THE NIPIGON TIMBER RESERVE. 



By Order in Council, dated the 7th June, 1905, the Govern- 

 ment of the Province of Ontario, has set apart the Nipigon Tim- 

 ber Reserve, surrounding Lake Nipigon, north of Lake Superior, 

 as shown on the sketch on another page and described as 

 follows : — 



" Commencing at the southeast angle of the Township of 

 " Ledger, east of the Nipigon River in the District of Thunder 

 " Bay, thence due east astronomically twenty-two miles, thence 

 " due north astronomically ninety-eight miles, thence due west as- 

 " tronomically seventy-three' miles, thence due south astrono- 

 " mically ninety-eight miles, thence due east astronomically to 

 " the southwest angle of the Township of Purdom, thence due 

 " east astronomically along the south boundary of the Township 

 '' of Purdom, and along the south boundary of the Township of 

 " Ledger, a distance of fifty-one miles in all, to the place of be- 

 " ginning, containing by admeasurement seven thousand one 

 " hundred and fifty-four square miles." 



There are of course the usual exceptions of lands already 

 patented, Indian reserves, &c. The total area of the reserve, in- 

 cluding water, is about four and a half million acres. 



The country surrounding Lake Nipigon and now included 

 in the reserve is mostly of Laurentian or Huronian rock formation 

 and except in the western portion of the reserve, has 

 but few tracts of good agricultural land, these, where 

 they occur, being situated along the- river valleys. It is not a 

 district that can ever support an agricultural community in large 

 numbers, although where the land is suitable it is possible to raise 

 crops of some value. At thei Hudson Bay posts and the missions, 

 efforts in this direction have been made with success, and as the 

 climate is| stated to be similiar to that at Lake Temiscaming, there 

 seems no reason for doubt on the question. Barley, potatoes and 

 other vegeitables and small fruits ripen readily at Nipigon House. 

 The Nipigon district obtrudes on the line of the great northern clay 



