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
Mr. Wm. McInnes describes the country about Winisk and Attawapiskat
rivers, explored by him in 1903, 1904 and 1905, as consisting of three
areas, the first a limestone area, along the bay shore, the second a
boulder clay area, behind it, and the third in rear of it again, a high
interior plateau. As to the latter area, he says:—“Although, considered
as a whole, the central, elevated region cannot be spoken of as
generally adapted for agriculture, there occur basins covered by heavy
deposits of stratified sand and clay that seem to have been laid down in
lakes held in between barriers formed by the walls of the retreating
glacier and ridges of drift. An examination of some of these clays by
Doctor Hoffman shows them to be highly calcareous and somewhat
siliceous, a composition that with the admixture of the surface
vegetable mould should produce an
EXCELLENT SOIL FOR GENERAL AGRICULTURE.
The question of climate, which is, of course, of the utmost importance
when considering the agricultural possibilities of a district, will be
referred to more particularly in another place. It may be said here,
however, that the climatic conditions are, if somewhat adverse, not by
any means prohibitory to the general cultivation of suitably situated
tracts.
“Muskeg, alternating with low ridges of gravel and boulders, covers wide
tracts. It was noticed that the surface drainage became more perfect in
that part of the region extending westerly towards Trout
lake. . . . . . . . . .
“The tract referred to as the boulder clay area consists of a broad belt
of country, about one hundred and fifty-nine miles in width, lying
between the Archaean highlands and the edge of the limestones of the
basin of Hudson bay, overlapping the latter, however, so that the
surface features of the two are generally quite similar. Gently
undulating, and with a slight slope northerly and easterly, its general
surface aspect is that of a great swamp, sparsely covered with stunted
and deformed trees, that reach a growth approaching their normal only
along the immediate banks of the rivers where drainage is afforded by
frequent short gullies into the trenches that constitute the river
valleys. The interior, to within a chain or two of the river-banks,
owing to the impervious character of the till,
IS QUITE UNDRAINED,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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