1909-10 DEPAETMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. 87 



Wooden posts were planted at the end of each mile on the base and meridian 

 lines, and were marked with the mileage dating on meridian lines from the next 

 base line to the south and on the base lines from the next meridian to the east. 

 In addition to these wooden posts, at each township corner, with the exception of 

 the north-west corner of Deloro, where the iron post marking XII. M., on O.L.S. 

 Niven's base line was used, an iron post was planted and marked with the names 

 of the respective townships for which it stood, on sides facing diagonally into these 

 townships. An iron post was also planted on the west boundary of the Township of 

 Bartlett and marked V. M. 



Magnetic Variation. 



Throughout the area covered by the survey the magnetic meridian, excepting 

 at a few points where strong local attraction was apparent, showed but little fluctu- 

 ation, the mean declination of the needle being about 7% degrees west of astro- 

 nomic north. 



Soil. 



The northerly part of the territory covered by the survey along the west 

 boundary of Deloro and Adams and also the country traversed by the line between 

 those townships is of comparatively level or slightly rolling character. It con- 

 tains some level tracts of clay capable of agricultural development, while the 

 higher levels are occupied by sandy soil with occasional outcrops of rock. Proceed- 

 ing south from the section above referred to, a more rugged character prevails, the 

 soil being sandy and stony, quite unfit for profitable agriculture, and presenting a 

 generally hilly surface. In travelling south on our westerly meridian this change 

 from a level or slightly rolling character to that of a rugged and hilly aspect, is 

 abruptly marked at a point just south of the portage into Lake Papakomeka, cros- 

 sing this line a little more than a quarter of a mile south from the boundary 

 between Adams and McArthur. The country cannot be called rough in comparison 

 to what prevails further to the south in some sections of the rock country, but is 

 broken by low hills and ridges of from twenty-five to one hundred feet in height, 

 the latter elevation, however, being rare. 



Timber. 



In a description of the timber values within the area of the survey, it would 

 suggest comparison with certain patent medicine advertisements showing the 

 " before " and " after " effects upon the patient, only that in the present case the 

 pictures would be reversed. Much of the timber standing on the north-western 

 part of the area in the Townships of Deloro and Adams when the lines were run 

 was subsequently rendered worthless by the widespread forest fires. 



The forest growth comprises the usual soft wood varieties of the district, and 

 the chief values would lie in spruce and balsam pulpwood and in jack pine tie 

 timber. A fine tract of jack pine running from six to fifteen inches in diameter 

 and occupying a sandy plain, is crossed by our westerly meridian between V. M. and 

 III. Yz M. on the west boundary of Deloro. Along the west boundary of Bartlett 

 there is also a good deal of jack pine suitable for railway ties, growing generally 

 with thick balsam and spruce. Large jack pine, with spruce, balsam, poplar and 



