“Just at the present time, within the area we inspected, the timber is too young and small upon the whole to be cut at a profit even for pulpwood. But in the absence of fires for twenty years the now eighty-year-old stands of four to eight-inch timber can be profitably cut for this purpose, and it is probable that within the next quarter of a century part of the
Enormous Energy Now Running Free
in the falls and rapids of Nelson and Grass rivers will be harnessed to drive pulp and paper mills. The age of the reproduction is in nearly every case a measure of the time which has elapsed since the last destructive fire occurred. As a general rule, to which, however, there are endless local exceptions and variations—the young growth is approximately either forty or eighty years of age, the former being now one to four inches in diameter, and the latter four to eight inches, but none yet large enough for making railway ties. It will, however, soon be suitable for pulpwood. Scattered trees from older stands occur in this second growth, but not in sufficient number to repay the cost of lumbering. The rate of growth in the very dense stands that are usual in that latitude is decidedly slow except where the soil and drainage conditions happen to be just right. Black spruce on semi-muskeg, a site of average quality for that species, is only four to five inches in diameter breast height at one hundred years. White spruce is rather fastidious regarding moisture conditions and only appears on fairly well-drained spots, attaining there a size of eight to twelve inches diameter within a century. Poplar in that time reaches eight to ten inches. As for jackpine, occasional trees reach twelve to sixteen inches, but only after long immunity from fires, and such trees are too limby for use. I saw no jackpine stand where the trees would average even six inches in diameter. If the general drainage conditions could in some way be improved so as to partially replace the unprofitable black spruce with the white species,
The Wealth Producing Power of the Region
would be immeasurably greater.”
Mr. William Beech of Churchill, in his communication to the press referred to in the preceding chapter (See p. [63]), writes of the timber resources of Hudson bay region:—“Another valuable asset of the district is the timber which everywhere dots the regions around the bay. The most northerly species is the spruce, which extends north of Churchill about forty miles, as far as Seal river, and which attains the height of about thirty feet and an average diameter of from twelve to fifteen inches. The balance of the timber is pulpwood and this exists in unlimited quantities. When you consider that the best of water power is available all along the rivers for the manufacture of this product, it will be seen that this is but another of the valuable resources of the district.”
As to the water powers available, Mr. Beech writes:—“There are a great number of magnificent water power sites, within very easy access of the surveyed route of the railway, all of which can be easily developed to furnish almost unlimited electrical energy. Hydro-electric energy could be developed at any one of these sites within a distance of thirty miles from the road, which would make transmission to points along it, or possibly operation of it actually, by electricity. It certainly assures cheap power for any manufacturing or milling centre which may develop. All these power locations must inevitably become very valuable. A few years ago, no one, with the exception of one or two far-seeing and experienced individuals, believed in the power propositions on Winnipeg river where so much development is now taking place. To-day what are they worth? They cannot be bought at any price. I believe the same will be true of the sites contiguous to the Hudson Bay Railway.”