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 THE VISIT OF THE TENANt-FARMER 
 DELEGATES TO CANADA IN 1890. 
 
 THE REPORTS OF 
 
 Mr. GEORGE BROWN, Watten Mains, Caithness; 
 
 And Mr. JOHN SPEIR, Newton Farm, Newton, Glasgow, 
 
 ON 
 
 The Agricultural Resources of Canada: — 
 
 Prince Edward Island; Nova Scotia; New Brunswick; 
 
 Quebec; Ontario; Manitoba; The North-W ptTerri.torle8; 
 
 and British Columbia. 
 
 Pubiisiied by authority of the Government of Canada 
 (Department of Agriculture). 
 
 1891. 
 
 M^'Conjuodale % Co., Umited, Euston, London, N.W. 
 
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THE VISIT OF THE TENANT-FARMER DELEGATES 
 TO CANADA IN 1890. 
 
 THE REPORTS OF 
 
 Mr. GEORGE BROWN, Watten Mains, Caithness, N.B.; 
 
 ard Mr. JOHN SPEiR, Newton, Glasgow, 
 
 ON 
 The Agricultural Resources of Canada:— 
 
 Prince Edward Island; Nova Scotia; New Brunswick; 
 
 Quebec; Ontario; Manitoba; 
 
 The North-West Territories; and British Columbia. 
 
 Published by authority of the Government of Canada 
 (Department of Agriculture). 
 
 1891. 
 
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 CONTENTS. 
 
 PRErACB 
 
 <•■ ctt ««, 
 
 Mb. Georob Brown's Report 
 Mb. John Speiu's Repobt 
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS, 
 
 Farm Scene in Manitoba— The Bebesford Stock Farm 
 
 A View in London, Ontario 
 
 Farm Scene, Ontario 
 
 Parliament Buildings, Ottawa 
 
 Toronto 
 
 ••' ••• •.• ... 
 
 Winnipeg 
 
 Harvesting at Sandison's Farm, Brandon 
 
 A Fabm-Housb in Manitoba {Brawn hy Colonel Fane) 
 
 Ranch Scene, Alherta 
 
 Vancouver 
 
 Experijiental Farm, Ottawa 
 
 Improved Farm, Nova Scotia 
 
 An Ontario Vineyard at East Hamilton 
 
 View of Quebec 
 
 A Farm-IIouse in the North- West Territories (Drawn by 
 
 City OF Victoria 
 
 A ViEAV in Stanley Park, Vancouver 
 
 An Ontario Farm 
 
 Wheat Stacks. Manitoba 
 
 ••• ••. ..• .,. 
 
 Plougiiikg at Sandison's Farm, Brandon 
 
 Threshing at Sandison's Farm, Brandon 
 
 Farm Scene, Manitoba 
 
 I'AOE 
 
 5 
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 42 
 
 Colonel Fane) 
 
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 PREFACE. 
 
 In August last the High Commissioner for Canada, by direction 
 ol' the Ministor of Agriculture, invited the following gentlemen, who 
 iire all connected with the agricultural industr}' in the different parts 
 of the United Kingdom in which they residt?, to visit the Dominion 
 ut' Canada, to report upon its agricultural resources, and the advantages 
 the country offers for the settlement of farmers and farm labourer i, and 
 the other classes for which there is a demand: -Mr. George Brown, 
 AVatten Mains, Caithness, Scotland; JNIr. Arthxir Daniel, 172, Dereham 
 Eoad, Norwich, Norfolk; Mr. AVm. Edwards, Euthin, Wales; Colonel 
 FiancisFane, Fulbeck Hall, Grantham, Lincolnshire; Mr. G. Hutchinson, 
 Brougham Castle, Penrith, Cumberland; Mr. E. E. Murphy, The Kerries, 
 Tralee, Ireland ; Mr. Eobert Pitt, Crickett Court, Ilminster, Somerset ; 
 Mr. \Vm. Scotson, Eose Lane, Mossley Hill, near Liverpool, Lancashire ; 
 Mr. II. Simmons, Bearwood Farm, Wokingham, Berkshire ; Mr. John 
 Speir, Newton Farm, Newton, Glasgow, Scotland; Major Stevenson, 
 Knockbrack, Goshaden, Londonderry, Ireland ; Mr. J. T. Wood, The 
 Court, Halewood, near Liverpool, Lancashire. 
 
 The reports, if published together, would make rather a bulky 
 volume, and it has been decided, therefore, to divide them into four 
 parts, as undiT : — 
 
 Part I. will contain the reports of Messrs. Edwards, Hutchinson, 
 IScotson, and Wood ; 
 
 Part II., the reports of Messrs. Daniel, Fane, Pitt, and Simmons ; 
 
 i'urt III., the reports of Messrs. Brown and Speir, from Scotland ; and 
 
 Part IV., Messrs. Murphy and Stevenson, from Ireland. 
 
 Any or all of these volumes may be obtained, post free, by persons 
 desiring to peruse them, on application to Sir Charles Tupper, Bart., 
 G.C.M.G., C.B., High Commissioner for Canada, 17, Victoria Street, 
 London, S. W. ; or to any of the agents of the Canadian Government 
 in the L^nitcd Kingdom, whose names and addresses are as follows: — 
 Mr. John Dyke, 15. Water Street, Liverpool ; Mr. Thomas Grahame, 
 40, St. Enoch Square, Glasgow; Mr. John W. Down, Bath Bridge, 
 Bristol; Mr. H. Merrick, Victoria Chambers, Victoi'ia Street, Belfast; 
 Mr. T. Connolly, Northumberland House, Dublin. Copies may also be 
 obtained from the steamship agents, who are to be found in every 
 village. 
 
 i. 
 
 
 iP 
 
 
 ■\1 
 
i-^ ■ 
 
 is.r 
 
 < The Ag'Acullural Htsource* of Canada. 
 
 lA addition to these reports, an official handbook of information is 
 issued by the Dominion Government, and approved by the Imperial 
 Government, which may also be procured, post free, on application to 
 any of the Government agmcies. It contains particukrs of a statistical 
 and general nature about the country, itH resources and trade : the 
 classes for which there is a demand in the Dominion, and which aro 
 confidently Invited to sotthj in the country ; the prices of provisions 
 and other necessaries ; the rates of wages that are paid ; and a moiv 
 detailed description of the various provinces than can be given in the 
 space at the disposal of the Tenant Farmers' Delegation. It is 
 regretted that the delegates, except those from Ireland, were not able, 
 owing to the limited time at their disposal, to pay a visit to the 
 Maritime Provinces; but the pamphlet mentioned above, and othors 
 that are issued, supply full information in regard to those parts oi 
 the Dominion. 
 
 The agents of the Government will 'je ghid ♦^o supply anr in- 
 formation that may bo desired as to the trade, industries, and varied 
 resources of the Dominion ; and persons contemplating settlement in 
 Canada are advised, as a preliminary step, to place themselves in com- 
 munication with the nearest Government agent. 
 
 In Canada the Government has agents at the principal points 
 throughout the country. The following is a list :— 
 
 Q''*^^*'^ Mr. L. Stafford, Louise Embankment and Point Levis, 
 
 Quebec. 
 
 Toronto Mr. J. A. Donaldson, Straclian Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. 
 
 ^"-»^'«^-^ Mr. W. J. Wills, Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario. 
 
 Montreal Mr. J, J. Dalet, CorimissioDer's Street, Montreal, Province 
 
 of Quebec. 
 
 Sherbbookb Mr Henry A. Elkins, Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec. 
 
 Kingston Mr. R. Macphbrson, William Street, Kingston, Ontario. 
 
 Hamilton Mr. John Sjith, Great Western Ry. Station, Hamilton, Ont. 
 
 I-ONDON Mr. A. G. Smyth, London, Ontario. 
 
 Halifax Mr. E. M. Clay, Halifax, Nova Scotia. 
 
 St, John Mr. S. Gardner, St Johi;, New Brunswick. 
 
 Winnipeg Mr. Thomas BfiSitETT, Winnipeg, Manitoba. 
 
 .' Mr. J. E. Tetu, St. Boniface, Manitoba. . . 
 
 Brandon Mr. A. J. Baker, Office at the Railway Station. 
 
 Kegina Mr. J. T. Stemshorn. 
 
 Calqart Mr. F. Z. C. Miqujblon. 
 
 Port Arthur Mr. J. M. Mc Govern. 
 
 Victoria, B.C Mr. John. Jessop. 
 
 Vancouver, B.C Mr. Morrison Sutherland. 
 
 These officers will afford the fullest advice and protection. They 
 
 should be immediately applied to on arrival. All complaints should be 
 
 -addressed to them. They will also furnish information as to hnds 
 
 fhl '.' ■ 
 
 ill 
 
Preface. •' 
 
 open for sottlement in their reap- ^tive provincea and diBtricts, farms 
 for sale, demand for employmenv, rates of wages, routes of travel, 
 distances, expenses of conveyance, and on all other matters 'f intere.it 
 to settlers, and will receive and forward letters and romitUwices for 
 guttlers, &Q. 
 
 The following are the land regulations prevailing in the difEerent 
 provinces of the Dominion ; — 
 
 Prince Edward /s/anrf. —The available uncnltivated and vacant Government 
 land is estimated at about 46,003 acres. These consist of forest lands of medium 
 qnality, the verv best having, cf course, been taken up by the tcnaiitg in the first 
 iiiHtance, and their price averages about one dollar per acre. Tarties djsiring to 
 settle upon tV.em are allowed ten years to pay for their holdings, the purchase- 
 raoney to boar interest at 6 per csnt., and to be payable in ten annual inHtalments. 
 
 Nova <Sco«»a.— There are now ir Nova Scotia about two millions of acrea of 
 ungrantcd Government laP.di^, a considerable quantity of which is barren an.l 
 almost totally nnfit for culUvatlon ; but there if some Ip-d in blocks of from 20O 
 to 500 acres of reallv valuable land, and some of it the be^i in the province, and 
 quite accessible, being very near present settlements. The price of Crown lands 
 is $40 (£% sterling) per 100 acres. 
 
 iVeto B/unswicit.- Crown lauds may be acquired as follows:— (1.) Free grants 
 of 100 acres; by settlers over 18 years of age, on the condition of improving the 
 land to the extent of £4 in three months ; building a house 16 ft. by 20 ft., and 
 cultivating two acres within one year ; and continuous residence anJ cuUivuaon 
 of 10 acres within thrae yeurs. (2. ) One hundred acres are given to any settler 
 over 18 years of age who pays £4 in caah, or does work on the public roadd, &c., 
 equal to j£2 per annum for three years. Within two years a house Ifi ft. by 20 ft. 
 must be built, and 2 acres of land cleared. Continuous residence for three years 
 from date of entry, and 10 acres cultivated in that Lime, is also required. (8.) Single 
 applications may be made for not more thnn 200 acres of Crown lands without 
 conditions of eettlement. These are put up to public auction at an upset price ot 
 4s. 2d. per acre ; purchase -money to be paid at cnce ; cost of survey to be paid by 
 purchaser. 
 
