J912-13 DEPARTJMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. 



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agricultural section, the soil chiefly clay and clay loam, level or gently rolling with 

 few rock outcrops. Here and there mu&kegs are met with or large tamarac swamps 

 but all of them can with a reasonable amount of expenditure be drained and made 

 good farm lands. Most of the valuable timber has in the last twenty-five years 

 been cut off, either for railway ties, telegraph poles, piling or saw logs, in the 

 townships within twelve miles of the Eainy Eiver. Here and there an occasional 

 farm is still well timbered, and in every instance there is sufficient timber left for 

 fuel and for building purposes for the settlers for many years to come. 



In 1897 and again in 1909 two very destructive fires swept over parts of the 

 valley. The first fire crossed the river from Minnesota, near Stratton, and almost 

 completely destroyed the timber on several townships in that locality. Later on, 

 in 1909, a similar fire crossed the river from Beaudet and Spooner, on the American 



Shevelin & Clarke's Saw Mills at Fort Frances. Capacity, 750,000 feet per day. 



side, entering Ontario at the town of Rainy River and swept in a northerly and 

 north-easterly direction over a very large area. Much of the country swept over by 

 these two fires was left in a condition almost ready for the plough. The deep muskegs, 

 before these fires occurred gave to the country the appearance that it would never 

 be suitable for agricultural purposes; these swamp lands, owing to the burning of 

 the muskeg, have had an opportunity of draining, and are now some of the best farm- 

 ing lands in the valley. Almost every lot along the Trunk Road between Fort 

 Frances and Rainy River has been located. Large clearings have been made in 

 many instances and first class buildings constructed, the country has every ap- 

 pearance of being a prosperous agricultural settlement. 



These remarks apply to the townships fronting on the river and adjacent 

 to the line of the Canadian Northern Railway. About twelve miles inland, however, 

 from the river, the conditions are somewhat different, owing, to some extent at 

 least, to the want of good roads. Large clearings and well cultivated farms are not 

 very frequently met with in this section, notwithstanding the fact that the land 



