The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-13

there for some years, it appears they never
made any agricultural experiments, De-
Mevirg that they would be futile
AT the Forty-Af!le river there is a Fat
OF about 40 or SO acres in area, on which
the soil is OF better quality than on many
OF the other pieces mentioned. Only very
hardy roots would live through the many
cold nights Of the summer months. and
the season e 50 short thar even Il they sur
vived The cold they would not attain size
~ for use
The river Is not generally clear OF ice
until between the 18th o. May and the lst
Of June, ana heavy frosts occur early IN
September. and sometimes earlier.
AT the boundary there are two Hats or
several hundred acres each, one on the
west side, the other three miles above Il on
the east side. Both OF these are covered
with poplar. spruce and white birch. also
some willow and small pine.
TT Is difficult 70 form an estimate or the
total area OF agricultural land seen, but X
certainly bears q very small proportion 10
the remainder OF the country. ! think 10
townships or $50 square miles would be
very liberal estimate for all the places
mentioned. This gives US $50 800 acres. or.
say I010 farms. The available land on
the afTluents OF the river would probably
double this. or give 2.eeo farms in that part
OF our territory but on the most OF these
the returns would be meagre.
Without the discovery and development
OF large mineral wealth il is not likely
that the slender agricultural resources OF
the region viii ever attract attention. at
least until the better parts OF our terri
cries are crowded.
TN the event of such discovery some OF
the land might be used for the production
OF vegetable food for the miners; but. even
In that case with the transport facilities
which the district commands. 1t is very
doubtful II Il could compete probably with
the south and east.
Manufacturing and Building Timber.
The amount OF this class Of timber IN
the district along the river is not at all
important There Is a large extent OF for
est which would yield firewood, and timber
for use in mines. but for the manufacture
OF lumber there is very little.
ITO give an idea OF its scarceness, may
state that two Of my party made thor
ough search of all the timbered land around
the head of Lake Bennett and down the
lake for over 10 miles. and in all this
search only one tree was found suitable for
making such plank as We required FOR the
construction OF our large boat. This tree
made four plsnks IS inches wide at the
butt I at the top. and 81 feet long.
such other planks as We wanted had 10
be cut out OF short logs. of which some. 10
TO "a inches in diameter and 10 70 Is feet
long could be found AT long intervals. The
boat required only 450 feet or plank for its
construction, yet some OF the logs had 10
be carried nearly 0osyards. and two saw
pits had TO be made before that quantity
was procured. and this on ground that was
all thickly wooded with spruce, pine. and
some balsam, the latter being generally the
largest and cleanest trunked.
These remarks apply TO the timber I'M
til we reach the lower end Of Marsh lake.
On the head of the river. near the lake,
some trees OF fair size, Il 10 IA inches In
diameter. and carrying their thickness
very well, could be got. but their number
was small, and they were much scattered.
AT the canon the timber is small and
scrubby below Il there were a few trees
that would yield planks from seven to ten
Inches wide. but they have been nearly all
cut by the miners, Macy OF whom made
RATS at the head Of Lake Bennett. fioated
down TO White Horse rapids, and there
abandoned them for boats which they then
built
THE great bulk of the timber In the dis
trict suitable for manufacture into lumber
is 70 be found on the islands in the river.
on them the soil is warmer and richer. the
SUMS rays striking the surface for a much
longer time and more directly than on the
banks.
AT the confluence with the Pelly. on the
east side of the river, there is grove or
spruce. from which some very nice lumber
could be made. and on the islands below
this much OF the same class of timber eS-
lists Near White and Stewart rivers there
Is a good deal Of nice clean timber. but il
is small II is said there Is more good tim
Der on Stewart river in proportion 10 the
ground wooded than on the main river.
Between Stewart river and the bound
airy there Is not so much surface covered
with large trees as on many of the flats
above it. The valley being generally mar
rover. and tie sides sleeper than higher up
the river This, OF course. precludes the
growth of timber.
AT the boundary line I required. as has
already been explained, a tree - inches in
diameter at the ground on which 10 erect
my transit. An exhaustive search of over
three square miles of the woods there
though showing many trees Of convenient
size for house logs and many for small
clean plauks. showed only one is inches In
diameter at a distance of five feet above
the ground.
TT may be said that the country might
furnish much timber. which. though not Al
to be classed as merchantable, would meet
many Of the requirements of the only in
dustry the country Is ever likely 10 have
viz. mining"