 Qi/e6«c.— Lauds purchased from the Government are to be paid for in the 
 following manner :— One-fifth of the purchase -money is required to be paid the day 
 of tl 1 sale, and the remainder in four equal yearly instalments, bca-ing interest at 
 6 per cent. The price at which the lands are sold is from 20 cents to 60 cents per 
 acre (15d. to 2s, SJd. stg.). The purchaser is required to take possession of th« 
 land sold within six months of the date of the sale, and to occupy it within two 
 years. He must clear, in the course of ten years, ten acres for every hundred held 
 by him, and erect a habitable house of the dimensions of at least 16 ft. by 20 ft 
 The letters patent are issued free of charge. The parts of the Province of Quebec 
 now inviting colonisation are the Lake St. John district ; the valleys of tlio 
 Saguenay, St. Maurice, and the Ottawa Rivers; the Eastern Townships; the Lower 
 St. Lawrence ; and Gasp^. 
 
 Ontario.— Any head of a family, whether male or female, having children 
 under 18 years of age, can obtain a grant of 200 acres ; and a single man over 
 18 years of age, or a married man having no children under 18 residing with bini. 
 
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 The Agricultural Ilesources of Canada. 
 
 can obtain a grant of 100 acres. This land is mostly covered with forest, and is 
 situate in the northern and north-western parts of the province. Sach a pereon 
 may also purchase an additional 100 acres at 50 cents per ao-e, cash. The 
 settlement duties are— to have 15 acres on each grant cleared and under crop at the 
 end of the first five years, of which at least 2 acres are to be cleared annually • 
 to build a habitable house, at least 16 feet by 20 feet in size; and to reside on 
 the land at least six months in each ye.-^r. In the Rainy River district, to the west 
 of Lake Superior, consisting of well-watered uncleared land, fret grants are made 
 of IGO acres to a head of a family having children under 18 years of age residing 
 with him (or her) ; and 120 acres to a single man over 18, or to a married man 
 not having children under 18 residing with him ; each person obtaining a free 
 grant to have the privilege of purchasing 40 acres additional, at the rate of one 
 dollar per acre, payable in four annual instalments. 
 
 Manitoba and North- West Territories.— FxeQ grants of one quarter-section 
 (160 acres) of surveyed agricultural land may be obtained by any person who is 
 the sole head of a family, or by any male who has attained the age of 18 years, on 
 application to the local agent of Dominion lands, and on payment of an office fee 
 of $10. At the time of making entry the homesteader must declare under which 
 of tho <hree following provisi^^ns he elects to hold his land, and on making applica- 
 tion for patent must prove that he has fulfilled the conditions named therein :— 
 
 1. By making entry and within six months thereafter erecting a habitable 
 house and commencing actual residence upon the land, and continuing to reside 
 upon it for at least six months in each year for the three next succeeding years, and 
 doing reasonable cultivation duties during that period. 2. By making entry for 
 the land, cultivating it for three successive years, so that at the end of that period 
 not less than 40 acres be under cultivation ; residing for at least six months in each 
 year during that time within a radius of two miles of the homestead ; and erecting 
 a house upon the homestead and residing in it for three months next preceding 
 the application for patent. 3. By making entry, and within six months from the 
 date thereof commencing the cultivation of the homestead ; breaking and preparing 
 for crop within the first year not less than five acres ; cropping the said five acres, 
 and breaking and preparing for crop not less than 10 acres in addition, and erecting 
 a habitable house thereon before the expiration of the second year, and thereafter 
 residing therein and cultivating the laud for at least six months of each of the 
 three years next prior to the date of the application for patent. 
 
 Persons making entry for homesteads on or after September 1st in any year 
 are allowed until June 1st following to perfect their entries by going into actual 
 residence. The only charge for a homestead of IGO acres is the entrance fee of $10 
 In certain cases forfeited pre-emptions and cancelled homesteads are available for 
 homesteads, but slightly additional fees are demanded from the settlers in taoh 
 case, and when abandoned pre-emptions are taken up they are required to perform 
 specified conditions of settlement. Full information can be obtained from the 
 local agonts. In the event of a homesteader desiring to secure his patent within a 
 shorter period than the three or five years, as the case may be, he will be permitted 
 to purchase his homestead at the Government price at the time, on furnishing proof 
 that he has resided on the land for at least 12 months subsequent to date of entry, 
 and has cultivated 80 acre? thereof. 
 
 The following diagram shows the manner in which the country is surveyed. 
 It represents a township— that is, a tract of land six miles square, containing 
 
Preface. 
 
 9 
 
 36 sections of one mile square each. These sections are subdivided into quaiter- 
 sections of 160 acres each. 
 
 TOWNSHIP DIAGRAM. 
 610 Aches. N. 
 
 it" 
 
 ..kJ 
 
 ..'.30... 
 
 ...32... 
 
 ...33... 
 
 ..34... 
 
 ...27... 
 
 i 1 
 
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 Lands 
 
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 w. 
 
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 Lands 
 
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 s. 
 
 The right of pre-emption has ceased to exist, having been altogether discon- 
 tinued after 1st January, 1890. 
 
 Information respecting timber, mineral, coal, grazing and hay lands, may be 
 obtained from any of the lav>d agents. Homesteaders in the first year of settle- 
 ment are entitled to free permits to cut a specified quantity of timber for their 
 own use only, upon payment of an office fee of 25 cents. 
 
 It must be distinctly understood that the land regulations are subject to varia- 
 tion from time to time. Settlers should take care to obtain from the land agent, 
 when making their entry, an explauaaon of the actual regulations in force at that 
 time, and the clause of the Act under which the entry is made endorsed upon the 
 receipt, so that no question or difticulty may then or thereafter arise. 
 
 List of Dominion Land Agents in Manitoba and Nort/i- West Territories. 
 
 Name of Agent. 
 
 A. H. Whitcher .. 
 W. M. Hilliard .. 
 W, G. Pentlaad .. 
 W. H. Hiam .. .. 
 John Flesher 
 W. II. Stevenson.. 
 John McTaggart .. 
 
 C. E. Phipps 
 
 E. Brokovski 
 
 Amos Rowe 
 
 r. V. Gauvreau .. 
 
 E. G. Kirby 
 
 T. B. Ferguson .. 
 E. F. Stephenson.. 
 TLuB. AiidcrBOu ., 
 
 C. L. Gouin 
 
 JohnMcTaggart , 
 
 Name of District. 
 
 Winnipeg 
 
 Little Saskatchewan 
 
 Birtle 
 
 Souris 
 
 Turtle Mountain ... 
 
 Qu'Appelle 
 
 Prince Albert . .. 
 
 Coteau 
 
 Battleford 
 
 Calgary 
 
 Edmonton 
 
 Let abridge 
 
 Touchwood 
 
 Winnipeg 
 
 Edmontou 
 
 Calgary 
 
 Prince Alhert 
 
 Agency. 
 
 a 
 
 a 
 o 
 
 ^.2 
 
 a 
 
 o 
 
 ;:i 
 
 
 Post Office Address of Agent. 
 
 Winnipeg, Manitoba. 
 Minnedosa, . , 
 Birtle, ,, 
 
 Brandon, ,, 
 
 Deloraine, ,, 
 
 Kegina, Assiniboia, N.W.T. 
 Pr. Albert, Saskatchewan, ,, 
 Cannington, Assiniboia, ,, 
 Battleford, Saskatchewan, ,, 
 Calgary, Alberta, ., 
 
 Edmonton, ,, „ 
 
 Lethb ridge, ,. ,, 
 
 Saltcoats, Assiuiboia, ,, 
 
 Winnipeg, Manitoba. 
 Edmonton-. AlhertA; N.W.T. 
 Calgary, Alberta, ,, 
 
 Pr. Albert, Saskatchewan, ,, 
 
 
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 10 
 
 The Agricultural Resources of Canada. 
 
 Bnti'^ Columbta,^In this province any British subject who is the head of 
 a family, a widow, or a single man over 18 years, may, by paying a fee of Ss. id., 
 acquire the right, from the Provincial Government, to not more than 320 acres of 
 Crown lands north and east of the Cascades, and 160 acres elsewhere. The price 
 is 4s. 2d. an acre, payable by four annual instalments. The conditions are- 
 (1) personal residence of the settler, or his family or agent; (2) improvements 
 to be made of the value of 10s. 6d. an acre. Lands from 160 to 640 acres may also 
 be bought at 10s. 6d. an acre, without conditions of residence or improvements. 
 
 The Esquimau and Nanaimo Railway Syndicate have not yet fully arranged 
 the terms upon which they will dispose of their unoccupied lands. They own 
 about 1,600,000 acres, but they are much broken up by rock and mountains. 
 
 The land belonging to the Dominion Government begins near the sea-board , 
 runs through the New Westminster district, and up the Fraser valley to Lytton •' 
 thence it runs up the Thompson River valley, past Kamloops and through Eagle 
 Pass, across the northern part of Kootenay district to the eastern frontier of 
 British Columbia. The country is laid out in townships in the same way as 
 in Manitoba and the North-West Territories. The quarter-sections may be pur- 
 chased at a price now fixed at $2.50 (lOs.) per acre, subject to change by Order in 
 Council. They may be " homesteaded " by settlers who intend to resid<^ on them 
 A registration fee of $10 (£2) is charged at the time of application, lix months* 
 is 1 llowed in which to take possession, and at the end of three years, on proof of 
 residence and cultivation, he acquires a patent on payment of $1 per acre for the 
 land. If preferred, the homesteader can hold his land for the first two years after 
 entry by cultivating from eight to fifteen acres (the former if the land is timbered, 
 and the latter if it is not so encumbered) During the three years next thereafter 
 he must reside upon it as well as cultivate it. Homestead grants of 160 acres 
 (price $1 per acre) can also be obtained for the culture of fruit. In case of 
 illness, or of necessary absence from the homestead during the three years, addi- 
 tional time will be granted to the settler to conform to the Government regulations 
 These conditions apply to agricultural lands. The Dominion Land Agent for 
 British Columbia is Mr. H. B. W. Aikman, New Westminster. 
 
 In addition to the free-grant lands available in Manitoba and the 
 North-West Territories, several companies have large blocks of land 
 which they ofPer for disposal at reasonable rates, from «2.50 up to 
 SIO per acre. Among others, the Canadian Pacific Eailway Company 
 (Land Commissioner, Mr. L. A. Hamilton, Winnipeg) has about 14 
 miUions of acres; and the Hudson Bay Company (Land Commissioner, 
 Mr. Lawson, Winnipeg) has also a considerable area. The same 
 remark applies to the Canada North-West Land Company (Land 
 Commissioner, Mr. W. B. Scarth, M.P., Winnipeg) and the Manitoba 
 and North- Western Eailway Company (Land Commissioner, Mr. A. F. 
 Eden, Winnipeg); and there are several other companies. The 
 Alberta Coal and Eailway Company also own nearly a miUion acres of 
 land m the District of Alberta. The prices of these lands vary according 
 to position, but in most cases the terms of purchase are easy, and 
 arranged in annual instalments, spread over a number of years. 
 
Preface. 
 
 11 
 
 In all the provinces improved farms may be purchased at reasouablo 
 prices — that is, farms on which buildings have been erected and a 
 portion of the land cultivated. The following are the average prices 
 in the different provinces, the prices being regulated by the position 
 of the farms, the nature and extent of the buildings, and contiguity 
 to towns and railways: — Prince Edward Island, from .£4 to £7 
 per acre; Nova Scotia, New Brunswick^ and Quebec, from £2 to 
 ^10; Ontario, from J2 to £20; Manitoba and the North-West 
 Territories, from £\ to ^10 ; and British Columbia, from £2 to £15. 
 These farms become vacant for the reasons which are explained 
 with accuracy in many of the accompanying reports. They are most 
 suitable for persons possessed of some means, who desire more of 
 the social surroundings than can be obtained in those parts of the 
 various provinces in which Government lands are still available for 
 occupation and settlement. 
 
