DEPTH OF PERMANENTLY FROZEN SOIL IN THE POLAR REGIONS. 157 



The Committee are indebted to Dr. J. Rae for the following commu- 

 nication: — The station in question is only a little north and east of No. 20 

 in the first report. 



Ice in Ground. — By Frederick C. Baker, Binscarth, Manitoba. — 

 Twenty-three observations taken in the prairie lands of Manitoba. 

 Approximate position— lat. 50° 40' N., long. 101° 20' W.; east of 

 Assiniboine river. 



Q. How deep does frost penetrate the ground, and how is depth 

 affected by greater or less quantity of snow on ground ? 



A. On May 20 last year (1886) frost was found whilst digging a cellar 

 5 feet below surface. High ground near a prairie. In June 1883, whilst 

 digging a cellar of the Binscarth Company's store, frost was met with at 

 a depth of 9 feet. 



On April 20 last year (1886) we drove fence-posts 2 feet into ground 

 without touching frost. 



Cannot say exactly how far depth of snow affects penetration of frost, 

 but our creek got frozen to the bottom this winter (1886-87) for want of 

 a good supply of snow on first ice ; therefore suppose that want of .snow 

 on ground would facilitate the deeper penetration of frost. 



Dr. Rae adds here : — ' From my own knowledge, the bottom of pools 

 which have been in winter frozen to the bottom, remain solid ice fur a 

 long time after much of the ice is thawed out of the land not covered by 

 water.' 



Q. Have you heard of or seen any frost in ground in autumn ?^ If so, 

 how far down in the earth has it been ? 



A. Never heard of any of the old stock of ice remaining so long. 



Q. At what time of the year does the ground become quite free from 

 frost ? 



A. If you mean for farming operations, ploughing can generally be 

 got at between April 10 and 15.' 



Q. How far have you usually, in your district, to dig for water ? 



A. Everything depends upon the locality. When shale is known to be 

 underground, water is sure to be got when it is reached, and good water 

 too ; seams of shale vary as to their depth. Wells range from 9 to 200 

 feet in depth. A well of the latter depth (200 feet) has just been dug at 

 Birtle (March 1887), on the Manitoba and N.W. Railway, through all 

 clay ; but it is on the high banks of the Birdtail river or creek, where a 

 person would expect to have to go deep. At Binscarth station the well 

 is 84 feet deep through clay ; this is also near the banks of a creek My 

 well is now 61 feet, also on the bank, with the creek 64 feet below. We 

 struck a very slight spring at this depth, which gives us only about six 

 inches of water, through a hard clay. We intend going down until a 

 good spring is reached, which we expect to find below the level of the 

 creek, at least. So much for the deep wells. 



I know lots of wells about here from 9 to 40 feet. I think one may 

 say the average is 30 feet. 



There is never much difficulty in getting water at a reasonable depth 

 on the ordinary level prairie about here. During the summer of 1883 we 

 used water from a well not over six feet deep, but that was not a dry 

 year. 



Q. Do you know any explanation of the working of the willow in 

 finding springs ? 



' That is not what was meant.— [J. Eae.] 



