NATURAL RESOURCES OF QUEBEC

Reclaiming Waste Land.—One of the first experiments in reclaiming
waste land in Quebec by means of tree-planting was begun in 1889 at
Oka, by Father Lefebre, a Sulpician priést, who succeeded in reforesting
eighteen acres of shifting sands. This thriving plantation provides an
illustration of the profits and advantages of reforestation.
As in Ontario, the planting of the Forest Service has been devoted
mainly to the reclamation of areas of “blow” sand, although a considerable
 area of cut-over land has also been replanted. At Lachute, a tract
of 300 acres of shifting sands has been reclaimed, partly by planting and
partly by the sowing of beach grass. More than 800,000 young spruce
and pine trees have been planted at Lachute and are all thriving.
Near Berthier Junction and at other places similar reforestation is
in progress. In each township reserve and also in the domanial forests,
reforestation is being actively carried on by the Government. In this
way many of the lands ruined by fire will be reforested by artificial means
more quickly than bv nature.

Private Companies Interested.—Particularly good work in reforestation
 is being done by private companies engaged in the lumbering
and pulp industries. The Laurentide Company, Limited, at Grand’ Mere,
who were the pioneers in reforestation, planted in 1919 a million trees
and transplanted a million and a quarter. The total number of trees

Three year seedlings of spruce