 Canada has already assumed an important position as an agricultural 
 country, and the value of its exports of such products alone now nearly 
 reaches SB40,000,000 annually, in addition to the immense quantity 
 required for home consumption. The principal items of farm and dairy 
 produce exported in 1889 — the latest returns available — were: 
 Horned cattle, $5,708,126; horses, «2,170,722; sheep, $1,263,125; 
 butter, $331,958; cheese, $8,915,684; eggs, $1,851,503; flour, 
 $646,068; green fruit, .$1,604,203; barley, $6,464,589; pease, 
 $1,449,417 , wheat, $471,121 ; potatoes, $287,763. In many respects 
 1889 was not a favourable year, and if other years were taken, the 
 exports, particularly of food-stuffs, would be considerably larger than 
 those given above. Besides the articles specially enumerated, a con- 
 siderable export trade was done in bacon and hams, beef, lard, mutton, 
 pork, poultry, and other meats, as well as in beans, Indian corn, oats, 
 malt, oatmeal, flour-meal, bran, and tomatoes. The chief importers of 
 Canadian produce at the present time are Great Britain and the United 
 States, but an endeavour is being made, and so far with success, to 
 extend the trade with the mother country, and to open up nt-**^ markets 
 in other parts of the world. The products of the fisheries, the mines, 
 and the forests are also exported to a large annual value; and the 
 manufacturing industry is a most important and increasing one, especially 
 in the eastern provinces, and includes almost every article that can be 
 mentioned. 
 
 In many of the reports mention is made of the money system, and 
 the weights and measures, obtaining in the Dominion. The dollar, 
 which is, roughly speaking, of the value of 4s. 2d., contains 100 cents, 
 equal to ^d. each. The following arf- the coins in use : — Copper, 1 cent; 
 
 
 
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 12 
 
 2Vte Agncidturul Resources of Canada. 
 
 silver, 5 cents, 10 cunts, 25 cents, and 50 cents. Paper money is 
 also much in use, and is redeemable at any time at its par value. The 
 following are the standard weights of a bushel of the various pro- 
 ducts:— Wheat, 60 lbs. J Indian corn, 56 lbs.; rye, 56 lbs.; pease, 
 30 lbs. ; barley (six-rowed), 48 lbs. ; malt, 36 lbs. ; oats, 34 lbs.; beans, 
 60 lbs.; potatoes and other vegetables, 60 lbs. The hundredweight 
 and ton are fixed by statute at 100 lbs. and 2,000 lbs. respectively. 
 
 ^ It is not necessary to extend this preface, or to summarise the 
 various reports ; they must be allowed to speak for themselves. They deal 
 with Canada as it was seen by prax;tical agriculturists, and refer not only 
 to its advantages, but to its disadvantages, for no country is without 
 the latter in some shape or form. It may safely be said, however, that 
 Canada has fewer drawbacks than many other parts of the world ; and 
 this is borne out by the favourable opinions that are generally expressed 
 by the delegation. Those who ^ead the reports of the farmers who visited 
 Canada in 1879 and 1880, will realise that immense progress has been 
 made sinc^ that time— when the vast region west of Winnipeg was 
 only accessible by railway for a short distance, and direct communication 
 with Eastern Canada, through British territory, was not complete. 
 
 The Canadian Government, in inviting the delegation, wished to 
 place before the public, information of a reliable and independent 
 character as to the prospects the Dominion offers for the settlement 
 of persons desiring to engage in agricultui-al. pursuits, and it is believed 
 that its efforts will be as much appreciated now as they were ten years 
 ago. In Great Britain and Ireland the area of available land is limited, 
 and there is a large and ever-increasing population ; while at the same 
 time Canada has only a population of about 5,000,000, and hundreds of 
 mUlions c acres of the most fertile land in the world, simply waiting 
 for population to cultivate it, capable of yielding in abundance 
 all the products of a temperate climate for the good of mankind. 
 It only remains to be said that any persons, of the classes to whom 
 Canada presents so many opportunities, who decide to remove their 
 homes to the Dominion, will receive a warm welcome in any part 
 of the country, and will at once realise that they are not strangers in 
 a strange land, but among fellow British subjects, with the same 
 language, customs, and loyalty to the Sovereign, that are the 
 characteristics of the old country. 
 
 "*■. 
 
 Hi 
 
18 
 
 THE REPORT OF MR. GEORGE BROWN, 
 
 Watten Mains, Caithness, N.B. 
 
 DuEiNG the past ten years the number of reports,, pamphlets, 
 &c which have been v^ritten upon the resources of Canada by " all 
 sorts and conditions of men," leave little of an original character to be 
 said upon the subject. Keeping in view this fact, my Eeport shall 
 bo chiefly confined to the experiences of Scotch settlers who have 
 emigrated from the North of Scotland, as there can be no doubt the 
 success or non-success of these men, given in a concise form, will have 
 greater effect in the localities from which they emigrated than any 
 amount of a general description of the ci untry. 
 
 At the outset it may be as well to explain that any views set forth 
 in this Eeport are not to be held as beyond dispute, but as the 
 impressions of one who has only been a short time in the country. 
 
 Since the completion of the Canadian Pacific Eailway, which 
 spans the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the Governn.ent 
 of the Dominion has become aware that there are immense tracts of 
 fertile lands, excellently fitted for the growth of all kinds of grain and 
 the rearing of stock of every description. 'Jhese lands are situated in 
 Manitoba, the North-West, and British Columbia, nearly all of which 
 are suitable for settlement by all classes likely to emigrate, be they 
 capitalists, tenant farmers with some means, small farmers, or labourers 
 who have a knowledge of farming. In order to obtain a share of the 
 tide of emigration which is ever flowing from the older European 
 countries, the Canadian Government some time ago resolved to invite 
 a number of representative farmers from England, Scotland, Ireland, 
 "Wales, and France to visit the Dominion, whose reports upon the 
 present condition and future prospects of the Dominion would be 
 received with greater confidence by intending emigrants than the some- 
 what highly coloured statements of emigration agents and other 
 interested parties. Every member of the delegation is therefore fully 
 aware of the responsibility attached to the issue of his report, if such 
 prove misleading or overdrawn. Emigrants who have been induced to 
 leave this country upon the strength of any report, and find Canada a 
 different land from that represented, are not likely to hide their light 
 under a bushel, but will soon make known in somewhat forcible 
 language their opinions of the authors. 
 
 Until lately Canada was believed by the majority of people in this 
 country to be a land covered for nearly two-thirds of the year by snow 
 and frost, with few and brief gliff ] >:>? of sunshine during the remaining 
 third, which was followed again by . covering of eternal snow ; a land 
 of ice and Indians, bears and blizzards, unfit for the abode of the 
 
 4---1- CI--,, — — -,« ^■.^o/%r>j- "nnn thp qpabonTrla nnd in tVip vininifv nf tho 
 
 j3.ilgiu-t3it.v0il lavtr, tr^vvpV itpuil Hit: ncau" . _,. _- 
 
 Great Lakes. 
 
 The exact opposite is, I fancy, nearer the truth, as the winter 
 often does not set in until late in November, and the thaw generally 
 
 i ■ 
 
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 14 
 
 The Agricultural Resources of Canada. 
 
 
 takes place towards the end of Maivli Tn o ««„ * . . 
 
 extent the climate muBt of neceL; ^varied = LZu7J^^TZ 
 
 Thl iZ,? "' »P'=,"1''«' depe„d,, will receive attention ' ^ 
 The immense area of Canada can hardly be realised T), rm„ tk. 
 
 w"ntTv': laToO^r^'"""^'-,"^ */ 'ie>e^tio„'nnl,ch''rirt ; 
 weni; ovei 1^,000 mUes per rail and over 1,000 miles hv rnn^ tKo^ 
 
 te to comprehend the vastness of the coSyTa tfi/colid bul 
 
 touch^the fringe at various points of the " Great LonfLand " of 
 
 set fo^'th in t^^lf/""^'^ ^^/^' "^^J^"*^ °^ *^^ delegation will be fully 
 set to. th in the other reports; so, to avoid repetition, I shall pass over 
 
 bv thrir ?• *^' ^T^"^ *'^^* *^^ d^«tance whiih wa gC over 
 )Ll^ dele^tion could never have been accomplished were it not 
 for tho shrewdness of the Hon. John Carling, Minister of AgrTcurturern 
 
 aXa? pL 'o7 th?'"'' ^^^^P'"^ '''A'^ '' -^ difpfsal an^ihe 
 aaiaiT able plan of the journey suggested by him; the courtesV of tho 
 
 railway companies, notably the Manitoba and Nor tL Western in placn^ 
 
 special trains at our command wherever time could be saved and h? 
 
 energy aud thorough knowledge of the country displayed by Mr G H 
 
 ver? f ' ^r ^^^'^' r^° "^?^ ^' Pil°*^ throughout the trip TJiefe 
 very circumstances have, however, been the subiect of remark 
 hoth m this country and in some parts of tl.e^ Dominion ?he 
 general criticisms being-that we were in thp bnnH of f^? ?» '• • 
 officials who would tai very ;o^rSre"to\w't1n?y\?eTerer 
 
 going out, the crops being all harvested, we would have to content 
 
 rnsu&lta%fr"' ""^ °' the country, which LuldTS 
 msumcient data to form correct conclusions as to the airricultural 
 resources of the country. In the first place, the delegation had an 
 absolutely free hand to go where or when they pleased, we havinffonlv 
 intimate a day or two before the route agried upon by 'Is ?r ?1 e 
 
 eadei:f%rs EennJIlN.'lf ?? ^^^°"^ P'^^^' I --t ^remind the 
 S ^eat b, ll n? ff ?^* *^' delegation were all practical farmers, 
 the great bulk of them being excellent udges of land of all qualities 
 We also saw the crop in stook or stack, and the green crops Zyn^ 
 upon the ground. We also took advantage in a^eneralSaf of th? 
 well-known jealousy or rather, of the idea^eld by near'y every man 
 
 S^3minL°"X\"f '• ^°''*"" " "'"^*^^ '^ *^^ ''^y bes't part 'of the 
 fiTTff iJ^ -}l^' '^ consequence, only to ask an Ontarian what he 
 thought of Manitoba and the North-West, or vice versd, and thrshort! 
 comings of either province would at once be depicted in most fluent 
 and graphic language. By striking an average between the two 
 Jiscusln.'"" "' ' P''"^ ''''''''' estimate of the localitrunS 
 
 Ontario—The Eastern provinces have been visited by another 
 section of the delpfratinn «« our f Jm- n— "Prvl^-;--J """"^er 
 
 £ a^i -n-r . -1 ir,.'^ ' — iiiiiv r>no vfcry iiiuiLcu OH our return 
 
 ZXt ^°^-^^^-We«t. This Eeport shall therefore be confined to 
 the Western provinces of the Dominion. The Province of Ontario 
 embraces within its bounds an area of something like 182,000 square 
 
Mr. Qeorge Browns Beport. 
 
 15 
 
 miles, and is situated along the margin of the Great Lakes. The 
 northern portion of the province is wild and broken, and, from an 
 agricultural standpoint, comparatively worthless at present. It is, 
 however, covered with timber, which, in the near future, will 
 become an invaluable possession, as it appears to be simply a question 
 of time when the exhaustion of the forests of the United States 
 will create a demand for lumber for the States lying upon the eastern 
 seaboard. The fertile land lies towards the south and east of the 
 province, between the track of the Canadian Pacific Eailway and the 
 lakes ; the veritable garden of Ontario being situated in the peninsula 
 formed by Lakes Ontario, Erie, and Huron. Here we have well-cleared 
 farms, excellently situated, and cultivated more in accordance with the 
 ideas of Old Country farmers. 
 
