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'' -.1 1

t ;

Entered according to Act of Parliament, in
the year one thousand eight hundred and
eighty-four, by the Publisher, Joseph Dus-
SAULT, in the office of the Minister of Agricnl*
ture and Statistics of the Dominion of Cana-
da. .

I '.\

. 1

f.ymf.f'f

Jtirjl.' ■ ' ■^«***'*''

,;^t.Mw:a«*«<w^»

«/""

■*-

*;:; V:

FARMING

( :

KV-

IV THB

, g»rwir*^a^ » M tm^ r.i,*>r. V

lORTn WEST OF CANADA

ACTUAL RESULTS

.- if

- 'A^ ■

FARMING

IN THB

NORTH-WEST OF CANiDl

ACTUAL RESULTS

■ f

The following extracts are taken at random in books anil
newspapers as they came at han<l. They embrace a period of
nearly thirty years aii<l apply to various localities \n t\ie prairie
country, which extenus from [-.ako of the Woods to the Kocky
MoantHin«<. a «listance ot'more than a thousand miles. They hIiow
in the most oonclnsiv^ miiMuar thutfanninff in the North West of
Canada otiV'rs advantages which can he found in no other parts of
the T^orld. When the immigrant arrives in that '* paradise of
fertility,'' all that he has to do is toplonr/hj saw and reap. Ditching,
draining and similar operations, so ialxtriiMis and expensive in
other fanning countri<'8, are unknown tuid useless in the prairies
«>f the North-West, and still the are latje yield of wheat is ahonl
thirty Imshcls per acre.

Statement of Alexander Ross, in his book— The
Red River Settlement : its rise, progress and
present state, published in 1856

The hoe was at work and a small supply of seed-wheat pro-
cured from fort Alexander, on Winnipeg uiver^ turned out ex-

— 4-

eeedingly well. One of the gettlers from the sowings or rathei
piHittiii^ of four quarts, reaped twelve and a half bushels.

The plough wa.s tried wifcli considerable succefes } sixiy-tiyM
retunirt froi/t wheat, after the Jioe^ diwdi forty-four from the plough,
Were (he average reward of the husbandman.

No country can produce finer heiferef, of one ©. two year»
t>l(l, than Red liiver ) hut after that age, they grow i)nt little anti
ihecowri ill particular are seldoiii large, which is attributed to their
bri'cdiiig too young.

All kind« o^ grain thrive well in the colony «nd grow to per-
--fectaou ) but wheal \a the general crop raised and it is invariably
sov^n iu liie spring. 5i r , ' .

I had a biiiaUpark, which sowed ten bnshds of grain. I got
it manured and ploughed in the fall and ploughed it again beforci
sowing ill the spring. The season beiii^ favorable, I had 25^^
bni^hels in it. One of my neighbours tried a similar experiment
:uid had, after six bjishels sowmg, 1^0 in return, k. second field^
Kowing eight bushels, which had been left fallow for two year»
running, during which time it had been ploughed three diiierent
times, and tluMi sown in drills, yielded for a first crop 280 bushels.

White clover is said to thrive well, but is little nsed. Timothy
U the only artificial grass yet sown here with any degree of succest*^
and it thrives exceedingly well. In truth, the present state of
Ucii River with its abundance of waste knds and their Inxuriaiico
in natural grasses, leaves but little inducement for raising ariili-
cial grass of any kind. The natural grass iar so easily got and
so nutritive, that it is considered a mere waste of time >and loss of
laiMiur t' cuttivate any of the foreign specie^.

Timothy thrives well, although but little of it is nsed^ as th<r '
niitttral grass is esteemed iaily as good and it produced lirithoui;
labour. Xiet^iver is particularly adapted for thcf raising of fiock$
and herds ; and although oows d4»^not generally give so mnchmilk
U8 we have seen at home and in Canada, or the United States, yet^
the milk is rich. A good cow well fed in the open plaina wilK
yield her pound of butter daily. The writer himself having tried
the experiment, obtained from one of his best cows 24i 'pounds in
thirty- ftve d«ys.

Nothing has yet been done here in the way, of stall feeding^
for fattening cattle for the slaughter. Cattle have roamed aboiii
at large in me open plains till in the fall and are then kiiled, aiui
yet inany would be considered fat in any coaiitry. A ci>w seven-
years old behmging to tlie writer was killed some time ago auilr.
yielded lOo pounds of clean rendered tallow. n

i^v

^■^^€

^5 —

Statement of Hon. Donald Gunii^ a praotioal fltf-
mer, in his evidence befbre a eomliiittae of

the House of Assembly, in 1857. ^*a M-ff-C Ah,^

'TheBoil of Red River is composed of the dihrisQi ^anite
^ Hud linieiitone) with a large ]>ropurtioii pf decayed vegetahlu mat-
tter. Thiti soil is from 12 to 18 niches deep ; under it is a thick bed
^«f tenncions clay, of blueish color and nearly impervioas to water.
f'iheweBt side of the river may Uncalled praiiie land, the east
-side are wooded lands. Our eoil is extremely fertile and, when
'well cultivated, yields large crops of the finest wheat, weighing

from 64 to 70 pounds per imperial bushel. The yield per acre

^ Ih often as high as sixt^ hnshela and hatr occasionally been known

"to exceed that j and, when the average returns full below 40 *

buHheU to the acre, we are ready to complain of small returns.
^Sonie patches have been kuown to produce twenty successive crops
-of wheat, and that without fallow or manure j but in general we, ^

' Vxact no more than five or six succSssire crops of wheat j *hei» wo
^pnt in one of bai ley and then fallow for one year.

These excessive crops do not exhaust the soil : but weed
joverepme ail our efforts to keep them dow»* and therefore we an*
ioiiliged to have recourse to the plough to destroy them. Harl«*y

grows well if the ground be not too rich, or the season t<» wet.
': when it throws up too much straw, lies down and does not ni4*at.

HiM'ley weighs* from 48 to 55, pounds p.M' iniperiul bu!<hel. Oatx
^thrive well and give good returns. Maize, potatoes*, beet-rooi.

onioiiB, carrots and turnips are cultivated and give profitable re-
V turns. The soil of this colony is admirable for growing hemp and

flax, llorned cattle thrive well and are subject to no diseases. (

Horses prosper here as well as in any other counti^ after niam-

ing at large, summer and winter, through the woods, where Jthey

keep in good condition.

Our climate and soil seem to be peculiarly adapted for or fa-
vorable to sheep. .There are 28 years since their introduction into
this settlement, and I have never seen nor heard of any Hicknes:*
attacking them. When well fed, ewes will produce fleeces weighing
from 2 to 3^ p6u]ms ; wethers produce fleeces much heavier. The
wool is of good quality^ though not very flue.

• Thea^ figures are a little higher than those given farther on. Thedif.
feret toe if easily acGounted for by the fieust that when Mr. Guan gave big
evifhutc^ the choioeailand&ool^ were cultivated.

-6 -

Statement of Professor Henry Youle HiiiJ in
Report on the exploration of the country be*
tvreen Lake Superior and the Red River sel^
tlement, printed by order of the Legislative

Assembly, 1858.

Mr. Gowler faiTOed fifty acres in white and green crope, h
and pasture being furnighea by the prairie. I had been previous!
informed of the extraordinaiy success of Mr. Gowkr in growiti
wheat, but I found upon inquiry that the practice he employ
was simply not to grow wheat after wheat j he had grown fifty-ii
measured bushels to the acre. His turnips (swedes) wer** mag-
nificent ; four of them weighed seventh-pounds, two weighed
thirty-nine pounds and two others thirty-one. A portion of the
potatoe crop was still in the around ] they far surpassed in <{uan«
tity^ quality and size, any Inad ever seen before. Mr. Gowler
vejy kindly turned them up out of the soil whenever I pointed out j
I counted 13, 14 and 16 potatoes, averaging 3i inches in diameter,
at each root. The potatoes were planted on the ist June an9
were reivdy for eating on the 16th or 18th August. Indian corn
succeeds well on Mr. Gowler's farm, and onions of rare dimen-
sionci were growing in his garden. He had had thit^yeaf a splendi4^
crop of juelons, the seed being Howed in the open air at the end of
Mny, and the fruit gathered about the 1st September. At the time
of my visit, the melons had ail been consumed, but I had several
opjMutun'ities of taptinii- and enjoying this fruit, at Fort Garry an<t
elsewh(5re, on the Assiniboine and Red River. In every instanc#4
they werc^ grown in open air, without any artificial aid beymid
WtH^ling, froiii the time the seed was planted to the niatui'ation of
the fruit...

Potatoes are planted from 22nd to 26th May. The rotatoe
crop is Ikm'o (at the Indian mission) truly magnificent. I wa^
favored with an inspection of the produce x)f a small field, after-
wards vLsited. and certainly no finer or more plentiful returns
could be dersjred. All tlie potatoes were perfectly clean and sound.
Wiih the jjerinission of Mr. Cowley I took four potatoes which lay
close at hand, on the tO|M»f-a large heap, containing very many
e<|nMlling in siae those I had t^ken without special selection j when .
carerully weighed, they were fonnd* to average ten ounces each
(10. 1 ounces) ; a piactical experiment proved them tobe an excel-,
lent table variety. ^

III the large and well ordered gardens attached to the Upper
and Lower Forts, every variety of vegetable, commonly groim in

-7

^^^UAla, \va» H(»iin:<htiig in tjie greatest luxiiriancf. Ciiitiifi«*W(M'R,
vVTiiiilBor boaii^, celery, beets,* several varieties of ealibageB, in
fact ever}'' desirable vegetable was seen in profusion and of excel-
lent growth. Lastly, and certainly nut tbe least important in its
relation to summer climate, melons of many varieties, I had th^
good fortune to see and eat in several parts of the settlement. Tn
every case I inquired into, they weue grown in the «)pen air. with-
out any assistance beyond throwing up the soil into the foim of a
little hill. The seed was planted in the earth in May, and the
fruit gathered toward the end of August. From a small patch in
the garden belonging to the very h((spitable and generous Recor-
der and Governor of Aspiniboine, James «)ohn^ton, Est]., no l^ss
than J03 melons were produced. At the time when I had the op-
portunity of seeing this fe.-it of horticulture, fifty -six nielons (a
green flei<h variety) had been gathered, and fifty-fceven f=till re-
mained, all of which had nearly reached maturity. I did not mea-
sure the bt'd, but to the best oi my recollection it did not exceed
twenty-five feet in length by ten or twelve in breadth. .Mr. Mac-
kenzie informed nie that tins year he raised from one seed thirty
melons. On the JOlh of August, one melon weighed, by actual
measure, sir p<»unds.

