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 10