’Chopping fro/ics ’.

Forest activities.

Burned land is harder to clear.

Trees cut in clearance not useful in the timber trade.

used in ship-building is, if allowed proper time to season, of a superior quality, although a prejudice has been hatched and kept up against it, as well as against that growing in the other American colonies. It is, however, a fact, that vessels built in this island, from twelve to fifteen years ago, are still substantial and tight: this alone should remove the most inveterate prejudice. 7

CHAPTER VII. Society

When a farmer or new settler wants a piece of wood cut down, he procures a few gallons of rum to drink on the occasion, and sends for his neighbours to assist him in levelling the forest: this is called a chopping frolic. [p. 74] The farmers are employed during winter in cutting and hauling home firewood for winter use, and a stock of fuel for the summer; . Those however who imprudently think they will succeed better by attempting more, go into the woods to hew timber for exportation, or neglect their farms for ship-building, and other speculations which have ruined many. Formerly a considerable quantity of sugar was made from the

sap of the maple tree. Scarcely any but the Acadians and Indians make any at present. The wild beasts and game having become scarce, [the Indians] are subjected to a precarious subsistence. [pp. 75-78]

Woodlands in convenient situations may however be purchased, for from ES. to £2. per acre, and leases for 999 years, can be obtained for the annual rent of from ls. to 23. per acre, and in some situations for less.

saw-mills [are] almost every where in the neighbourhood;

partridges 5d. to 6d.; hares in abundance 6d.; These prices are in Halifax currency, which is in value one—tenth less than British sterling. [pp. 80-81]

CHAPTER XIII New Brunswick. 8 [pp. 173—751

l have often heard it observed by people unacquainted with America, that the lands would become valuable by being cleared of the woods by fire, and that immense labour in reclaiming the forest lands would thus be saved; but no opinion can be more erroneous. Settlers who know the value of wilderness lands always choose those covered with the heaviest and largest trees; and the strongest objection that can be made to a piece of land, is its having been subjected to fire, which withers the trees, and effectually exhausts the soil, in consequence of its producing afterwards two or three crops of tall weeds, which require more nourishment than the same number of corn crops would. If the lands were, immediately after a fire, brought under cultivation, they would then be equally valuable to those cleared in the usual way; but as these great fires seldom level the large trees, they are in consequence of losing the sap, much harder and more difficult to cut down than green wood; and, by being all charred, exceedingly disagreeable to work among. The clearing of ground, on which the trees are all in a fresh growing state, is therefore preferred to that which has been subjected to fires, which seldom consume effectually more than the underwood. decayed fragments, and the branches of the large trees. The trees cut down for the timber of commerce, are not of the smallest importance in respect to clearing the lands; although I have heard it urged in England as an argument in favour of the timber trade. The lumberers choose the trees that they consider the most suitable, and not one in ten thousand is esteemed so. Almost every description of forest trees would be valuable for different purposes, if once landed in the United Kingdoms; but the principal part of the cost is the freight across the Atlantic, and in order, therefore, that a ship may carry the greatest possible quantity, the largest and straightest trees are hewn square, and not brought round to market as the trees cut down in England are.

[His footnote]: The most absurd objections are made, either from interest or prejudice, against American Timber, although for most purposes it is equal, and for many,

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