MANITOBA 113 United States boundary and going N., are the Roseau or Reedgrass river, Kat river, Oak creek, and la riviere Seine or German creek, which joins the Red just below Winnipeg. On the west the Pembina river drains the S. W. corner of the province, and flowing S. E. joins Red river in Dakota, a little S. of the boun- dary. Proceeding N., the other western tribu- taries-are the Scratching river, la riviere Sale or Stinking river, the Assiniboin, and Netley creek, which joins the main stream near its mouth. The Assiniboin, the largest tributary, rises in about lat. 52, W. of Lake Winnipe- gosis, flows first S. E., then bends E., and con- tinues in this direction for about 150 m. of its course through Manitoba, emptying into Red river' about 50 m. above Lake Winnipeg. The only other stream worth mentioning is White Mud river, which flows into Lake Manitoba. The geological formations occurring in the province are the Silurian in the east, the De- vonian in the centre, and the cretaceous in the southwest, W. of Pembina mountain. These series run parallel with each other in a N. 1ST. W. and S. S. E. direction. The Laurentian series occurs only in the N. E'. corner. The soil of the greater portion, and particularly of the prairies extending for 30 m. on each side of Red river, consists of a deep alluvial deposit of rich black mould, resting partly on limestone and partly on a bed of hard clay. The lime- stone crops out on the Red river below Win- nipeg, where it is suitable for building ma- terial. Stony mountain consists of limestone. The elevated prairie W. of Pembina mountain is covered with a light sandy clay loam, and near Scratching river the soil is light and sandy. Big ridge is composed of gravel, and Pembina mountain consists of clay, gravel, and sand, thickly strewn with granite boulders. Salt springs are found in the valley of la riviere Sale, and at one or two points on Red river further S.; and there are saline deposits near Stony mountain and in the vicinity of Lake Manitoba. The climate is healthy, but exhibits great extremes of temperature, the thermometer falling in winter to 40 below zero and even lower, and in summer rising as high as 100. Owing to the dryness of the atmosphere, the cold is not severely felt, and horses winter on the prairies without shelter, fattening on the grasses which they dig from beneath the snow, which is seldom very deep. The rainfall in summer is ample for agricultural purposes, and vegetation comes rapidly to maturity. Winter sets in with the commencement of November, and continues to the middle of April. Frosts are liable to occur until the end of May, and cold nights begin toward the end of August. The mean temperature at Winnipeg of the year ending May 31, 1873, was 33; of summer, 65-7; of autumn, 37'5; of winter, 3'3 ; of spring, 32'1 ; warmest month (July), 67'6 ; coldest month (December), 9. The total precipitation of rain and melted snow was 22-33 inches. The soil is very fertile. Wheat is the staple crop, and yields abundantly, 40 bushels to the acre being commonly raised. Barley, oats, rye, potatoes, turnips, beets, car- rots, parsnips, cabbage, lettuce, &c., also do well. Indian corn is not much cultivated, though some varieties come to maturity in the driest soils. Flax and hemp have been suc- cessfully grown. The prairie grasses furnish good hay, and afford nutritious pasturage. Considerable numbers of horses, cattle, sheep, and swine are raised. Grasshoppers or locusts are the chief pest of the farmer, and have on several occasions destroyed all vegetation. The principal wild fruits are strawberries, currants, raspberries, plums, cherries, blue- berries, whortleberries, and marsh and high- bush cranberries. Wood is scarce, and is found chiefly in narrow strips along the Red and Assiniboin rivers, the timber belt extending from -J m. to 2 m. back from the stream on either bank. There are also portions of wood- land along the other streams. The principal trees are the elm, oak, maple, and poplar; tamarack, spruce, cedar, and birch also occur. The ridges afford small aspens and pines, and clumps of willows and aspens are found in the marshes, as well as on portions of the prairies. The ash-leaved maple (negundo fraxinifoli- iim) yields sugar. Among the wild animals are elks, rabbits, badgers, and squirrels. There are ducks, geese, cranes, swans, snipe, prairie hens, and other birds. The rivers and lakes swarm with whitefish, sturgeon, trout, cat fish, pike, perch, and gold-eyes. There are no returns of the trade with the other provinces of the Dominion. The value of goods entered for consumption from foreign countries for the year ending June 30, 1873, was $1,029,130, of which $509,838 were from Great Britain and $441,559 from the United States. The exports to foreign countries amounted to $246,983, all but $4,915 consisting of furs. The greater part of the exports were to Great Britain, the rest to the United States. There are no rail- roads in Manitoba, but the projected Canadian Pacific line is to pass through it, and a railroad has been commenced from Winnipeg to the United States boundary, to connect with the Minnesota system. There is telegraphic com- munication with the United States. The gov- ernment is based upon the British North Amer- ican act (1867) of the imperial parliament, and the Manitoba act (1870) of the Dominion par- liament. The executive power is vested in a lieutenant governor, appointed by the gover- nor general of the Dominion in council, and an executive council of six members, appointed by the lieutenant governor, and responsible to the assembly. The legislature consists of the legislative council of seven members, appoint- ed by the lieutenant governor for life, and the legislative assembly of 24 members, elected by districts for a term of four years. The sessions are annual. Every male person 21 years of age and upward, actually resident in the prov- ince, being a British subject or having taken
