Number of churches, 5,075: of which 2,375 are Methodist, 852 Presbyterian,
680 Church of England, 389 Baptist, and 367 Roman Catholic. There are 21
hospitals, and 22 orphanages. Number of colleges and universities, 17;
boarding schools, 44.
There is an excellent system of free schools under the control of a
Minister of Education and a Chief Superintendent. School pop., 405,857.
Number of high schools, public and private, 410; public elementary schools,
5,313. Number miles of railway in the Province, 5223 {67}
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QUEBEC. Kwe-bek'.
One of the most important of the Canadian Provinces. Earliest settlement
made by Europeans, in 1541; first permanent settlement made by the French
on the present site of the city of Quebec, 1608. Country occupied by the
French until 1759, when, through the victory of Gen. Wolfe, it fell into
the hands of the English.
Area, census of 1881, 188,688 square miles. Total amount of land occupied,
12,625,877 acres; improved, 6,410,264 acres, of which 4,147,984 were under
crop, 2,207,422 in pasture, and 54,858 in gardens and orchards. Population,
1,359,027: male, 678,175; female, 680,852.
While the climate is similar to that of Ontario, it is colder in winter,
and warmer in summer. At Montreal the winters are very severe, the
temperature often ranging from zero to 10deg and even 30deg below it, and
in summer it is frequently 90deg in the shade.
Public affairs are administered by a Lieutenant Governor, assisted by an
Executive Council, a Legislative Council of 24 members, and a Legislative
Assembly of 65 members. The Province sends 24 members to the Dominion
Senate. Quebec is the capital; population, 62,446. Montreal the commercial
metropolis of the Province, and also of the Dominion; population, 140,747.
The surface of the country is varied, consisting of extensive forests,
large rivers, lakes and prairies, and bold, rocky heights. The Province
abounds in numerous minerals.
Agricultural products for 1881: wheat, 2,019,004 bushels; barley, 1,751,539
bushels; oats, 19,990,205 bushels; rye, 430,242 bushels; peas and beans,
4,170,456 bushels; buckwheat, 2,041,670 bushels; corn, 888,169 bushels;
potatoes, 14,873,287 bushels; turnips, 1,572,476 bushels; hay, 1,612,104
tons; grass and clover seed, 119,306 bushels; tobacco, 2,356,581 pounds;
hops, 218,542 pounds.
This Province produces three times as much maple sugar as all the others
combined; total amount produced 1881, 15,687,835 pounds; amount of honey
produced, 559,024 pounds; apples, 777,557 bushels; grapes, 158,031 pounds.
Value of fur product, $163,310. Butter produced on farms, 1881, 30,630,397
pounds; cheese, 559,278 pounds; wool, 2,730,544 pounds; cloth and flannel,
2,958,180 yards; flax and hemp, 865,310 pounds; linen, 1,120,301 yards.
Farm animals in the Province, 1881: horses, 273,852; oxen, 49,237; milch
cows and other cattle, 900,096; sheep, 889,833; swine, 329,199.
Public instruction is under a Superintendent of Education. School pop.,
209,623. Number of elementary public schools, 4,404; pupils, 170,858;
colleges, 44; academies, 246; special schools, 18; normal, 3; model, 333.
The forests are extensive, and the lumbering and shipbuilding interests are
large. Timber product, 1881: pine, 5,495,183 cu. ft.; oak, 59,587 cu. ft.;
tamarack, 2,707,745 cu. ft.; birch and maple, 2,784,395 cu. ft.; all other
timber, 14,612,669 cu. ft. Number of logs produced, 13,582,407; masts and
spars, 104,248.
There are in the Province 293 steam vessels; tonnage, 132,097: 757 sailing
vessels; tonnage, 110,356. The fisheries furnish employment to 14,744 men;
there are 146 vessels and 6,761 boats engaged in this industry. Products of
the fisheries, 1881: cod, 462,388 quintals; herring, 130,354 barrels;
mackerel, 10,725 barrels; sardines, 4,360 barrels; canned lobsters, 517,734
pounds; all other fish, 101,861 barrels; fish oil, 263,374 barrels.
The prevailing religion is Roman Catholic. The number adhering to that
faith is 1,170,718, or about seven-eighths of the entire population. Number
of churches in the Province, 1,280, of which 712 are Roman Catholic. Number
of hospitals, 29; orphanages, 11. There are 1,911 miles of railway. {69}
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NOVA SCOTIA. No'va Sko'she-a.
A Province of the Dominion of Canada, created in 1784; became part of the
Dominion, 1867. Area, 20,907 square miles. Population, 1881, 440,572.
Executive authority vested in Lieutenant Governor and Executive Council;
legislative, in Legislative Council and House of Assembly.
Capital, Halifax; pop., 36,100. Capital of Cape Breton Island, Sydney. Soil
generally fertile. Principal products are wheat, rye, oats, barley,
potatoes and Indian corn. Grain product, 1880, 5,570,444 bushels; potatoes,
6,961,016 bushels; hay, 414,046 tons. Timber product, 1881, 3,144,323 cubic
feet. Fisheries employ 755 vessels, 13,214 boats and 26,900 men; latest
reports give 715,781 quintals of cod, haddock and hake; other fish, 301,756
barrels; lobsters, 3,841,467 lbs.; fish oil, 275,352 gallons.
There is a good system of common schools, organized In 1864. Annual
expenditure for educational purposes, about $700,000. Miles of railway,
500; many short canals.