Wheat is the staple cro^) of Red River ; its cultivation is so
general, and the good quality of the grain so well and widely
known, that veiy little need be said on that head. In favorable
years, wheat ripens and is ready for the sickle in three months
from the day <if sowing. I think it veiy probable that new varie-
ties from Canada or the New England States would ripen in less
than three nionths, and this is the opinion of several of the best
farmers in Red River. No fact, however, is more satisfactorily
determined than the adi;pirable adaptation of the climate and soil
of Assiniboia to the culture of wheat. Forty bushels to the acre is
a common return on neiv land, atid I have stated that Mr. Gowler
has obtained fifty-six bushels to the acre, without the introduction
of any artifice beyond deep land furrows to keep tl;e rich vegetable
mould of the prairie dry.

■t

Statement of Honorable John Sutherland in his
evidence before a committee of the House of
Commons of Canada, 8rd of Avril 1876.

Honorable John Suthkiiland, Senator, of Kildonan, Mani-
toba, appeared before the Committee, and, in answer to questions,
said :

— 8-

I h»v<j hecn in the the North-West all my life. I was b<fl»n
wrthiii tho corporation of Winnipeg. My age in fifty-three years.
/ am u piti iiiutl farmer.

From hjy long experierice there, and from^what I have seen in
oth(»r Provinwfc", I have eome to the conclusion that the Soil, cli-
niHte aiirl other natural advantages of Manitoba are conducive to
Micci'Hrit'iil farming, and that a poor man can more easily make a
living tluM'e ilisin in other parts of the Dominion.

The usual depth of alluvial deposit on the prairie is about two
mid !i iiaif feet, and on bottom lands from two and a half to twenty
feet, 'i'hc natural grasses are very nutritious, and cattle can be
wintered without any coarse grain, neither u it customary to feed
any grain except to milk cows or stall-fed animals.

The uMial yield of prairie grass when cut into hay is an average
of from three to four ton.s per acre. It usually grows about five or
six feet high. and. although coarse, is veiy nutritious.

I consider the North-West as v ly well adapted for dairy pur-
poset*. as we have many miles of natural meadows throughout the
conntr}^ and lu«y can be cut and cured for about $1 per ton. We
have five or six varieties of grasses that are good and well adapted
for stock feeding, while a few others are not so suitable.

'J'he average yield and prices of graiu are as follows : —

Wheat, about 30 bushels per acre, price $1.00.
Oats, '^40 " ^- aOc. to40c.

Barley, «• 35 '<• ** 60c. to 70c.

Peas, " 50 ^' " 60c. to 70c.

The soil and climate are well adapted for growing root crops.
Our potatoes are pronounced the best in the world. Indian corn i«
not exten«jively cultivated, a^'d I think the large kind could not be
cultivated to advantage, but the smaller kind migiit, and I think
c<Mild be profitably grown.

It is cuftofnary to plough in the fall, but I have generally found
it necessary to cultivate the soil in the spring before sowing, to
prevent the growth of weeds.

I consider Manit(d>a adapted to sheep-raising, and from my
expemnee I have found it prohtable.

1 haue raised sixty bmhels of spring wUeatpei' acre, weighing
sixty-six pounds per bushel, the laud having been measured and
the graiu weighed carefully. I Iiave also received reliable infor-
tnwtiori to the elfeot that seventy {JQifhtiilieU of wheat have Imn
produced from one bushel sown.

St Via"

B. I was b<tiHi
f -three years.

[ have seen in

; the Soil, cli-

conducive to

;a8ily make a

e in about two
half to twenty
cattle can be
omary to feed

is an average
about five or

for dairy pur-
ironghont the
per ton. We
well adapted
le.

)ws : —

OO.

)c.

root cmps.
dian corn h
could not be
and I think

erally found
sowing, to

id from my

e, foeigJtwff
asured and
tble infor-
have been

■

-9 —

■ Statement of Mr Jacob Y. Shantz, in his Narrative
I of a Journey to Manitoba, in the fkll of 1872.

4 HtM-e (at, Hij^h Bluffs, on the Assiniboine) we staid at a farm
b«i«iiirinir »o n Mr. Allcock. an Englighraan, who came here from
Oiiturio thi(ie j'ears ago. He showed us as fine a sample of spring
wh<'!it. fiM 1 had <;ver scvn, and told us that he had harvested 40
bitahels to ihc acra. He also exhibited a fplendid sample of oats,
Jinx t^eed, pofnUies, tiivnipf, cabbage and other vegetables.

We next viwitt'd Messrs. Grant and MacKenzie, whose farms
li(; ;il»oin vJijlit miles (.istant IVoin Portai^e-la-Pniirie, both of whom
Ciuuo froisi tlivi Piovinci; of Ontario. Mr. Grant showed us sample
«f wheat which liad turned out "^huslieh to the acre, and some
Vi-ry fine oats. His potatoes also were of a very large size and
superior <iaa!itj'^, such as I have never seen surpassed. Mr. Mac-
F<!(Mizit!'8 wheat yielded 32 hnshels to the acre. He also showed us
about !()() bushels of onions, measuring fi*om two to Jive and a halj
inches in diameter. 1 lis turnips also were of a very large size, of
which three won Id wehjh tJO lbs. He stated that he had taken
\,20i) bushels of potatoes off of four and three quarter acres of
/f/wfZ— prairie land broken up, and the potatoes ploiiffhe'd under.

Statement of James W. Taylor, American Consul

at Winnipegf.

United States Consulate,

Winnipeg, B. N. A., Sept. 11, 1872.

SiK.— In response to your communication, requesting samples
of the agricultural products of Manitoba for exhibition at the
.Ml.inesota State fair, I forward Ri)ecinien of the wheat crop of J 871...

I send one-third buyhel spring wheat from the farm of John
• Matheson, in Kildotian (the Scotch parish), four miles NorfchofWin-
nipeg, which is mainly the •' English." A third variety of spring
wheat may be termed *' Minnesota spring," the seed being sent by
Mr. N. W. Kitson to Hon. James McKay in the winter of J 866.
one and a qnarter bushel o( which in 1869 produced 44 bushe I souone
acre and has since averaged 30 busj^els per acre fyr field oi'ltiva-
tion. \

I invite your particular attentif)u to the speoiaien of ** Fultz
Winter," grown in St. Boniface, by Mr. Jeau Mayer, from seed
furnished me by Mr. Fred. Watts, United States Commissiouner

— 10 —

of Agricnlture. It was sown October 2, 187J, and harvested
August 10, 1872. When the snow disappeared this spring th«
plsints were barely visible, but they came to great perfection, and the
yield was at the extraordinary rate of 72 biisheU per acre. Re*
suits Higiially remarkable attended the cultivation of the ^^ Fultz '^
by Hon. James McKay, of St. James Parish and Mr. Johii
Matheson.

The above statement is confirmed as follows by the Ven,
Archdeacon McLean :

In reference to the letter of Jas. W. Taylor, Esq., II. S.
Consul at Winnipeg, on the subject, of Manitoba wheat, I beg to
say that the statements contained in it relative to the averugu
yield per acre, agree fully with the results of iny own observation
during nearly a seven years residence in Manitoba. There is u a
doubt at all that forty bushels of wheat per acre can be got in
Manitoba, with ordinary care in farming. My observiitions have
reference only to spring wheat. I have not seen any etfoits inad»
to cultivate fall wheat, although I know no reason why they
should not be successful.

With regard to ordinary kitchen vegetables, I do not think it
possible to surpass the products of Manitoba.

Let me take the opportunity of reminding you that Manitoba
is after all but a very small portion (;f the Great Fertile Belt of
our Dominion*

The valley of the Upper Assiniboine with those of its affluents,
the Rapid River, or Little Saskatchewan, the Shell River, the
Swan .ind other rivers — and the valley of the Saskatchewan —
stretchinff westward to the Rookey Mountains, contain millions
upon millions of acres of soil as rich as that of the best in Manitoba,
with a magnificent climate and every requisite for securing the
health and material prosperity of a vast })opulation....

JOHN McLEAN, D. L. D. C. L.,
Archdeacon of Manitoba.

Statement of Mr Kenneth Campbell, of Manitoba

The following questions andr answers contain a report of the
e3s:perience of Mr. Kenneth Mackenzie, a. /armer. who emigrated
from the Province of Ontario and settled in Manitoba. Mr. Mac-
kenzie wrote the answers in 1873, to questions sent to him to ob-
tain the information he has given : —

Question - How long have you becu a resident of Manitoba Y

Answer.— Four yoars.

— 11 —

8 by the Veii.

do iKtt ihiiik it

i" Manitoba

of Manitoba f

Q. Prom what part of Ontario or the old country did yon
comet

A. Scotland, in 1842, then twenty years of age j lived in
Puslinch, County of Wt^liin^ton, twenty years.

Q. How many acres ot land have yoa under cultivation at
the present time 1f

A. One liuntlred and forty nnder crop, and about sixty more
broken thin summer. We plongli the first breaking two inches
deep, and the next spring or fail plough it a second time, and turn
up two inches more.

Q. Is it broken from bush or prairie land ?

A. Prnirie.

Q. What is ihe (juality of the soil, and of what does it consist ?

A. Around F(n-t Garry to Poplar Point rather clayey with
rich alluvial soil above ; from Poplar Point wei<t, clay h)am with
line alluvial soil above, but in several places sand loam. There are
to the south-west of here places too sandy for good tanning land.

