30 The Peace River District

The average yield per acre for potatoes at Beaverlodge in the three-year
period, 1918-20 was: Early Northern, 356 bushels; Country Gentleman, 328
bushels; Gold Coin, 315 bushels; and Early Rose, 313 bushels.

Field peas have proved an uncertain crop at Beaverlodge, even on high
ground. The Arthur variety yielded 1,665 Ibs. per acre in 1915; in 1916, the
crop was killed by frost in August; in 1917, frosting before maturity was
responsible for a yield of only 580 Ibs.; in 1918, the crop was killed by frost in
July; in 1919, the yield was 1,463 Ibs.; while in 1920 it was 1,877 lbs.

High Prairie

A considerable area of excellent farming land, with prairies at frequent
intervals, is found about the west end of Lesser Slave lake and on the divide
between this lake and the Peace River slope. Various settlements have grown
up in this district, of which the earlier were Lesser Slave Lake, Salt Prairie,
Heart River, and Big Prairie settlements. These were surveyed in settlement
lots prior to the extension of the regular system of township surveys. ‘The old
wagon road from Edmonton to Peace River Crossing by way of Athabaska
Landing followed the south and west shores of Lesser Slave lake, and at the
northwest extremity, at the head of navigation, a trading post was located.
About this post has grown up the town of Grouard. From Grouard the trail led
northerly to Peace River. Lesser Slave lake has for many years been famous for
its yields of whitefish. These fish are caught in the winter, and shipped in a
frozen condition. Before the advent of the railway, they were freighted by
team to Edmonton. Fishing, freighting, and fur trading were occupations that
brought large numbers of Indians and hardy white men into this district. Great
areas of hay lands along the shore of the lake encouraged the settlers to raise
cattle, and this was followed by the cultivation of choice sections of prairie and
lightly wooded lands in the vicinity.

A land district embracing over 200 townships about the lake was formed,
and an agency established at Grouard for the convenience of settlers. When the
railway was built, it followed westerly about 20 miles beyond the lake before
swinging north to Peace River, and then paralleled these older settlements along
the wagon road. It crosses a few miles of beautiful prairie located on the height
of land between the lake and Peace River, which is now called High Prairie.
The old wagon road from Grouard to Sturgeon Lake crossed the same prairie.

This prairie has been located and settled very rapidly since the building
of the railway. About the depot, established here, has grown up the town of
High Prairie, where the Dominion Land Agency, originally located at Grouard,
was later established. This prairie gave its name to the land district as well
as to the town, the district formerly called Grouard being known later as High
Prairie Land district. It has recently been absorbed in the Peace River Land
district by the enlargement of boundaries of the latter.

The soil throughout this section is good, being mostly black loam with
clay or sandy clay subsoil. Many patches of prairie occur, but these are not
extensive, except the hay meadows and marshes found along Lesser Slave lake.