314 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ing with river driving in the spring. Lewey's lake is the most 

 south-easterly of the Schoodic chain of lakes, and was, in all re- 

 spects, the most eligible point from which we could commence our 

 tour. The party was made up of C. H. Hitchcock, the State Ge- 

 ologist, J. Henry Robbins of Calais, and the present writer ; with 

 two guides, Benj. D. Wyatt of Princeton, and S. Wallace Hay- 

 cock of Milltown. These guides, acting as boatmen, accom- 

 panied us during the entire tour, and were, in every respect, 

 deserving of the highest praise as skillful, willing and gentlemanly 

 assistants. 



Since we should be obliged to retrace our steps over the western 

 lakes after we had reached the one called Sysladobsis, we ad- 

 opted the plan of examining one side of the lakes or river, on our 

 ascent, reserving the other till our return. This enabled us to ■ 

 make more extended observations than we should otherwise have 

 been permitted to do. 



The voyage across Big lake was accomplished in a miniature 

 steamer, belonging to Mr. Wm. W. Sawyer of Calais. He kindly 

 placed it our disposal, and by its aid we hoped that we could 

 examine certain portions of Big lake with more ease than in our 

 canoes. Various circumstances combined to prevent our taking- 

 advantage of this assistance, except in transporting our baggage 

 from Lewey's lake to Grand Lake stream. 



Premising, then, that a part of our western tour was accom- 

 plished in this tiny steamer, and the remainder in birches, it will 

 be necessan^ to commence the Botanical and Agricultural Report 

 by a brief description of the land around Lewey's lake. 



Upon the northern side we have, mostly, swampy land, covered 

 by a thick growth of small Juniper, (Larix Americana,) and, back 

 of this, a scattered forest of slowly growing Pines. The soil, from 

 the lake north through Indian township, as far as the Waite plan- 

 tation, is mostly made up of disintegrated mica schist, and belted 

 with granite. Under the most favorable circumstances, such as 

 well drained drift-hills and sunny valleys, we find some fair farming 

 land. Very much of the teri'itory is rocky, having exposures of 

 compact schists and slate which might serve to discourage any 

 farmer. It is, on the whole, better fitted for a timber region than 

 for agriculture, and it is stated that the first growth of pine, and 

 saplings generally, was excellent, but subsequently fires have kept 

 down the pines to a size about that of the average of trees in sim- 

 ilar districts in Washington county. 



