The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-02-23

ional groves, the remainder being more or
less wooded; 274,000 square miles, includ-
ing the prairie, may be considered as arabic
land. About 100000 miles of the total is
useless for the pasturage of domestic ami
mails or for cultivation This area COM
prises the barren grounds and a portion of
the lightly wooded region to their south
and west.
Throughout this arabic and pastoral area
isotherms, the spring flowers and the buds
of deciduous trees appearing as early north
of Great Slave lake as at Winnipeg, St.
Paul and Minneapolis, Kingston or Ottawa,
and earlier along the Peace, Lizard and
some minor western affluents of the Great
Mackenzie river, where the climate resem-
bles that of western Ontario The native
grasses and vetches are equal and in some
districts superior to those of eastern Cana
da The prevailing southwest summer
winds of the country in question bring the
warmth and moisture which render posi-
bic the far northern cereal growth, and SEN
sibly affect the climate of the region under
consideration as far north as the Arctic cir
Gle and as far cast rs the eastern rim of the
Mackenzie basin.
The forest area has upon it a growth of
trees well suited for all purposes of house
and ship building, for mining, railway and
bridging purposes, far in excess of its own
needs, and of igreat prospective value to the
treeless regions of Canada and the United
States to the south, the growth on the Lau-
rentan formation being scant; but the allu-
vial portion has upon it con the river of its
name and elsewhere) the Lizard, a balsam
poplar. sometimes called Balm of Gilead or
rough bark poplar, 100 feet high, with a
stump diameter of ) feet to 3 feet, the
/ white spruce, $50 feet high. with stump
diameter of feet to ) feet; the larch of
about the same size, and the banksian pine,
whose straight stem is often 100 feet long.
with only , feet of diameter at the stump.
OF the mines Of this vast region little is
I known Gold has been found on the west
shore of Iludsons bay, and has been said
I to exist in certain portions of the barren
( grounds. Silver, on the Upper Lizard and
+ Peace rivers copper upon the Coppermine
river, iron, graphite, ocher, brick and pot
/ tory clay, mica, gypsum, lime and sand.
stone. sand for glass aud holding, and
asphal.um are all known to exist; while
I the petroleum area is so extensive as tC
Justify the belief that eventually it will
supply the larger part of this continent
aud be shipped FROM Churchill or some
more northern Hudsons bay port to Eng
land
Salt and sulphur deposits are less cxten
siye, bat the former Is found 10 crystal:
equal in purity to the best rock salt, and
in highly saline springs, while the latter l.
found in the form @. pyrites; aud the fac
that these petroleum aud salt deposits Occur
mainly near the line of division between
deep water navigation and that fitted fol
lighter craft gives them a possible grea
commercial value. The extensive coal auc
ignite deposits Of the Lower Mackenzie
aud elsewhere viii BE- found to be Of grea
value when the questions Of reducing ii
iron orc and the transportation Of tbs
products of this vast region have to b,
solved by steam sea going or lighter rivei
craft
The chief present commercial product o.
the country is is furs, which. as the region
in question i the last great fur preserve Of
the world, are OF very great present anC
prospective value, all the finer furs Of con-
uerce being there found, and the sales il
I.andoH yearly amounting to several mil
hons Of dollars
The evidence submitted to the commit
tee points 60 the existence IN the Atha-
basca aud Mackenzie valleys Of the most
extensive petroleum field in America, il
not in the world The uses Of petroleum,
and consequently the demand for It by all
nations, are Increasing at such a rapid
ratio tha, j, Is probable this great petro-
lenm geld viii assame an enormous value
Z in the near future