Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 17.djvu/660

602 NOVA SCOTIA the peninsula. The Bras d Or Lake (Cape Breton) may be best described as an imprisoned sea. It is 50 miles long and of great depth, bordered by the counties of Victoria, Inverness, Richmond, and Cape Breton ; it is full of fish, and expands into several streams and bays, each of which affords excellent sport to the angler. Geology. The Lower Cambrian runs along the whole extent of the Atlantic seaboard in one uninterrupted line. To the north of this stretches an extensive district com posed of rocks of Upper Silurian and probably others of Lower Silurian age. Along the section on the south coast of the Bay of Fundy, and at Minas Basin and Channel, is to be found the New Red Sandstone formation. Grey granite, gneiss, and mica-slate prevail along the shore. Trap rocks, often embedded in clay-slate, abound in several sections of the province, and the newer Red Sandstone prevails in the western division. There are vast Carboniferous beds, occupying a large area, and forming a source of great wealth to the inhabitants. Millstone grit, the gypsiferous series, limestones, slates, the metamorphic series, the Huronian, <fec., are also to be noted. The Carboniferous plain of New Brunswick is connected with that of Nova Scotia at its eastern extremity. The coal-fields of the latter are especially valuable and productive. They are situated in Cape Breton, Cumberland, Pictou, Inverness, and Rich mond counties. In 1882 there were twenty-one collieries in operation, which produced 1,365,811 tons of coal, consumed principally in Quebec, New Brunswick, New foundland, Prince Edward Island, and the United States. About 4235 persons are employed in this industry. The coal is bituminous and very rich in quality. In the Carboniferous areas there are immense deposits of pyro- schist or bituminous shale, "capable," says Dawson, "of yielding as much as 63 gallons of oil, or 7500 feet of illuminating gas per ton. Owing to the great cheapness of petroleum little attention has been paid to these shales for some years, but it is likely that they will before long again be in demand." Gold is found in workable quantities, the production in 1882 being 14,107 ounces. The gold district includes Caribou, Gay s River, Montagu, Oldham, Renfrew, Sher- brooke, Stormont, Tangier, Uniacke, Waverley, Wine Harbour, and unproclaimed, thirty mines in all. Iron ore abounds also in profitable quantities, and of excellent quality; the production in 1882 was 42,135 tons. Other minerals, such as manganese ore, gypsum, barytes, &c., abound. A fair business is annually done in coke, fire clay, building -stone, and grindstones. Some veins of copper, silver, lead, and galena, especially rich in quality, exist. There are many curious and beautiful fossils, besides amethysts, agates, chalcedonies, jaspers, cairngorms, &c. Climate and Vegetation. The climate of Nova Scotia somewhat resembles that of New Brunswick. There are extremes of heat and cold, and sudden changes of tempera ture, varying sometimes in one day as much as 50. Con sidering its northern latitude, it is remarkably temperate on the whole. The extreme of cold is about 20 below zero in the depth of winter, and the greatest heat is 98. The climate varies in the different counties, those in the west averaging from 6 to 8 Fahr. warmer than those in the east. The coldest period is from the end of December to the first week in March, during which the weather is tolerably uniform. The spring is usually brief and chilly, but the autumn, which is the most favoured season of the year, is delightfully pleasant. Vegetation develops rapidly. At certain times dense fogs line the banks along the Atlantic coast, but they are not considered unhealthy. Nova Scotia is a valuable agricultural country ; wheat, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat, Indian corn, potatoes, tur nips, beets, tomatoes, etc., grow in abundance, while apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, cran berries, gooseberries, currants, and other fruits ripen to perfection. Even grapes and peaches grow in the open air in some districts. The Nova Scotia apple is an article of commerce, and quantities have been exported to Eng land. The orchards of Annapolis and King s counties ex tend along the roadsides for upwards of 50 miles. The soil