CHAPTER IV 
Forests* 
HE. forests of Quebec have always been classed among the most 
Tena resources of the province. During the French regime, 
the correspondence of the Intendants with the Government in 
France contains many references to the timber wealth of the new land 
and frequent mention is made of the trade, both actual and potential, 
in masts, spars, ship timbers and other forest products. Later, when the 
woods were more fully exploited, there emerged the romantic figure of 
the river driver, that hardy, danger-loving French Canadian who, deftly 
balanced with pike pole, rode the booms of logs over river and rapid to 
mill or tide-water. In the past generation the magnificent white pine 
of the province constituted the most valuable forest type, but the best 
stands of this tree have now disappeared before the lumberman’s axe, 
and the pulpwood species, principally spruce and balsam, are assuming 
a leading position. 
The decreasing supply of timber generally throughout the world has 
resulted in gradually rising prices, and in Quebec, as elsewhere, forest 
products are becoming more valuable. In 1926 the value of primary 
forest products in Quebec amounted to $64,976,437. The merchantable 
forests of the province were valued in 1928 at more than $1,000,000,000 
and were estimated to cover an area of about 120,000,000 acres, Labrador 
forests excluded. They constitute an important source of provincial 
revenue, and from 1867 to 1927 those under license brought in a revenue 
of $77.098,452 
FOREST AREAS 
Northern Areas.—The extreme northern portion of the province 
that is to say, the region north of the 55th parallel and covering Ungava 
is practically devoid of tree growth, and corresponds in character to the 
tundras of Siberia. Immediately south of this 1s the sub-arctic region 
constituting the forests of the Hudson Bay basin not included in the 
arctic zone. In area it comprises about 128,000,000 acres not more than 
one-sixth of which has merchantable timber on it. The country is rolling 
and is covered with small lakes and streams and many muskegs. Since 
the climate is severe, the period of vegetation continuing not more than 
five months, the trees are much smaller than those farther south, and the 
species are few in number, the principal ones being the spruces, balsam, 
tamarack, aspen, balm of Gilead and paper birch. Although these forests 
TT % Revised by the Department of Lands and Forests, Quebec. - 
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