
4 
CHAPTER XIL. 
CAPABILITIES OF THE REGION WITH REFERENCE TO 
SETTLEMENT.—/ Continued. ) 
Causes DETERRENT To SETTLEMENT AND AGRICULTURE.—Future of the North-west 
—Chmate—Wintering of stock—Difficulty of access—INROADS oF THE GRASS- 
HOPPER—Origin of the insect—Its range—The young and winged swarms— 
Its flight—Years when it has appeared in Manitoba—Means of prevention— 
THE Suppty oF Woop IN THE NortH-west—The plains never entirely 
wooded—Causes tending to destruction of forest—Causes of treelessness of 
prairie—Dryness of soil and atmosphere—Causes of drought—Causes of 
greater rainfall on wooded areas—Facts tending to show progressive desic- 
cation in the west—Similar drought brought on elsewhere by destruction of 
forest—Amelioration of climate by planting forest—Treeless area of the 
continent—Normal area of country which should be in forest—Successful 
growth of trees in the west—Scheme for the planting and preservation of 
trees. 
709. The description of the region in the vicinity of the Boundary- 
line, given in the last chapter, may serve to indicate those areas best 
fitted for settlement, in that direction. Accurate and detailed informa- 
tion of the same kind is now in process of accumulation over a great 
part of the North-west, and it will ere long be possible to estimate the 
probable value of the whole interior portion of the Dominion. Facts as 
at present known, appear to show, that after the fertile valley of the Red 
River is taken up, the progress of settlement will follow the valley of the 
Saskatchewan River to its head, and then spread north and south along 
the eastern base of the mountains; that the great pastoral area of the 
plains south of the Fertile Belt, will be entered from the north, while the 
northern forests and lakes will become tributary in their products to the 
settled region, from the other side. To a certain extent this progress of 
settlement will regulate itself, and will be a natural growth taking advan- 
tage of the capabilities of the country, but there are certain adverse in- 
fluences, which will require early and close attention, if this growth is to be 
as rapid and sound as it should. It is proposed here—without enlarging 
on the great advantages of the North-west—briefly to discuss some of 
these, and to indicate the bearing on them if the results of experience 
gained in other regions similarly situated. 
710. Manitoba, and a great part of the North-west, has before it the 
future of a great agricultural country, and enough is already known to 
show that over immense areas mines of metallic minerals cannot be relied 
