Province of Saskatchewan. In 1905 parts of the
Territories of Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, and Athahasca
were formed into the Province of Saskatchewan, with
a total area of 251,700 square miles, of which 8,892
square miles is water. It is bounded on the north by
the Provisional District of Mackenzie, east by Mani-
toba, south by the United States, and west by Alberta.
Population.-In (1921) Saskatchewan had a popula-
tion of 761,390. In 1901 there were but 91,207 in-
habitants. The principal towns are Regina (1921),
(34,432), the capital of the Province, on the main line of
the Canadian Pacific, and the terminus of the Arcola
branch from the southwest; Moosejaw (19,184), situ-
ated in one of the best wheat sections; Saskatoon
(25,743), at the junction point of the line running from
Regina to Prince Albert; Prince Albert (7,554), on
the Saskatchewan River, near the center of the Prov-
ince; Yorkton, 5,150; North Battleford, 4,108; and
Swift Current, 3,517.
Physiography.-Most of Saskatchewan is undulating
prairie, with abundant streams and lakes. Reindeer
Lake has an area of 2,436 square miles and is 1,150 feet
above sea level. Lake Athabasca, part of which is
in Alberta 690 feet above sea level, with an area of
2,842 square miles, is the largest. The principal rivers
are the Saskatchewan, about 900 miles long, and the
Churchill River, in the northern part, 900 miles long.
Geology and Minerals.-The region is drift-covered,
the soils being drift and alluvial. Coal in abundance is
found in the south, in districts drained by the Souris
River. In 1920, 349,860 tons were produced, as against
25,000 tons in i898. The estimated total mineral output
for 1920 was valued at $1,711,580. The mineral resources
of northern Saskatchewan are undeveloped. Brick
clays, glass sand, gold, iron, mineral pigments, natural
gas, petroleum, peat and salt are found in the Province.
Climate.-The atmosphere is dry and clear. Winters
long and cold, summers short and hot. The mean sum-
mer temperature at Battleford is 61.4, winter 7.1.
The central portion of the Province is much colder.
Soil and Agriculture.-The southern half of the Prov-
ince may be divided into agricultural and grazing
sections. The eastern portion, for a distance of 120
miles west of its eastern boundary, is a continuation
westward of the grain-growing areas of Manitoba. The
soil is rich, the climate matures plant life rapidly. There
is an absence of rust, due to dryness of climate, and also
an almost total absence of insect foes. Wheat is the
staple cereal: oats, barley, and root crops are also
grown in large quantities.
In 1921 the acreage and yield of the principal field crops
were as follows: Spring wheat, 13,556,708 acres,
201,995,000 bushels; oats, 5,681,522 acres, 211,353,000
bushels; barley, 497,730 acres, 13,289,000 bushels; flax
seed , 426,849 acres, 3,5000,000 bushels; potatoes, 58,606
acres, 10,344,000 bushels; hay and clover, 278,601 acres,
445,800 tons; rye, 1,208,299 acres, 16,433,000 bushels.
The value of farm crops in 1920 was $271,213,000 on an
acreage of 17,347,901.
Dairying is another branch of agriculture that has
proved most successful, especially in the eastern and
north eastern districts, where mixed farming is
eminently suitable.
Fisheries.- The series of lakes north of the Saskatch-
ewan River are well stocked with fish. Pike, lake trout,
sturgeon and whitefish abound. The value of the fish-
eries for 1920 was $296,472.
Manufactures.-The number of manufacturing estab-
lishments in Saskatchewan in 1918 was 1,422, the
amount of capital invested $39,476,260;number of em-
ployees, 8,066, wages $8,496,172; cost of materials,
$30,614,183, and the value of the finished products,
$50,009,635.
Live Stock.-In 1921 there were in the Province
421,706 milch cows; 1,141,626 other cattle; 1,169,278
horses; 188,021 sheep; 432,776 hogs; and 9,554,009
poultry.
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