The idea of the present volume was not mine but that of the late Mr. Robert E. Young, D.L.S., Superintendent of Railway Lands and Chief Geographer, the most enthusiastic believer in the Northland who ever lived, probably, and whose untimely death was a grievous loss to the country. If this book possesses any merits it is due altogether to his original suggestion, to his wide knowledge and to his enthusiastic and kindly co-operation. ERNEST J. CHAMBERS. The Senate, Ottawa. May 11, 1912. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. HISTORICAL. “The Fertile Belt.”—Influence of a Catchy Expression.—Northern Canada Still a Terra Incognita.—The Hudson’s Bay Company.—Early Explorations.—Kelsey, Hearne, Mackenzie, Franklin, Back, Simpson and Dease.—The More Recent Explorers, Official and Unofficial.—Parliamentary Investigations. 1 CHAPTER II. THE KEEWATIN AREA.—Agriculture and Arable Land. Early Agricultural Experiments and Their Success.—Evidence Before the Parliamentary Committee of 1749.—Testimony of Official Explorers and Residents.—Many Areas Fit for Agriculture Described.—Wild Fruits Grow in Profusion.—Successful Gardens.—Much Country Capable of Improvement by Drainage.—Climate Inland Warmer Than Farther East.—Natural Hay Meadows.—The Clay Belt. 30 CHAPTER III. THE KEEWATIN AREA.—Tree Growth and Timber Resources. Considerable Areas of Good Timber.—The Range of the More Important Trees.—The Banskian Pine.—Forests of Trees in Many Places that Would Make Good Logs, and Much Pulp Wood.—Occasional Beautiful Forests of Aspen Poplar.—Magnificent Coniferous Forest Northwest of Lake Winnipeg.—Water Power on the Nelson.—Destruction Wrought by Forest Fires.—Ample Supply of Timber For Fuel. 64 CHAPTER IV. THE KEEWATIN AREA.—Economic Minerals. The Rocks in Many Cases Highly Magnetic.—Norite Rock Similar to That at Sudbury About Trout Lake.—Peat in the District North of Lake Winnipeg.—A Large District Underlain By Keewatin and Huronian Rocks “Has Large Possibilities.”—Gypsum.—Building Granites.—Quartz Veins on Grassy River Below Reed Lake.—A Possibility of Nickel Occurring. 81 CHAPTER V. THE KEEWATIN AREA.—Game, Fur-bearing Animals and Fish.