f 
SOIL AND MANUFACTURES. 377 
«ven the coarser manufactures of iron, are also 
imported. 
The soil of the country is well adapted to 
the growth of hemp, and great pains have been 
taken to introduce the culture of it. Hand¬ 
bills, explaining the manner in which it can 
be raised to the best advantage, have been as¬ 
siduously circulated amongst the farmers, and 
posted up at all the public houses. It is a dif¬ 
ficult matter, however, to put the French Cana¬ 
dians out of their old ways, so that very little 
hemp has been raised in consequence of the 
pains that have been thus taken; and it is not 
propable that much will be raised for a con¬ 
siderable time to come. 
Iron ore has been discovered in various parts 
of the country; but the works for the smelting 
and manufacturing of it have been erected at 
one place only in the neighbourhood of Trois 
Rivieres. These works were erected by the 
king of France some time before the conquest: 
they are now the property of the British go¬ 
vernment, and are rented out to the persons who 
hold them at present. When the lease expires, 
which will be the case about the year 1800, it is 
thought that no one will be found to carry on 
the works, as the bank of ore, from whence they 
are supplied, is nearly exhausted. The works 
consist of a forge and a foundry : iron stoves 
are the principal articles manufactured in the 
