VICINITY OF STUART LAKE.

South of Stuart Lake undulating plateau reaches about
10 miles with good soil, timbered mainly with poplar.
Three tracts were subdivided for settlement. One at west
of Stuart River, reaching southerly 5 miles, with river-
frontage of 10 miles, covers 22,917 acres, 84 per cent.
first class, with excellent soil, light clearing, good per-
centage open with regular surface; 9 per cent. second
class, with lighter loam mixed with varying percentage of
gravel and boulders, notably on higher levels and local
low ridges, cultivable, but less attractive than remainder,
at western boundary. About 960 acres, Lot 1648, and
centre of 1649, are thickly timbered with fir, spruce, pine,
aggregating about 7,000,000 feet. Scattered muskegs
cover about 500 acres, varying from 2 to 40 acres, 70
per cent. open. Average clearing cost is estimated at
$21 an acre. Altitude ranges 2,200 to 2,430 feet.
Southern part drains by creeks to Stuart River; northern,
2 miles from Stuart River, by Tod Creek, in a trench 60
feet deep. Small lakes and ponds are scattered, but
about 56 per cent. is without natural water-supply, though
no difficulty is anticipated in finding water in wells.

North and east of Fort St. James 28,719 acres were
surveyed in a shallow valley running north-east, with good
land in a valley strip 8 miles long, 3 wide, and second-
and third-class lands to north and south on slopes of
flanking ridges. There are about 13,645 acres first-class,
11,752 second, 1,940 third-class land, 1,382 acres muskeg.
Timber is spruce and pine. Clearing costs $25 an acre.
Open hay meadows, segregated, aggregate 400 acres, and
there are drainable muskegs. Soil is chocolate silt, as at
south of Stuart Lake, but not as deep, widespread, or
consistent in excellence. Other than choice locations
near Stuart Lake suitable for mixed farming, bulk is more
suited to stock-raising. On slopes of adjacent ridges,
though large percentage is covered with spruce and pine,
at least half would afford cattle-run. Third class is
mostly rocky tops of flanking hills. The muskeg area is
practically in one locality, parts of Lots 4752, 4751, and
4725 on the imperceptible divide between Stuart Lake and
Ocock River. The muskeg is drainable at reasonable cost.
The district abounds in limestone, from which good lime
can be produced. About 60 per cent. of lots have access
to natural water. Two lakes have good water. Roads,
chiefly rough hay-roads, reach from the Mission on
Manson Creek Trail and from Fort St. James on McLeod
Trail.

In Necoslie Valley, 9,820 acres surveyed have 7,140
acres first, 2,680 second-class lands, first-class having
similar soil to those of Stuart River block, though clearing
is heavier. Necoslie River, tortuous, 75 to 100 feet wide
in flood, 3 feet deep, with small run between pools at
low water, winds across flats from rim to rim of the

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