Sept. 1, 1665.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 
BRITISH COLUMBIA. 61 
steps in husbandry, conducted under all the disadvantages of pioneering 
settlement at a few fertile spots in the immediate neighbourhood of the 
existing highways. And when it is further borne in mind that there 
are scores of valleys scattered up and down this region, now lying 
absolutely waste, which possess extensive tracts of suitable soil, the 
results of these early efforts furnish encouraging proof of what may be 
expected from an improved, and more extensive system of agricultural 
settlement. 
The pastoral capabilities of the central belt bid fair to be no less a 
source of future prosperity to British Columbia. Millions of cattle 
might graze over its luxurious pastures, and exact but little tribute 
from the stock-farmer in the way of expenses for their maintenance. 
For, whatever precautions may hereafter prove to be indispensable in 
the more lofty portions of the grass-lands, experience thus far goes to 
prove — as has already been remarked — that at moderate elevations it is 
unnecessary to provide cattle either with shelter or additional food at 
any season of the year. 
It may be asserted then, without hesitation, that two-thirds, at least, 
of this eastern division of the central belt may, when occasion arises, be 
turned to good account either for purposes of grazing or tillage. Small 
though it may be, indeed, it is not more than one-fifth of the entire area 
treated of in this paper, this fertile tract is, nevertheless, of enormous 
value to British Columbia. This will be better understood when atten- 
tion is drawn to the position of the Cariboo and other gold-mines, 
which are cut off from easy communication with the sea-board by a 
lofty range of mountains, and lie in the heart of a country lacking 
facilities for inexpensive transport. It then becomes evident that the 
possession of productive lands in the neighbourhood of the mines, 
capable of supplying them at moderate rates with the ordinary produc- 
tions of the soil, is one of the first essentials to the proper development 
of the mineral wealth of the country. Moreover, it is obvious that, 
without productive lands, the colony can never hope to retain any but 
the most insignificant feature of its auriform treasures, and must for 
ever continue to be dependant upon other countries for its supplies. 
From its central position with reference to the mining districts, the 
fertile belt is well adapted for the supply of their markets, and, remem- 
bering that a country with but limited agricultural resources, will feed a 
small and slowly increasing population, such as that of British Columbia, 
it may fairly be anticipated that, in the course of a few years, every 
available portion of the soil will be brought by degrees under cultivation, 
and the whole region to the east of the Cascade range be found to possess 
within itself ample resources for its own support. 
We may search in vain throughout British Columbia for other 
inviting fields for agricultural settlement. The valley of the lower 
Fraser, with its jungle and dense pine-forests, is but little likely to 
attract a large population for, at least, some time to come ; though 
