Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 15.djvu/921

ONTARIO. Manitoba. The extreme length of the province from east to west is about 1000 miles, and the greatest breadth from north to south nearly 700 miles. The land area amounts to 219,650 square miles and the water area (exclusive of that bor- dering upon the south), 2350 square miles.

ToroGBAPHY. The physical features of On- tario are not characterized by any striking varia- tions. Age has reduced its surface to a hum- niocky plateau called the Laurentian Highland or tlie Height of Land, the highest portion of which constitutes the divide between the water systems of the Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes. Its altitude does not exceed 1200 feet. The southern portion comprises the lowlands of the Saint Lawrence, but is broken by a spur of the northern upland, running from Georgian Bay toward the eastern end of Lake Ontario. This spur is somew hat more elevated and broken than the surrounding lowland, and forms on the one hand the Thousand Islands of the Saint Law- rence, and on the other the high and solid bluffs of the north shores of Lakes Huron and Superior, which are in strong contrast with the low shores of Lake Ontario. Another slight elevation is occasioned by the Niagara escarpment, which ex- tends across the peninsula in a northwesterly direction from Niagara Falls to the Blue Moun- tains and constitutes the long projection into Lake Huron and also forms the Manitoulin Isl- ands to the northwest. From the economic point of view this lowland region, the Saint Lawrence River, and the Great- Lakes are the all-important physical features of the province. The boundary rivers above mentioned are the most important; but there are also numerous lesser streams, whose courses are generally very tortuous and seldom navigable. Attractive lakes are scattered over the greater portion of the province, the largest being Lakes Simcoe and Nipissing, east of Georgian Bay, Lake Xipigon, north of Lake Superior, and the Lake of the Woods in the extreme west.

Climate. The climate of southern Ontario, particularly the peninsular portion, is very ma- terially modified by the proximity of the Great Lakes. Although the svimmers are hot and the winters cold, the extremes are not so excessive as in other inland Canadian regions or the most northern of the fnited States. Furthermore, the dryness of the atmosphere makes the extremes endurable without discomfort, and bracing and healthful. In the southern portion the mean tem- perature for January is 21°, with a minimum of about 10° below zero. The mean for July is 68°, and the ordinary maximum 80°, a temperature above 90° being rare. The fall is the most pleas- ant period of the year. In the great northwestern portion of the province the extremes are greater and the winter season is longer. The annual precipitation of the province is between 30 and 40 inches, being well distributed throughout the year. Winter storms of the blizzard type are un- known, and the winter snows, while not so deep as in the region farther to the northeast, are always sufficient to protect the farmer's crops and to enable the lumberman to secure his supply of logs. .

Soil. The soil of the lowland region (see Topography above) is generally of extreme fertil- ity. Loams of the black, clay, and sandy varie- ties predominate. ^luch of the great Archaean region to the north is rocky and rugged, and the

soils have a less enviable reputation as regards fertility than those farther south. Their appar- ent barrenness, however, is probably due to climatic conditions.

Flora. The plant life of the province is di- vided into two sections. In that portion of the peninsula which lies west of Toronto are found the oak, hickory, tulip-tree, and other varieties of trees and smaller plants which are common in the Ohio region south of the lakes. In the rest of the province the vegetation is sub-Arctic and the principal forest trees are the spruce, the pine, and the tamarack. Originally a dense forest covered almost the whole of the province, but less than one-half is now estimated to be in forest and woodland, the original forest having been entirely removed from the peninsular portion.

Fauna. Northern Ontario is important as a fur-producing region. It has furnished a large portion of the world's supply of mink, skunk, otter, and other varieties of furs. It is a favorite hunting resort, its large game, especially moose and caribou, having been very abundant. Both fur and game animals are becoming scarce, and protective laws are but partially successful in checking the diminution. See Canada.

Geology. The entire northern and central parts of the province belonged to the original Archaean continent, and consist of ancient crys- talline rocks of the Laurentian and Huronian series. A tongue of the former, forming the up- land spur mentioned under Topography, extends southeastward, crossing the Saint Lawrence at the Thousand Islands, and terminating in the Adirondacks of New York. The Huronian area is still indefinitely mapped, but it appears chief- ly north of Lake Huron (where it is typical), and northwestward along the shore of Lake Su- perior. The most important mineral ores are found in the Huronian rocks. The southern lowlands, on either side of the Archaean spur, are overlaid with Lower Paleozoic strata of the Cambrian and Silurian series, with Devonian strata above and south of the Niagara escarp- ment, appearing in unbroken continuity with the States south of the Great Lakes.

Mining. Ontario is rich in mineral resources^ but a combination of circumstances has greatly retarded their exploitation. Most of the min- erals are found in the Archaean rocks beyond the settled portions of the territory, in the barren, inhospitable regions to the north of lakes Su- perior and Huron. Coal is not found in the province, and is imported only at great cost, while the exportation of the metallic ores into the fnited States is attended by the extra cost of tariff charges. Nevertheless the decade from 1890 to 1900 witnessed a remarkable growth of the mining industry. The Sudbury nickel deposit, north of Georgian Bay, is the only productive nickel deposit in this hemisphere. The output of nickel increased from 1,000,00^ pounds in 1889 to 9,189,000 in 1901, and has exceeded that of New Caledonia. In 1898, 1899, and 1900. the United States took all the exports of nickel, the aver- age annual value being $1,000,000. The value of the output in 1901 was .$4,594,500. Copper is found in almost the whole of the shore region north of Lakes Huron and Superior. It was mined as early as 1846, but operations were dis- continued in 1876. Its production began again with the development of the nickel mines, the copper being found in combination with nickel.