 A VIEW IN LONDON, ONTARIO. 
 
 (Richmond Street, looking south.) 
 
 There can be no doubt, Southern and Western Ontario offer great 
 inducements for old country farmers with some means to settle there 
 instead of moving further west. By so doing they obviate the necessity 
 of " roughing it,"' and settle down in the midst of a community far 
 advanced in the comforts and luxuries of life. Life is too short for a 
 man of middle age to go into the bush and chop his way to a farm of a 
 couple of hundred acres — ^all the more when he can buy an improved 
 farm at a reasonable figure : this can be readily done just now, as many 
 of the pioneers whose families are now grown up are inclined to move 
 west " for the sake of the boys." 
 
 There are also farms vacant through the financial embarrassments 
 of the owners, who could not, or would not, adapt theuiselves to the 
 changed circumstances which affected farming all over the Dominion 
 since the opening up of the North- West and the lowered prices of 
 wheat. Many farms have also become exhausted by the ruthless and 
 
 
 
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 16 
 
 TAe Agricultural ll^sourcet of Canada. 
 
 slovenly mode of cultivation adopted by the occupiers in the continuous 
 growth of wheat. Such land would soon respond to a different system 
 such as mixed farming. Farms vary in size, running from 100 to 
 200 acres and more. 
 
 Land partially cleared and improved can be bought at from £4 to 
 i£10 an acre, the price depending upon locality and value of improve- 
 ments. Near towns it often runs up to over double these figures 
 There are no free grants of land in this district, but such may 
 be had in the uncleared parts of the province. It is rath3r a 
 serious matter for a new-comer to begin and clear land, as it would 
 cost from £4 to £6 an acre. This outlay in a district where the 
 climate might prove unsuitable for the particular branch of farming the 
 settler wished to take up would be too much of a risk, when good land 
 can be bought ready cleared in a good locality and better climatA. 
 
 FARM SCENt, ONTARIO. 
 
 The average yield of cereals throughout the province is — Autumn or 
 fall wheat, 18 to 20 bushels; spring, 16 j barley, 25; oats, 32 to 35 
 bushels per acre. Soils are made up of, or may be classed as, the various 
 loams, ranging from sandy to clay. Many are very rich in vegetable 
 matter, notably those overlying the limestone. Wheat cultivation has 
 become relatively unprofitable in Ontario since Manitoba and the North- 
 West became wheat-producers. Ontario has, in consequence, adapted her- 
 self to the change, tlie outcome of which has been a more systematic stylo 
 of procedure, many having gone into mixed and dairy farming. Rotation 
 cropping, as a result, is being practised, the lines generally being a 
 modification of the well-known Norfolk system — wheat, turnips, barley, 
 clover. By allowing the grass — timothy and red clover — to lie down 
 
continuous 
 5nt system, 
 )m 100 to 
 
 "rom £4 to 
 f improvo- 
 »se figures, 
 such may 
 rath3r a 
 9 it would 
 where the 
 irming the 
 good land 
 iat«. 
 
 Lutumn or 
 
 32 to 35 
 he various 
 
 vegetable 
 vation has 
 he North- 
 apted her- 
 natic style 
 
 Eotation 
 y being a 
 ps, barley, 
 
 lie down 
 
 Mr. George BrmvrCs Report. 
 
 17 
 
 a year or more, and thus by introducing oats, beans, or peas into the 
 rotation, it may be extended indefinitely. While at Ottawa we visited 
 the Experimental Farm (which will be further referred to). We were 
 informed by Mr. Carling that a crop of Indian corn then being cut 
 would weigh 20 tons an acre. The corn was in the green stage, and 
 was intended for ensilage, equal quantities of hay and it being chaffed 
 and put into the silo. By experiment Professor Saunders has found 
 that the feeding quality of corn in this state is equal to one-half that of 
 good hay. If this be so, it will have a very marked effect upon the 
 agriculture of the districts in which this crop can be grown, Ontario 
 being one. It will diminish, if not put an end to, the cultivating of 
 that most expensive crop, turnips, as here we can obtain 10 tons of good 
 feeding stuff off an acre of land at a nominal outlay — a considerable 
 difference from 1^ to 2 tons of hay, this being the average produce per 
 acre of this crop. Stock is now being shipped to England from Canada, 
 which places the Ontario farmer in a better position than his Western 
 brethren, as the cost of transport is much less, and his cattle are saved 
 the deterioration incidental to conveyance by railway. Cattle are fairly 
 well bred on the farms, thanks to the excellent blood introduced by 
 the late Hon. Geo. Brown at Bow Park, and many others. It is a 
 matter of regret that many of the best bulls from the Bow Park herd 
 iind their way across the line to the States. Judging from what the 
 delegation have seen of Canadian cattle generally, they must be classed 
 as " rough," and want breeding. I am aware that a gradual improve- 
 ment has been effected during the past 12 or 15 years by many farmers, 
 wlio have expended large sums in the importation of pedigree stock. 
 Still there is room for further improvement in this direction, as 
 it would surely pay breeders to select their sires more carefully, as 
 quality on this side of the Atlantic means money : a beast well bred 
 will at least fetch £2 to £4 more money when sold either as fat or 
 store. Many rough, lanky brutes seen by us could not be cashed in the 
 English markets. Here is an opening for a level-headed breeder from 
 the old country. Not only in this province, but in the North-West, 
 there is room for any number of nen of this kind. I am quite aware 
 of the difficulties farmers have to contend with in a new, unfenced 
 country ; but I cannot agree with the idea prevalent in many parts of 
 the Dominion that the country is unsuitable for the breeding of higher 
 grade cattle. Let those croakers visit Bow Park, Cochrane Eanch, or 
 Binscarth Farm, and it may open their eyes to the fact that the very 
 bluest Shorthorn blood thrives and improves in its new environments. 
 
 Dairy farming is another branch of agriculture recently started in 
 Ontario. There are now over 700 cheese factories and from 30 to 40 
 creameries. This is a considerable advance on old country practice, 
 and is well adapted for the manufacture of cheese and butter of that 
 uniform quality so necessary for exportation. These factories are 
 established at various centres throughout the province. The farmers 
 in each district send their milk daily, and a balance is struck at the end 
 of the season, every man getting his returns in proportion to the millc 
 sent to the factory. It is evidently found t^j be remunerative, as 
 milch cows are on the increase in the provii "'^i. 
 
 III.— 
 
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 18 
 
 r/itf Agi-ictiUural Resource* of Canada, 
 
 Fruit-cirowliip; is ji Bpt'ciiil induatiy near Hamilton, and down by 
 Niagara JiiviT ; thoro being extc^nsivo orchards and vinerit-s in these 
 (liHtrit'ts. Grapes, peaclu?8, «fec., can bo seen growing and ripening in 
 tho open air. Vegc^tablcs are also seen ot every description, largo in 
 size, and excellent in quality. Throughout all tho province potatoes are 
 a most prolilic crop ; they grow to a big si/,e, aro Pound, and extra good 
 quality. Sheep aro reared in considerable numbers, there being about 
 1,400,000 last year within tlio province. This number might bo 
 increased with advantage, esi)eeial!y on tho partially exhausted farms, 
 as thero is no kind of stock that increases the fertility of land so 
 quickly, especially if fed with corn during winter and summer. In 
 pen(>riil, the flocks seen by us were South Down or cross-bred. They 
 wante'd uniformity of type— a ])retty sure indication that they were badly 
 bred. A little attention in this direction would be amply repaid by the 
 production of better-class mutton, and wool of a superior kind. Pigs 
 and poultry are most prolific, and find a ready market at homo and in 
 the States. Undernoted are tho current prices of produce, taken from 
 the Toronto Globe, 1890:— 
 
 Wheat, 8l8. 4(1. per 8 busheln. 
 Barley, 208. Bd. „ „ 
 
 <)ut8, 13a. 4(1. „ „ 
 
 Ppcs, 20fl. 
 
 Butter, 7(1. to Od. per lb. 
 Cheese, 4id. to fid. „ 
 Carrots, Is. 3d. per bosket. 
 Potatoes, 28. Gd. per bajf. 
 Eggs, Od. to lOd. per dozen. 
 
 Beef, 4d. to Cd. per lb. 
 Mutton, 4d. to 7d. per lb. 
 Pork, 4d. <o (id. per lb. 
 Chickens, 2s. per pair. 
 Ducks, 2s. to 2s. Gd. per pair. 
 Turkeys, 49. each. 
 Hides, 2| per lb. 
 Tallow, 2d. „ 
 Wool, 9d, „ 
 
 These prices ought to leave a good margin for profit, when the cost 
 of production is considered. 
 
 Ottawa is tho chief seat of the lumber trade of the i^rovince. While 
 there we visited the saw-mills, said to be the largest in Canada. These 
 mills work day and night during the open season; when tho river 
 from which tho motive power is derived becomes frozen up, many of 
 tho hands go up country and take a turn at log-chopping. Tho timber 
 is floated down the rivers during summer, so that every little stream 
 during this season is literally covered with floating logs. When these 
 arrive in the vicinity of the mills, they are floated into specially prepared 
 enclosures, from which they are taken as required to tho saw-mills. 
 Logs of considerable dimensions are drawn up the slide by means 
 of an endless chain to tho floor of tlie mill. In a very short tim.e the 
 logs are next seen as planks, &c. Tho labour-saving devices adopted 
 in those mills are simply astounding to visitors from the old country. 
 An idea may be formed of the systematic way the work is gone about 
 when one is told that these mills cut up on an average 600,000 cubic 
 feet of timber daily. 
 
 In the vicinity of the town another important industry is carried 
 on, viz., phosphate mining. Canadian phosphates have been for some 
 time known in the English market as "apatite." This substance is 
 crystalline in form, and cons(»quontly hard, brittle, and o-lasay when 
 pulverised. I'or a .considerable time this form of phosphate was 
 comparatively neglected, owing to the difficulty of grinding ; improved 
 
' ' 
 
 Mr. Oeorge BirovurCa Ref&ri, 
 
 19 
 
 applliinces havo overcome tUis, and now a steady doinfid has set in 
 for Jiis vulualik' luuituri;, wliicli, when treated withsuli. ic acid, mukea 
 fr jigh-ciuss superphosphate. 
 
 FARUAHEKT BUILDIKOa, OTTAWA. 
 
 The Toronto Fair was next visited by us. Here we had an oppor- 
 tunity of comparing the products ! all the different provinces of the 
 Dominion. These v.ere, upon the 'hole, a most excellent display, and 
 far exceetk'd anything of the kind & ..^ ui this country. 
 
