Float 37 14 Repairing tools 296 26 Thurston Bay chimneys 96 31 Myrtle Point House repairs 115 61 $ 935 89 Vernon. Improvements— Two Ford cars , ■ ¥ L494 00 One fire-fighting pump and equipment 695 OO Two rowboats 207 00 One outboard motor 175 00 $ 2,571 00 Maintenance— B.X. Telephone Line $ 9 00 L 56 Department of Lands. GRAZING. The grazing season of 1922 opened with the live stock in fair condition and the forage on the ranges making a good growth. As the season advanced, however, very dry conditions were experienced, which prevailed throughout the entire season, very little or no rain falling from April to about the end of September. The result was a shortage of feed on the overgrazed areas of low range, the early drying-up of water, and a general shortage in the growth of hay-crops in many sections of the country. As a result of this shortage of crops the stockmen of the Nicola District, where dry conditions were particularly bad, petitioned both the Provincial and the Dominion Governments to secure low rates on shipments of hay from outside points in order that the stockmen might profitably ship in supplies needed for winter feed. Fortunately, however, the September rains started a good growth of grass, both on the range and in pastures, and the mild weather which has prevailed generally throughout the Province up to the first week of December will carry the cattle a long way into the winter on the open range and pastures, and it is hoped that the supplies of hay, even though short in some sections, will be sufficient to bring the cattle through the winter in good condition. Prices for Beef Cattle. The average prices paid for prime steers and best feeders on the Western Canadian markets during the past year were around $6.70 and $4.80 per 100 lb. respectively. While these prices are not far below the general average of pre-war prices, they are profit-bearing even though production costs are still high. The great majority of heef animals raised on the range are of mediocre quality and generally reach market in only fair condition and take their place in the " lower grades." They are so numerous that they cut down the average in price, the result being that animals which might be profit-bearing are required to pay the loss incurred in raising and marketing the profitless ones. Inattention to the cattle while on the open range renders it impossible for the average range stockman to evenly distribute his beef over the market during the summer months. The market is glutted with low-conditioned animals after the general fall beef ride and the effect on the prices is demoralizing. The production of inferior stuff that is difficult to sell at anything like satisfactory prices is actually overproduction on the part of the rancher, even though he has a surplus of range and hay crops for winter feeding. There is an eager market for the high-grade animal, but it is only through unremitting attention to the cattle on the range and. to the protection of the range itself that the range stockman can reach this market. It will not pay to raise beef unless it is of high quality. There are so many leaks in the handling, or rather lack of handling cattle on the open range that any prices received which appproximate the average of present and pre-war prices for the medium or lower grades will hardly pay expenses. The stopping of the leaks will, however, mean the equivalent of at least a 50-per-cent. increase in revenue, producing a satisfactory profit. Sheep Production. The production of sheep is not being given the attention it should. There is a splendid opportunity for every rancher to augment his profits and benefit his ranch by keeping a small farm flock. The surplus of farm flocks may be banded together and grazed as community flocks in charge of herders during the summer months. Some of the finest sheep-range in the West is to be obtained in British Columbia. Many cattlemen are talking of changing from cattle to sheep. This is not advised unless they are familiar with the range-sheep business. Organization. A great deal of the time of the Grazing Office force has been taken up in the organization- work among the stockmen. The Assistant Commissioner of Grazing spent the fore part of the season in Nelson and Vernon Districts and brought about the organization of the following associations: The Grand Forks Association, Grand Forks; the Stock-breeders' Association of Greenwood Riding, Rock Creek; White Lake Association, White Lake. Three other associations were organized—the Big Bar Association at Jesmond, the 4-Mile Association at Penticton, and the Riske Creek Stock-breeders' Association. The Fraser Lake 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 57 range-users and the Barrett Lake range-users are also organizing for range management and development