VALUE OF PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND COMMERCE. 447 Value.-The Commerce of the island is of course as yet in its infancy; the annexed table shews its progress for ten years. Years. IMPORTS FROM EXPORTS FROM Great Great British Foreign, Total * Prince Edward Island is essentially an agricultural colony, and admirably adapted for industrious Emigrants with small capitals. Crop after crop of wheat is raised without manuring-the barley is excellent, and oats much superior to any other of American growth; the potatoes and turnips cannot be exceeded any where; and peas and beans are equally good. Cabbage, carrots, and parsnips, are produced as good as any in England; in fact, all the produce of English gardens will thrive equally well. The climate is particularly favourable to sheep; they are not subject to the rot, or any disease common to sheep in this country: they are small, but of excellent flavour; the common size is about 60lbs. the carcase. The rivers abound with trout, eels, mackarel, flounders, oysters, and lobsters, and some salmon; and the coast with cod-fish and herrings in great abundance. The latter, soon after the ice breaks away in the spring, rush into the harbours on the north side of the island in immense shoals, are taken by the inhabitants in small nets, with very little trouble, and as salt is cheap (not being subject to duty) most families barrel up a quantity for occasional use. The lobsters are in great abundance, and very large and fine. In Europe this kind of shell-fish is only taken on the sea-coast amongst rocks; at Prince Edward's Island they are taken in the rivers and on shallows, where they feed on a kind of sea-weed, called by the islanders eel-grass, and a person wading into the water half-leg deep, might fill a bushel basket in half an hour. Many schooners are annually laden with oysters for Quebec and Newfoundland. The plenty of fish, and the ease with which it is procured, is of great assistance to the inhabitants, and in particular to new settlers, before they have time to raise food from the produce of the land. Hares and partridges are plenty, and are free for any person to kill; and in the spring and autumn great plenty of wild geese, ducks, and other water fowl. 4-48 LAND IN CULTIVATION.-STOCK AND Statistical Return taken under the authority of the Act William IV. cap. 7. A.D. 1834. 437 227 397 213 1814 882 4675 1271 8780 54430 2 3 29 30 31 32 33 38 7741 2069 2960 499 60 31 5503 864 159 13 14025 2294 12302 1767 34 18271 4169 35 12013 1993 403 63 36 9329 1038 213 32 37 7320 1525 211 45 6053 997 190 131 403 37 245 67 229 124 1007 592 157 245 18 52 4215 525 210 84 939 418 52 11 173 49 84 76 550 187 894 259 786 1666 527 3225 470 315 2193 1714 603 290 2139 652 6484 1887 390 177 1286 406 2687 1042 186 76 554 258 1523 522 199 86 584 220 1310 335 233 97 859 139 1051 552 3820 170 87 755 428 932 393 2180 11809 4575 1349 217 32 240 105 841 378 1785 1064 4727 21877 3 41 2511 797 194 12 181 85 730 320 1053 1035 2093 13746 42 2929 1008 228 20 208 105 697 337 1276 1074 4080 14870 43 5666 1221 245 19 251 126 697 485 2200 959 44 5052 1133 197 40 169 93 635 428 1718 861 45 6391 856 189 27 129 82 607 288 1512 665 3890 479 134 2 110 58 378 163 916 559 13233 1580 445 28 326 160 1401 540 2798 1781 8259 1626 283 109 218 117 960 359 2390 934 405 55 338 152 1125 507 3949 579 24 471 170 1422 62 4924 399 2 49 15 133 104 437 43 79 26 199 140 498 100 6 90 58 609 183 1119 418 66 1050 72 13 3200 155 24 8 13 12 4 3 554 2832 23 24 129 13 58 365 382302 897574 13185 3267 12624 5866, 4807619864 1210324 37300246049 1208766| 44 29 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE IN PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND. 449 Produce raised during the Brought forward 382302 89757 13185 3267 12624 5866 48076 19864 1210323 37300 246049 1208766 44 29 Charlotte Town 77 93 763 Ditto Royalty 40 1299 4390 407 7659 28740 2 George Town Ditto Royalty Prince Town Ditto Royalty Boughton Island Total.... 3876162 94631 13869 3377 13182 6299 50510 20702 128350 38850 261664 1310063 46 29 9378 2473 11074 3979 39899 21531 13418 3908 28712 76172 PROPERTY-NATURE AND VALUE.*-The preceding statements will convey some idea of the extent of property in the island, in conformity however with the plan adopted in the preceding colonies, I subjoin the following estimate which must be considered only as an approximation to truth : The fisheries of Prince Edward's Island have not been sufficiently attended to; the herring fishery is of great importance; it commences early in the spring, when the bays and harbours, particularly on the north side of the island, are no sooner clear of ice than they are filled with immense shoals of those fish, which may be taken in any quantity: they are larger, though not so fat, generally, as those taken off the western coasts of Ireland and Scotland, and partake more of the character of the Swedish herring. Alewives or Gasperaus, although not so plentiful as the herring, appear in great quantities. Mackarel are in great abundance on the coast and in the harbours, from June to November. Cod are caught in great plenty in every part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, more particularly on the coast of Prince Edward Island, the Bay of Chaleur, and in the Straits of Belleisle. Trout is found everywhere extremely fine, and often very large; the halibut taken, sometimes weigh 300lbs. Sturgeons are common, in the summer months, in all the harbours, some measuring six to seven feet in length. Perch are found in all rivers and ponds that have a communication with the sea: in fine, if the fisheries of this fine island were more attended to, they would add much to the value of property, while their pursuit would stimulate the progress of agriculture and the colonization of the settlement. Nature and Value of Property annually created, and also Moveable and Immoveable, in Prince Edward's Island. PROPERTY ANNUALLY CREATED, AND IF NOT CONSUMED, TURNED INTO MOVEABLE OR IMMOVEABLE PROPERTY. Totals. At 31. ench per annum, 99,0007. Value. Value. Value. Value. 25,000l. 500,0007. 165,0007. 100,0007. Nature and Value of Property, Moveable and Immoveable, in Prince Edward's Island. MOVEABLE PROPERTY. IMMOVEABLE PROPERTY. each, 55,0007. Ships, Boats, Timber, and other Merchandize. Houses. PROPERTY ANNUALLY CREATED. Manufactories, Mines, Quarries, &c. 450 SCHOOLS AND SCHOLARS IN PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND. 451 RELIGION, EDUCATION, AND THE PRESS; SOCIAL STATE, &C. -The established religion of the colony is Episcopalian, but I think the greater number of the inhabitants are of the Kirk of Scotland, or Romish faith. There are several Missionary establishments, and it may be truly said that no people are more sedulously attentive to the pleasing duties of religion than the inhabitants of this little island, who have shewn its practical workings on their minds by the efforts made for the dissemination of education. |