Q. Do you consider it good agricultural productive soil ?

A. I never saw better, except that which is too sandy. There
are settlers northwest from here for t'uliy thirty miles, and although
newly settled, they have good, fair crops, and no grasshoppers.

Q. Is prairie hsird to break ?

A. When the summer is wet or nioist I would sooner break it
than old s|>ear grass sod, as we do not require to break so deep.

Q. What month do you consider best to break it in ?

A. June and July, but earlier will do if you have time, as
later does not answer so well.

Q. What kind of a plough do you use for breaking ?

A. American, made by John Deen Moline, but other Ame-
ricans make good l»reaking ploughs — light with gauge wheel in
front, and revolving coultermould boards and coulter and shear,
all steel. No use for any other material here in ploughs but steel.
The soil is rich and very adhesive, and even to steel it will stick a
little in wet weather, nujre so after it is broken and cultivated.

Q. What kind, and whose make, of a plough do you consider
best adapted both for breaking and after ploughing *?

A. The American ploughs answer for both at present. I have
|a Canadian plough which does very well, but I think a good light
[Canadian, all steel, or even glass mould-board, woulabe better
lafter the land begins to be old or long broken. We cannot eo
[deep enough with the American ploughs when land is getting (ud
md needy.

Q. How many horses or oxen do you use with each plough
rheu breaking the prairie f

^^■:A

,i: i

— K —

VJ. How liiany acres will « ^ ? ^^ **"*^*'-

«o.eV:r-{rr^^5^^^^^^^^^^^^ to

A. I have tried fall wW I ^ "^?")'- *^» you c-row ?

, . ^. S .fS^p-^^t"^ "'"'' "" y-" grow »
«""b it is «„.,ed^"'P' '^""^•'^ <"• Fife, l„d ^a jiVe Rio Grande I

""^^ I": :r;; '?^' "-'--- -

A. Common 4 ro^edLtl'"i ^'"^ ^

% What IB the overage yield f

A. I think this year about 20 or 25 bushels per acrej my kwd
being new till this year^ they did not do bo well.

Q. What kind of oat» do yoa grow 1

A. Black oats.

Q. How inany bushels do you sow per acre t

A. Two bni^ht'is.

Q. What is the average yield of butshels f

A. 1 have hut little, but I see fields from here coPopIar Point,
I think will yield fr(nn 45 to 60 per acre.

Q. l>o timothy and clover grow sueessfuUy ?

A. I havt; had both do well ^ but timothy seems to do best.

Q, Do rye and flax graw successfully ^

A. Uy<' is a fair crop, an<l flax I never saw better. ^

Q. How are the soil and climate suited to growing root crops f

A. All kinds of roots and vegetables that I have raised each
year hav(? done veiy well.

Q. Are those crops troubled with flies and insects as in On-
taiio f

A. T have heard some complain of grubs, but have not suf-
fered any liy them on my crops, and I have sown turnips in May
and they did well, and all through June, and no flies to hurt.

Q. Have you much rain during spring ?

A. Very little till May, June ana July.

Q. What time does the frost leave de ground ?

A. Abo»*t the 2Cth of April j in some places it may be longer.

Q. Have you mneh frost after growth commences ?

A. I have seen a little in May, but I have not had any of my
crops injured by frost since I came to Manitoba.

Q. How soon may ploughing and sowing be done ?

A. You niay sow as soon as the ground is black or snow off'.
The front was not three inches out when I sowed my first wheat j
I have it stacked now and a good crop.

Q. Is the summer different from ours in Oritario ?

A. GtMierally rather drier and vegetation more rapid.

Q. Have you shower.s during M^iy^ June and July, and have
you heavy dews at night ?

A. Yes.

Q. Is growth as rapid as.in Ontario ?

A. I think more so.

Q. Have you any summer frosts ?

A. None whatever since I have been here to injure crops.

Q. When do you generally out your hay f

A. From 15th July to 15th September.

^ 1

— 14 —

Q. Does wheat; barley, and oats harvest commenoe later or^v
earlier than in Ontario *? "-

A. Jjater ; generally about first week in August.

Q. Iri the Fall early, wet or dry ?

A. Early j generally dry.

Q. What dare do'fi'onits generally commence f

A. Fir^t of the season, about 8th of J 0th September, but fine
weatner alter.

Q. When does the winter commence ; how soon is the ground
frozen, and wh(;n does snow fall ?

A. Generally frozen about 10th or 12th November j snow
about list December. Some seasons are earlier j others later.

Q. Have yon deep snow earlier in or during the winter ?

A. Firat three winters psnow would average from 16 to 20
inches J last winter 10 inches. The trost is generally a steady
freeze.

Q. Have you many severe drifting snow storms ? ?

A. Not any more than in Ontorio, generally ^ last season
none, but that is an exceptitni.

Q. Have you wood convenient, and what k nd ?

A. Fr<nn two or three miles; greater part poplar, but some
oak and white ash. and small ash leaf maple.

Q. How do you fence your fields j with rails, wire, or sods ?

A. With rails.

Q. Have you a hay m<'a(low convenient ?

A. About two niiles* off I have a large one of my own.

What grass grown in Ontario does prairie grass, out for hay,
most resemble?

A. Beaver meadow hay, only ours here, I think better, and
more variety.

Q. Does it make good hay, and do cattle and horses feed well
on it? •

A. It makes good hay for cattle, and they feed well on it, but
I do not think it near so good for horses as timothy hay.

Q. What is the average yield in tons to the acre f

A. From one ton to two and a half tons ', different seasons
and different grascses vary a '_^ood deal.

Q. To what height ds'os grass on the open prairie generally
grow ? -

A. On hard, dry prairies not over ten inches, but on hay mea-
dows I have seen four feet.

Q. Is it as pasture equal to our timothy and clover in Ontario t

A. No, it is much thinner, and does not start so readily as
clover, when eaten or cropped.

— 15

Q. Do the graBshopners at tiny time destroy tin's grass, or
can it at all times be reiieu ^, m na pastured

A. They do a little cropping when veiy bad, bu|t not, to my
knowledge, to destroy it for hay or feed.

Q. How often do the settlers fire the prairie, and are your
crops ever endangered by such fires ?

A. There is a law against setting out prairie fires. I have not
suffered any by them. I plough a few furrows around my fields
and fences.

, Q. Is it necessary to burn the grass on the prairie eveiy fall
in order to have a good growth the following year *?

A. Not at all.

Q. Have you tried any fruit trees, if so, how have they done ?

A.. I have a few apple trees from seed, not well attended to,
three years old. I do not think it veiy good for apples or "pears.
unless we have a veiT hardy kind j Siberian will do wild. Plums
are vei*y good, and likewise wild grapes, though small, grow finely
on the banks of our streams, and better hops I never saw than
grow here wild. We use them for our bread rising. Currants,
raspberries and strawberries grow wild quite abundantly. I think
the ffrowth of apple trees too rapid, and wood does not ripen, the
soil being rather rich, and not much shelter in general.

Q. How do you think the country is situated for dairy, cheese
and butter making.

A. Very well, just the thing required.

Q. Have you always a ready market for your produce ?

A. Can sell nearly all I raise at the door.

All the land around here, say from 30 miles west, L e.. third
crossing of White Mud or Palestine River, to say 25 miles east, or
Poplar Point, is rapidly filling up, especially this summer, but
j»lenty is to be had all the way westward to the Rocky Mountains.
I think few cimntries in the world are superior to ours for agricul-
tural purpotfcs, and, although the winter is hard and long, cattle,
if provided for, thrive well. I wintered 91 head last winter, and
lost none, all turning out well in the spring. Most of tliem had
only rough open sheds for shelter, and ran loose. We have n<me of
the wet sleet in spring and fall rluit hurt cattle elsewhere. We arc
now stacking our gram, and I ihink my averaya will H fully liG
bushels per acre all round: last year I had S2 bushels iter acre.
I raised about 300 bushels of onions last year. I expect fully as
good «. crop this year.

I again say bring few^r horses into the country, but as much
otlier stock and implements as possible. First-olass march bar*

— 16-

Testers, or macliines which will employ two men binding and of
the most iinprovt?d mnke, are wanted. I have two combined ones,
nia<le by Sang:er & Co., Hamilton, wiiich answer well, but those
that will cut wider and (|uicker are rcMiuiredk Tl*ere are no hills,
stumps, or 8t<>iie8 r« trouble uh, and I have not a single rood lod-
ged this y<*}ir, although my crops are very heavy. Straw is gene-
rally Btin here, and not apt to lodge, This year we have excellent
crops of potatoes, and a neighbour of mine, Mr, Hugh G-raiit, yes-
terusiy, dug an early rose potato, weifjhing over ti > youndSj and
\\{\l tlien full grown.

Ihnvc uoi seen grain or other crops in eitlier Min^iesota or
DaJcofah to equal ours in Manitoba. 1 have been in th<>8e States
in all Efeascms oi the year, and have friends farming in Minnesota,
who are desiroui*, if they can sell out, of coming here. I have seen
pcoph'. newl}'^ arrived fnmi the old country, gruntble for a time,
and afterwards J'^ou could not induce them to go back. Some that
did go back soon returned. I have heard of some fiiint-hearted
Oainuiians who, frightened with tales of grasshoppers and other
drMwbncks, returned without even examining the country, but I
think, we are well rid of such a class. We have a large increase
this y6ar, prici pally from Canada, and I think they are likely to
prove good settlers.

Report of Mr John P, Sheldon, professor of agri-
culMire at the Wilts and Hants Agricultural
College, Dovrnton Salisbury, England, on his
visit to Manitoba, in the fall of 1879.

The Province of Manitoba, so

far

I saw it, is, as a rule,

flar. wanting in trees, and, consequently, somewhat dreary -look-
ing ; but in many parts the land is of strikiny richness. I was
i,j» there ill time* to see tHie latter part of the harvef^ting, and I was
c<M'tainly struck with the excellent ero])8 of wheat and oats which
were gv<»wii with the crudest cultivation.

