
CAPABILITIES WITH REFERENCE TO SETTLEMENT? 283 
and considering the generally admitted retardation of the spring of 1874, 
may be less. 
654. Still further west at Fort Edmonton, in lat. 53° 31’, long. 113° 
17’, the progress of vegetation in the spring of 1859 has been observed by 
Mr. Bourgeau. The dates at which the more important plants blos- 
somed are as follows :— 
April 22.—Hazel (Corylus Americana.) 
« 28.—Willow (Salix 2 sp.) 
« 20.—Alder (Alnus.) 
May 2.—Poplar (Populus tremuloides.) 
« —8.— Other species of Saliz. Popolus balsamifera. 
“ 17.—Strawberry (Fragaria Virginiana) Ranunculus rhomboideus, Equisetum arvense. 
“ 18.—Wild Cherry, Antennaria margaritacea, Violet (Viola Canadensis.) 
“ 19.—Shepherds’-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris.) 
“ 20.—Red Currant (Ribes rubrum) Viola blanda, and Androsace. 
Comparing this with the spring of 1874, at Red River, though the order 
of flowering does not in some cases exactly agree, it would appear to give 
an advantage of afew days to Edmonton. A direct comparison of the 
dates for three years at Carleton, with those of 1859 at Edmonton, shows 
only a day or two of difference in favour of the former. The comparisons 
are based chiefly on the times of flowering of the plants, which are 
more trustworthy than those of the arrival of the birds of passage. 
655. Too broad generalizations on the results of a few seasons would 
be unwise, especially as the years do not correspond, but enough is 
known to prove the remarkably uniform progress of the spring along 
the so-called ‘fertile belt,’ which, passing north-westward from the Red 
River Valley, nearly follows the Saskatchewan to the Rocky Mountains, 
and will be the first region occupied by the settler. From the data now 
at command, | believe that the difference in advance of the spring 
between any of the above four stations, is not so great as that obtaining‘at 
the same season between the vicinity of Montreal and that of Quebec. 
656. The Red River country does not agree with the greater area of 
the western plains in showing a rainfall scarcely sufficient, or altogether 
too small for successful agriculture. With regard to the Western States, 
those who have examined the matter very generally concur in stating 
that beyond the 99th or 100th meridian agriculture is impossible unless 
irrigation be adopted. There are, of course, special small areas not in- 
cluded in this general condemnation, but there is probably also at least 
as great an area of the region east of the 99th meridian, which 
does not receive sufficient rainfall. The statements concerning 
