PHYSICAL FEATURES OF NOVA SCOTIA.—MURPHY. 139 
Locat TopoGRAPHY.—BAY oF FUNDY To ATLANTIC, THROUGH 
NICTAUX. 
I give the local topography along the line of survey in the 
words of my report made in the year 1875: 
Commencing at the Middleton station, on the Windsor and 
Annapolis railway, it crosses new pasture land, tillage, orchard, 
meadow, orchard again, and choice intervale to Annapolis river ; 
thence to Nictaux village, clearings, light alluvial pastures, three 
orchards, and some spurs of spruce woods. For this distance of 
four miles throughout, the soil is alluvial and mellow, famous 
for its great natural fertility, as is all the Annapolis Valley, by 
producing in abundance most of the grain and fruits belonging 
to its latitude. 
From here the line begins to ascend the western slope of the 
hill-side of the Nictaux river. Keeping an inclining contour, no 
serious depression or ravine obstructs the course, which is over 
an apparently good surface, with occasional outcrops of slate. 
A mixed growth of heavy timber,—beech, birch, elm, pine, 
spruce and hemlock—clothes the hillside. 
From 6 to 7} miles, still keeping the same inclination, and 
following in like manner the contour of hill-side, the same heavy 
and mixed growth of timber and surface is passed. Here Smith’s 
Bluff is reached, thenee to 8.18 miles, where it crosses the Nic- 
taux river, the surface is rough; burnt woods, with some patches 
of timber still standing, intervene. 
From 84 to 94 miles, still keeping on the east bank of the river, 
and still inclining upwards with the same grade, very heavy 
timber, consisting of hemlock, spruce and hardwood, is passed, as 
well as some choice farming lands. At the 10th mile we reach 
the mill-dam of Messrs. Pope, Vose & Co., and from here to 11 
miles the surface is denuded of soil by forest fires, and any timber 
met with is stunted and scrubby. 
From 103 to 122 miles, the surface is rough and barren, cover- 
ed by granite boulders, recent forest fires having destroyed all 
vegetation; thence to the 14th mile we cross over beautiful 
intervale soil clothed with heavy hardwood, spruce, and hemlock. 
