Re—sprouting from stumps.

The cradle-hills.

Taking out the stumps.

ln terior lands better.

Forest destruction anticipated.

Mice in the woods near Souris,

Some settlements.

burnt, they can mow it several years among the stumps, but generally it will not bear to be mowed till the stumps are sufficiently rotten for stumping. For, if it had been growing with beech it will require five years at the shortest, but more commonly six or seven; but in cases where there has been a mixture of hard wood, it will require more; and some of the hard wood, unless cut at a particular season, so far from rotting, springs again at the root, and being thus kept alive, must be dug out at last with nearly as much difficulty as at the first. [pp. 109-10]

the cradle-hills where they are high (they are not equally high everywhere), cause all the good earth to fall down into the hollow parts, and the higher parts produce nothing but moss or sorrel. [p. 110]

I must now describe their method of taking out the stumps. Poor settlers, who have no oxen, have to dig round them with what they call grubbing hoes, and cut some of the roots upon one side, and then by inserting a lever below, they raise them out; but those that have oxen put a chain or rope round the stumps, which are generally two feet high, and after the roots are out upon one side, the oxen will pull them out. New settlers, as I have already mentioned begin to cut the wood where they intend to erect their first house; this step is absolutely necessary to ensure the safety of the dwelling, and place it beyond the reach of the flames that may arise from the burning of the woods, but their houses are often removed further back after they have cleared more land, and can do so with safety. [p. 111]

Front lands [i.e. fronting on a river or the coast] have been always most prized by the first settlers. these are now nearly all occupied, except upon the west end of the Island, unless it be land that is swampy and not of good quality. The best land upon the whole Island is yet unoccupied. The more we go back into the woods the land is deeper, richer in the soil, and easier cleared A man had better settle in any part near to where he lands provided he keep out of a swamp, and has plenty of hard wood upon his farm for burning [p. 113]

Letter Fifth, Charlotte Town, July 30th, 1821.

The land is in general low and level, but there is little of it a dead level, except the marshes on the shores, or in the interior. These are all moss, and where the salt water does not come near them, I believe they will furnish excellent peat or turf for

the fire, when the wood is all burnt. the whole Island might be cultivated if the wood were destroyed. except the marshes, and I believe even some of these only require draining to render them fruitful [p. 115]

After we leave these lakes [East Lake and West Lake ~ ? now South Lake and Basin Head Pond], the land is thinly settled, and the woods at present much infested with mice; but when the lands get more cleared, this evil will be less prevalent. The next place we arrive at is called Colville Bay upon the map, but Souris, or Mice, by the French,who are the settlers here. [p. 117]

Crappo, where small vessels load with timber. Bedeque, which is truly an excellent and well cleared settlement. however, much of the land is running wild and barren under their management. Malpeque, or Prince Town, the lands round it were long since settled, and the firewood is nearly all destroyed, and far to haul.

From the entrance of this bay [St. Peter’s Bay] to Surveyor's Inlet, or North Lake, near East Point, 3 distance of 35 or 40 miles the shore is settled all the way, and the land cleared a considerable way back. [pp. 120-21]

104