the bed rock is of a crystalline nature, the soils are highly acid and
unfertile. The highest elevations lack soil cover and the surface is
bare rock with many erratic boulders and frost-riven chips of rocks.

Soil surveys are being undertaken, but little of the island as yet
has been covered. The chief areas surveyed are those with agri-
cultural potentiality and are confined to the upper Humber Valley,
Deer Lake, the Codroy Valley, Grand Falls, the north-west coast and
St. Mary's Bay (S/E of Placentia).

The Donald Ross Survey, Industrial Survey of the Resources of the
Province of Newfoundland, prepared by Donald Ross & Co., Montreal,
Que. for the Newfoundland Industrial Development Board, 1950
(typescript), continues the farm analysis.

About 5,200 commercial farms on the island: 6 per cent. over 50
acres; average 12 acres: 1,200 full-time farms. In addition to farms,
numerous gardens and small holdings.

[The figures for the chief agricultural areas show the outstanding
importance of the West Coast.]

Area.	Acreage Cleared.	Suitable for Agriculture.
St. John's	8,000	25,000
Eastport (Bonavista Bay)	800	4,000
Humber Valley	1,500	45,000
Stephenville-Port au Port	2,000	10,000
St. George's Bay	3,000	20,000
Codroy Valley	3,000	30,000
	18,300	134,000
In the whole Island, including gardens and small holdings	76,000

[Thus of cleared farm land, over half is on the West Coast, and of potential
farm land nearly 80 per cent.]

In the Humber Valley in the west the development of agricultural
land is of comparatively recent date, and at present potatoes, turnips
and cabbage are the main crops. These find a market in the town of
Corner Brook and in the nearby logging camps. A few farms are
now producing milk. The growth of population in the Corner Brook
area should support an expansion in dairy and truck farming. The
potential farm land in the Humber Valley should make this possible.

In the Stephenville-Port au Port area in the south-west, mixed
farming is carried out, with the production of cattle and sheep
predominating. Although, in general, production of vegetables has
not been extensive, one of the largest vegetable producing farms on
the Island is located in this area. Beef, mutton and wool are marketed
in limited quantity. The hay lands in general yield poor crops and
an improvement in soil fertility is urgently required if production is to
be maintained.

In the St. George's district further south there are fairly extensive

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