work. The ultimate aim of the organization of stockmen was covered very fully in my report for 1921. An important phase of this corporation work, however, is that it deals with the improvement of the ranges. It is advisable, in order that the best results may be secured, to arrange for consultation with Advisory Boards of the Stock Associations regarding all range-improvement work undertaken. It is very difficult to do this where large associations operate; that is to say, where these associations have jurisdiction over a large area of range, such as the Lillooet Stock-raisers' Association with jurisdiction over the range within the Lillooet Electoral District, and the Nicola Association with jurisdiction over the range commonly known as the Nicola District. It has been very difficult to secure a proper representation of range-users at the meetings of these large associations, and in consequence the discussion of work proposed for portions of various districts has not always resulted in satisfactory suggestions regarding the work. The reason for this was that the people most vitally affected by the proposed improvements would probably not be in attendance at the meetings, often on account of the distance which they were required to travel. These large districts are, however, being split up into smaller units, and range committees selected for each unit for the primary purpose of discussing with the Department the range improvements proposed for each unit of range. This work is well under way and in a very short time I hope to have every distinct unit of range in each grazing district properly represented by a range-improvement committee. Range Improvements. Much progress has been made in the range-improvement work. The attention of the stockmen, individually and collectively, has been called to the importance of the work by correspondence and at meetings, yet it has in some sections been very difficult to secure their co-operation. Dangerous mud-holes on the range take a very heavy toll annually from the herds turned out to graze. The worst of these dangerous places are generally known to the stockmen or their employees. Although each individual user of the Crown range has been written asking for information regarding any needed range improvements, no response at all from some localities has been received. As far as it has been possible for this office to do so, the location of dangerous mud-holes and other necessary improvements have been ascertained by field investigation. The apathy of the stockmen may be due to the fact that many do not seem to fully realize that a fund is available each year for improving the ranges used by their stock. This condition is gradually being changed, however, and I am very confident that the close of 1924 will see all units of the main grazing districts co-operating with the Government in its efforts to improve the ranges for the benefit of the live-stock interests. The following is a record of improvement-work completed to November 30th, 1922, that completed or under way, but not paid for, and of projects authorized and planned to begin at once, or as early as possible in the season of 1923:— Receipts. 1920. Sum equal to one-third of 1919 grazing fees collected $3,398 00 1921. Sum equal to one-third of 1920 grazing fees collected 5,314 89 1922. Sum equal to one-third of 1921 grazing fees collected to November 30th 3,602 38 $12,315 27 Expenditures. Drift-fences $4,501 00 Mud-holes , 1,268 49 Trails 594 50 Spring development 97 50 Grasshopper-control 328 22 Reseeding 91 80 Salt demonstration ■■ 31 00 6,912 51 By Balance, November 30th, 1922 $ 5,402 76 L 58 Department of Lands. 1923 Detailed List of Range Improvements completed to November 30th, 1922. Date. Nov. 24, 1920 June 18,1921 April 8,1922 Oct. 30, , ii 30, ii Dec. 21, 1920 July 14,1921 Dec. 9 ii June 13, 1922!!!!. July 20, ■ 11 31, 11 May 17, 1921 Nov. 1, 1 Oct. 31,1922 June 18,1921 May 17, it Oct. 14, 11 11 14, 11 May, 1922 Sept. 30, 11 Total exp District. Cranbrook Vernon it 11 Kamloops Vernon Cariboo 11 it Vernon Cariboo Vernon Prince Rupert Kamloops enditures to Novem Kind of Improvement. Drift-fence . Mud-hole Mud-holes (2). (3). (2). (1). (1). Trail.. Spring; development. Grasshopper-control. Artificial reseeding-... Salting demonstration . ber 30th, 1922 Creston Valley Stock Range.. Lundbum Common Allen Grove :... Crater Mountain Armstrong Heffley Range Nicola Range, Green Lake . Lac la Hache Restone Big Bar Range Churn Creek, Big Bar Basin. Baynes Pass Crater Mountain Nicola Lundbum Common. Riske Creek Range Lillooet Stock-range Lower Nicola Range.... Barrett Lake Range Heffley Stock Range. Cost. $ 200 00 4,101 00 49 50 70 00 80 00 63 00 221 25 223 85 50 00 175 00 535 39 $ 259 50 175 00 150 00 $ 20 95 48 95 21 90 $4,501 00 1,268 49 594 50 97 50 328 22 91 80 31 00 $6,902 57 Projects completed but not yet paid for, pending Inspection Reports. Date. District Kind of Improvement. Name. Estimated Cost. May, 1922 .... Fennell.. $150 00 11 50 00 $200 00 125 00 Aug, ii Projects authorized for 1922, Progress not yet reported. Cariboo Cranbrook... Vernon n Cariboo Cranbrook... Vernon n Total Kind of Improvement. Drift-fence Drift-fence (corral). Trail Spring development.. Baker Range Cranbrook Range. 4-Mile Range Green Lake Range, Nicola. Allen Grove Range Lac la Hache, 141-Mile Waldo Range. Vavenby Range Allen Grove (5 springs) Estimated Cost. $ 100 00 25 00 40 00 300 00 165 00 75 00 100 00 200 00 125 00 $1,130 00 Projects listed to Date for Execution during 1928, District. Vernon.. Cariboo.. Total. Kind of Improvement. Drift-fence.. Mud-holes,. Name. Allen Grove, Keremeos Range.... Canoe Creek Range (5) Dog Creek-Pigeon Range (4),... Alkali Lake (3) Bowe , 39-Mile Reservation Gang Ranch Lac la Hache Range (2) St. Peter's Spring, Alkali Range.. Estimated Cost. $ 76 00 575 00 285 00 175 00 200 00 300 OO 46 00 75 00 40 00 25 00 $2,840 00 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 59 Land Reservations. Area. Purpose. E. % Sec. 8, Tp. 14, Lillooet District ) W. % Sec. 9, Tp. 14, Lillooet District } Watering-place Lot 1687, Lillooet District S.E. Yi Sec. 23, Tp. 78, Lillooet District Control bad mud-hole. Area near 'Williams Lake, Cariboo District, shipping-point Beef holding-ground. 59-Mile, temporary, pending detailed examination, Lillooet District (this examination is now made) „ „ Springhouse Stock-range, Lillooet District Spring and fall range. Big Bar Stock-range ,, ,, Lot 1706, Kamloops District Water. Coutleau Plateau, temporary, Kamloops District Spring and fall range. Lot 4502, Green Lake Range, Kamloops District „ „ Water Resekvations, Area. Purpose. St. Peter's Spring, Alkali Lake Range, Lillooet Water for stock. Eleven springs, Big Bar Range, Lillooet, listed June 14th, 1922, File 038883 Small stream on holding-ground at Williams Lake „ Spring on Lot 1687, Lillooet District „ China Gulch Spring, Lillooet District „ Water on Lot 1706, Kamloops District „ Water on Lot 1398, Kamloops District ., Water on Lot 3902, Kamloops District „ Water on Lot 4066, Kamloops District „ Water on Lot 2118 (S.), Yale District Btjbning and Reseeding on the Ceown Ranges. No range-burning work was undertaken during the past season. It is believed that the experiments now under way at Lower Nicola in the Vernon District and Alberta Lake in the Lillooet District will be sufficient for the time being, in that they will give ample figures in the course of time to show results following the effect of burning on the grazing ranges. The experiments were under observation during the past season, but, of course, it is too early to give any definite information without figures. No further reseeding was undertaken during the past season. Fifty pounds of seed was, however, shipped to the ranges of the Barrett Lake District for experimental work there. A definite plan for reseeding experiments has been arranged for with Mr. Barrett, of Barrett Lake, and it is hoped to find some hardy grass that will be suitable for these ranges for use in finishing off range beef. Observations at the experimental ranges at Lower Nicola and Alberta Lake showed no results in the early part of the year, apparently on account of the dry conditions prevailing. The Alberta Lake area was examined on October 10th, a few weeks after the first heavy rainfall in September, and showed a surprising growth of the grasses and clovers sown, with the exception of sweet clover. Fescue in particular showed a surprising growth, and there was every indication that the white or Dutch clover will establish itself. A portion of this area was fenced at the time the experiment was established in order that areas entirely protected from grazing, as well as areas on the outside range, could be closely observed and figures obtained regarding the growth on protected areas as well as on areas subject to heavy grazing. It was well that this fencing was done, for the examination of the range made in October showed that the cattle were congregating very heavily around the experimental plot and had kept the cultivated plants sown outside of the fenced plot cut down very closely; in fact, they seemed to neglect the native forage so long as they could obtain the cultivated species. It is quite possible that this heavy grazing outside of the fence will prevent the cultivated grasses and clovers from establishing a root system, with the result that they are very apt to weaken and die. This indicates that wherever any seeding is done on the range with cultivated species, protection during the growing months, or from April to August, must be given the plants if benefit is to L 60 Department of Lands. 