328 FALLS OF MONTMORENCI. 



somewhat lower than the top of the Falls, a deposit of 1 

 to 6 feet of yellow marine sand, mixed with recent shells. 



A mile above the Falls, on the same river, occm^ 

 what are called the " natural steps," where the horizontal 

 beds of comparatively soft rock are cut by the water into 

 deep ravines or gullies of a very romantic character, and 

 in many places form series of natural steps, from which 

 the place derives its name. 



The most peculiar circumstance in connection with the 

 Falls of Montmorenci is the appearance presented on the 

 channel of the river a short distance below the cascade, 

 when winter sets in. When the stream below becomes 

 covered with ice, the falling spray descends and collects 

 upon its surface in showers of snow, which cohere and 

 harden, and gradually accumulate into a lofty cone of 

 ice — having the living cataract behind, and the broad, 

 still, frozen plain of the St Lawrence in front. 



This conical hill forms a natural " Montague Kusse," 

 much frequented by the young people of Quebec, being 

 a convenient distance for sleighing parties even in the 

 shortest days of winter. 



In the immediate neighbourhood of Quebec, land sells 

 high. For a little farm of 70 acres, on which his house 

 stands, immediately above Wolffe's Cove, Mr John Gil- 

 mour told me he had paid at the rate of £75 currency 

 an acre. Near all thriving towns, in the New World as 

 in the Old, land, even for farming purposes, brings a 

 comparatively high price. Near this city the land is very 

 good in many cases, and generally produces excellent 

 green crops. In both Canadas, as now in Ireland, such 

 crops are becoming more cultivated since the potato 

 became less certain. Mr Sheppard, the well-known 

 seedsman in Montreal, informed me he had this season 

 sold twice as much turnip-seed in Lower Canada, and 

 twenty times as much as usual in Upper Canada. Of 

 mangold-wurzel seed, four times as much as usual had 