is of various degrees of fertility. The intervale lands, which form an extensive part of the country, are rich, and yield largely. The uplands, lying between the hilly sections and the rivers, are of moderate capacity. The high lands are as productive as the intervales. The produce in 1881 was 529,251 bushels of wheat, 228,748 of barley, 47,567 of rye, 1,873,113 of oats, 339,718 of buckwheat, 37,220 of pease and beans, 8128 of grass and clover seeds, 7,378,387 of potatoes, 1,006,711 of turnips, 326,143 of other roots, and 597,731 tons of hay. Of live stock there were 57,167 horses, 33,275 working oxen, 137,639 milch cows, 154,689 other horned cattle, 377,801 sheep, and 47,256 swine. The forests of Nova Scotia are extensive and valuable, the principal trees found in New Brunswick also growing in the sister province. They are chiefly pine, oak, tamarack, birch, maple, hemlock, spruce, butternut, ash, <fec. The yield of timber is very great, the shipments in 1881 amounting in value to $1,587,941. Industries, Commerce, etc. Nova Scotia is not strong as a manu facturing country, but every year some new industries are added to the list. At present there are two sugar-refineries and a cotton- factory in Halifax. Coarse "homespuns," coarse flannels, bed- linen, blankets, carpets, and tweeds are made in considerable quantities. Tanning is extensively carried on, and there are several factories where household and other furniture, agricultural imple ments, boots and shoes, saddlery, harness, tobacco, printing and wrapping paper, machinery, nails, pails and wooden ware, fuse gunpowder, carriages, and sleighs, &c., are made. In 1881 the province contained 1190 saw-mills, 263 grist-mills, 151 tanneries, 68 carding and weaving establishments, 8 breweries, and various other manufactories; 217,481 ft> of maple sugar were produced. The value of the boots and shoes manufactured was $754,128, of iron smelted $720,000, and of sugar refined $1,702,000. The ex ports of mining produce amounted to $676,078, of agricultural products to $830,804, of manufactures to $487,503, and of animals and their produce to $836,052. The total exports were $9,217,295 and the total imports $8,701,589. Shipbuilding is extensively carried on. In 1882 there were 122 vessels built, tonnage 31,361 ; and 174 vessels of all classes were registered. In the same year 6615 craft, representing a tonnage of 709,167, were engaged in the coasting trade. The total number on the registry books of the province was 3026, tonnage 546,778. Next to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia possesses the largest and most valuable fisheries in British North America. Along the entire const, extending over 1000 miles, food fish of almost every descrip tion (salmon, trout, cod, holibut, haddock, bass, mackerel, herring, shad, lobsters, &c. ) may be taken. Immense quantities of these are shipped to the West Indies, the United States, various ports in Canada ; and of late years several varieties have been welcomed in British markets. In 1882 fish to the value of $4,437,364 were exported. About 19,000 men are employed in this industry. Most of the principal birds of North America are to be found in Nova Scotia, and the game of the country includes moose, caribou, duck, teal, geese, woodcock, partridge, snipe, plover, &c. The game laws are very strict, and are rigidly enforced. The wild animals remaining in the province are bears, wolves, foxes, wild-cats, and a few others. Communication. Nova Scotia is well furnished with railways, there being nearly 600 miles in operation at the present time. The Intercolonial runs from Halifax to Amherst, 138 miles, and thence to St John, N.B., and Quebec. There are two canals in the province, one from Halifax to Cobequid Bay, and the other, the St Peter s, con necting St Peter s Bay on the southern side of Cape Breton with the Bras d Or Lake. The roads of Nova Scotia are exceedingly good and well maintained. Telegraphic lines are established nearly all over the province, and connect with the United States system. Government, Finance, &c. The executive authority is in the hands of a lieutenant-governor and a council of eight members, four with portfolios and four without. Thirty-eight representatives are elected every four years to the house of assembly, and twenty legislative councillors are appointed for life by the local govern-