On the day after my arrival, Sej)tember 3rd, I saw a new
string Iniuler at work in a crop of wheat in the Kildonan settle-
ment, near Winnipeg: it was a very nice even <iYO[i, ami would
areraije, .s'«//, '25 hitshels per acre of (/rain,, whose quality was
very gooif ) the wheat was ihe^' Scotch iNfe ■' v&rietj^, not a iieavy-
hea<le<l kind, l»!it it was a nice, even crop, the straw rather r^hort
and weak, but clear and brisiht. and the grain was plump, well-
fe«l. briiihi, and lit for the mill at once. This crop was sown on
the xl'^nd of May. on first prairie sod — that is, on prairie land just
then ploughed up for the first time — and as such sod is very tough

. — J7 —

j0,% fimt^Jt may •beimiiffiiMd'fkAt^'the irtrirface 6f tb<^fi^^^
^<^Mid that the «eedkad4»Q(»n'1rH))ei'f*'tifly covered ; yet <t)ie«eeU whs
;v|«wn and the mvpi'dead ripe nfithin a • pei'Ufd of l'5 ive^Jcs. It w,
^^<m&e€ri>nounvoHMnonfttMng for Molveat to be iwiee in the hag
^H/oilhin yo ilaps-^hAt is, ^mm, narveBt«id'afid thraehod witlifti that
} period. I saw also a erop of oats which was soWn at intervals, a»
'4he land was ploiighttd. from the 7th to the 17th of June ; the oatH

iWere the biacK tairtarian variety^ and thcfngh not ripe when I f^aw
fit, I t;hoiild say the crop would »^«efe '45 h:.i(kel9 per acre. It was
hh Htyong. well headed crop^ aiid the oats promised to be a g'ood
w»uHi»»le. The crop, too, Was on the first prairie edd, on a fsinii

b('i<»«»giiig to Mr. .Ross, of Winnipeg, but noam ten or twelve mile h
>away.fio*»i the city.

Land increases rapidly in v^lue near to the city. Por tliia

•«elf-8ame farm Mr. Ross paid $367 j now he wants $.%0(K) for it.

It in 240 acres in extent, and the owner has put up a snuill house

><ind a building or two on it, besides breaking up about half of the

'land.

The soil of Manitoba is a purely vegetable loam, black as ink,
'And full of organic matter, in some places many feet thick, and
-resting on the alluvial drift of the Red and Assiiiiboine iiiverti. It
is, of course, extremely rich in the chief elements of (dants-food.
''and^^ cannot easily be exhausted ; the fanners know this, so they
,>take all they can out of it in the shortest possible time, and return
nothing whatever to it in the form of manure. By turning up an
inch or two of fresh soil now and ngain. the fertility of the surfuce
tis renewed, and the same exhaustive pystem of growing wheat,
-year by year, may be pursued for a long period with impunity. It
Its true, in fsict, that for iseveral of the first yearn, at all events,
manuring the soil would do much more harm th:;n good ; and,
^ntitil an Act was passed to prevent it, tlie farmers wer€\n the
habit offjettinff their litter and manure out of the way by sleigh-
ing At out on the ice of thf frozen rirei'8 iu tointerj to be carried
Jdncag somewhere when springtinie and floods come, and the ice
iiroken up ^ nuw they leave it to r4»t in heaps, outtside the siablet*.
and find it an eat«ier ta.-<k to remove the stable rather than the
• tuanure. when the latter hecomes unppleasently plentiful.

In couieie of time it it* probable that the manure will need to
be put to its legitimate ut<e of improving an exhau«>ted soil, or
-luaintaining the fertility of a rich one. At a still later period the
operation of subsoiling will bring up new earth fnnn below, and
»lhere d<»es not appear to be nny proliability that the better soils of
ithe Province will ever become sterile, providing that the fariuers

^18— •

■ I

make nso of the means they will always have at hand for keepiMi
them up to the mark. At present, however, these rich wheat sam
do not need improving ; they are rich enough for years to co^i^
and in some cases too rich for the welfare of the crop, much of j^
strain, therefore, is valueless, and really a cumber to the farnxif.

It must not he supposed that the seil of Manitoba is Ht ot^
for wheat and oats. The wild grasses, it is true, are veiy coaAm
in character, and there are many weeds and worthless piHi|||»
among them, yet cattle flourish ou these immense plunts of prairtld
grass. The *' prairie meadows " are generally damp landi,
(situated near the d^amps. The Province is not adapted. to gnWt
maize j it is too far north for that • bur, it will grow garden veg»»
tables veiy well, and turnips and potatoes, beans and peas, in tlin
fields with complete success, wMle such " tame " gme8«^p, as tinii^-
thy and the lye grasses, and also red and White clover, grow satis-
factorily on land that is at all decently cultivated. t .

Outside the city of Winnipeg I saw a large market g»rde|i^
run by a Yorkshire man named Ijongljottoni. in which very lurfu
erops of onions, pototoes, corr<»ts, pens, beans, tomatoes, celei-y,
and a hundred other things, were grown in a rough-iind-reHthr
sort <tf a way, but very profitably. There is a good nnirk<'t (pt
Winnipeg for all kinds of garden stuff, and the earliest sorts con|-
niand very high prices, so that our Yorkshire friend,' as 1 wu* to^
on the best authority, is reaping a rich reward of his skill aii4
industry. '5

Report of Mr Hugh McLean, Rhu, Tarbert, N. Bi,
the delegate of the Kingtyre Agricultural Sa-
ciety, on his visit to Manitoba in 1879

The foUowing is the experience of Mr. McCorquedale, Hea(V»
ingly : . ^

We I aft Braiquish, Argyleshire, in 18.53, for Canada. n< uglk
]()0 acres.... in the township of Greenock, back of KincHrdine (iti
Ontario). lie got on very well there. Two of his sons and him-
self, three years ago, came to Manitoba to see the country. It
pUiased liini s(> well that he did not return. Duriiig the first ycjiT
he looked out for a suitable place and purchased one .'320 acres for
himself andone of 320 for his son, in the North of the l'n>vinc«i.

The following is a statement bv Colin, his son, of the cu|)iibii>
lities of thv land presently farmed by his father.

•• Wheat (2 bushels sown per acre) produced .*J.5 ImisIi^'Is. The
wheat is sown in spring. Full wheat is not generally sowu in

— rj- -

acre, retnrn 60

Mftnitohu, Imt a teet has been made, and ii has f^iicceeded. Reup-
iiig oominenceH iii Aiigu&t. The land is ploughed right np that
Hainie fall, when wiieat is sown fij^ain in Kpriiig in Bueoession fur
years. Weight, 64 ll»8. never lens than CO lbs. per bushel.

•' Osits average 75 bushehi per acre, but it is. not '.mnsual to
take 100 bu^help <>ff. Sow 2i to 3 bushels per acre. Oats weigh
;j4ibs.

" Barley does well. Sow 2 buBhels per
bushels.

•* Potatoes— 3 bnehels planted produced 87 bushels j 400
bushels have been raised per acre, but not on his father's farm.

•• Turnips do well.

*< Indian corn does not ripen. Fai%ier8 cut it green, imd it
makes an excellent feed. ""

^' Cabbage, carrots, lettuces, parsnips, cucnmbers, melons,
^(luashes. etc., dowell.

*• Have not yet grown apples. Old settlers have grown them.

We sejourned with Mr. Joseph Wells Johnstone (on the
Boyne) who came frcnn county Oxford, Ontario, in 1870, and Ket-
tied <m his farm. Since he came to Manitoba his wheat has
anratied 3ii bushels per acre, but he has thrashed it at 58 bushels
ami at GO bushels, and five years ago at 48 bushels, Last year it
was ''rlii bushels. He fiow« one bushel and five pecks to the acre.

As to oats, he considers this the best of countries for oats,
which weigh 42 lbs- per bushel, and produce 70 bushels ])er acre.
Ht, has known, at H<a(lingly, a field of 10 acres produce 1,010
bushels, or about 100 bushels per aci'e, " - '

Jisirhy weij^hs from 48 to 52 lbs., and an acre produce from
r>0 to ()0 bushels. ^ '

The .-ystem he adopts is : Starts ploughing about 15tli June.
and breaks land till 15th July. Leaves it lying till foUowing fall.
This ploughing is as slialifTw as possible— say 2 inches —and from
12 to 14 inches broad. In the fail he backsets it— that is, ploughs
it the same way, being 3 inches uecn and 12 to 14 inches wide.
He harrows it in spring, and sows it with broadest seeder. Has a
JO horse power thrtjsher j charges 4ic. for threshing wheat j 3^ for
barley, and 3c. for oats. Sows tinn)thy and white clover. Timothy
is a splendid success j has one j)iece which he cut in July, uf»d
expects to cut it again before wmter. Mangel-wurzel does well,
and so do turnips : also onions, carrots, gooseberries, currants
aud rhubarb. Buckwheat ^ows well, so do cucumbers, melons,
squashes and strawberries. ' «

We started ou the morrow for Nelson ville, but were oveii-
; taken by Mr. Inmann, of the Boyne, who owns 800 acres of liind

-.80-

■■'''^?i^

there. Mr. Inman spoke of a blue flower that always indUMted^
by its presence, goud water .^ He mentioned that he paid $1U for
J 60 acres, and got 160 acres for pre-emption price. He 'bought
scrip for for the balance. He has 60 acres in crop.

Wheat Will average 30 bushels per acre, 60 lbs.
Oats " 40 " 34 "

Barley' " 40 « 48 "

Potatoes ** 230 *** 60

"■ He stated that he does not make bntter, but rears cattle. The
price of wheat is $1 per bushel ; oats^ 65c. ; barley^ 60c. ; pota->
toes. 25c. ill the fsill and '^Oi'. in the f«)>ring ; butter 20c. Young
cattle canbu b<»ught in the'^fall for fi^oin $7 (£1 88.) to $10^ £2)
per head. Hay can be made here, dodncting expense^ tear aud
wear, for $1 <or 48*> per ton. Two tons of hay, with somW straw,
will winter a yeiirling well.