 In the stock sections, horses were of their kind a good show, but 
 to our ideas light and a bit weedy. Driving horses are undoubtedly 
 above th<^ average, and are extremely hardy, and excellent goers, 
 showing little sign of fatigue after covering long distances. Still the 
 great bulk seen by us were unfit for farm work. The mares are now 
 being crossed with the Clyde and Shire, in order to breed heavier 
 animals, for which there will soon be a demand in Canada, as the 
 ploughing with oxen will yearly fall into disrepute after the country 
 becomes more settled. This style of locomotion may be steady, but it is 
 much too slow. The land also being all broken will be more easily 
 cultivated, so that all farm work will be done by horses. Shorthorn, 
 Angus, Hereford, and Holstein cattle were excellent, but rather few 
 specimens in some of the classes. Sheep were represented by South 
 Down, Leicester, Lincoln, «fcc,, and were but a m.iddling turn-out. In 
 the implement department the Canadians are a long way ahead of us. 
 The most improved appliances are seen here in nearly a perfect state, the 
 construction of every machine being most carefully done ; the materials, 
 generally steel, produce a light machine, easy to draw, doing its work 
 well, with little or no breakage. The delegation were very much 
 indebted to Vice-President MacMaster and the directors for their kind- 
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 80 
 
 r/**! Agricultural lictourca of Canada. 
 
 ness while visiting Toronto Fair. Before leaving thi* cftj we were 
 invited by Chairman Somers, of the School Board, to visit the schools 
 and Veterinary College. This we were enabled to accomplish, under the 
 guidance of the chairman, Mr. llerbert Kent, solicitor, and Inspector 
 Uughei. 
 
 O^' 
 
 TORONTO. 
 
 The Toronto schools are perhaps the best and most complete in 
 the Dominion. The system of education adopted is adjnXd to be 
 
 tW hi" *^ nT^^- ^''^ ^'^""'^ °^ '^^^^^^ i« herTtTught and 
 thoroughly well done. During our visit the fire alarm was s^oimded 
 and in a few minutes every man, woman, and child was in the courJ: 
 yard • there was no confusion, the children, headed by their respective 
 teachers, coming out in divisions. We also saw the^ma^oT Trope 
 drawn in outline by a whole class in five minutes. The fi; JeS 
 arrangements are similar to those adopted in this country uext 
 
 saw the Veterinary College, and were tiken round by D7'Smith the 
 proprietor and prmcipal. This is an institution which mu^have ? 
 considerable effect for good in a country where horses, cattle and 
 sheep will m time be counted by the million ' 
 
 The question k frequently asked : Should a youn^r man ffoin- out 
 
 and a wast/of r^": ' V '''' ''^ ^'^^'''"^ ^'v^'^ ^^ °F°i«^. unnecessary, 
 Jo "%?i u » a bV'U^ '"^ IT^^ "'^^ ^^° i« "°t afraid to work and> 
 forme? 'Twhvnnf ' / '"^H'^l ^''''*'" employment with some good' 
 tarmer, thereby not only will he gam experience, butiwill be able trv 
 earn and «ve money. Thei^ are eome, howeve;. who may prS t 
 
Mr. Otorgt Brown't Report, 
 
 n 
 
 take things mov« eany, and who can afford to expend monej in acquiring 
 jv kno'.vledf:j8 of agriculture ; let those take a session or two at tho 
 Agricultural College of Guelph, where they will obtain a thorough 
 ^'rounding in the science and practice of agriculture. This insti- 
 tution is deserving of more than a passing notice, as itj influence 
 ia widespread uot only in the Don 'uion, but wherever agriculture 
 is looked upon w something more than following in the "rut" of 
 centuries, and where scientific knowledge, allied with sound practice, 
 has placed agriculture as a chief factor in the weal of a nation. 
 The College is supported by the Ontario Government, and its fees 
 are 30 graduated, that a resident in the Province can obtain a first-class 
 agricultural education at a nominal cost. There is a farm of 550 acres 
 attached to the College, where a whole army of professors and superin- 
 tendents da'.lj. while in session, give practical lessons to the students. 
 
 The climate of Ontario is variable. In the vicinity of the lakes all 
 kinds of fruit can be grown in the open air. The winter sets in later 
 and lasts shorter than further north. During summer the extremes of 
 heat and cold are less felt, as the proximity of such an immense volume 
 of water tends to modify it. When the lakes are frozen the air 
 becomes dry, and has an invigorating effect upon all animal life. The 
 average duration of the winter is from four to five months. 
 
 Before leaving Ontario, I have to record my sincere thanks to 
 Mr. Blue, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, for much valuable informa- 
 tion and books relative to the province. 
 
 Manitoba and the North- West. — It is to the men who conceived the 
 plan and executed the work of building the Canadian Pacific Eailway 
 that is due the credit of opening up and placing at the disposal of 
 the Dominion those immense plains of fertile land known as Manitoba 
 and the North-West. 
 
 Before the advent of the railway these vast regions were com- 
 paratively unknown, and squatted upon here and there by those 
 hardy pioneers who transformed the unbroken forests of Ontario into 
 fertile fields and comfortable homesteads. Without the means of 
 transport afforded by the railway, those vast regions must have still 
 remained the haunt of the buffalo, and the happy hunting ground of 
 the Indian. 
 
 Instead of this, a wide area upo.\ each side of the railway line has 
 been brought under cultivation. Towns have sprung up in a marvel- 
 lously short time all along the route until the foot of the Eocky 
 Mountains is reached, and the whole aspect of the country has become 
 so changed that to me it appears, in this land of surprises, to be the 
 greatest wonder of all. As an example, when visiting the show at 
 liegina, we were shown Indian exhibits which compared favourably 
 with those of neighbouring farmers in wheat and vegetables, as well as 
 in female industries, such as embroidery, knitting, &c. Yet we were 
 told that eight years ago these Indians were uncivilised, wandering 
 about the prairies more often in their war paint than in the garments 
 or pfiac6= Yet in this 3hort time these same Indians have settled 
 down, and are now competing with the white settlers in the markets of 
 the country. 
 
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 The Agricultural Besourcet of Canada. 
 
 Physical Aspects. — Yvom Winnipeg to the foot of the Eocky 
 Mountains there lies an immense plain, broken here and there with 
 rising ground which can hardly be looked upon as mountains. This land 
 18 divided naturally into three areas, all of which lie at different alti- 
 tudes. West from Winnipeg we have the Eed Eiver Plain, extending out 
 until it reaches a point about half-way between Winnipeg and Brandon. 
 This is the first area, the average height above the sea level being about 
 800 feet. Prom this point west until near Moosejaw the second table- 
 land occurs, attaining an average height of about 1,600 feet. From this 
 point until near the foot of the Eocky Mountains is occupied by the 
 third table-land, whose average altitude is nearly 3,000 feet. The soils 
 upon these plateaus, as they are termed, are to a large extent of a 
 similar character, being composed of decayed vegetable matter, drif*^ 
 and alluvial deposit. Deep black vegetable mould predommates on the 
 lower table-land, which embraces within its area the best wheat hinds 
 in the Dominion. The eastern part of the second plain has soil of a 
 similar character until Brandon is reached, the western portion bein-^ 
 largely made up of the disintegration of the underlying formation^ 
 This area is admirably adapted for mixed farming. The third plateau" 
 chiefly made up of dehris transported from the Eocky Mountains, is 
 more broken and rolling, largely interspersed with brooks and creek? 
 making it the home for ranching. ' 
 
 Climate.— T\xQ climate of Manitoba and the North- West is in great 
 part one of extremes, summer heat being intense and winter colrl severe. 
 In Manitoba and the eastern part of the North-West, during the sprino' 
 months the weather is dry, which enables spring work to be done quickly 
 and the seed put into a dry seed bed. The rains of June give the 
 needed moisture, to be followed by the warm summer sunshine of the 
 succeeding months, hastening the growth of crops until maturity is 
 reached, towards the middle of August. Winter generally lasts about 
 five months, and during this time, there can be no doubt, is very severe. 
 There are redeeming points, however, which are apt to be overlooked,' 
 as the degree of cold cannot be judged by the rise and fall of the 
 thermometer, as much depends on the state of the atmosphere, which 
 in tliis locality is very dry and bracing. When snow descends the 
 weather generally remains without change until the thaw sets in, so 
 that the settler can clothe himself once for all to meet the ccld season, 
 as there is no necessity to change his clothing, as he would require to 
 do in a more variable climate. This is the chief reason why many 
 prefer the winters of Manitoba and the North-West (as seen by the 
 interviews) to those of this country. Blizzards occasionally occur, but 
 so seldom as to be outside serious consideration. 
 
 Summer frosts, however, do sometimes occur, and are the chief 
 difficulty wheat-growers have to contend with. To me it appears that 
 the very dryness of the atmosphere during the period in which they 
 happen is one of the causes. These frosts generally occur from the 
 
 ^_ -- - ••..^-..-i in cv/mc vi. tTiu aisLrici/H -tiiat is, alter the loiig- 
 
 continued sunshine of the preceding months, which evaporates the sap 
 out of every green thing on these broad prairies. This being followed 
 by a cold, dry, moisture-absorbing wind from the North, must evaporate 
 
 
the Eocky 
 [ there with 
 . This land 
 efferent alti- 
 ;tending out 
 id Brandon, 
 being about 
 cond taljle- 
 From this 
 lied by the 
 . The soils 
 3xtent of a 
 atter, drif^ 
 ates on the 
 wheat lands 
 las soil of a 
 >rtion being 
 
 formation, 
 ird plateau, 
 juntains, is 
 and creeks, 
 
 ) is in great 
 colfl severe. 
 r; the spring 
 one quickly 
 16 give the 
 hine of the 
 Maturity is 
 lasts about 
 :ery severe, 
 overlooked, 
 fall of the 
 liere, which 
 jscends the 
 
 sets in, so 
 icld season, 
 1 1'equire to 
 why many 
 ;en by the 
 
 occur, but 
 
 i the chief 
 ppears that 
 which they 
 • from the 
 r the loiig- 
 tes the sap 
 ig followed 
 ; evaporate 
 
 
 Mr. George Brown's Report. 
 
 23 
 
 moisture wherever such is present. It is a w^ell-known law that where 
 evaporation occur'' a lowering of the surrounding temperature at once 
 takes p'.ice: for this reason, the greater the amount of moisture present 
 in the wheat during the occurrence of the frost, the worse the wheat 
 will be frozen, and naturally wet lands are the lirst to suffer. Again, 
 altitude has a great effect upon the climate of a district, 700 feet 
 altitude being equal to one degree of latitude. This fact seems to be 
 overlooked in some of the higher parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, 
 where v^'oat is sown at much too high an elevation to leave it a 
 chance of escaping the vicissitudes of climate. 
 
 These considerations have made me arrive at the conclusion that 
 the damage, on the average of yeai's, sustained by summer frosts is 
 immaterial in districts suitable for wheat-growing ; this view being 
 further confirmed by visiting perhaps the largest flour mill in the 
 world, situate in Minneapolis, where we were told that summer frost 
 did little damage to wheat when near maturity, it being only in the 
 milk, or soft, stage of growth when frost could seriously affect its 
 quality for milling purposes, and that the cry of fros^ed grain was 
 mostly due to proprietors of elevators and millers who wanted to beat 
 down prices. Summer frosts will yet become a thing of .the past, when 
 earlier sowing is carried on, and earlier varieties of corn are sown as a 
 rule and not as an exception ; when the country is cultivated under a 
 regular rotation of cropping, as sown grasses, which draw their supplies 
 of moi&iure from the deeper layers of the soil, will have a tendency to 
 modify the dry nature of these northern breezes. Planting of trees 
 would also have a marked effect in this direction, as well as in diminishing 
 droughts and affording excellent shelter, when the Manitoban and 
 North- Western farmers become alive to the fact that continuous wheat- 
 growing will only pay so long as the supply of nitrogen is present to 
 produce a paying crop. There is also anot;her rea^son, and an, important 
 one, for this cry of summer frost — viz., farmers have too much land 
 under wheat for the labour they can provide to harvest the crop. In 
 consequence of this, when the wheat is ready for cutting, it all coming 
 about the same time, the farmer works away, getting the first portion 
 done in good time — in fact, getting about half through when he ought 
 to have finished cutting, and thereby escaped damage. I have 
 perhaps devoted too much time to this " summer frost" business, but as 
 it was the only point anent which we received so contradictory evidence, 
 I consider it better to go somewhat into detail as to this matter. The 
 climate of the western portion of the third plateau, which lies near the 
 Rocky Mountains, is modified to a very considerable extent by the 
 Chinook, or warm wind of the Pacific, which, after passing over the 
 Rockies, strikes down to the adjacent plain. This district being entirely 
 devoted to ranching, the benefit derived is very great, as horses, cattle, 
 and sheep are allowed to run out on the prairies all the winter, often 
 appearing in spring in excellent condition : while in the eastern portion 
 food and shelter have to bo provided to tide the stock over the 
 winter. 
 
