216 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 
which there is any considerable area still available is the large 
irregular triangle of which the main line of the Canadian Pacific Rail- 
way between Swift Current and Medicine Hat may be taken as the 
base, the apex being on the line of the new Grand Trunk Pacific Rail- 
way near the Buffalo Park Reserve. This region has always been 
looked upon with some disfavour as a field for settlement; but some 
part of it will doubtless turn out to be of value. 
Otherwise the intending homesteader will have to find his way 
northwards. This, of course, does not mean that the whole of the 
area of the Southern part of the three provinces is settled. Very large 
areas are in the hands of the railway companies; other areas are in 
the hands of land and colonisation companies, and a considerable 
amount is held by farmers and others for speculative purposes. 
If immigration were increasing greatly in the immediately succeed- 
ing years there would undoubtedly arise a land question, owing to the 
difficulty of procuring land at a moderate price. 
The condition of trade in Canada in 1907 and the deficient: wheat 
crop of that year rendered it difficult for the country to absorb 
so great a number of fresh arrivals, most of them bringing very 
slender resources to enable them to establish themselves. Many 
crowded into the towns during the winter of 1907-8, and some 
were the recipients of charitable relief. Such conditions led to legis- 
lation increasing the severity of the immigration law and compelling 
the steamship companies to take back to the port of shipment persons 
who, being found to be unable to support themselves, or being other- 
wise ‘ undesirable immigrants,’ were ordered to be deported. This 
legislation had the effect of diminishing the efforts of the steam- 
ship agents and the other agencies engaged in the immigration busi- 
ness to increase the immigration by mere numbers. The question of 
quality of immigrants is very intricate and cannot be said to be settled 
by the methods prescribed by the recent legislation on the subject. 
In 1907-8 there was a considerable increase in immigration, the 
number of immigrants in that year being the largest in the history of 
the country. 
The Policy of Wide Distribution of Immigrants.—The question 
of distribution of immigrants is one which is not wholly within the 
control of the Government in a free country. Many settlers resent 
the interference of the Government in determining where they should 
settle. Accusations of political instead of purely administrative 
motives determining action in particular cases would be quite certain to 
arise. When individual settlers come into a new country they must 
thus be left a large range of choice in the available field. Nevertheless 
the Department of the Interior does in practice reserve certain areas 
from homestead entry, and does from time to time throw these areas 
open to the settler. The policy of land settlement is thus to a certain 
extent under the control of the Department. The problem may be put 
in this way: Is it wiser to concentrate the incoming tide of immigra- 
tion in particular areas, or ought it to be permitted to go where it will? 
If it is concentrated, the favoured areas increase rapidly and regularly 
in value, as the incoming immigration produces additional demand for 
land within the areas. If immigration is dispersed, the exercise of 
administration and provision of the means of communication must 
accompany or follow the dispersal, and the eccentricity of a few settlers 