Mr. Nolson. (of Nel8onvill«), founder of the towh, 8tiit<«d that
when searching for wiiter and digging his well, which is the well
from whi<5h the inhabitants obtain drinking water, the vegctabhi
mouki was 18 inches to three feet dc^ep 5 then 3 to 4 feet di marly
clay J then 5 feet of f^olid ffrey clay ; thfen black soapstono. Tb(<
water is generally found IjetWeen the clay and soapstone.- •• If
not successful," added Mr. Nelson, " ti7 another place."

Wheat produces 20 to 30 bushelsper acre. Weight p. b. 64 to 66 Ibi*..
Oats •'* 40" 9(0 . " " "48

Barley.
Potatoes

40**50
200,

u
n

Mr. J^elson came to Manitoba in 1877. He had planted
cucumbers, potatdes, cabbage*— very' weakly plants —on tue 28th
June, ahd they ai'l' came good;' ' '^

BeetSj turnips, and maiig6l-wurzel do Well.

N^i^oriville is a thriving little place, and the inhabitants are
kindly. It is destliled to be a place of considerable trade, as it is
on the track to Tujrtle Mountain, Which is fast settling' up. Mr. '
Neteon showed ' me next day tomat6es sown on the lOth May,
which' pf'omised t6 ripen. I itobk samples, b^it they did not
keep^ He' showed m^eaxiUjV&wers; e«jtimatea by hihi at 4 to 5 Ibis.
weighti> Pe'tatoes-i^early rose— keep tiHthe now ones come again.
Plant them- f^oitt 1st May to '1st Jutife. _ I took two samples, and
onepotateefromaffeed'plahted ou 3M JnlJ^. Wh^n the hill was '
dug there were seventeen potatoes on it, the sample tsiken being
the biggest; I also t60k a^ aVerag^ otiidii.

lif:

i*.

21:^

some straw,

Kvp9t%'otMt. R: H. a P. Anderson, of Listowell,
oounty Kerry, Ireland on a visit to Bianltoba;
in 1879.

June and July, and, in a wet year, part of Auguf^t, is the time
for bteakiiig the nrairic : tlie m\) is wvU np in thii grass, etc..
whicli is inasily killed by the snmniei* ht^ar. when turned up, :in(l
♦,he ground is wet, making easy ploughing. The sod- is merely
pared, the more lightly the better ; the turrow turned is about
iift't»en inches wid<'. In the autumn or spring the furrows are
backset, the plough turning about thr<'e inches of noil. In the
spring the need is sown, often without further ploughing, and har-
rowed in pis often as not) rolling is neglected. Wheat is sown
from the I5ih of April to the 1 5th of May, the earlier the better ;
outri till the end of May, and barley till the end of June. I have
seen bairley doing well that was sown on: the 10i*li of-July. The
quantity of seed per acre is about the same of each, viz., two
bushels. Hiirvest begins in the middle>of August. ^ potatoes, tur-
nips, etc.f can be sown till the *20rh of Jutie. and faill ploughing,
the great secret of success, can be carried well into Novenrber«
The hay harvest, in July, is a simple affair. Frairiuhtty costs
about a dollar a ton by the time it is in the stack .; a crop can be
raised i^nFthe turned-up sod, but except as a makeshifr. the iirst
year, it ought not to done, theyield is sure to be poor.. The farm-
ing iihuleinents are all of the very bet^t ilescription, made with a
view to the saving of labor. A man with a breaking -plough and a
good- team can break or backset one and a half or two acres per
day, and with a gang-plough and four horses about double that
qn:tn|;ity. With a self-binding reaping machine attended by two
stookers, from twelve to fifteen acres can be cut., bound and
stooked iU' a day. I have seen these machines do- wonderfully
clean- work. Manure is of no value, and is either burned or carted
to the nearestriver (the Mennonites make' fin^I of it). It will be
years before the land requires it, or indeed Wtould hear it. 1 do
not say that our high-class English and Scotch farming is at all'
necessaiy ibr success^ but I am persaaded, and it is proved that
.oare aiid«kiii are anqjljr.rewarded ; no fai'mer need fear failure; in
Manitoba. I have, among my, notes, a list of fourteen men all
netting on well, who totd me that until they came to Manitoba,
mey never lived out of town.

CMi^;jh(eep and horses thrive well, and iu. spite of theJong^

•■ t-

— 22

liili

^'!!l!.ii[.

ii 1-

winter, during which they must be housed. Stock raising is found
wry profitable, l»:iy ciu he 1ir<1 in abundance, and cattle keep
well (Ml it. I «ee no reason wljy they couM umi, be shipped to
England tVoni Maniioba, when the Canadian Pacific Kailway is
finished (it will be fijiished between Winnipeg and the sea-ports
oFtlie Sniiit-Lawrencc bd'ore tlie end of 1884.)

'J'he soil varies much, as it is liatiiral lo snpj)Ose over so large
a track ; but as a rule it is a rich, black, vegetable mould, work-
ing very like chiy — rich bj*yond imagination - and resting on a
nniriy clay. The de}>th of the surface soil varies a good deal, in
some places not more than ten or twelve inches, in others as nmny
feet. I am infoimi d that chemical analysis have oroved ih" soil
to be the best a.da})ted of any i)i the W(n"ld for tin; gmwth of wheat,
and certainly practical exoerience bears this out, ft js very
easily worked, beccmiing as fine as powder. However, there are
all descriptions of ^'oil to be had here, from the heaviest clay to
the lightest sandy l.oam.

Wheat, of coiirsH, is the piincipal product, barley next, and
then oats. Indian corn (maize) does fairly in some plac<',s, but is
not grown to any x^xtent Oats seem to ripen to fast, and while it
yields a great number of bushels to the acre, is not up to the
mark fts regards (jualiiy. Potatoes are an excellent crop, both as
regards <juantity and (juaiity (though I did meet some of a poor '
enOtigh description) ; alhoots grow to perfection. Among the grasses
timotny and cocksfoot prove a succi^ss ; clover yields a good re-
turn ; lucerne and Hungarian grass, thrive wonderfully. A* re-
gards the average yiehl 1 must say of this country as of Ontario,
that it is absurd to st ike an average. About twenty-live btishels
is given as the averiage for wheat, but I have seen forty-iive to the
acre ; six to eight tons is considered an ordinary crop of potatoes,
with the most extraordinary rough cultivation. Of course, climate
is a very important factor, but I have no hesitation in saying that
any liian who understands his business can secure in Manitoba
heavier yields of any crop that will grow there than he can in this
coinitry, and With one half the labor and expense. The natural
grass is wonderfully nutritious, and is excellent food for cattle
and sheep. - '***'*■ ^

Statement of Mr. James Riddell, formerly of Hun-
dalee, Jedburgh, Scotland, now of Miami,
Manitoba.

Wheat, at 75c. per bushel, would amply"rej)ay the grower in
Manitoba, and, at present prices in London or Glasgow for Aiue-

->\

'••^

'ca-

ncan wheat, would leave a large margin for freight and oth^r
expenses.

I will here state the cost of raising wlieiit per acre on our own
land for the years J87i) uud 18H0, likewise the average amount of
produce'for these two crops.

First, the cost, which \ shall give at contract prices : —

Ploughing...^ $2 00

Seed J)()

Sowing and harrowing oO

f Reaping ^ $0 65

Harvesting iJ^;"f!'8^ ^ ^^

° I Stocking j ;^o

I Carrying sind stacking J J 10
Thrashing

2 05

7 95

$ 8 05= £ I 1.3 1
Av. of crops for 1879-80, 28 b. p. acre at 75c. 21 00 =£4 3

$12 95:= £2 1:3 3

Cost of prc'.luction per bushel, Is. .Id., leaving a margin of
nearly $13 per acre. •

This certainly is above an avernge yield for Manitoba at the
present time, but I believe that with good management and fair
seasons, the average will come up to this, or even more.

Cattle-rearing is likely to ])ay well, as it is attended with little
expense. They kiep their condition through the winter (where
wind-brakes are provided) on nuirsh hay, and this can be had in
abundance in almost any kind of season. It is cut in July or
August, the earlier the better fodder it makes. The march(^s are
level, and mowing machines nnik good work in ihc cutting. The
expense of making this hay does not excecMl $ i per ton, and the
usual winter allowance i)er head of various ages is 2^ tons. At
present, cattle are alloWt^d to graze on ;i,ny unfence i land during
the summer, and find any Mnioiuu of feed, such a* w Id tares, peas
and grasses. The best s;;a>ioii for cjw^ to ca!v(! is abjit the (snd
of April.

— 24 —

^Extracts fW>m the reports of the Englii^h and
Scotch farmers, selected by the farmers in
their respective districts, who iwent out to
Manitoba in 1879 to report upon the country.

Mr. Jamks BiGGAR, of the Grange,' DdlheaiUCj Bays :— **We
heard very different statements of the yield of wheat, vaiying from
25 to 40 bushels. McLean, a farmer near Portage, had 1/^30
hmhels of Fife '"'heat, off 40 acres. Another man, a native of
Itoss-shire, who was jrloaghing his own land, told us he had crop-
ped it for seventeen years in succefj^ion, hi« last crop yielding 35
bushels par acre. Mr. Ryan. M. P., a good authority, said the
average of wheat might safely he taken at 25 to 30 bushels, and Of
oats 60 bushels. « * * Next day we drove over Messrs.
Riddle^s farm ; their wheat has averaged fully 30 b iirhels per acre."|

Mr. GicoHGK Cowan, Gienlnce, Wigtown, says: — ** Mr. Mac-
kenzie's farm is at Buinside. about 9 miles from Portage-la-Prai-
rie.... He favored me with his average for the seasons of 1877 and
lB78, and his estimate for the •j)rescnt year. Wheat crop, 1877, 41
bushels, 1878, 36 bushels j this year (1879) he expects it to be
close on 40 bushels, average weight, 60 to 62 lbs., but he has
grown it as high as 64 lbs. per bus! ;!. OatsJast year (1878) he had
a yield of 88 bushels from two busLds of seed iown on one acre j
this year ( 1 879) his estimate is from 75 to 80 bushels per acre.
Mr. Mackenzie also grows excellent root crops, his swede turnips
averaging 30 to 35 tons; and potatoes without any care in cultiva-
tion, sometimes even not being moulded. up, yield between 300
and 400 bushels of 60 lbs. Onions when cultivated, are also veiy
prolific, yielding as much as 300 bushels par acre. Mangel also
grows very heavy crops, but I did not see anf on the ground."....

