Extreme hot weather is seldom encountered in summer, the summer
average being about 56°. Rainfall is about 35 inches.

FINLAY FORKS.

Finlay Forks is a small settlement situated at a strategic point where
the Parsnip River from the south-eastward and Finlay from the north-
westward, draining part of the great intermontane trench west of the
Rockies, meet to form the Peace River, which flows eastward to join the
Mackenzie basin. The Parsnip-Finlay Valleys lie in general direction
of about 30° west of north. The Rocky Mountains, which cross Peace
River farther east, swing north-westward to the north and cross the 124th
meridian about 6 miles north of the 56th parallel. There is now a small
settlement at Finlay Forks and vicinity. A store is operated at Finlay
Forks and one a short distance to the westward. A sub-mining recorder
is located here. F. Tupper, B.C.L.S., who surveyed a number of lots
near here in 1916, said: “In my opinion there is room for a large settle-
ment.” The lots then surveyed cover 8,573 acres in immediate vicinity
of Finlay Forks. Lots 7459 to 7468, near Pete Toy’s Bar, are excep-
tionally good, lightly timbered with poplar and willow, with considerable
open places luxuriantly vegetated ; Lots 7469 to 7475 are thickly covered
with spruce and cottonwood, not over 2 feet in diameter, fairly dense and
difficult to clear, but the soil is good, a dark loam with clay subsoil;
Lots 7468 to 7476 front on Parsnip River, elevated benches covered with
dead stumps; other lots are similar to the group in Lots 7469 to 7475.
Soil is good throughout.

F. Tupper, B.C.L.S., said: “I think the land around Finlay Forks
is very suitable for agricultural purposes. There is a large tract of really
good land there besides the area surveyed, room for a large settlement.
The largest stretch extends westward to foot-hills of the Wolverine
Mountains, 15 to 20 miles. It is timbered with spruce, cottonwood,
poplar, etc. Where spruce occurs clearing is somewhat heavy, but there
are stretches where only poplar and willow occur, with open patches of
peavine and other growth, where clearing would be very light. The
country is well watered, apart from the main river, by Manson River and
tributaries and several small lakes. Good stock-water can be obtained
in numerous sloughs and swamps, while in localities away from creeks a
good supply should be obtained in wells at shallow depth.

“At Finlay Forks, on many of the pre-emptions, vegetables, such
as potatoes, turnips, onions, lettuce, rhubarb, etc., of very fine quality
are being successfully grown; but as most of the settlers have only been
there about three or four years, cultivation up to date has been on a very
small scale. As there is no market available at the present time, the
settlers are only growing sufficient for their own use. As far as the soil
is concerned, I am convinced that the country is eminently adapted for
the growth of all kinds of root-crops, and I think oats and barley would
probably do well. Hogs, stock-raising, and dairying should also in time
be very profitable.

Twenty-seven.