PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. The small est province of the Dominion of Canada. It is situated in the southern part of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, being separated from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia by the Strait of Northumberland (Map: Canada. S i ). Length. 130 miles: breadth, 4 to :30 miles; area, 2133 square miles. The sur face is undulating: none of the hills, the chief of which are in the middle of the island and run from north to south, exceed 500 feet in height. The coasts are generally low and sandy, but in some places there are hold cliffs, varying in height from 10 to 100 feet and composed of Triassic red sandstone. the principal underlying formation. The island is indented with numer ous bays and inlets, several of which. as Cardi gan Bay on the east, the approach to Georgetown, and Hillsborough Ibly on the south, the approach to Charlottetown, are deep and spacious and af ford safe anchorage for large vessels. The rivers are short tidal streams. The climate is very healthful, being milder than that of the conti nental regions in the vicinity and free from the fogs which prevail on Cape Breton and Nova Scotia.
Forests originally covered the entire island. About two-thirds of the area is now Bleared. Aside from some of the boggy and swampy lands, the whole of the island is cultivable. The soil, which is well watered with numerous springs and rivers. rests upon red sandstone. It consists for the most part of a layer of vegetable matter above a light loam, which rests upon stiff clay above sandstone, and is of great fertility. The agricultural products are about double the quan tity required for local consumption. The natural fertility of the soil was injured by too great a suceession of cereal crops, but it has been renewed through the application of mussel mud la natural fertilizer dredged from the bays and rivers). According to the census of 1001 there were 104. 473 acres of oats. 42.314 of wheat. 151,990 of hay, and 33,405 of potatoes. Turnips produce phenomenally and arc extensively raised. Bar
ley and buckwheat are grown. Fruit does not flourish so well as in Nova Scotia. The island has long been noted for its large pro duction of eggs. Dairy farming is growing in prominence. Stock, especially cattle, are in creasing in numbers. Prince Edward 15,1:111(1 is extremely poor in minerals. Coal exists, but not under conditions which have made min ing profitable. The neighboring, waters abound in fish of many varieties, and the location of the island is most favored for fishing, yet the people have not engaged as extensively in the industry as have the populations in the sister provinces. In 1899, however, the catch was estimated at over $1.000,000. the lobster fisheries constituting nearly one-half of the amount. _Manufactures are not important, and are principally for domes tic wants. Butter and cheese factories number 30 and 40 respectively and are constantly increas ing in importance.
The Prince Edward Island Railway, which runs the length of the island, was built by the Domin ion Government, by whom it is still owned and operated. All parts of the island are traversed by coach-roads. Regular water communication is maintained with the maritime provinces and Boston, except during the cold months. at which time navigation is impossible for the ordinary steamer. The Government has constructed a special boat which keeps up comninnieation with New Brunswick throughout the winter.
The colonial government is vested in a Lieu tenant-Governor, an executive council appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor. and a legislative assembly consisting of a single house whose mem bers are elected by the people. The Province re ceives an annual subsidy from the Dominion. which constitutes nearly two-thirds of the total Government revenue. In 1901 the amount was $196,931. The island is divided into three counties—Prinee, Queens, and Kings—of which the chief towns are respectively Summerside, Charlottetown. and Georgetown. But most of the local affairs are in the hands of the provincial assembly.