*^ We spent a short time on the farm of iMr. McBeth, and
walked over a field which T was informed had been continuously
under crop for fifty-four years * * * I was uM it would ave-
rage 28 or 30 bu.'ihels per acre."

Mr. R. W. Gordon, Annan, mys :— '• Wheat may safely be
estimated to yield with reasonable cultivation 30 bunhels of 60
lbs., and oats m hm\wU of t« lbs."

Mr. i^OGAN, Earlsion, speaking of the yield about High Bluff,
says :— '< The hind here hfis grown wheat for forty years in suc-
cession, yielding from, 25 np to 'lO bushels per acre...

" We arriv<*d at Portag*^ on Saturday ufternoon. • • • He
tcHd us he had grov, u goo<l crops at an average of 32 bushels per
acre of 60 ibs. weight."

-nn

Mr. Snow, Fountain Hall, Midlolliiau, says :— •• I consider I
keep safelywithin the mark when I say that, taking a good piece
of land, it will produce 40 bushels the first ytar^ and aw nverage
of Si) bushels for thirty years, without manure.^''

Roots and vegetables raised by practical farmers*

W. II. J. Swain, of Morris, has produced 800 to 1000 bushels
t:>f turnips to the acre, and 60 bushels of beans has also been raised
by him per acre.

8. 0. Jffifff/inson, of OaMaitd, — has pi-oduccd ciibbages weigh-
ing I7i lbs. r'aeh.

Allun Bell, of Portaye- La- Prairie, — has had cabbages 45
inches around, and turnips weighing 25 pounds each.

TJios. B. Patterson, -has realized 40 tons of turnips to the
ucre. some of thetn weighing as much aK 20 pounds each.

Bobt. E. Mitrhtll, of (hole's Creek, — raised a squash of six
weeks growth, measuring 5 feet 6 inches around the centre.

Wm, Moss, ofllif/h Biuff,— him produced carrots weighing 11
pounds each, and turnips measuring 36 inches in circumference.

James Airth, of Slouewali, ~ states that the common weight of
turnips is twelve pounds each, and some of them have gone as
high as tliirty~two and a half pounds.

Isaitt; (Jassou, of Green Ridrje, — has raised 270 bushels of
onions to the acre.

John GeddeSy of Kildonan, — states that he has raised 300
bushels of carrots and 800 bushels of turnips per acre.

John Kelly, of Morris, —has produced from 800 to JOOO
bushels of turnips to the acre.

Joshua Appleijard, of 8to}wivall,~'AhQ states his crop of tur-
nips to have been 1000 bushels per acre, the common weight
being 12 lbs. each.

Bd, Scott, of Portaf/e- La- Prairie, — raised 400 bushels of
turnips from halt' an acre of laud.

W. It. J. Swain, of Morris, — had citrons weighing 18 pounds
each.

Francis 0<jletree, of Portaf^e-La-Prairie, — produced onions
measuring 4 inches through the centre.

A. V, Beekstead, of Emerson, — gives his experience as
follows : —

Mangel Wiirzel weighing 27 lbs. each.

Beet »• ' 23 ^*

Cabl)a^i8 " 49 *<

Onions each Ji pounds in weight.

-26

"I t

W.B.Kall.oflleadiugly.— hsis raised carrots .'? inches ii|;
diameter^ heets weighing ^0 ponnds each, and gives the weight ufc|
his turnips generally at 12 ponnds ench. ^1

Philip McKay,l>fPortafjc-La- Prairie,— took 200 buehelH ol^'^
turnips from one-quarter of an acre of land, some of them weigh-
ing 25 pounds each. He has produced carrots 4 inches ' diamerer
and 14 inches long, has had cabbages )iieasuriiigl26 inches in diai-
meter 8oiid head and four feet with the leaver on. His onions
have measured 16 inches in circumference, and cauliflower heads
19 inches in diameter.

Jas. Lawrie and Bro.j of Morris^- have pnjduced turnips 30
inches in circumference, onions 14 inches and melons t30 inches.
He had one squaji^h which measured about the same size as an
ordinary flour barrel.

James Owens of Pointe-du- Cheney— hud turnijjs 30 pounds
each; onions 14 inches around, and cucumbers 18 inches lon<r.

Neil Henderson^ of CooFs Greek. — has raised 1 .000 bushels
of turnips to the acre, carrots 5 inches in diameter and lb inches
long, while liis onions have frequently measured 5 inches through.

Jas. JBedfordj of JEmersoHj—hsiii rmsiid 1,000 bushels of tur-
nips to the acre.

It must be remembered, however, that none of the farmers
mentioned above used any special cultivation to produce the re-
sults we have described, and out of nearly 200 reports which we
have received fron: settlers concerning the gr(>wth of roots and
vegetables in the Canadian North- West, not one has been unfa-
vorable.

Reports on crops in Manitoba for 1882

(Oondeuaed from the Winnipeg Timen.)

The season was, upon the whole, an extremely favourable one.
The spring was a late and, in many places, a wet one, so that
seeding svas delayed; while, the fall, being remarkably dry, did
not suit root crops, althcmgh of course it enabled the farmers to
house their grain is fine condition. Rust is reported from only
one point, viz., Reinland, near Emerson. At Mowbray, 90 miles
from Emerson, there was a hailstorm on July 24, which seriously
damaged the grain. Late and early frosts are reported from one
or two points, but the crops throughout the Province at large did
not suffer to any appreciable extent from that cause.

THIC AVEUAGK YIELD

of wheat ot the 84 points heard from was a fraction short of 32

-27-

:^ inches iif.
Jie weight o^jj

K) buehela of^
them weigh-
s diaraeter
iichea in tliii-
His otiiona
iflower heads

i{\ turnips 30
ns 30 inches,
le size as an

|)S 30 pounds

shes lon^r.

1 .000 bushels

ind Ife inches

dies througli.

ushels of tur-

1
the farmers

oduce the re-
ts which we
of roots and
been unfa-

882

ourablc one.
()n«^, 80 that
biy dry, did
farmers to
Id from only
[ay, 90 niiles
jh 8«'riou8ly
led from one
lat large did

short of 32

Imshek ])or acre. The largest yield is reported at Miilford, where
104 bushels were threshed off two acres. The smallest yield was
jn the Mowbray district, where the July hailstorm played havoc
with crops of every kind. The yield of oats all over averaged 44
bushels per acre; barb-y. 30; roots ran from 250 to5C0; and peas,
when' grown, from 20 to 25 bushels. Some flax seed was growa
and the yield was a fair one. The average yield of potatoes was
274 bushels. The largest yield reported was at Selkirk, where 400
bushels were raised off hall an acre of sod land at the list breaking.
The hay crop was an exceedingly heavy one, and was well saved.
An enormous area of new land was broken this year, ready for
nev ('ar's cropping. Stock-raising, of course, is still in its in-
fancy , In some of the older districts, however, the farmers are
importing good breeds ^':im Eastern Canada, and the richness of
the prairie grass will fc..al)le them to turn out summer-fed stock at
a minimum of cost. Agricultural machinery is coming into use
ail over ; in one disfict 45 self-binders where at work in the field.

(From I he " Toronto Globe' ')

The crops report covering as far west as Troy shows that the
season on the whole has been extremely favourable. The spring
was late, and in many places wet, so that seeding was delayed.
The fall was remarkaoly diy, and did not suit roots, but the grain
was house<l splendidly. It is reported from Keinland, near Emer-
son, That the crops were damaged by hail on July 24 at Mowbray,
9() miles from Emerson. Late and early frosts are reported at a
few points, but generally the crops did not suffer appreciably.
The average yield of wheat is 32 bushels ; oats, 44 bushels j bar-
ley, 30 bushels ; roots, 2.'>0 to 500 ; peas. 20 to 25 bushels ; and
potatoes, jit Selkirk, 400 bushels were gathered. Hay crops are^
lieavT. much of the land being only broken and back-setted.
Stock raising shows marked progress with the heavy importations
of good breeds. Agricultural machinery is largely employed. Jn
one di8tric^ 45 self-binders were at work. The settlers almost
everywhere complain of the difficulty in getting their crops to
market.

(From the " Toronto Mail")

Grain orops and Cattle-raising at Battlefbrd N.W.T.

From a Correspondent

Battlkfoud, N.. W. T.. Sept. 12. 1882. — As we seldom see
anything in your columns from this quarter of the \orth-We8t,

28 —

!i" II'

;ii -*

II ^

perhaps a Bhort letter might not prove nninterps'ting' to tho«<^ of|
your readers whfe purpose turning their fjices towards this, the?^
new land of Promise. Until the present summer Buttleford hits
been avoided by the great nrass of emigraHts. reports having been
widely eirouJated that the land in its viciniiy was (tf a niot»t infe-
rior cnaracter. The visit of the Governor-General Inst snuimer,
and tiie letters of yonr own aiwl the Globes correspondent, went
far to rectify this error. Interest once awakened^ it was then only^
necesttary to point the crops grown and to the fact that sujnmer
frosts are absolutely unknown, in tliis section. The land, too. with
the ezceptHm of a strip five miles long/ and three wide at the cbn-
flaence of the Battle and Saskatchewan rivcnj, was shown to be a
rich loam, equal for farming purposes to any in the Territories.
The result is that

SKTTLKRS HAVK COMK IN THICK AND FAST,

until it is almost impossible to secure a claim within several mile*
of the town unless the Saskatchewan is crossed. The land on the
north side of the Saskatchewan is even richer than that on tliu
south, the* only drawback being the ;. sence of a feny. This i»
obviated in part br using small boats, but in all probability a feny
will be established ere long. Both sides share in ct)mraon an abun-
dence of hay and firewood, the latter a much jx'ized advantage in

prairie eouotiy.

