22 



Relations of Geology to Agriculture. 



Towards the southern end of the peninsula again, and along the 

 entire northern margin of Lake Erie, of the Lake and River St. 

 Clair, and of Gratiot's Bay, in the southern part of Lake Huron, 

 the Helderberg formation extends. It will be recollected that I 

 have above described this rock, as it occurs in Western New York, 

 to be in some places covered with thin soils productive of wheat ; 

 but that over it lie certain calcareous shales (Marcellus shales), 

 which, when not entirely removed from the surface by the action 

 of ancient waters, form a soil equal to almost any other in pro- 

 ductive capability. The large portion of this Western Canadian 

 peninsula, over which this Helderberg formation extends, must, 

 therefore, like that occupied by the Onondaga group, contain many 

 tracts of fertile land, and this, as well as its neighbourhood to the 

 lake, is no doubt a cause of the rapidity vdth which it is in the 

 process of settlement. Indeed, when v/e consider that nearly the 

 whole of this peninsular region consists either of the Helderberg 

 rocks or of those of the Onondaga group, we cannot help pre- 

 dicting both a rapid filling up and a great future, in many re- 

 spects, to this most interesting portion of Canada. 



Thus from the hum.bler task of explaining why certain regions 

 have exhi]3ited and still manifest a singular natural fertility, 

 geology advances to the higher gift of prediction. United theory 

 and observation enable it to point out where rich and desirable 

 lands are sure to be found — to inform the statesman as to the 

 true value of regions still wild and neglected — to direct the agri- 

 cultural emigrant in the choice of new homes — -and, looking far 

 into the future, to specify the kind of population and the pro- 

 cesses of industry which will hereafter prevail upon it — the 

 comparative comfort, wealth, numbers, and even morality, of its 

 future people. 



A third illustration, not less interesting than the two already 

 introduced, I had intended to draw from our own province of 

 New Brunswick, but this I must reserve, with the remainder of 

 my subject, for another article. 



