70 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



pines and tall gaunt chicots, the scenic effect is well worth viewing. Such 

 names as Ben Nevis, Ossian and Katrine for features in this area were sug- 

 gested, evidently to some one familiar with Scottish Highland country. 



From. Mile 57 to end of work at Mile 89, the line passes through green 

 timber all the way. All of this is included in a timber limit on the Ontario 

 side and from Mile 60 to about Mile 67 on the Quebec side. At about Mile 

 60 the heavy bush begins. From here to Lake Abitibi some very fine stands 

 of pulpwood and also some fine cuts of spruce, cedar and small amounts of 

 white pine are found. The country here is not nearly so rough as that to the 

 south of it. Some small ranges of rocky hills lie in this area but by far the 

 greatest part of it is gently sloping or bottom land. It is covered by an ex- 

 tremely heavy growth of spruce, balsam, birch and poplar with dense under- 

 growth. This land when cleared should make the very finest of farm lands. 

 At present this land is held under timber concession rights on the Ontario 

 side. A small amount of pulp and timber has been taken out in years past 

 but at present nothing is being done. 



The line passes over Lake Abitibi for about 11 miles, crossing three small 

 islands, a point and one large island. Not many islands lie near the boundary 

 but any that are near have rocky shores and are well wooded. The large island 

 now called Boundary Island is mostly level but slightly rolling to the north- 

 west. It is covered with a fine stand of spruce, birch, balsam, and poplar 

 and very little underbrush. It has fine sand beaches nearly all around it. 



From the north shore of the lake the land rises in about a quarter of a mile 

 to the level of the sourrounding country. From here to Mile 89, country is 

 level to gently rolling, covered with fairly heavy bush on Ontario side and 

 considerable of it cleared to the boundary on the Quebec side. 



Except for the mountainous part, the country through which this line runs 

 is often spoken of as "The Clay Belt." The soil is a clay loam and varies, 

 from easily worked loam with plenty of humus in it to a sticky, stiff clay, hard 

 to work and apt to bake in hot dry spells. The soil is fertile and proof is found 

 both in the luxuriant natural growth and in the prolific yields and variety of 

 products raised by the farmers. 



Lake Abitibi extends about 12 miles eastward into the Province of Quebec. 

 The land to the north and east has been settled now for some 15 years or less. 

 Settlement is steadily growing farther around the east and south sides. Farms 

 in this area are now of the very best. Improvements such as roads, buildings, 

 fences, etc., are right up to date. All the usual products of a north country 

 farm are grown, but in addition to these many of these farmers are raising their 

 own table corn, are ripening tomatoes, are growing strawberries, buckwheat, 

 ground cherries, cucumbers and tobacco. Frosts sometimes hold off till 

 November 1st. This is true apparently of a fringe of country of from 3 to 4 

 miles in width around the lake. 



This settlement is taking place only in Quebec. A rough estimate of the 

 area thus described in Quebec is that it includes about 80,000 acres. A similar 

 fringe computed around that part of the lake which lies in Ontario would give 

 about 280,000 acres. None of this area in Ontario is open to settlement as it 

 is at present under lease as a timber concession. A great deal of this area has 

 the finest of transportation right through it, the Canadian National Railway. 

 Part of this area lying to the west and south of the lake would have to be tapped 