, • ■ ■ ♦

THK HARVEST

has now been gathered in. Reports from Edmonton, Prince
Albert's- Mission, and other settlements indicate that it has been a
pronomiced eruccess. In this vicinity the weather was most pro-
pitious, ho rain having fallen; the quality of grain is excellent
and the yield magnificent. Oats have averaged 55 hushels to the
aere and bdrley iO bushels /wheat, what little was sown, average
40 bttshels ; potatoes are an unusually large crap.

Up to the present no one has established a giist mill here,
which accounts for the small acreage of wheat. Mr. J. G. Oliver
is erecting a saw mill about twenty- five miles above Battleford, on
the Saskatchewan, so that next year there will be no difficulty in
procuring lumber. \

■•f ui

STOCK RAISING

has proved a decided success in this locality, though on a smaller
scale than in the Bow river country. In tne spring of last year
Measitt. Wyld & Bourke brought in about seventy-five' head of

-29—

vJ*catUe, wintering them on the north side of the Sankatchewan. The
experintent succeeded eo well that this year they hrougfiit in ftoiii
the south almost as many more. Mr. 'J'liomas Dewaii. wiio has
been in the country for s^everal years, nrrived lately with a large

i band of brood mares, and two thoroughbred stallions — Montana
stock. As these winter out, requiring neither hay nor stables, and
but little care^ they cannot but prove a profitable investment.

Next summer the numerous steamers on the Saskatchewan
will be able to bring through freight and settlers outfits much more
cheaply than has been done heretofore. The railway, too, will
have progressed considerably, so that the journey will be a mere
trifle when compared with the past.

(From the Toronto ' Globe ") ,

FARMING IN MANITOBA

WHAT AN ENGLISH GENTLEMAN'S SON ACCOM-
PLISHED

' ' ' ^>. ' »■

KKSUr.T OP TWO YKARS' OPKKATION3

Mr. William Hardie, of Sturgeon Creek, Man., is one of the
eminently successful fanners in the Prairie Province, and the
results ot his operations are significant, us showing voimi a gentle-
man's son, not hrottffht up to the work, may accomplish on a
North- West farm. Mr. Hardie. who is a Manchester man, knew
nothing of the business except what he liad learned at an English
agricultural college. Three years ago, mya the Winni}»eg Sun,
he came out here and bougnt a ia>!'m of 500 acres nt Sturgeon
Creek. A small i i>wa,s put in the first season, but attention was
mainly directed to putting up comfortable and commodious farm
buildings^ It was not till last year that he can be said to have
commenced

HIS FIKLtJ CAMPAIGNS

in earnest. Then during the spring, summer, and fall he had
pretty constantly twelve men in his employ, and about half that
number in the winter. One item in last year's returns was 6,000
bushelB* of potatoes, ^of which he sold a large quantity in the fall.

-30

when prices had risen to the inttMestinff height of $2 per huAel.
lie .^tored away 4.000 hiishels till the following spring, and then
again he was m luck, for he got rid of this inimenfcc (juantity at
from $2 to $2 50 p(;r bushel. That of itself was as nice a little
operation as any agriculturist could fairly expect as the result of
one season's operation!* in one branch of the farm. But his hay,
too, proved a veritable boiianza. He put up 500 tons of it, and
marketed the same in Winnipeg at fr<nu $15 to $30 per ton — the
latter figure being realized in the spring. Sixty head of very fine
cattle were kept furth<*r up the Assiniboine, where Mr. Hardiehas
a 1,200 acre farm. The cattle being bought for breeding purposes j
scarcely any attention has been devoted to butter or milk, and.
though the animals themselves will be sold at handsome profit now.
Mr. Hardie thinks it best to retain them in pursuance of his original
intention. He does not milk his cows, but allows each of them to
bring up two calves — her own and another. '

v-f'-

*i:-

: j:

CATTLIS IN WINTKIl

Mr. Hardie does not stable Ms cattle in winter. His plan is to
build for them. a aheA (m the river bank, in the shelter of a bush.
Forming a quadrangle of his large stacks .of straw, it proves con-
venient for sheltering and feeding purpos^es ; and as this barrier to
the wind and snow decreases, it is built up again by two of the
hands detailed to haul and stack the straw. The cattle wintered
in this waff, did remarkably tcell. One man only was in constant
attendance on them, the most important part of his duty being to
keep the water-hole in the river free from ice and snoW, so that
the cattle could drink. The only thing done in the way of stabling
any of the cattle was towards spring, when for a few weeks prior
to calving the cows were put in. Owing to .this precaution none
of the calves were lost. During the winter Mr. Hardie put some
of his men and teams into the woods and got out railway ties —
an operation which, it is said, made satisfactory additions to the
annual receipts. This year Mr. Hardie had m all four hundred
acres under crop, sixty acres being in roots and the balance in
grain. His root crops are principally potatoes, turnips, and car-
rots. He put ten acres under turnips.

t';

li!!

^'h

A FINE ROOT CELLAR

is one of the things not to be met with on every farm, but Mr.
Hardie has. an exceptionnally good one, the adaptability of which
he has fully and fairly tested. On the banks of the Sturgeon

31 —

and then
autity at
se a little

result of
I hia hay,
of it, and
• ton— the
' vevy fine
lardie has

pniposesj
Qilh, »"d.
,)vofit now.
lis original
of rheiu to

8 plan is to
• of a bush.
)r<>ves con-
B barrier to ^y
two of the
le wintered
in constant
ty being to
,ow, so that
|of stabling
eeks prior
.ution none
[e put some
|lway ties—
ions to the
ur hundred
balance in
L and car-

rm, but Mr.
[ty of which
le Sturgeon

Creek he has one cellar which holds 6,000 buHhelr<, and it is so
well arranged that he can, contrary to general practice, go into it
any day in the winter without damaging the roots. In fact it is
entered almost every day in order to see that the temperature is
just what is necessary. When it is too warm the ventilators are
opciied. When it is too cold the aid of a small stove in the cellar
soon enables them to warm the air sufficiently. J.ast winter they
had occasion to use the stove only five or six tiiuesj and then
chiefly as a matter of precaution.

MANUUING FOU FIKLD KOOT3

While on this subject fin- roots, it may be stated that Mr.
Hardie manures all the gi-ound part under roots, and has found,
to his satisfaction, that this process increases the yield by fully
one-third. In the drills, when they are opened for )»otatoes, ma-
nure is first spread. Then the potatoes are planted and covered
up. As are the other field roots, they are sown on land used for
potatoes the year before, and in that way get the benefit of the
manuring. The locality in which Mr. Haniie has settled. Stur-
geon Creek, is one of the finest in the Province for agricultural
purposes. He hun h;id means to make a good start and push
operations when needful. At one time last spring he was paying
wjiges at the rate of thirty dollars a day.

(From the J'oronto " Globe")

THE BELL FARM AT QU'APPELLE

56,000 ACItKS UNDKR ONK MANAGICMKNT

The mammoth farm of the North-West is owned and operated
by the Qu'Appelle Valley Fanning Company. It c(mi prises a
tract ten miles square, which, after deducting the Hudson Bsy
Company's sections and the sections allotted tor school purposes,
leaves

A FIFTY-SIX THOUSAND ACRK'fAU3I,

the largest farm in the world, owned by one company in one block.
The land is situated on the old trail from Winnipeg to Fort Qu'Ap-
pelfe, and the main buildings are just twenty-two miles in' an
alm(»st direct lino souih of the Fort. The C. P. K. runs through
: the centre of this valuable tract, which is in reality one of the

III
fl
f

If!

** gilt-edg-ed '' pieces of the North-We«t, and a Btation to be known
by the iiaiiie of Iridiati Head it* located near the centre. Here an
interes*iiug viiinge is rapidly springing up. In taking np this landi
the Company entered into an agreenic^nt with the Governnieni
which it U presumed they intend and will be required to adhere to
faithrnlly. Tiiey agreed to pay the Government $1 25 per acre
and to break 4,000 acres every year fur five yeare — or in all tweniv
thousand acres. In addition to this the Ctnnpany binds itself
under penalty of forfeiture of the purchase money to place each
year within the tract as tenants at least fifty families, and to spen<i
within the five years $600,000 in improvements and in working the
farm. So far the work has been pnshed vigorously j the Conipan v
evidently mean bnsinefiH, and tiaviiig been generously dcalt-With
by the Government, will avail themselves of all the advantages to
make the undertaking a profitable <me. Major BeJI, who has sole
management of rlie farni, originally came from Brockville. He
was one of the proprietors of the noted Bell-Kelso farm in Minne*
Bota, where he obtainetl the experience he possesses^ and which
fits him tot>perRte an enterprise so vast. Having sold his Miaue'
sota interest, he will devote his entire attention to the farm at
Qu'Appelle, which, by the way, is a scheme of his owa suggestion.

'ill
1 I'

I • m

THK WOKK lilCGU-I

The plan Major Bell intends to pursue to bring the extensive
area oi prairie land under cultivation. an<l the success of iiis work
B(» far, snow that he has thoroughly grapped the difiicuUies of the
project and has no anticipation of failure. The Emerson Inter-
national furnishesi an interesting description of "the operations up
to the present time. S(»me extracts therefrom will doubtless be
perused with interest by our readers. When the l)reaking <mtfit
started for thebig.farm the Canada Pacific RjiilWay was in opera-
tion only as far as Flat Creek, a point 200 miles east of its desti-
nation. The outfit, consisting of 120 yoke of oxen. 35 mules, and
J 6 teams of horses, attached to gang ploughs and waggons, and*
forming a train three miles in length, left Flat Creek in May, and,
after encountering many obstacles and enduring many hardships
in the way of fording and swimming swollen streams and floun-
dering through almost inipas.'>al)le hloughs, the caravan finally
reached the farm and commenced breaking about the 15th of June.
At the time of. the reporter's visit three thoiisand acres wereunder
plough and the breakers were on their fourth thousand acres, which
was expected, to be under plough before the close of the season.

