The Unexploited West: A Compilation of all of the authentic information available at the present time as to the Natural Resources of the Unexploited Regions of Northern CanadaChambers, Ernest J.
History
The Unexploited West: A Compilation of all of the authentic information available at the present time as to the Natural Resources of the Unexploited Regions of Northern Canada
Chambers, Ernest J.
Canada -- Economic conditions; Northwest, Canadian -- Economic conditions
As to Grande prairie, or north Peace river country, the soil is very
good there. There is a subsoil. It is a good wheat country, and in June
and July it is looked upon as the best wheat country in the world. He
had noticed the pea vine growing in that section, and so far as he could
judge from going over it, the country is a good agricultural one, except
for frosts. There happened to be some frosts both times he was there,
but apart from that the country is certainly good. There is swamp grass
growing about the margins of the small lakes. It was after the middle of
the month of August that he experienced frost there. He did not know
much about the growing of vegetables in Peace river country.
Mr. McConnell considered that at that date the value of Peace river
country as a whole as far as wheat-growing was concerned, was entirely
problematical. If one went there in June or July he would come to the
conclusion that it is the finest country in the whole wide world, but he
himself had been there twice in August and found a heavy frost on each
occasion. Things changed very rapidly about the end of August. He did
not know if there would be frost about the same time around Edmonton,
but the two years he happened to be in Peace river district there would
be about fifteen degrees of frost at night. That was in the elevated,
cattle country, which is considered higher than the surface of Peace
river. There were no crops there at that time. The soil in that district
is splendid. It is precisely the same as the country around Edmonton. It
might be good for the growing of hay, or in fact anything. There is no
question that the soil is good, and in June and July it is a
MOST ATTRACTIVE COUNTRY.
He went down Loon river, and found much of the country in there partly
muskeg; in fact, the greater part of it is muskeg; but there are patches
of country covered with aspen, which is probably good for agriculture.
He went all the way down Loon river and Red river, which flows into
Peace river, and another unnamed stream, and found it was a prairie
country down there. There is a grist mill at Vermilion, and a large
quantity of wheat is sent there. The wheat is all grown in that
vicinity. That country is too good a country to be wasted. The valleys
are protected from the wind, and the theory is that it is less liable to
frost on account of the wind being kept away. There is a magnificent
growth of grass on the plateau, and there is hay in the marshes. It is
very much the same country as that around Edmonton. It is a good place
for raising cattle, but they probably would have to feed them in the
winter time, as they do at Edmonton. Sheep ought to do well. They
appeared to have a fair rainfall. He thought that as far as the country
is concerned it is very much the same as Edmonton. It is well watered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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