KOADS AND ItAILWAYS. 71 



piiiducliw laiin in wliidi lu' f^^iows (•r()ps of all kind.-, inclmling 

 \vliuat. The soil is a (l('i'|i sandy loam yielding root-crops wliieli 

 , cannot lie snijiassed. Clover, liuck-wlieat and Hax grow luxu- 

 riantly. Hay is cut Ironi tlie natural grasses, and hops thrive 

 luxuriantly. The nearest neighhour to this solitary ])ioneer is 

 some thii'ty miles otl' The want ot" roads ami markets has 

 hitherto preveuteil the settlement dC this tine distriet, l)Ut the 

 advent of the railway will change all this, and the value of land 

 may lu' exjiected to advance rajjidly. 



BAY OF ISI.A>'L).S. 



The railway reaches the Bay of Islands at Corner Brook, 

 where there is every facility for the ei'ection of good wharves for 

 the ex])ortation of farm-jtroduce, lumhvr, minerals, etc. The 

 tine lierring tishi'ry ol' this hay, which is carried on during the 

 winter, will receive an imjiulse from the railway which, in all 

 prohahility, will lead to a wonderful expansion (jf this industry. 

 It is true that much of the pine along the vi\ev has heeii long 

 .since cut down, yet much good timlier of other kinds is still to 

 be found there in al)undance, and thei-e are still many portions 

 which the lumlier-man has not yet invaded. The shores of 

 (ii'and Lake an- densely timbered with every variety of forest- 

 growth, white pine being abundant. The country l)etween 

 Grand and Sandy Lakes and the banks oi (ifjose Brook, arc 

 regions yet almost untouched, and contain a large proportion of 

 pine. In all these there is ample space for a large lumbering 

 indu.stry for years to come, which will be developed by the 

 railwav. 



MAKBLK BEDS. 



All these, however, do not exhaust the natural resources of the 

 Humber Valley. It has long been famous for its marble deposits, 

 wliicli are of enormous extent, but yet untested. Specimens 

 liave been found of white marble of a very fine grain which 



.apjjears adapted for statuary purposes .should it exist in suffi- 

 ciently massive beds, which is yet undetermined. " The variety 

 of colours disjjlayeil in other specimens is very considerable and 



.often very beautiful.'' Marble (piarries are among the possibili- 



