PEACH RIVER LAND RECORDING DIVISION.

HE YLeace River Land Recording Division, which embraces the
great valleys of the Peace and its affluents, the Finlay and
Parsnip Rivers, with the many tributary valleys of the vast
northern drainage-basin, contains some millions of acres of
‘agricultural lands, some of which have been explored, while
others still await the explorer. When the railroads reach into
this northern country settlement will doubtless follow rapidly.
Now easy means of communication are lacking, travelling is

difficult, and the advice given in bulletins previously issued regarding what was

known as ‘New British Columbia” until railroads were built and settlement fol-
lowed quickly, against rashly going into a region far removed from convenient
transportation and markets, holds good.

From all reports—and with the activity of surveyors and explorers in rolling
back the map much more information is now ayailable regarding this part of the
Province—there are large areas of fertile lands well suited to mixed farming, dairy-
ing, and cattle-raising; but most of this land is at present far from markets, hard
to reach, and so isolated that, until the coming of the railroads, those who make
homes there must be prepared to ‘‘rough it’? and bear with all the inconveniences
and privations incidental to pioneer life. On the other hand, men accustomed to
frontier life, and possessed of sufficient means to establish themselves in advance
of the railroad, need have no hesitation about going into a country where the result
of their pioneering is likely to yield a competency.

Provision has been made for the construction of the Pacific Great Mastern
Railway, now being built between the Coast and Fort George, from that point into
the Peace River Valley to the eastern boundary of the Province. This railway will
connect at Fort George with the Grand Trunk Pacific system reaching across the
Dominion from Prince Rupert and connecting with the Canadian Northern Pacific
Railway, which parallels it in the upper valley of the South Fork of the Fraser
and turns south towards Kamloops and the Coast. In Alberta a railroad is being
constructed by the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway north from
Edmonton to Dunvegan. The Canadian Northern Railroad has a line in operation
between Edmonton and Athabaska Landing.

For several years explorations have been carried on in northern British Colun-
bia, and gradually more complete information is being obtained of the vast territory
embraced within the boundaries of the Peace River Land Recording Division. The
portions to which most attention has been paid are those lying near the numerous
waterways. Most of the work done, however, was necessarily of such a superficial
nature that only a percentage of the great natural resources have been made known.
The reports all agree as to the one important fact, that a very considerable portion
of the country is not only fitted for habitation, but well adapted to agricultural
pursuits of diverse character, some districts offering exceptional advantages to the
cattleman, while others are more suited to the needs of the dairyman and to mixed
farming. Dr. Dawson estimated that 31,500 square miles of the Peace River Valley
would be found available for agriculture and stock-raising, and, according to Prof.
John Macoun, at least 10,000 square miles of the rich valley and prairie lands are
in British Columbia. There are great areas of arable land in the Finlay and
Parsnip Valleys, in the Omineca and the Nation Lake basins. The total extent of
the agricultural land cannot be accurately computed, as, although much has been
explored, there are large areas which have not yet been reported upon.

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