Geography and Geology of Western Canada. 17 



poor and thin, and the woods thick ; but it contains many 

 districts of great natural beauty. The neighbourhood of the 

 Lake-of-the-Woods being especially fine. 



[h). The next zone is that of the prairies, which stretch across 

 the continent to the "Foot-hills" of the Eocky Mountains. 

 These prairies may be divided into three parts. In the east 

 there is the Bed Eiver Valley, in which Winnipeg (the old Fort 

 Garry) stands. This is a great plain, opening out to the north 

 to include Lake Winnipeg and the neighbouring lakes. It is 

 entu-ely formed by alluvial deposits of the Eed Eiver, and 

 contains some of the most fertile soil m the world. In many 

 farms large crops have been raised continuously for sixty years 

 without any manure. Laud of a similar character stretches up 

 the North Saskatchewan Eiver ; and again, further north-west, 

 along the Peace Eiver. 



The western limit of the Eed Eiver Valley is a low range of 

 hills, the eastern limit of the second prairie level on which 

 Eegina stands. This prairie is formed of a variety of drift 

 deposits, mostly loamy and of good quality. A series of hills 

 rise from the plain ; these are mostly formed of gravel, and 

 when so are generally wooded, but the normal character of the 

 prauie is a vast grassy plain. 



West of Eegina we come to another belt of rising land, which 

 extends southwards into the States, and is known as the 

 " Missouri Coteau." This forms the eastern limit of the third 

 prairie level. The solid rocks are rarely exposed across the 

 prairies, but may be seen in the river valleys. They are mostly 

 of Cretaceous and Eocene Age, with some of an intermediate age. 

 In fact, the great gap in time which in Western Europe exists 

 between the chalk and the beds next above is here bridged over. 

 The beds of this doubtful age contain important seams of coal, 

 which are now being largely opened out. Near Medicine Hat 

 the coal is bitummous, and lies in a nearly horizontal position 

 beneath the drift soils of the prairies. 



Where the cretaceous and tertiary rocks come to the surface 

 the soil is sometimes alkaline, and much diflBculty is found in 

 obtaining pure water. But alkaline soils are also formed where 

 the drainage has been blocked by di'ift deposits, and where 

 evaporation has taken place, leaving the solid matter of the 

 river-water in the soil. In these places the flora is very peculiar 

 and interesting. 



(c). The third zone is that of the " Foot-hills " of the Eocky 

 Mountains. It has no strongly marked boundaries ; it shades 

 ofi' into the prairies on the east, and into the wilder regions of 

 the mountains on the west. The rocks comprising it are of 

 various ages, but are often greatly distui'bed. The coal is here 

 a true anthracite, the change in character being probably due to 



