Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/687

* QUEBEC. 601 QUEBEC. There are 344.4.50 square miles of land area and 2'JOO of water area, exclusive of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the territorial seas. Physical Ciiaracterlstics. Physically and geologically, Quebec is divided into thr?e parts. Almost all the vast region to the north of the Saint Lawrence is a portion of the so-called Laurentian Plateau, which belongs to the most ancient geological era (Archaean). This is a barren, rocky, undulating region, the hills oft- times standing out in great boldness, but nowhere reaching a high elevation. The highest portion — the Height of Land — constituting the water- shed between tlie river systems, scarcely exceeds 1000 feet in the west, but becomes gradually higher to the eastward, averaging IVOO feet in the centre of the Labrador peninsula. The sec- ond division consists of the narrow strip of lowlands on either side of the Saint Lawrence west of Quebec. Here the general level rises but a few hundred feet above that of the sea, except where the later strata are pierced by rocks of igneous formation, which in a few instances rise quite high, ilount Royal at Montreal being the best known of these. To the eastward of these lowlands the strata have been violently up- heaved, the line of dislocation rimning from Lake Champlain to Quebec, and thence following the estuary of the Saint Lawrence, the disturbed area occupying the greater portion of Quebec south of the Saint Lawrence, and constituting the third division. It is a part of the so-called Acadian region. This is simply the northern extremity of the great Appalachian mountain chain. This portion of Quebec is broken and hilly throughout, rising nearly 4000 feet in Sut- ton ^Mountain, in the Xotre Dame range. The greater portion of the province is drained by the Saint Lawrence River system. This river has been the all-important factor in the history and development of the province. The numerous soutliern tributaries are short, the northern tributaries longer, but, owing to the frequent falls and rapids along their courses, they are of little value to navigation. These features, to- gether with the precipitous channels through which the streams flow, and the niggedness of the adjacent highlands, combine to produce grand scenery which annually attracts thousands of tourists, the Saguenay River being the most frequented. The most important southern trib- utary is the Richelieu, It drains Lake Cham- plain, The region north of the Saint Lawrence has numerous water-covered areas which vary from swampy lands to lakes of considerable size — the Saint .John and the Mistassini being the most important. The island of Anticosti, at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence, and the ilag- dalen group, north of Prince Edward Island, are the most important of the large number of islands which belong to the province. Climate. Tlie winters in Quebec are long and cold; the summers warm, though not to excess. The mean annual temperature ranges from 45° at Montreal to 20° in southern Labrador. The annual precipitation in the Saint Lawrence val- ley is quite adequate for agricultural purposes. The air is in general remarkably dry and free from fog, and therefore extremely healthful and bracing, not even the extremes of the winter's cold being intolerable. The deep winter snows last from November to April (except in the farthest district south), and afford a necessary protection for the vegetation against the winter's cold. They are especially welcomed by the lum- berman, as he is thereby enabled to get his supply of logs to the banks of the streams. Mineralogy axd Mixixg. The province is favored with large mineral resources, but has not yet reaped any great benefit therefrom. Like Ontario, Quebec is unfortunate in not possessing coal. The tariff levied by the United States practically prohibits the exportation of ore into that country. The southeast portion of the prov- ince is most productive of mineral wealth, and has recently become noted for its asbestos mines, which yield practically all the asbestos marketed in the world. In 1900 the product exceeded $700,000 in value, and averaged annuallv more than .*400,000 between 1800 and 1000, Iron is mined in the region east of the Richelieu River, and is found at various points along the north bank of the Saint Lawrence and farther west in the region of Ottawa, During recent years the annual output of iron ore has avefaged about 20,000 tons. For a long 'time small quantities of gold have been taken from the gravels of the Chaudi&re River. Platinum also exists in these gold placers. The southeast townships abound in cupriferous pyrites, and considerable copper is mined, the product being used for the manufacture of sulphuric acid. Plumbago is found near Ottawa, and phosphate and mica exist to the northward. Lead is found farther west and north along the course of the Ottawa River. Some graphite and small quantities of gems of inferior quality have been placed upon the market. The limestone of the eastern coun- ties has been liberally drawn upon for building purposes, but its greatest use and service have been in the production of lime, the output of which has reached .$400,000 for a single year. Granite is quarried in the counties adjacent to Vermont and Xew Hampshire, while just to the north of this section slate is quarried in con- siderable quantities. Peat is found in inex- liaustible quantities, but has not yet come into use. Fish and I:bs. Fishing is an important occupation. In common with the other provinces Quebec enjoys the benefits of the bounty given by the Dominion Government for engaging in sea fishing. Latterly the returns show that the number of men engaged in boat fishing has annually exceeded 7000. The vessel fishing is of small and decreasing importance. The annual catch approximates $2,000,000 in value, the in- come from the cod fisheries constituting more than one-third of this amount. Herring, lobster, and salmon are next in importance. Quebec still furnishes the world's market with a valuable quota of furs, but in certain regions the fur- producing animals have become almost or quite extinct. Moose and deer in the south, and cari- boo in the north, not to mention smaller varieties of game animals, are still abundant, but these, too, are rapidly being killed, FOBE.STS, in the Ottawa and Saint Law- rence vallevs and the highlands south of the Saint Lawrence there is a mixed forest such as is typical of the New^ England States to the south. Here are found maples, oak, beech, elm, and other hard woods, together with the red and the white pine, the cedar, spruce, birch, and other varieties of ever- greens. The region south of the Saint Lawrence