 Kind of Farming. — From the preceding may be inferred what is 
 likely to prove the most suitable kind of farming in the various 
 
 
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 24 
 
 r/te Agricultural Retourcet of Canada. 
 
 districts. Manitoba, Eastern Assiniboia, and South-Eastern Saskat- 
 chewan are the great wheat-producing areas. Western Assiniboia, 
 part of Alberta, and part of Saskatchewan are well adapted for dairy 
 und mixed farming. These districts are well suited for settlement by 
 small farmers, farmers with some means, and capitalists, provided their 
 undertakings are conducted within reasonable limits. 
 
 The country for the capitalist, however, lies further west, where 
 ranching prevails, as this entire district is, in general, well watered and 
 well sheltered, and a supply of hay can readily be obtained from ofE 
 the prairies or low-lying lands with which the country is to a 
 considerable extent interspersed. Ii' our journey through Manitoba 
 we had every opportunity afforded us of acquiring information, as 
 Mr. Scarth, M.P., Winnipeg, Land Commissioner of the Canadian 
 and North- West Land Company, and Mr. Eden, Land Commissioner 
 of the Manitoba and North- Western Eailroad, did their level best to 
 bring us into contact with all kinds of farmers in each district, and by 
 • their unwearied exertions brought under our notice a much greater 
 extent o£ country than could possibly have been seen by us if left to 
 our own efforts. 
 
 WINNIPEO. 
 
 Taking the Canadian Pacific line, which is the most central 
 of the province, we proceed to Portage-la-Prairie, and arrive at the 
 centre of the wheat-growing district. Our first visit was to that 
 veteran, Mr. Kenneth McKenzie, M.P.P., Burnside ; and we were all the 
 more cordially received as the two of us were Scotchmen. After 
 exatniuing Mr. McKenzie's barns, &c., we inspected his cattle, number- 
 ing about SO, mostly made uo of cows and heifers. T!)e heifers were a 
 good lot, and showed marks of beinj^ carefully bred. A fair, useful bull 
 was also amongst the lot. Stretching away as far as the eye could 
 reach we saw wheat lands in the stubble or ploughed; this being in 
 
n Saskat- 
 isainiboia, 
 for dairy 
 lement by 
 dded their 
 
 est, where 
 itered and 
 1 from ofE 
 7^ is to a 
 Manitoba 
 aation, as 
 Canadian 
 imissioner 
 el best to 
 ct, and by 
 ;h greater 
 I if left to 
 
 it central 
 ve at the 
 s to that 
 jre all the 
 I. After 
 , number- 
 
 seful bull 
 
 jye could 
 
 being in 
 
 Mr. George Brount's Beport, 
 
 25 
 
 keeping with what was seen in our eight miles' drive from Portage. 
 Mr. McKenzie came to his present holding 22 years ago, and simply 
 squatted upon the land, borrowing hie neighbour's team to put up his 
 landmarks. He now, with his two sons, farms 2,240 acres of land, 
 which he expects to have under crop this year. He has let his present 
 holding at Burnside at what he considers a fair rent, and is altogether 
 about the shrewdest man I have met in the Dominion. From Portage 
 we struck up the Manitoba and North- Western Eailway, after seeing all 
 the country lying to the south of the Canadian Pacific, notably the 
 crofter settlements (details of which will appear later). We stopped ofE 
 at Neepawa, there went to tlie top of an elevator, and from this point of 
 vantage saw the surrounding district. In a radius of 16 to 18 miles 
 nothing could be seen but au unbroken level plain, dotted with wheat 
 stacks in every direction. After such a sight one began to realise 
 the extent of this new country, when we knew the view might be 
 extended down by Portage, east by Brandon, and south to the boundary 
 line of the States. At Neepawa the greater part of the land has been 
 settled for about 10 years, and judging from the crops, the character 
 of the soil, and the great energy displayed by the settlers during that 
 time, no one can doubt of the future possibilities of this province. 
 
 HARVESTING AT BANPIPOU'S FARM, BRANDON. 
 
 I had tlie good fortune to meet Mr. Donald Eraser, late of Kintore, 
 Aberdeenshire, who has been in this locality during the past eight years, 
 two years of which he worked teaming about Winnipeg. Six years ago 
 he took up his present homestead, and began life with two teams 
 and fSlO. Since" then he has reclaimed 240 aciv.s with 80 acres 
 pasture, which makes up his half-section. He now possesses 15 cows 
 and 11 teams of horses, and would not take $8,000 for his stock 
 
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 The AfjrkuUural Resources of Canada. 
 
 ^" u ,nA^^*^^^' ?® ^""^ ^^'° ^^^^1^«^ ^'^ son in another half-section 
 with 100 acres under crop, 12 cows, and 2 teams of horses. The second 
 son has taken up a quarter-section-160 acres-and is joint owner of 
 a portable steam tlireshing mill. I saw his grain, which was iust 
 threshed- and would estimate it as follows :-Wheat, 5,000 bushels • 
 
 « -^'^^.^^.^'''j'^^'' with about 200 bushels of oats. A pretty tidy 
 affair this for five years' work. r j j 
 
 A FIRM-HOUSB IN MANITOBA. 
 
 (Drawn by Colonel Fane.) 
 
 We next arrived at Birtle, where we visited the annual show, 
 and saw some fair samples of grain, excellent vegetables, and 
 fair cattle; but sheep were a poor show. Horses were very good. 
 After seeing the show, we drove to General Wilkinson's farm 
 (Birtleside). The farm is 2,000 acres in extent, and was bought 
 three years ago. Cultivation was begun two years since, and 300 acres 
 are now under crop. The Birtle Eiver runs through the farm, which 
 makes it, owing to shelter from scrub and knoll, admirably adapted for 
 breeding stock. After dinner, we adjourned to the Town Hall, when, 
 after the customary speeches were gone through, it was suggested that 
 some of the farmers in the district would come forward and give their 
 experiences. A Mr. Cook first stood up, and said he came there 
 ■" «• • "b" "•'" •-•'•-■ 1" nia puuKcL, ana uuuppuu HIS way to a home- 
 stead, and that during all the time he had farmed he had only 
 two crops which were touched by frost. He had done well because he 
 had not put all 1 is eggs in one basket, but went in for stock-raising 
 
Mr, George Brown's Bejport. 
 
 27 
 
 alf-section, 
 rhe second 
 t owner of 
 1 waa just 
 '0 bushels ; 
 iretty tidy 
 
 iial show, 
 bles, and 
 Bry good, 
 n's farm 
 s bought 
 300 acres 
 'm, which 
 apted for 
 ill, when, 
 isted that 
 five their 
 me there 
 a home- 
 bad only 
 scause he 
 k-raising 
 
 as well as corn-growing. The next speaker v/as Jauies Murray, who 
 came to the country along with his father in the year 1880 ; hi3 native 
 place is the parish of Dunnett, Caithness, Scotland. 
 
 The following is the substance of his remarks : — " I am a North 
 
 country man, and began 
 
 life there as a herd boy. I then was made 
 cadger,' or ' * loon,' "and worked at that job for some years, until I 
 got a chance of coming out here under a three years' engagement — my 
 passage, &c., being paid for me if 1 stuck to the man for three years. 
 Well, I got here, and went to the homestead and began work. The 
 place was called Eaeburn, and I got from $8 to $J a month. I started 
 the first morning to plough with oxen along with the others ; some of 
 us got on fairly, but others got all round the houses, and landed at the 
 stable door instead of the end rig. After a time the 'boss' and I 
 quarrelled, owing to another man. The ' boss ' started and cursed me" 
 all round, same as if I was a ' nigger.' Well, I went away, and walked 
 5>5 miles ; landed at Birtle with 25 cents in my pocket, which I spent 
 on my supper. I could get no work, so started away other 25 miles 
 without any breakfast, and got to near Saltcoats, where I got work at 
 $8 a month for a year. At the end of the year the ' boys ' offered me 
 S25 a month for another year. Meantime, my father took up his home- 
 stead, and sold it in 1884. When, my father joined me, and we took 
 up our present homestead, in 1885, I bought a team for 8883. My 
 brother, who had been working in the country, came and took up the 
 quarter-section next me, and joined us, we having 320 acres between us. 
 My father lived at the homestead, and ray brother and I worked out 
 when not needed, getting $2 to $2^ a day. I went down country to 
 meet a brother and sister who were coming out, and for which I sent 
 them $60 to help. On getting there I had to wait a week or two, so 
 went to a man and asked for a job. ' He offered me $2 a day, but if I 
 worked without putting my foot to the shovel he would give me S2|. 
 When I got back, there was a job at S25. My homestead was after this 
 entered upon, and we got 15 acres broken the first year ; next year 
 25 acres more ; ai.d this year 70 acres ; so that next spring I will have, 
 with my brother, 110 acres under crop. We have also 12 horses, 30 
 cattle, and 50 sheep, with pigs and poultry. I have also a good house, 
 20 feet by 18 feet, stable and sheds, with self-binder, and all the other 
 implements required for the homestead. I am also clear of debt, except 
 a few things w hich I can pay out of my crop this year." 
 
 To me it appears that Mr. Murray deserves his good fortune, and 
 is the right sort of settler for any new country — ready to take a turn 
 at whatever comes his way, showing pluck, energy, and perseverance 
 at every turn, and, upon the whole, " bad to beat." 
 
 Binscarth Farm. — We next proceed to Binscarth, where I was 
 driven to the farm by Mr. Wm. Scarth, from whom I received much 
 information as to Murray. Mr. Scarth came to the country a year 
 or two ago, and has begun farming ; he is quite sanguine as to his 
 ultimate success, and ifom what ±. couid learn a° lO liis plans, is on 
 the fair way to make money. We drove to the Binscarth Farm— a 
 name well known in the North of Scotland, being of great interest to 
 Orkney men. 
 
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 88 
 
 TTie Agrieultural Baourcei of Canada. 
 
 Tho farm is well managed, there being 300 acres under cultivation. 
 Labour being scarce forbids further progress in this direction. The 
 crops were excellent, more especially oats and turnips. Taking the 
 whole farm, it is an ideal location for the breeding of cattle, as it lies 
 well, is sheltered from all points, having streams and valleys running 
 through it in all directions, deep bottom lands where abundance of hay 
 can be cut, and tho soil under cultivation strong black loam. 
 
