The Great North-West— The Territories. 419 



"Any unprejudiced person, making a careful examination of the 

 above figures, will be struck with the high temperatures obtained in 

 the interior. Edmonton has a higher spring temperature than Mon- 

 treal, and is eight degrees farther north and over two thousand feet 

 above the sea. The temperatures of Carleton and Edmonton are 

 taken from Captain Palliser's explorations in the Saskatchewan 

 country during the years 1857 and 1858. It will be seen that the 

 temperature of the months when grain ripens is about equal through- 

 out the whole Dominion, from Montreal to Fort Simpson, north of 

 Great Slave Lake. The country, in my opinion, is well suited for 

 stock raising throughout its whole extent. The winters are cer- 

 tainly cold, but the climate is dry, and the winter snows are light 

 both as to depth and weight. All kinds of animals have thicker 

 coats in cold climates than in warm ones, so that the thicker coat 

 counterbalances the greater cold. Dry snow never injures cattle in 

 Ontario. No other kind ever falls in Manitoba or the North- West, 

 so that there can be no trouble from this cause. Horses winter out 

 without feed other than what they pick up, from Peace River to 

 Manitoba. Sheep, cattle and horses will require less attention and 

 not require to be fed as long as we now feed them in Ontario. 

 Owing to the light rain-fall the uncut grass is almost as good as hay 

 when the winter sets in, which it does without the heavy rains of the 

 east. This grass remains good all winter, as the dry snow does not 

 rot it. In the spring the snow leaves it almost as good as ever, so 

 that cattle can eat it until the young grass appears. From five to 

 six months is about the time cattle will require to be fed, and 

 shelter will altogether depend on the farmer." 



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