Where Government Land can be had and how to get it The best land that we know of that can still be pre- empted is that north of the Nechaco and Fraser rivers. This iand has been surveyed by the Government and ali sections distinctly marked. The Government has start- ed building numerous roads through the district. There are some 200,000: acres in this pre-emption reserve which can only be taken up by bona-fide settlers. It is covered with pine, poplar, birch and spruce. There are some meadows, but not extensive. The country is well watered, and the soil is a sandy loam, rich and deep. Pre-emptors will be able to sell considerable ties and cord wood to railroads and steamboats. . HOW TO SECURE A FARM One may obtain a farm in the pre-emption reserve and at the same time make a good living. Permission can be secured from the Government to leave the pre- emption six months out of the year, this time will af- ford opportunity to earn some $500 for the summer season, working about Fort George in the road gangs, mills, woods, carpentering, teaming, etc. (Note synop- sis of the land laws printed on another page.) WHAT THE LAND WILL PRODUCE You can produce with marked success oats, barley, wheat, timothy, potatoes, onions, cabbages, turnips, beets, ete. 300 to 500 bushels of potatoes, 60 to 160 bushels of oats, 60 bushels of wheat and 3 tons of tim- othy are often the result of an acre in cultitvatiton. Berries and all small fruits grow well and can be cul- tivated successfully. PRICES OF LAND The present price of raw, unimproved land in the Fort George country is from $9.00 to $15.00 per acre. Improved land in any amount cannot be obtained. A limited amount of land, practically ready for the plow, can be had at from $20 to $80 per acre within a mile or two of river transportation. TERMS The terms offered are generally very reasonable— one-quarter down and balance to actual settlers on long time payments. COST OF CLEARING The cost to clear land in the interior depends for a great part on the methods and. experience of the set- tler. The sale of ties and wood in many cases will pay for the clearing. WATER The country is well watered with creeks, rivers and lakes. There are no alkali regions, the water being chemically pure, soft and fit for domestic uses. There are no artesian wells. Wells that have been dug obtain water at about 20 to 50 feet. PRECIPITATION The precipitation the last four years for the Fort George country has been an average of about 20 inches —sufficient moisture for the growing of all crops. WEATHER The extreme heat the last five years has been 100 degrees in the shade; the extreme cold, 50 degrees be- lew. These extremes are exceptional. The mean tem- perature of the summer months is about 75 degrees. Snow commences to fall in November and good sleigh- ing is had in December, January and February. The fall of snow is generally, along the river, one to two feet. In the higher regions the fall is heavier. It is seldom 30 degrees below zero, and when the tempera- ture does reach this point the dryness of the atmos- phere prevents discomfort. “ LIVE STOCK Good work horses are seldom for sale in the Fort George country. Saddle horses or ‘‘cayuses’’ can be bought for average price of $100 in spring and $50 in fall. Mileh cows are not for sale, neither are pigs or poultry. We would advise all intending settlers to ar- range to bring in some live stock. BUILDING MATERIAL Rough lumber can be had at Quesnel or Fort George for abont $30 per thousand feet. No plaster or cement is used—biulding paper and paper taking their place. A sash and door factory, a shingle and at least three sawmills will be in operation at Fort George the com- ing season, making possible a considerable reduction in the expense of construction. Landseekers should not depend on getting work to pay expenses WORK AND WAGES On account of much building going on, road making, railroad construction, etc., there will be any amount of work to be had in the interior of British Columbia this and coming seasons. The wages paid last year for com- mon labor were $2.50 and $3.00 per day, with board; earpenters, $3.00 to $5.00, with board. As there is no doubt thousands of people will be going into the Fort George country this season looking for land and work the supply may be greater than the demand. We ad- vise, therefore, that none should make the trip without sufficient money to pay the expenses of return should there not be sufficient work for all. Again, do not go in until navigation opens up and supplies are plentiful. FARMERS’ SUPPLIES We would advise settlers to arrange for the purchase of farming implements before leaving Ashcroft, as there will be so many newcomers this year the local merchants will be embarrassed to fill orders. Horses, milech cows and poultry should be purchased outside and brought in as there