 The principal object for which the farm is carried on by the 
 Scottish Ontario and Manitoba Land Company is the breeding of high- 
 class stock, and for this purpose a Shorthorn herd has been established. 
 The nucleus of the herd was obtained from Ontario some six years ago, 
 and during that time a great advance has been made, both in numbers 
 and breeding. The older cows inspected by us seemed to be patchy, 
 and wanted the symmetry, which always is such a characteristic of the 
 Shorthorn ; many were also a little rough about the head and horns. 
 This, however, only applies to the older cows. Those younger show 
 improvement, and this continues in all the different ages until the 
 calves of this year are reached. These are about the best I have seen 
 anywhere, showing Shorthorn blood at every point ; indeed, the heifer 
 calves would be difficult to beat by the best herds in this country. 
 There can be no doubt that these stages of progression are due to the 
 care and judgment of Mr. Smellie, the manager, who appears to be an 
 enthusiast in Shorthorn breeding. The herd now numbers over 300. 
 The young bulls are sold annually, at from £20 to £35. The feeding 
 is hay and straw, bruised oats, and bran for cows and young bulls. 
 Young cows and heifers are turned out to the prairie during summer,, 
 getting no extra feed. 
 
 The company owns 30,000 acres of land in this vicinity, all of a 
 similar character. The establishing of this farm is therefore a wise 
 and far-reaching policy, as it not only gives the settlers who have- 
 taken up homesteads the opportunity of obtaining good sires to use in 
 their herds, but many e leriments are conducted on the home farm,, 
 which, when successful, are adopted by these settlers. The latter are 
 in consequence prosperous, which gives the locality an excellent 
 character, and results in settlement and enhanced prices for land in 
 the district. 
 
 Bamardo Home. — We afterwards visited Bussell, and drove to 
 Dr. Barnardo's Home and Farm for Boys. The farm consists 
 of 8,000 acres, 5,000 being purchased, and 3,000 presented by the 
 Manitoba and North-Western Railway Company. The object is 
 the reclamation of the waifs of London and other large cities. 
 There is room for 60 boys in the Home: these are generally from 
 15 to 17 years of age, and are kept here for a year or so, and 
 during that time are instructed in all kinds of farm work; after- 
 wards they are drafted out amongst the farmers in the district. 
 There is a demand for the Barnardo boys, so that the institution 
 is of real benefit to the neighbourhood. Some 300 acres are at 
 present under crop, and a garden of 25 acres, in which all kinds of 
 vegetables are cultivated. There is also a fair stock of cattle and 
 sheep, and the best Shorthorn bull I have seen in the country. A 
 
iiItiTation. 
 ion. The 
 aking the 
 as it lies 
 s running 
 ice of hay 
 
 •n by the 
 g of high- 
 itablishod. 
 years ago, 
 1 numbers 
 >e patchy, 
 tic of the 
 nd horns, 
 iger show 
 until the 
 have seen 
 the heifer 
 I country, 
 iue to the 
 s to be an 
 over 300. 
 le feeding 
 ing bulls. 
 ; summer^ 
 
 Y, all of a 
 ire a wise 
 who hav& 
 3 to use in 
 )me farm,, 
 latter are 
 excellent 
 )r land in 
 
 drove to 
 I consists 
 ed by the 
 
 object is 
 ^ge cities, 
 •ally from 
 )r so, and 
 rk; after- 
 } district, 
 nstitution 
 ■es are at 
 i kinds of 
 ;attle and 
 intry. A 
 
 Mr. George Brovm't Report. 
 
 29 
 
 creamery bas been set agoing, in which 30 lbs. of butter are made 
 
 daily. 
 
 Saltcoats— Crofters.— "We next visited Saltcoats, in which district 
 the crofters sent out under the auspices of the Imperial Government 
 are settled. The district is a wide one, and consists of great tracts 
 of prairie land, covered here and there with scrub. The soil is good, 
 being a deep fertile loam ; water being obtained anywhere by sinking 
 wells from 10 to 12 feet. 
 
 This settlement consists of 49 families, who were sent out in 
 1889 ; other 30 families being located near Pelican Lake, in Southen. 
 Manitoba, in 1888. The Imperial Government provided means (.£120) 
 .for each family, which was expended on their transport and homestead, 
 rations being given them until their first crops arrived at maturity. 
 The money advanced is to be repaid in instalments spread over a 
 number of years. 
 
 D. Grahame, an old Hudson Bay man, who came out to the 
 couii'^ry one and a half years ago, for the second time, as a Government 
 emigration crofter, says : — 
 
 " I have to complain of great hardship the first year, because the 
 crops did not grow for the want of rain, and I could not get work at 
 all. I wrote home to my friends that no one should leave there and 
 come to this country. When the harvest of this year — which is a good 
 one — was over, I was better pleased with the place, and would not 
 return home on any condition. I have to complain of the charges the 
 people of thJs country make for their goods. I have also to complain 
 that the rations were stopped too soon." 
 
 T^OTB. — In cross-examination, find that this man had been offered 
 work *! the railway and refused it, preferring to occupy his spare time 
 •drav >g firewood to Saltcoats. 
 
 Kobert McKay, Stornoway : — 
 
 "I have 11 acres under crop this year, and will have other 20 
 acres broken for 1891. I worked on the railway in the winter time, 
 and got 5s. per day. I think my land not fit for cattle, as the water 
 is scarce. I did not like the country last year, as we had no crop 
 ■owing to drought, but this year I think a great deal better of it. I 
 am quite satisfied with everything done by the people or Government 
 at home. When we got to Halifax we began to get trouble. I think 
 I was charged $30 too much for things bought, and I am not satisfied 
 with having only the half of a waggon, as my neighbour and I often 
 Avant it the same day. I would rather have a cow less and get a whole 
 waggon. I would have no hesitation in telling my friends to come to 
 this country, and would not now leave it for anything." 
 Charles Dochei'ty, North TJist : — 
 
 "I have 12 acres under crop this year, and planted 10 bushels 
 potatoes, and have a return of 160 bushels of potatoes and a good 
 -crop of wheat. My family also ata potatoes from June till September. 
 
 1 Ct 1 J -.£ ^„f4.1 
 
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 vvoiild 
 
 .20 acres under crop next year. I would not leave the country unless 
 they dragged me away with ropes. I was not pleased at first." 
 Alex. McDonald, Uist s— 
 
 
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 T/te Agricultural Rc8<ynrcei of Canada. 
 
 " I have 12 acres under crop, and expect to put 10 acres more 
 next year. I have uiuo head of cattle and nine of a family. My 
 family are all healthy. There is a school near us being built. We have 
 a sermon every other week. I am very well pleased with the country, 
 and would not leave it, as I think it the best place in the world for a 
 man with a family." 
 
 Note. — When asked what he thought of the action of the 18 
 families who left their holdings and took to lumbering instead, he 
 replied, " I believe they made a mistake, owing to the bad crop the first 
 year, which they will regret all their lives. I think they were misled 
 by a man named Murray." 
 
 Martin Macdonald: — 
 
 " I have 8 acres under crop this year, and 4 acres broken for next 
 year. I did not like the country last year, but am very well pleased 
 with it this year. I worked for the railway, and made 8883 in three 
 months. This money kept us all the winter. I wish all my friends 
 to come out. I could not go back to live in the old country. I have 
 written for my mother, brother, and two sisters to come here, and I 
 think they will come ; anyway, I wish no better place." 
 
 Kenneth Mclvor: — 
 
 " I have 12 acres under crop this year, and expect to hr.ve 20 acres 
 more next year. I have 11 of a family; one girl, aged 16, is nearly 
 blind, and in the hospital at Winnipeg. I have to complain of things 
 being dear here, and of the doctor who inspected us at Greenock for 
 keeping us long on deck on a very cold night. I like the country, and 
 think all my friends ought to come out here, as it is a grand place. I 
 was much displeased with the country last year, because the crop was a 
 failure; but now I am writing home telling them to come, and to 
 Winnipeg for my brother." 
 
 Pelican LaJce and Killarneif, — This settlement consists of 12 families 
 from Harris and 18 from Lewis, the latter being settled on the opposite 
 side of the lake. These emigrated in 1888. • 
 
 D. McKenzie, Harris, began life with a team, cow and calf, and 
 settled on 160 acres of land. During the first year he broke 8 acres, 
 and in 1890 had 40 acres under crop. His cattle have done well, and 
 he sells enough butter and eggs to keep the house. The winter is not 
 so bad as in the old country, because when the snow comes on it never 
 changes ; so that one day one does not get wet, and the next dry, the 
 same as in the old country. Would not leave the country for the same 
 quantity of land in the old place. There is a good school and a church 
 near the homestead. 
 
 Eoderick McKay, Harris, has put in 44 acres wheat, also 5 acres 
 for his father, who is an old man, and resides on a neighbouring home- 
 stead. The potatoes were an excellent crop, and first-rate quality. 
 He has also broken 10 acres more this season for his father. He has six 
 of a family, who are all well pleased with the country. He has 
 11 cattle, 2 pigs, and lots of poultry. 
 
 D. Stewart, Fort xlugustus : — 
 
 Interviewed Mrs. Stewart. " I did not like the country at first, 
 feeling it very lonesome, as there were no neighbours about ; but I got 
 
Mr. Oeorge Brown's Report. 
 
 81 
 
 icres more 
 tnily. My 
 We have 
 le country, 
 orld for a 
 
 of the 18 
 nstead, he 
 )p the first 
 •ere misled 
 
 1 for next 
 ell pleased 
 3 in three 
 ny friends 
 y. I have 
 lere, and I 
 
 ^e 20 acres 
 , is nearly 
 L of things 
 eenock for 
 untry, and 
 . place. I 
 crop was a 
 le, and to 
 
 12 families 
 le opposite 
 
 1 calf, and 
 ke 8 acres, 
 ) well, and 
 [iter is not 
 m it never 
 it dry, the 
 r the same 
 i a church 
 
 30 5 acres 
 •ing home- 
 e quality. 
 He has six 
 lie has 
 
 ry at first, 
 but I got 
 
 over that in tiinc, and would not now like to leave the place. I have 
 four of a family, and we hope to do well by them in the time to come. 
 We have 70 acres this year under crop, beside potato ground. We have 
 eight cows in calf, five cows giving milk, and a litter of young pigs, which 
 we sell when they are a month old. 1 do not find the winter coldei* 
 than in the old country. I get Od. per lb. for butter, and 5d. per 
 dozen for eggs. This is the grandest country in the world for rearing 
 stock and poultry, as heifers will have a calf wh-n 18 months old." 
 
 The next is the report of an interview Lord Aberdeen had some 
 time after with one of these crofters, and as it is representative, I here 
 reproduce it. The Earl called upon John McTjeod, who is the leading 
 crofter of the settlement, who replied as follows : — 
 
 " Well, my Lord, I can tell you it was a lucky day for myself and 
 family when we went on board the steamer that took us out of 
 Scotland and landed us in this tine country. I have three sons, and 
 they own 160 acres of land each. I own 160 acres myself; making a 
 total of 640 acres. I and my sons work together on the land, and we 
 have about 90 acres under crop. AVe have three yoke of oxen, several 
 cows, and young stock. 
 
