55

This township is reached from Rio Grande in
section 36 township 70 range 12 where the nearest church,
store, post office and telegraph office is situated.

From this point the trail south is followed to the cross-
ing on the Re@willow river on section 25, thence westerly
across the south of section 25, thence south alongs the

east of sections 15, 10 and 3 and section 34 to the south
ef township 69 range 12 where a junction is made with the
Sallahoo Leke trail which runs southwesterly across the
townships ‘The trail is in good condition as far as section
10 township 70 range 12 from which point onwards it is poor.

Very Little lan@é in this township is, as yet,
taken up, only five settlers heving made entry for home-
stesis. These are sostly situated in sections 32, 23,
ané 34. The only improvement scen wee some clearing Gone
on the southeast quarter of section 23 which was ready
for breaking.

fhe surface is rolling and covered with a fair
ly dense second growth of poplar, mostly < inches to 6
inches in diameter with seattered patches of spruce and
jackpine. The township has been swept uy fire some years
ago as is evidenced by the patches of brule and winifall
still remaining, some of the o1é spruce and poplar having
a diameter up to 18 inchese The only portion which can be
economically improved, considering the isolation of the
ecoutry, is a small portion in sections 22, 32, <4 ané
35 lying along a creek which traverses the northem tier
of sections. There are fairly numerous swamps, generally
covered with willow, spruce and tamarack, 4 inches to 10
inches in diameter. ‘There are also a few small grass
marshes from which a small quantity of hey might be cut
in a ary season. The township is well watered, three
good creeks crossing in an east and west direction; one,
as mentioned above erosses in the northern tier of seo
tions, one crossing a little south of the centre anid
the third, known as Sylvestre creek, crossing elong the
south bounfary of sectios 4, 5 and 6. As the south
half of the township offered no inducements for settle-
ment only a re@ennaissance was mades The soil generally
consists of from? inches to <4 inches of humus on black
sandy loam with small areas of clay loame It does not
appear to have suffered with fires

The timber, which consists of the spruce grom
ing in the swamps, is of no merchantable value except to
setilers in the locality, to whom it would supply good
pullding mm terial -

Market conditions are poor on account of the
€istence from elevators, the nesrest being at Cranced
Prairie, 65 miles awaye

|
1
q]

: Signs of moose were observed and ja rtridge
seemed fairly plentiful in a seasone