NATURAL RESOURCES OF QUEBEC 
ABITIBI 
113 
Abitibi district is situated in the county of Abitibi, between the 
boundary of the province of Ontario and the Bell river. It extends south 
from the 49th parallel of latitude to the Ottawa river and includes an area 
of about 8,000 square miles, over half of which is well suited to the growth 
of field crops. 
The clay belt, in which this district lies, is known to extend as far as 
120 miles north of the Canadian National railway and, except for a few 
patches of marsh land and sandy ridges, the whole clay area is suitable 
for agriculture. The soil, though invariably acid, consists of bluish or 
reddish clay with 10 to 20 per cent of fine sand and is covered by a layer 
of humus and decayed vegetable matter varying from 4 inches to 7 or 8 
feet in depth. It is well provided with the essential elements of fertility, 
namely, nitrogen, soluble phosphates and potash, and its pronounced 
acidity can be easily corrected by proper liming; but, even without the 
addition of any commercial fertilizer, biological and chemical changes in 
the soil resulting from aeration due to drainage and tillage are sufficient 
to develop a medium favourable to the growth of thrifty crops. 
Abitibi was opened to cultivation about the year 1912. To-day 
Abitibi is a county represented by a member of the Provincial Legislature, 
and possessing a Court House, Registry Office, a land agency, a mining 
bureau and several branches of banks. There are a number of industries. 
Already 20 parishes have been established and the population exceeds 
18,000 souls recorded in the parishes. In the Abitibi district in 1926 
there were 26 school municipalities, 96 schools, and 4,000 inscribed pupils. 
Farming has been carried on around lake Abitibi and along the railway 
from La Reine to Senneterre with very satisfactory results. The clearing 
of the land requires but comparatively little work because of the shallow 
habits of the forest in this region. The whole operation might be com- 
pleted in a short time, but, as a rule the work is distributed over a longer 
period, partly for economy of labour and also to secure greater product- 
ivity of the soil, which is improved by the partial decay of the roots of 
the stumps after the trees have been cut. In the meantime, shallow 
cultivation between stumps, while hastening the rot of the organic refuse 
left on and within the soil, gives the settler generous immediate returns 
in the form of potatoes, grain and hay. In addition he secures cash for 
his pulpwood, the yield of which averages about 10 cords an acre. 
Not infrequently, though, a thick layer of peatmoss interferes with 
immediate cultivation and repeated burning is resorted to. Id a few cases, 
some kind of rough drainage must be provided. The success of the burning 
operation is dependent on favourable climatic conditions. Too eften, 
after the fire has passed again and again over the same spot, very little 
humus is left, stumps and moss alike having been consumed. The use of 
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