Finlay-Parsnip Valley, level benches with second-growth timber, sandy
loam soil, clayey in places. From about 6 miles from the head of Peace
River to Ottertail River, 38 miles, there is practically no agricultural
land, mountains rising abruptly. There are small patches at mouths of
Wicked and Barnard Rivers and good spruce scattered along mountain-
sides and near Clearwater and Ottertail Rivers. Below Ottertail River
the valley widens and there are strips of good land on either side.

PEACE RIVER DISTRICT.

Summarizing the agricultural areas outside the Peace River Block,
in which.the chief settlement is located, notably in the Pouce Coupe
District at the south-east, where over 2,000 are located, Professor J. C.
Gwillim in 1919 said: “ Concerning agricultural land, there are within
the limits of British Columbia, north and south of Hudson Hope, a few
partly wooded prairies and some steep, grassy hillsides on the north

FORDING THE HALFWAY RIVER, PEACE RIVER DISTRICT.

banks of the rivers. The main country is thickly wooded with small
timber, chiefly spruce, jack-pine, and poplar.

“The most desirable flats or wintering-places for stock and feed are
already partly taken up by squatters, as at Halfway River, Hudson Hope,
Moberly Lake, Pine River, and its south and east branches, Lone Prairie
between the latter, and Flat Creek, farthest south of all.

“These places are all valley lands or deep depressions, mostly less
than 2,000 feet above sea-level. Lone Prairie, one of the most elevated
(2,400 feet), is a considerable tract of partly wooded flats nearly
surrounded by mountains, an area of about 30 square miles, in which
are half a dozen settlers. There are also extensive tracts of easily cleared
land on the South Branch of Halfway River, 44 miles north of Hudson
Hope, and on the western side of Kiskatinaw or Cutbank River, south-
west of Pouce Coupe.

“The greater part of this country, if cleared of its forest-growth,
which is useless as timber, would afford good grazing land, while the

Thirty-nine.