
CAPABILITIES WITH REFERENCE TO SETTLEMENT. 323 
as substantial and warm buildings, and more permanent ones, to dis- 
courage the use of trees for this purpose. Many ofthe prairie subsoils 
and clays will make bricks, but fuel is usually required to burn them. It 
has been found, however, in some parts of the western territories that 
pressed and sun-dried bricks stand very well. : 
754. It is for fuel, however, that the greatest quantity of wood 
is required ; and to economise in this respect it is necessary to encourage 
in every way the opening up of the various beds of coal and lignite. Also 
to have the areas likely to yield such fuel carefully surveyed and tested 
by boring or otherwise, so that the most eligible parts of them, and those 
nearest the thickly settled districts shall be determined. The probability - 
of the discovery of such fossil fuel in various parts of the prairie region, 
has already been discussed, and something has been said on the possibility 
of obtaining a supply of peat, with especial reference to the valley of the 
Red River. This is a material not to be despised, when it can be ob- 
tained of the best quality ; and which, when the price of fuel is rather 
high, will bear transport to a considerable distance. There are also many 
areas which yield an inferior peat, much mixed with earthy matter, 
which may yet be dug and used on the spot with advantage. This may 
be distinguished as slough peat, and as it occurs on the prairies, generally 
forms a comparatively shallow stratum of a foot or two at the bottom of 
the little depressed swamps, or half-dry lakes. Many a farmer, by a 
little search in his immediate neighbourhood, might find spots where it 
would be easy to obtain this material, and by digging it out in blocks 
and stacking it, might lay by the greater part of his winter’s supply of 
fuel at a small cost in labour.* 
755. Under this head, too, comes the opening up of proper means 
of communication, by which coal from the mines, which may be estab- 
lished, and wood from the larger forests, may be brought to districts im- 
perfectly supplied, and prevent the destruction of scattered areas of wood- 
land. 
III.—Prevention of Prairie and Forest Fires. 
756. No subject requires more immediate and strict attention than 
this, for unless measures are taken to stop these destructive conflagra- 
tions—the effects of which have been already referred to—no appreciable 
benefit will result from the adoption of the other means. It may 
be said that it is very difficult to prevent the Indians from firing the 

*Compare N. H. Winchell in Second Annual Report Geol. Surv. Minn., where an interesting reswme 
of the various processes employed in peat manufacture will also be found, 
