rich loam with a subsoil of sandy clay, much of the land 

 being sparsely covered with spruce and pine. Local 

 differences make the pursuit of every kind of agriculture 

 possible, grain growing being adapted to a large area, 

 mixed farming suggesting itself as more profitable to a 

 larger expanse, whilst certain sections are said to be 

 unsurpassed in the West for cattle ranching. Along the 

 Clearwater River and Valley is described as splendid 

 ranching country, with hay abounding and water and 

 shelter being easily available, the rolling hills blown clear 

 of snow in the winter affording excellent range for stock. 

 Equally fine range is to be found in the Pembina Valley, 

 whilst the Meadow Lake district, which is practically 

 prairie, is described by the explorers as some of the very 

 best land in Canada. 



The Pembina a Most Fertile Valley 



At Lac la Ronge, approximately one hundred miles 

 north of Prince Albert, wheat has been raised for many 

 years without suffering from frost, by the missionaries, 

 whilst potatoes are raised every year with good results. 

 In the Pembina Valley, much farther north, wheat and 

 oats have been grown in small quantities successfully, 

 whilst every variety of vegetables was seen in the gardens, 

 thriving in the very best of condition potatoes, cauli- 

 flower, lima beans, green peas, carrots, turnips, onions, 

 lettuce, beets, parsnips and tomatoes. The Indians here 

 grow a little barley and claim that they have never had a 

 failure of this crop for fifty years. Small fruits also grow 

 excellently, splendid crops being encountered of currants,- 

 gooseberries, raspberries, and strawberries, all large and 

 mature. At other places potatoes, oats and barley have 

 been grown for thirty-five years without record of failure. 



Exploring parties have estimated that in this area 

 between the two rivers there are ten million acres of land, 

 in large and small tracts, capable of producing crops which 

 will enable settlers to make a comfortable livelihood. 

 ' Whilst the addition of these millions of acres to the 

 province's available farming lands may not be an impor- 

 tant consideration at the present time when Saskatchewan 

 has yet much surveyed land to be settled, yet the disclosure 

 of this possession is significant of the almost limitless 

 possibilities of agriculture in an area already producing an 

 annual volume of 188,000,000 bushels of wheat, or half the 

 Dominion's yield of this crop. Looking back at Saskat- 

 chewan's sparse state of settlement a quarter of a century 

 ago, and in the light of its present production, it is not 

 difficult to foresee the time when these northern tracts, 

 surveyed and made more accessible, will be producing as 

 fine crops as those raised at present in the sections to the 

 south. 



Resources of the James Bay Area 



The Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway, at 

 present operating between North Bay in the south and 

 Cochrane in the north, is being extended northwards this 

 summer as far as Oilcan Portage, a distance of roughly 

 one hundred miles, which extension is expected to be in 

 operation in the spring of 1923. This penetration is part 

 of the opening up and general development of the little 

 known James Bay area of Northern Ontario, a region rich 

 in a wide variety of natural resources, in agricultural land, 

 minerals, forests, water-powers, fish and game. 



The general surface of this area is rough, dotted by 

 lakes, swamps, and muskegs, with a steep grade from all 

 sides towards James Bay. The area is exceedingly well 

 drained by many mighty rivers which find their outlet in 

 the bay, and from the railway a water route to James Bay 

 may be followed with no portaging except in very low 

 water. This route is feasible for such craft as gasoline 

 pointers. The district of Patricia, extending north and 

 north-west and having an area of 146,000 square miles, has 

 seen very little prospecting attempted as yet and it is 

 almost a virgin field. The area farther south is stated to 

 offer a prospecting ground unsurpassed for potential 

 mineral wealth, Silurian limestones, exposed in the river 



banks, revealing deposits of gypsum, lignite, refractory 

 clays and iron ores. The formation also suggests the 

 possibility of the occurrence of petroleum, natural gas and 

 salt. 



Climatically this region is not undesirable. Though 

 the winters are long the summers are warm and of fair 

 duration. The between seasons are very short. Spring 

 usually begins about the latter part of April, and in a few 

 weeks rivers are free from ice and all the snow is gone. 



Its Agricultural Possibilities 



Extending westerjy from the Quebec boundary a 

 distance of about 350 miles is the great clay belt of Nor- 

 thern Ontario, which promises to become an exceedingly 

 rich farming country. The clay belt runs one hundred 

 miles north of Cochrane, and it is estimated by the Govern- 

 ment that in the area north of the railway there are at 

 least five million acres of level, undulating ground, 

 admirably adapted to the pursuit of farming. The soil is 

 a rich clay, slightly stony, high in lime, very similar to 

 that in the Temiskaming area to the south where agricul- 

 ture has been carried on most successfully for many years. 

 Many kinds of grain and vegetables can be grown success- 

 fully in this area. Grain was seeded at the Dominion 

 Experimental Farm on May_ 10th in 1920 and the grain 

 matured with excellent yield. Gardening has been 

 successfully carried on for years at the Hudson's Bay posts 

 and by the Indians. The future of the area, however, 

 appears to be in livestock production and mixed farming 

 rather than wheat growing. Clearing entails a good deal 

 of labor, which will make development necessarily slower. 

 Hardy men, experienced in bush life, with a little capital to 

 begin with, will meet with success in this northern area. 



The Presence of Minerals 



Prospecting is difficult in this area as the rocky expo- 

 sures are almost entirely confined to the rivers. Siderite 

 occurs on the Mattagami river, the main ore body having 

 a maximum width of about 600 feet and analyzing 43.52 

 per cent iron. Enormous areas of swamp and muskeg are 

 underlaid by peat, of good quality but uncertain depth. No 

 coal of any economic importance has yet been found, 

 though lignite of low grade occurs along the lower stretches 

 of many of the rivers. There are several outcrops of 

 gypsum on both banks of the Moose river, the thickness 

 of the deposits being estimated at at least 40 feet. Pyrite 

 mixed with pyrrhotite occurs on the Mattagami river, the 

 sulphur content not exceeding 25 per cent. 



Kaolinized syenite occurs on the Mattagami river, and 

 though too impure for chinaware may be important as 

 indicating the presence of true kaolin in the region. 

 Fireclay claims have been staked on the Missinaibi river 

 and samples taken are said to be of good quality. Pinkj 

 yellow and greyish white clay deposits on the Mattagami 

 would appear suitable for the manufacture of porcelain, 

 wall and floor tiles, and table ware. Marine clay occurs 

 near James Bay, suitable for brick. Certain isolated 

 patches of swamp clay suitable for brick or drain tile occur 

 in the region. Devonian, Silurian, and Ordovician clays 

 are exposed in many places throughout this region and 

 some may be of commercial value with the development 

 of the district. 



Dark bituminous shales outcrop on the Mattagami, and 

 though at present limited, further prospecting may show 

 the presence of larger areas. Shales occur on the Abitibi, 

 exposed sections being 30 feet high. The oil content varies 

 considerably, one surface exposure analyzed giving crude 

 oil yield of 3. 9 per cent, and another sample 5.5 per cent. 



Enormous Forest Areas 



Enormous areas of spruce and other pulpwoods are 

 interspersed throughout the area between Cochrane and 

 James Bay. Many rivers are well provided with suitable 

 sites for hydro-electric development and greatly add to the 

 value of these forest lands. East of a line drawn from 

 Cochrane is a dense forest, of which about 80 per cent, is 

 spruce and the balance tamarac, a little birch and poplar. 



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