still uncertain. Much more definitely
known and almost as productive are the gold-mines of British Columbia
and the newly discovered gold-fields of the Rainy River district in
northern Ontario. More important than the gold-mines of Canada are its
coal-fields. These are principally in Nova Scotia and British
Columbia. The latter province is destined to be the coal-supplying
region for the whole Pacific coast of North America. The yearly output
at present is about 1,000,000 tons; the yearly output of Nova Scotia
is about 2,000,000 tons, principally produced by American capital. In
Alberta there are said to be coal-fields having an area of 65,000
square miles. Iron is found in abundance in both British Columbia and
Ontario. Ontario has in its nickel-mines of Sudbury a mineral treasure
not found elsewhere in equal abundance in the world. Experts have
estimated that 650,000,000 tons of this ore are actually in sight.
Ontario produces petroleum and salt. Silver, copper, lead, asbestos,
plumbago, mica, etc., are found in varying quantities. Canada imports
annually from the United States nearly $10,000,000 worth of coal and
coke.

CANADA'S FISHERIES

The fisheries of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and of the shallow waters
bordering on Nova Scotia and Newfoundland have for centuries been the
most productive in the world. The Canadian fishing interest in these
waters is very great. Cod, mackerel, haddock, halibut, herring,
smelts, and salmon, are the principal fish, and the annual "take" is
about $15,000,000. About $2,500,000 worth of whitefish, salmon-trout,
herring, pickerel, and sturgeon are produced annually from the
Canadian lakes. The salmon-fishing of the rivers and great sea-inlets
of British Columbia brings about $4,500,000 annually. About one half
of the total product is exported to Great Britain and the United
States.

CANADA'S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE

Agriculture, including stock-raising, dairying and fruit-growing, is
Canada's greatest industry. Over 23,000,000 acres are under crop and
about 20,000,000 under pasture. Over 3,000,000 acres are under wheat
cultivation. Ontario exports more than twice as much cheese as the
whole of the United States, and her cheese product is recognised as
the finest in the world. Canada exports to Great Britain alone
$15,000,000 worth of cheese annually. In 1896, in Ontario alone, 170
creameries turned out over 6,000,000 pounds of butter at an average
net receipt of 18-1/4 cents a pound.