1923 be derived from expenditures in reseeding ranges. It will be impossible to think of building drift-fences all over the range for this purpose for many years to come; consequently the only way in which this protection can be given is through the organization of the stockmen and the introduction by them of proper control measures. This could be brought about by the employment of herders and the distribution of salt in such a way that the stock will be compelled to graze on the different divisions of each unit of range, in accordance with the grazing plan formulated to bring about the protection of reseeded areas. Geasshopper-contbol. On April 1st of the past season E. R. Buckell, of the Department of Agriculture, was assigned to the Nicola District with the view of studying the damage resulting from the grasshoppers in that locality and devising means whereby they could be controlled. Mr. Buckell was in charge of the work on the Riske Creek Range during 1920 and 1921, and is in consequence well qualified for the work. I have not yet received a copy of his report, but have discussed the situation with him, and understand that the Nicola Range is infested with varieties which may be easily controlled by poisoning. The difficulties in the way of doing effective work are the extent of the area and the limited means at his disposal. He secured good co-operation from the stockmen and ranchers of the vicinity, and, I believe, is prepared to make definite recommendations to his Department in reference to the control of grasshoppers on the Nicola as well as on other ranges where the damage they do is particularly severe. Diseases or Live Stock. The stockmen of British Columbia are very fortunate in being very free from losses of stock on the ranges due to diseases or poisonous plants. The investigations of this office show that possibly the greatest losses occur in mud-holes, which are very prevalent in some portions of the grazing districts. These, however, are being located and fenced with all possible speed. An examination of the ranges has disclosed very few poisonous plants growing in such quantities that they are at all dangerous to stock. The most dangerous plants on the range are water- hemlock, larkspur, and death-camas. Death-eamas is not very prevalent except on some portions of the range close to the International Boundary, and is not at all dangerous unless the stock have been confined and are very hungry when turned on to the range. The month of May is the most dangerous period. The giant larkspur, which poisons cattle and horses, but not sheep, has never been discovered in sufficient quantities in the general grazing districts to be injurious. Water-hemlock seems to be dangerous only during the dry seasons, when the small lakes and water-holes become so dry that the roots are exposed. Stockmen have been complaining of sickness and death among their cattle, due to eating forage growing within the timber, which they claim is not palatable and dangerous at various periods of the season. A close examination of the ranges has failed to disclose any forage of a dangerous nature, outside of a few plants which may be classed as poisonous, or plants that would cause the condition or symptoms described in sick cattle. The symptoms prevalent among sick cattle show conclusively that sickness is due entirely to an insufficient supply of proper salts in the food. Very little of the forage growing on the ranges in the West furnish sufficient salts for the cattle growing on these ranges. This is particularly true in the case of the eow with the growing calf, and ewes with lambs. Experiments carried on by various Governments and experimental stations have proven conclusively that live stock needs a certain quantity of good salt each day. On the ordinary ranges of the West this quantity should be at the rate of about 1 lb. per head per month. If the stock does not get this salt it will naturally seek licks furnishing salts in different forms, which are usually very injurious and lead to indigestion and the general breakdown in the health of the stock on the range. The failure to provide the proper salt and distribute it at the right places over the range results in a heavy loss to the stockmen. Without this salt the cattle congregate at areas where they can secure alkali or other salts. These areas are generally on or in the vicinity of the spring and fall range, but growth of forage on these ranges is retarded and the ranges are so seriously overgrazed that the growth of the stock is further prevented. The ranges are damaged so that there is generally very little forage available for fall use, which means that the stock are forced into the feeding-yards from three weeks to a month before they should be taken there. —I 13 Geo. 5 Forest