that new markets in continental Europe will soon be opened for Canadian timber. Already the beginning of this trade has been made, by the dispatch of twenty cargoes to France, Spain, and Germany, in 1861. The products of the forest hitherto exported have been confined to a few species of timber trees, not exceeding a dozen at the most. When it is known that there are upwards of thirty kinds of forest trees, out of some sixty or seventy species with which our forests are filled, well adapted to the wants of European manufactures, it is confidently anticipated that a new impulse will soon be given to the lumber trade of the Province, in a different direction to that which it has hitherto taken.

Prior to 1858, England imported more timber from the British American Provinces than from all other countries. This predominance ceased in the next succeeding year, when the British importations stood thus:

In the present year (1862), eight vessels have already sailed for German ports, their destination and cargoes

being as follows:

Name of Port.
Stettin..

Hamburg..
Bremen..

This trade promises to be of the greatest value to Canada, and if the government adopt wise and liberal measures to secure a foreign European market, the gain which will result to Canada, in many ways, is incalculable. Immigra tion from those countries can be fostered in no better way than by a growing trade in the forest productions of the British Provinces.

The shipments of timber from Quebec, for the year ending December 1st, 1862, as compared with those of 1860 and 1861, were as follows:

The export of the leading items for 1862, falls slightly below the average shipments of the five years, from 1853 to 1857; but the stock at Quebec considerably exceeds that of any previous season, being 19,000,000 feet of pine against 10,000,000, the average stock between 1853 and 1857.

The prices current for the leading descriptions of timber in the raft, in Quebec, on the 1st December, compare as follows during the years 1858, 1859, 1860, and 1861.

The remarkable increase in the grain trade of Montreal, is seriously affecting the shipments of lumber at Quebec. Fully one-half of the vessels which formerly took in cargoes of lumber at Quebec, now go to Montreal for grain. This withdrawal of 400 or 500 large sea-going vessels, is diminishing the industry of the port of Quebec, while Montreal is becoming the great seat of foreign commerce.

CHAPTER IV.

THE PRODUCE TRADE.

IN 1734, when Lower Canada had a population of 37,252, the lands occupied and in tillage amounted to 163,111 arpents, and there were produced 737,892 minots of wheat, 163,988 minots of oats, 166,054 lbs. of tobacco, and 92,246 lbs. of flax. The following table shows the export of wheat which took place from the port of Quebec, from 1793 to 1802, inclusive. Nearly the whole of this exportation must have been the growth of Lower Canada, for the upper division of the province did not contain more than 50,000 inhabitants, at the beginning of the 19th century.

HII

92,000

129,000

1796,*

1798,

1799,

1800,

217,000

1801,

1802,

473,000 1,010,033

Total,

3,251,139

Annual average, 325,114

9,500

20,000

3,800

8,000

12,000

14,400
20,000

21,500
25,000

38,000
28,300

32,300

22,051

During the years 1816 to 1822, inclusive, the exports of wheat averaged 195,386 bushels; of barrels of flour, 28,323; and of hundred weights of biscuit, 9,694, annually. In 1824, 25, 26, 27, 29, and 30, the export of wheat and flour amounted to:

*In consequence of the failure of the crops in 1795, the governor in council proclaimed an embargo, prohibiting the exportation of wheat.

These fluctuating exports show the precariousness of the wheat crop in Lower Canada-which is still further exemplified by the following table.

Produce of wheat in Lower Canada, during the years 1831, 1844, and 1851:

There can be no doubt, however, that importations from the United States, especially of flour, enabled larger exports to be made from Quebec than would otherwise have taken place, for in 1830 we find 10,633 barrels of flour imported into Montreal, and 103 barrels of wheat.

The rise and progress of the grain trade of Canada are well shown by the following table of exports:*

The total amount of spring and fall wheat grown in Upper Canada, in 1861, exceeded 24,500,000 bushels.

The absolute value of all agricultural products exported, of home and foreign production, for the years 1853 to 1861, inclusive, is given in the following table of home and foreign production:

*One barrel of flour is estimated equal to five bushels of wheat.

CHAPTER V.

PRESENT TRADE.

In the year 1808, the trade of the Province of Canada assumed proportions which entitled it to the serious attention of the mother country; for although the population of Upper and Lower Canada did not exceed 300,000 in that year, the entire trade of the colony, including exports and imports, amounted to £1,776,060 sterling, or about $8,400,000. This trade was made up of the following items:

The exports of 1830 show a remarkable increase in the

trade of the colony, as will be seen by the following table: