400 Trees Per Acre

 

Muniac Stream
Muniac Stream, Summer 2012

 

“Not all the promotion focused on the Canadian west. A number of emigrants from the northeast region of Scotland were attracted o New Kincardineshire in New Brunswick in the 1870s. “They said that there was about 40 trees on the acre,” wrote one colonist, “but 400 on the acre is like the thing.” Those who stuck with the settlement appear to have prospered, but attrition was heavy among a people not accustomed to heavy forestation. Of course, one of the great selling points of the Canadian prairies was that settlers would not have to clear 400 trees to the acre. Being able to plough the land with minimal preparation was clearly an advantage, although many a settler ultimately wished for a few more trees to provide building material and firewood.” (Encyclopedia of Canada’s peoples, edited by Paul Robert Magocsi)

See it here.