For the reported population of 6003, there appear to be four places of worship, and six resident preachers; viz. three Methodists; two Tunkers and Menonists; and one Episcopalian. There are three medical practitioners; thirty-seven schools; and thirty-four taverns.

Improvement is said to be retarded, in seven reports, by crown, clergy, and other reserves: in seven reports, by the great extent of non-resident's land: in three reports, by want of capital: in two reports, by shutting out American settlers: in one report, by want of enterprise: in one report, by want of mechanics: in one report, by the poverty of beginners in one report, by the effects of the late war in one report, by the want of emigrants, and the difficulties opposed to them: in one report, by bad roads in one report, by want of men: in one report, by lands held by Indians, who cannot alienate in one report, by want of liberal and indiscriminate encouragement to emigration, by the government of the province: in one report, the people want rousing up.

HUMBERSTON.

14th January, 1818.

SIR,

Mr. ROBERT GOURLAY,

HAVING Considered your queries, we now

present you

with answers to the same:

5th. There is one English and one Dutch school.

Sth. The rate of sawing, 3s. 6d. per hundred feet, or one half of the timber.

9th. Much of the soil is a rich black loam; some of a yellowish cast and poorer, and a small proportion clay. There is a considerable extent of marsh. The surface throughout is flat and low, unless along the lake shore, where there is a narrow ridge of blown sand, occasionally elevated into little hills, the highest of which is called the Sugar Loaf. It may be 150 feet high, or upwards.

10th. Timber abounds in the following order; oak, pine, hickory, beech, maple, walnut, ash, elm, bass, tamarack, black spruce, hemlock, and cedar, red and white.

11th. There is abundance of limestone, and two sulphur springs.

12th. Limestone is used for building, and is got on the lake shore for the picking up.

18th. No land has been cleared by contract for many years.

21st. Beasts are turned out to pasture about the beginning of May, and taken home the beginning of November.

22d. Sleighing generally lasts two months, and ploughing commences the first of April.

23d. Wheat is sown in September, and reaped the beginning of August.

25th. The pasture is capital. Cheese is seldom taken to market.

26th. After clearing the land, wheat is the first crop, and is often sown the second year, when it is sown down with timothy and clover. When broken up from grass, wheat is sown, then oats, and then again laid down to grass. Sometimes the succession is wheat, Indian corn, wheat and grass. On the best spots, Indian corn is grown several years in succession. Manure is generally applied to meadows, and sometimes to wheat.

27th. Some land is let on shares, one-third of the crop being given to the landlord, and one-half if he furnishes team, and tackle; excepting always, potatoes, flax, and garden stuffs.

28th. At the first settlement, when much land was held on location tickets, lots of 200 acres could be bought for 20 dollars. The price has gradually increased, and of late years sales have been effected at 21 dollars per acre.

29th. A considerable quantity of land is now for sale.

30th. The roads are not good, but could be much improved. Water conveyance is by lake Erie; and a canal could be very easily cut from

this to Lyons' creek, to communicate with Chip

pawa.

31st. Increased population, and improved roads, are most to be desired.

3d. About once a fortnight a Methodist preacher holds a meeting here.

6th. There are eight merchant shops, and four store houses for receiving and storing merchandise in the township,

8th. One carding machine. Rate of carding wool, 6d. per pound.

9th. The soil, generally, is a mixture of clay and loam; the surface flat.

10th. This township is timbered with white and red oak, beech, sugar maple, pine, elm, basswood, black and white ash, whitewood, hickory, black and white walnut, and tamarack.

11th. The only mineral that has been discovered is what is here called bog ore, of which there is said to be plenty in the marshes. Limestone abounds in every part of the township.

12th. Limestone is the only building stone we have. It can be obtained for about 15s. per toise at the quarry.

15th. Blacksmiths have generally 7 d. for working iron brought to the shops, and 5s. for shoeing a horse; none of the iron found by the smith.

21st. Cattle are not generally put out to pasture fields in the spring, but are turned into the woods, about the 1st of May, at which time they thrive well on the tender growth, and are taken into the yard again about the 1st of December.

22d. Sleighing commences about the 1st of January, and ends about the 1st of March. Ploughing commences the 1st of April.

23d. The season for sowing wheat, is from the 1st to the 20th of September. Wheat harvest generally commences about the 1st of August.

25th. Pasture is productive. An ox of four years old, will gain about one-third his weight in a summer's run; that is, if he weighs 400lbs. in the spring, he will weigh 600lbs. in the autumn. A milch cow, at pasture, gives from ten to fourteen quarts of milk per day.

26th. New lands are generally sown with wheat in the autumn, with grass seed in the spring; after which, they remain in meadow or pasture ground for three or four years; when, the roots and stumps become decayed: they are then ploughed in the