— 33 —

be known
. Here ait
lip this land
}l4»verniiienk
to adhere to
25 uer acre
n all twentV
binds itBelf
► j»lace each
md to epend
working the
le Conipanv
T dealt with
[fyantageB t«»
who has sole
K^ville. He
m in Minne-
8. and which
a hi» Mittue-

the farm at

1 BUggeetioo.

he extensive
H of liis ^ork
lulties of the
irson Inter-
^)erations up
loubtless be
eaking outfit
as in opera-
of its desti-
rnules, and
ttiggons, audi

[u May, a^*i>
ly hardships
and flouM-
lavan finally
I5th of June.
^ were under
1 aeres, which
Le«eu80ii.

THE son.

is a rich sandy loam, eighteen inche.^ to two feet in depth, with
clay subsoil, and is easily broken. Once broken it does not re-
quire *• backsetting," as does the soil of the Red River Valley, but
simply requires harrowing to be in shape for the reception o? seed.
The sight of the vast str etches of rich mellow loam turned up to
the pulverizing rays of the sun would make the eye> of the average
Ontario farmer bulge out with amazement. The simple statement
*• four thousand acres" gives little ideaof the extent of the ploughed
fields, hut when one imagines a field two miles wide hy tiiree and
one half miles long, then some idea is obtaineil of the size of the
fields on the Bell Farm, by which title the place is now ijenerally
known. Take another comparison. Were the furrows m these
four thousand acres stretched out in one continuous furrow it would
reach a distance of 38,000 miles, or encircle the earth nearly one
and a half times. Or were theltod ploughed into a stretch twenty
feet wide it would reach from "Winnipeg to Montreal, via St. Paul
and Chicago, a distance of 1,800 miles. The company proposes
to break 7,000 acres next summer, and will have a force capable
of breaking

ONIC THOUSAND ACHES PER WEEK.

Oxen are chiefly employed in breaking, because they are most
easily kept. Early in the season three yoKe pulled a gang plough
of lii* ploughs, cutting each a furrow fifteen inches wide. The
seHsofl Having been very dry, the sod has become tough, and tivo
yoke are now required to pull a gang of two ploughs. It is a novel
and interesting ^ight to see a number of the ph)Ugh8 in line, five
yoke of oxen to a plough, and the whole forming quite a caravan,
converting the brown prairie into a sea of black wavelets, turning
up a rod or more of sod at a '• swath." The breaking force com-
mence work at daylight and work till 11 o'clock a. m., when the
oxen are turned out to grass and allowed to feed till 3 o'clock p. m.,
when the oxen are again put to work and kept at it till dark, the
calculation being to cover

FOURTEEN MILES EACH DAY.

The oxen get no other feed except what they pick up on the
prairie. Eighty yoke of oxen are employed in breaking at present,
and in addition to these 35 mules and 34 horses are used in plough-
ing and other work. Next year only mules and horses will be
employed, as a good supply of hay (400 tons) has been put up,
and now that the railway is in operation oats can be otained at a

mt I

comparatively low rate until next season^s crop can bo harvested.
Major Bell's plans are comprehensive, and evervthing is done
systematically. Besides himself there is a general stiperin ten dent
of the farm, Mr. T. Routledge, an Englishman, and a number of
foremen. At present 100 men are employed in erectinj^ buildings,
breaking, &c. Hand»onie and substantial stone buildings are
being erected. In the erection of his buildings Major Bell has
struck an idea that can be adopted with proiit by a great many
settlers in ihe North- West. Scaltercd over the farm, always on the
surfnce, are to be found a considerable number of hardheads, lime
and sandstone. These stones supply the building material for the

NUMKROUS HOUSICS AND STABLES

that are being erected on the farm, and ^' thus two birds are killed
with one stone," so to syeak-rthe farm is cleared of stones, and
cheaj) building material is secure!^ tvt the same time. The main
buildings on the farm are loc;atc'd«il)put a mile and a half north
of the railway station. A large *jind substantial stable has be<}n
erected, and a handsome and substantial house is nearly com-
pleted. The stable is a model of strength and comfort. It is
circular in shape and looks something like the round elevators one
Bees along the St. P., M., & M. Railway, only it is not so high and
is more substantial, the stone walls being two feet thick. It con-
tains 36 stalls and two box stalls. The noor is paved wiUi cobble
stone. Overhead is a loft with capacity for 150 tons of haj^Jij
the centre of the upper story is a bin for oats, with storage ci
of 4,000 bushels. Major Bell has hit upon a

NOVKL AND ECONOMICAL PLAN.

for roofing his buildings. He first sheets the rafters with common
lumber and then paints the boards. Before the paint dries heavy
ducking is stretched over the boards and tacked down, and this is
then painted and sanded, making a tight and at the same tim^
cheap roof All the building material, except lumber, is obtained
on the farm. The company have their own lime kiln and have
this year burned 1,500 bnshelr'. Next year they will commence
the manufacture of brick. The

MAIN FARM RESIDENCK

is a substantial and handsome pile. The estimated cost of the
building is $8,000 though it could not be erected in any part of
Manitoba for anything like that sum. The main portion of the
building is 40 feet square, two fall storeys, with a Wing ; also two

hen(

— 85-

stories 24 x 50 feet in size. The upper portion of the wine fiir-
nisiies sleeping accominodation for 20 farm hands, while below is
the kitchen and a dining-room for the men. In the main building
one side is divided into a parlor and dining-room, and the other
into offices for the general manager and superintendent. The
second story is divided into bedrooms. Underneath the main build-
ing is a fine cellar, extending the full size of the building. The
residence is situated about 100 yards south of the stable. Ac the
rear of the hou^e an acre of ground has been ploughed for a gar-
den, and Major Bell intends to have a garden that will astonish
visitors to the farm, and show

WHA.T NOUTH-WKST SOIL CAN DO

Trees ifrom the Lake o,
ornamentation of the road 1
is a blacksmith shop ai
the latter to be filled the
located six miles south o

%re to be used for the
on. Near the baru
ouse an ice-house —
r from two beautiful Ipkea
use. tn addition to these, twb
large sheds for implements, located on each side of the baru and
eacli 20 x 150 feet in size, are to be erected.

THE SYSTEM OF FARMING

lowed is as follows r — It is proposecl to divide the tract
IS of 200 acres each. On each farm a eUme house and
rill be erected. A mail with family will be put on each
./and will be paid $35 per month and have house rent free,
'^ill also be provided with luel at cost. At the end of five years
he will have the privilege of purchasing the farm he occupies if
he wishes at a fair valuation. The farm houses . are one stor^
stone cottages, 25 x 30, plastered and nicely finished inside, and
are erected at the astonishingly small cost of $300. A number have
already been erected and more will be put up before the season
closes. When tlie plaoe has been fully carried out there will be
200 houses, and all will be connected with the main office by tele-
phone. Four deep </Oulee« (in ordinary seasons they are creeks,
though this year they are dry), traverse the farm at intervals or
from one to two miles, and run northward and empty into the
Qu'Appelle River, furnishing such a perfect system of drainage
that the entire tract of 56,000 acres can be properly cultivated
without doing 100 fee)^ of ditching.

The company an closing up with the squatters and appre-
hend little further,^im6Hlty in Settling with them.

:, 'ill.

-^36

When and hoTTV to reach Manitoba

ADVANTAGES OFFERED

Emigrants ititeuding to settle in Manitoba should leave Great
Britain so as to reach Manitoba during thie first part of May or the
month of August. If the settler reach Winnipeg in the early part
of May, he may have time enough to go round to chose his ]an<i,
purchase it and set to work in order to raise a crop the same year
on the first breaking^^tis on the first prairie fiod which he turns,
as late as the begini]&|jU|U||^j^^heat will grow on the fir«t
breaking, but oats a^^^HHHHB||y|etter adapted to it. Lar^e

Settlers ^"^^i'i'<>«!^^^p^^^^HHHEf^'ugnst or September
have the most^ ]pleksam^ipppi||^^|P^^ go about, and pick
out land for flifeir fatnis.' I'hey^WBave tirae also to buHd their
houses atid prepare for the winter ; also to prepare for the spring
by doing a little fall ploughing. This mode of sej^tlirig h^s greater
comforts, but requires a little more means to live until the first
crop comes. .

The settler from Great Britain ijan boy ti ticket
steamships offices direct to Win^uipeg, either all rail by t
Trunk vt^ Chicago and St. Paiil, or vid the Ca^^b^^

Railway and their line of Clyde built steaijiers.on^,:
and Superior, between Algonia Mills' and Thunder Bay.
latter line has on all others we advantage of saving the settler
the for^rnalities to be obki^Vved at the United St^'tes cuejtom offices^
when going either by Clucago or Duluth.

Settlers should not take with them heavy furniture or imple-
ments, as these can be purchased cheaply with special adaptatioif*
to the country, in Mauitol^a; but clothing, bedding, etc., within
the limit of 150 lbs. Wf^lglit should be taken. Some settlers have
foolishlv attempted to take such things as stovi^s and stovespipes,
which nave cost more than they were woith. A settler sliould
always see that this lu^^gage goes wJtft him. He should alwHVs be
guided by the advic6 6t ^e Canadian Government Agents. These
are— Mr. S'tafFotd at Qrfebec; Mr. Qraham at Duluth j Mr. Tetu
at Emerson, and Mr. Hespeler at Winnipeg. These agents will
usaist in bonding luggage on entering the tlnited States, or dis-
ohargitag bonds on reaohing the Manitoba province line.

V't'

,ve Great
ay or the
sarly part
his laiKi,
ariie year
he turns,
the first
t. Large

September
and pick
mM their
the spring
tTs greater
1 the first

■lir

3ttler

om offices,

or imple-

adaptatioiP

to., within

tiers have
lovespipes,
tier sliouUl

always be
nts. These
Mr. Tetu
igeuts will
. or dis-