Branch. L 61 Mismanagement of this kind results in a heavy all-round loss, which could easily be averted by intelligent organization in range-management work. Tbespass. The Grazing Office has found it necessary to take action against certain persistent trespassers who fail to take out grazing permits for the use of the range, thereby taking from their neighbours range allotted to the regular permittees and appropriating to themselves the benefit of range improvements constructed for the authorized users of the range.' The following cases were tried during the past season: C. Kostering, Cariboo District; W. Grinder, Cariboo District; A. Doyle, Cranbrook District. Evidence for use in the prosecution of other trespassers has been collected and is being placed in the hands of the legal department for action. W'hile it is essential that the regular users of the range be protected, it is hoped that the trespass regulation will not have to be evoked by this office for the purpose of compelling those who insist on using the range without permit, to the detriment of the regular grazing permittee, to deal fairly with their neighbours and also apply for and secure grazing permits. WORK DONE BX FOREST BRANCH DRAUGHTING OFFICE. During the past twelve months the staff of the Draughting Office has been engaged in not only preparing the general routine plans, but in compiling data for reconnaissances undertaken last year. Considerable work is entailed in this respect, as all possible information that could be of use to the cruising parties, such as bearing trees, must be given by the draughtsmen. The main routine work has consisted of the preparation of plans for timber-sales, timber- marks, examination sketches, and hand-logger licences. In addition, numerous sketches for various purposes were made, most of them requiring bearing trees. Also a large number of reference maps were blue-printed from time to time, and portions of maps. Every office in the different forest districts was kept supplied with blue-prints of reference maps, and a special effort was made to furnish the district offices with copies of every new map, prepared by the Surveyor-General's Branch, directly the map was available. The number of reference maps (including portions of maps) that were blue-printed for the Forest Branch was 575, and the number of plans prepared for blue-printing amounted to 2,136; from these 10,400 prints were made. All atlas and operation maps have been kept up to date; this has necessitated the preparation of several new ones and a constant revision of those in use. Number of Tracings made. Blue-prints Month. Timber- sales. Timber- marks. Examination Sketches. Hand-logger Licences. Miscellaneous. Totals. S.G. Ref. Maps. 19 15 21 8 9 17 11 16 20 17 48 33 58 115 97 43 70 78 47 55 56 76 80 91 866 34 43 43 43 67 34 33 60 39 36 65 35 11 12 29 47 35 13 40 22 24 24 10 9 18 11 22 9 44 34 6 4 21 40 11 8 140 196 212 150 225 176 137 157 160 193 214 176 104 11 35 19 28 July 141 6 23 20 10 39 140 234 532 276 228 2,136 575 VICTORIA, B.C. : Printed by Williaji H. Citllin, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty. 1923.
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PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA REPORT OF THE FOREST BRANCH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LANDS HON. T. D. PATTULLO,… British Columbia. Legislative Assembly [1922]
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Title | PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA REPORT OF THE FOREST BRANCH OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LANDS HON. T. D. PATTULLO, Minister P. Z. CAVERHILL, Chief Forester FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST 1922 |
Alternate Title | DEPARTMENT OF LANDS. |
Creator |
British Columbia. Legislative Assembly |
Publisher | Victoria, BC : Government Printer |
Date Issued | [1922] |
Genre |
Legislative proceedings |
Type |
Text |
FileFormat | application/pdf |
Language | English |
Identifier | J110.L5 S7 1922_16_L1_L61 |
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Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia |
Source | Original Format: Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Library. Sessional Papers of the Province of British Columbia |
Date Available | 2016-02-22 |
Provider | Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library |
Rights | Images provided for research and reference use only. For permission to publish, copy or otherwise distribute these images please contact the Legislative Library of British Columbia |
CatalogueRecord | http://resolve.library.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/catsearch?bid=1198198 |
DOI | 10.14288/1.0225856 |
AggregatedSourceRepository | CONTENTdm |
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