362 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Oct, 



without fallow, rotation, deep plowing, or manure, are now in a 

 great many cases unproductive, and are looked upon as worn out 

 or exhausted. A scientific system of culture which should make 

 use of deep or sub-soil ploughing, a proper rotation of crops, and a 

 judicious application of manures, would however soon restore these 

 lands to their original fertility. The few trials which within the 

 last few years have been made in the vicinity of Montreal and else- 

 where, have sufficed to show that an enlightened system of tillage, 

 with sub-soil draining, is eminently successful in restoring these 

 lands, which offer at their present prices good inducements to skilled 

 farmers. Besides grain and green crops, these soils are well fitted 

 for the culture of tobacco, which is grown to some extent in the 

 vicinity of Montreal. Notwithstanding the length of the winter 

 season in Canada, the great heat and light of the summer, and the 

 clearness of the atmosphere enable vegetation to make very rapid 

 progress. 



To the north-east of Quebec, besides the plains which border the 

 river, there is a considerable area of low-lying clay land, cut off 

 from the great St. Lawrence basin by Laurentian hills, and occu- 

 pying the valley of Lake St. John and a portion of the Saguenay. 

 Here is a small outlying basin of Lower Silurian rocks, like those 

 about Montreal, and overlaid in like manner by strong and deep 

 clays, which extend over the adjacent and little elevated portion of 

 the Laurentian rocks, and form a soil as well fitted for cultivation 

 as any part of the lower St. Lawrence valley. The valley of this 

 lake is probably not more than 300 feet above the sea ; and from 

 the sheltered position the climate is not more rigorous than that of 

 Quebec. Several townships have within a few years been laid out 

 in this valley, and have attracted large numbers of French Cana- 

 dians from the older parishes in the valley of St. Lawrence. 



The western part of the champaign region, commencing near 

 Kingston and including all the southern portion of the western 

 province, is the most fertile and productive part of Canada. Like 

 the plains further eastward, its soil consists chiefly of strong clays. 

 overlaid here and there by loam, sand, and gravel. In the natural 

 state nearly the whole of this region supported a fine growth of 

 timber, in great part of broad-leaved species, but presented how- 

 ever various local peculiarities. Thus, the banks of the Grand 

 River from Gait to Brantford were remarkable for a sparse growth 

 of oaks, free from underwood, and known as oak openings. These 