is practically none to be had in the new country. Horses for saddle use (“cayuses’’ can be bought for from $75 to $125 in the spring and for half.the price in the fall. Work horses, when ob- tainable, often bring $350 each. Hay will cost around $90 and $100 per ton in Quesnel, and about $140 or $150 in Fort George. Grain has been about 6 cents at Quesnel and 8 and 12 cents in Fort George. Conse- quently, if one does not intend to make a permanent stay it would be far cheaper to pay passage in and out on the stages rather than drive in. When the new crop is harvested feed will be materially reduced in prices. MONEY EXCHANGES. Messages and money. can be sent to Fort George by telegraph. A branch of the Bank of Vancouver is at Fort George, and we advise taking a letter of credit to this bank. CUSTOMS REGULATIGNS Settlers’ Effects Pay No Duty It is difficult to put into type an explanation of the customs laws which will not be either misunderstood or at least leave doubt in the minds of some. There is no duty to be paid on the things (personal effects) that the settler takes from his home (in the United States, for instance) to be used in his new home in British Columbia. That is the idea of the law which is made to encourage immigration. But it must not be supposed that anything can be called personal effects. An auto- mobile, for instance, is not so regarded. For the ordin- ary occasion the following will answer nearly every question: You May Bring in Free Wearing apparel (clothing); books; household furni- ture of ordinary use and other household effects; tools and instruments used in any trade, occupation or em- ployment; guns; musical instruments; domestic sewing machines( but not sewing machines used in factories) ; typewriters; bicycles; carts, wagons and other highway vehicles; agricultural implements to be used on your own farm, but not for sale; live stock for your own farm, but not live stock for sale, as follows: If you have owned the live stock tor six months before bring- ing them to Canada, and if they are brought into Can- ada within one year after your arrival in Canada; if horses only are brought in, 16 allowed; if cattle only are brought in, 16 allowed; if swine only are brought in, 60 are allowed; if horses, cattle and swine are brought in together, or part of each, the same propor- tions as above are to be observed; thus, if one-fourth of the full number of horses were brought in, then the three-fourths could be divided, we will say, one-fourth of the full allowance of cattle and two-fourths of swine. You May Not Bring in Free Automobiles, or any self-propelled vehicle, contractor's outfits, machinery to be used in any factory, all of which, if actually owned six months before removal to Canada, may be admitted under special regulations by the Minister of Customs. Any settler bringing in dutiable articles as settlers’ effects, who sells the same within twelve months’ ac- tual use in Canada, may be made to pay duty on the article so sold. Markets, Schools, Churches, etc. ROADS AND TRAILS. This year many thousands will be spent by the Gov- ernment on roads and trails; $150,000: was spent last year in the Cariboo. A ferry has been constructed over the Nechaco at the Fort George townsite, making accessible the immense pre-emption reserve to the north. New roads are being built to Fraser Lake, Giscombe Portage, the Willow River, etc. The recently built road to Fort George, via Blackwater, is being put into first- class condition. MARKETS. All sorts of ordinary vegetables can be raised on the farms in the Fort George country, and the prices are high. PRICES. At digging or harvesting time potatces sell at about 5 cents; onions, 7 cents; turnips. cabbages, and beets, © 4 cents; wild hay, $40 per ton, and timothy, $50. SCHOOLS. There is a school at Fort George, and any section that has twelve children of school age can petition the Government for a school. CHURCHES. There are three resident ministers at Fort George— Church of England, Methodist and Presbyterian. Churches were built during the past summer. GAME. An abundance of game is at hand for the sportsman —gzrouse, geese, ducks, deer, caribou, moose, bear, etc. All the streams and lakes abound with fish—trout, salmon. and whitefish being the most plentiful. Land Laws Pre-emptions. Crown lands, where such a system is practicable, are laid off and surveyed into quadrilateral townships, con- taining thirty-six sections of one square mile in each. Any person being the head of a family, a widow, or single man over the age of eighteen years, and being a British subject, or any alien, upon his. making a decla- ration of his intention to become a British subject, may, for agricultural purposes, record any tract of unoccupied and unreserved Crown lands (not being an Indian settlement) not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres in extent. No person can hold more than one pre-emption claim at a time. Prior record of pre-emption of one claim and all rights under it are forfeited by subsequent rec- ord of pre-emptiton of another claim. Land recorded or pre-empted cannot be transferred or conveyed until after a Crown grant has been issued. Such land, until the Crown grant is issued, is held by occupation. Suen occupation must be a bona fide per- sonal residence of the settler or his family. The settler must enter into occupation of the land within thirty days after recording, and must continue te occupy it. Continuous absence for 2 period longer than two months consecutively of the settler or family is deemed cessation of occupation; but leave of absence may he granted not exceeding six months in any one year, inclusive of two months absence. Land may be considered abandoned. if unoccupied for more than two months consecutively. If so abandoned the land becomes waste lands of the Crown. The fee of recording is two dollars (8s). ' The settler shall have the land surveyed at his own instance (subject to the ratification of the boundaries) within five years from the date of record, Land Laws—continued After survey has been made, upon proof in declara- tion in writing of himself and two other persons of cecupation for two years from date of pre-emption, and of having made permanent improvements on the land to the value of two dollars and fifty cents per acre, the settler, on producing the pre-emption certificate, obtains a certificate of improvement upon payment of a fee of $2. After obtaining the certificate of improvement and paying for the land, the settler is entitled to a Crown grant in fee simple. He pays $10 therefor. The price of Crown lands pre-empted is $1 (4s) per acre, which must be paid in four equal instalments, as follows: First instalment two years from date of rec- ord of pre-emption, and yearly thereafter, but the last instalment is not payable till after the survey, if the land is unsurveyed. Two, three or four settlers may enter into partner- ship with pre-emptions of 160 acres each, and reside on one homestead. Improvements amounting to $2.50 per acre made on some portion thereof will secure Crown grant for the whole, conditions of payment being same as above. Coal and petroleum lands do not pass under grant of lands acquired since passage of Land Act Amendment of 1899. No Crown grant can be issued to an alien who may kave recorded or pre-empted by virtue of his declaring .his intention to become a British subject, unless he has become naturalized. 5 . The heirs or devises of the settler are entitled to the Crown grant on his decease. Anyone desiring to pre-empt surveyed land must make application in writing to the Commissioner of the district in which the land is situate, giving the surveyed descrption of: the land intended to be re- corded, enclosing a sketch plan. A person holding a homestead on the prairies may at the same time hold a pre-emption in British Co- lumbia. Purchase. Crown lands may be purchased to the extent of 649 acres, and for this purpose are classified as first and second class, according to the report of the surveyor. The miaimum area that may be purchased shall be forty acres, measuring 20 chains by 20 chains, except in cases where such area cannot be obtained. Purchased lands may be staked by an agent. Lands which are suitable for agricultural purposes, or which are capable of being brought under cultiva- tion profitably, or which are wild hay meaodw lands, rank as and are considered to be first-class lands. All cther lands, other than timber lands, shall rank and be classified as second-class lands. Timber lands (that is, lands which contain milling timber to the average extent of eight thousand feed per acre west of the Cascades (Coast Range) and five thousand feet per acre east of the Cascades (Coast Range) to each one hundred and sixty acres) are not open for sale. The minimum price of first-class lands shall be $10 per acre, and that of second-class lands $5 per acre; provided, however, that the Chief Commissioner may for any reason increase the price of any land above the said prices. Jk No improvements are required on such lands unless a second purchase is contemplated. In such case the first purchase must be improved to the extent of $3 per acre. Pe ; When the application to purchase is filed the appli- eant shall deposit with the Commissiorer a sum equal to fifty cents per acre on the acreage applied for. When the land is finally allotted the purchaser shall pay the balance of the purchase price. TIMBER LANDS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. By a sweeping order in council'all timber lands in British Columbia were reserved after December 24, 1907, consequently no more timber limits can be ob- tained from the Government.