 " We have about 900 bushels oE wheat this season, and plenty oats, 
 barley, potatoes, and vegetables. We will have 150 acres under crop 
 next year. We are only three miles from timber at Pelican Lake. 
 There is any amount of fish in the lake, and a large quantity of ducks 
 and geese, and turkeys and prairie chickens on the wheat fields ; when 
 the season for shooting comes in, we can blaze away at them. We 
 have no landlords, no old country gamekeepers to arrest us for shooting 
 game. Our carriages, horses, &c., are free from taxation ; we only pay 
 S30 a year taxes for the whole section of 640 acres. We all like this 
 country. The soil is black vegetable loam from 18 to 24 inches deep, 
 and a rich marly subsoil several feet deep, and a blue clay bottom. 
 Several farmers have raised crops here of wheat for 10 years in 
 succession without manure. I often think of our people in Scotland 
 who are working all their lives for the landlords for just enough to 
 keep soul and body together. Let them come to this country, where 
 they can be free from the grasp of landlordism, and become the owners 
 of an estate of 160 acres of good land as long as grass grows and water 
 runs. We have plenty of room for them in this great North-West 
 country, and I can now with confidence invite them all to come where 
 they can make comfortable homes for themselves and their families." 
 
 The Earl at this point wished to hear of any drawbacks to the 
 countrv. 
 
 " Very well, my son," said McLeod. " If I would tell you any- 
 thing about the dark side, I would be telling you something I know 
 nothing about, because it has been all the bright side with me since I 
 oame here. I am authorised to make this statement by the whole of 
 the crofters in this settlement. When I first arrived at Killarney, I 
 was offered S2-50 a day for doing mason work, and the first job of 
 mason work I did I got »i2'50 a day ; I can now get S3 a day, but I 
 cannot leave my farm. There is plenty of work here for masons and 
 man labourers, but I prefer to stick to my farm ; and I can say that any 
 
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 vho will work and till his farm properly can iniiko a Rood living hero." 
 
 Moosomin iSettlement. — The crofters who make up this settlement arc, 
 from the estates of Lady Gordon Cathcart. .' > tiie year 188,'}, owinp to 
 the congested state of some parts of these estates, there was an otftn- 
 made of ill 00 to the head of each family who desired to emigrate to tlir 
 ]^^orth-West. This sum was to be expended, along with the amount 
 obtained by the sale of tlieir farm stock, in their transport, and to enable 
 them to begin life with some hope of success ir. their new liomes Fifty- 
 six families availed themselves of the offer, 11 going out the first year, 
 and 4.) following the succeeding one. The money a ' ivnced waa secured 
 under the yoth clause of the Dominion Land Act. The location selected 
 is near the town of Moosomin ; the country around being rolling, or 
 undulating, with gullies and creeks scattered about in its area. The 
 soil is a good loam, and in many parts covered with scrub. Good 
 bottom land, as well as water, is abundant. A country well adapted for 
 mixed farming. 
 
 D. McDonald, South Uist : — 
 
 Has been fairly successful, but had a bad crop last year owing to 
 drought. Has no complaint to make against the country. " I had 
 18 acres under crop last year, and will put in three more this season. 
 1 have two cows, four other cattle, and one team of oxen, and have got 
 all the implements I require, self-binder included. I might go back to 
 the old country, but would not stay there, as this is a healthy place, 
 and a man is more independent. Besides, I have got a very good crop 
 this year." 
 
 JFarquhar Beaton, South Uist : — 
 
 Had very little money when he came to the country. Has now 
 100 acres under wheat, 30 head of cattle, 1 horse, ■ all the im- 
 plements, and a team of oxen. Has a tidy house and ofiices, and 
 farms his land well. Would go back to the old country if he got a 
 very good situation, but would not go back to farm. 
 
 J. Campbell, South Uist : — 
 
 " I have seven cattle, and 40 acres under wheat. I like the country, 
 but would like to \isit the old place." "Would you stay?" "Ocli 1 
 no, no." *' Then you would not farm at home ? " " Na, faith. I ditl 
 not sow all my land this year. If I had done so, I would be rich." 
 
 McKinnon, South Uist^ located at Red Jacket :— 
 
 " I sold 18 to 20 cattle this year, and have on hand 40 head more. 
 I bought a pair of horses for 250 dollars. Seasons are changeable. I 
 have about 80 acres under crop, and have a return of about 2,000 
 bushels wheat." 
 
 Any comment from me is unnecessary, as the preceding interviews, 
 selected haphazard from my note-book, are sufficient evidence as to tlio 
 present position and future prospects of the crofters. I may add th.it 
 on inquiry I found that of the 18 families who left their home- 
 steads, 13 would not take tlie locations selected for them by the 
 officials in the vicinity of the others, but went in a body to the Leech 
 Luke district and selected the land for themselves. Some of the 
 lands are odd-numbered sections, and in consequence belonged to the 
 Manitoba and North-Westevn Railway. The company at once gave 
 
Mr. Oeorge Brown*a lieport. 
 
 ing here." 
 
 -lemont arc, 
 i, owiiif]; to 
 s an otlVr 
 rato to the 
 le uinoiiut 
 i to onahio 
 es. Pifty- 
 first year, 
 as sc^cured 
 )ii selected 
 rolling, or 
 iroa. The 
 nb. Good 
 dapted for 
 
 r ovvnig to 
 ^ " I had 
 his season. 
 1 have got 
 go back to 
 ithy place, 
 good cro]) 
 
 lias now 
 [ the ini- 
 ITices, and 
 ■ he got a 
 
 e country, 
 
 " " Ocii : 
 
 th. 1 did 
 
 rich." 
 
 lead moro. 
 geable. I 
 tout 2,000 
 
 nterview.s, 
 as to tlie 
 y add tluit 
 eir hoine- 
 m by tilt' 
 the Leecli 
 le oi' tho 
 ged to the 
 once gave 
 
 
 the sections to the Government, so that the crofters might homestead. 
 These Hi families left this land of their own selection before they 
 !iad occupied it 18 months. One of the 18 is dead ; one works on the 
 railway, but is to take up his homestead ; the others have moved west. 
 
 On our way back from the North- West I met a delegate from 
 Dakota who travelled over Manitoba with us. He informed me that 
 ho had just completed the purchase of 60 homesteads at Saltcoats, 
 where settlers from Dakota were to migrate ; this district being, he 
 considered, the best selection he could make. 
 
 We now return via Portage-la-Prairie and join the Canadian 
 Pacific. Passing on toward the west, we come to Brandon, the most 
 important wheat market in the province. It has five grain elevators, 
 one flour mill, and a saw-mill. The town lies up from the railway on 
 a high bank, and, although only about six years old, is of a fair size, 
 with a good many substantial buildings, containing a population of about 
 0,400. Near Brandon is the Government Experimental Farm. The 
 farms in the district are excellent, and the soil well suited for wheat- 
 growing. Leaving Brandon, we come to Wol«eley, where we stopped 
 on our return journey. We were driven out to Qu'Appelle Valley. 
 The scenery is a considerable deal better than the land, as the latter is 
 low-lying, and seems to have been the bottom of a recent river. Culti- 
 vation is tried here and there, with fair results. The land lying on the 
 higher lands is fair loam, and suited for dairy and mixed farming. > 
 
 Our next stop is at Eegina, the capital of the North- West, 
 visiting Indian Head on our way. Here is situated the North-West 
 Experimental Farm, as also the famous Bell and Brassey Farma. The 
 Bell Farm is a big undertaking — much too big for one man to carry out 
 the work with economy. It is 13,000 acres in extent, and takes a ride 
 of 27 miles to go round it. There are 1,600 acres under wheat this 
 year, and Major Bell expects to put in 3,000 acres next year. The 
 produce is about 25 bushels per acre, and the cost of production from 
 M to S5 per acre. There is frequently 40 per cent, lost by frost, 
 which might be saved to a considerable extent if the farm was 
 divided into holdings of one-twentieth the size. One furrow outwards 
 and another homew ds is the half-day's work fo* a man and pair of 
 horses. The climate is unsuitable; that is, it is too big a risk to 
 have a grain farm pure and simple so far west and north, although 
 mixed farming would leave money. 
 
 The Brassey Farm has just been started, and consists of 40,000 
 acres. A commencement has been made by establishing a fair lot of 
 Clydesdale mares, the intention being to breed horses of greater bone 
 and substance, which will soon • be required for farm purposes. There 
 is also a fair herd of cattle. The land is fair. Grain-growing is also 
 to be taken up as time goes on. 
 
 Eegina is situated on a level plain, the surrounding country being 
 flat, and suitable for grazing sheep. We visited the exhibition there, 
 
 nnrl anw anmo o-vfrn orinrl rnnf.a -nnt.ntnfis Vipinff n. vprv trnnd show. ThprA 
 
 was also an excellent exhibit of butter, which would make it appear 
 that dairy farming might be taken up with success. This is the 
 
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 mimmaDi 
 
34 
 
 Thf Agricultural Betouree* of Canada. 
 
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 hoadquartfi-s of the Mounted Police, many of whom were seeu by ubi 
 they appear to ho an efllcient body of men. 
 
 We next make our way up the now line of railway to Prince Albert, 
 
 which lies on the Saskatchewan River. We have hero a great country 
 
 extending west by Battleford to Edmonton, well adapted for mixed 
 
 farming, the land btsing very much Kiiiiilar to that in the vicinity of 
 
 Indian Jlead, but rolling, with valleys and knolls covered with scrub 
 
 which affords good shelter for stock. Water is plentiful in most parts! 
 
 While there, I visited a few farmers in the neighbourhood, and was weli 
 
 pleased with the general appearance of the country. Sheep are reared 
 
 m this district, and considering the great extent of some of the prairie 
 
 lands (200 miles), thousands might well take the place of the hundreds 
 
 at present in the hands of a few ranchers. These run out on the prairie 
 
 during summer, and feed on hay during winter. While visiting 
 
 Mr. Plaxton I was shown some two-rowed barley grown by him, the 
 
 best sample I have seen anywhere, either at home or in Canada. There 
 
 can be no doubt this variety can be grown here. To make sure, I 
 
 examined his stacks and found the sample obtained by rubbing out a 
 
 few heads to be equally as good— fine, plump grain, well coloured, and fit 
 
 for brewers. Until lately four-rowed barley— the "here," or "bigg," 
 
 of tae North of Scotland— has been grown almost exclusively in 
 
 Canada, there being a good market in the United States for this 
 
 variety. Barley of a better quality can, however, be grown, and will 
 
 find a ready sale in the markets of Great Britain. Tt is, therefore, 
 
 simply a question of time when two-rowed barley will take the place of 
 
 the inferior variety, as there can be no fear of it attaining full maturity 
 
 in a climate where wheat can be grown. 
 
 All this district is as yet almost untouched in the way of settle- 
 ment, so that there are great opportunities for farmers with some 
 means to take up locations in the district. On our return we passed 
 through a great extent of very diversified country; plain, valley, 
 mountam, and timber following in succession until we again arrive at 
 Kegina, and away west towards Moosejaw, when we enter upon the 
 great alkali plain, which is the northern portion of the American 
 desert, or " bad lands " of the States. How these plains are to be 
 economised has often be^a the subject of discussion amongst the 
 members of the delegation. The grazing of sheep has been suggested; 
 but It must be kept m view that sheep grazing upon alkaline lands are 
 subject to a disease known as "pining," or " vanquish." This we know to 
 be the fact in this country, as seen where sheep are kept on the granite 
 formation, especially during drought. The disease is said to be due 
 to alkaline poisoning (potash or soda), and the only remedy seems to 
 be a change to a district lying over a different formation. 
 
 Sheep might be grazed during a part of the. year on these plains, 
 but care and judgment would be necessary, so that a change of ground 
 would be given at the proper time. As to cultivation, there can be no 
 great prospect until all the best lands are taken up, and the margin for 
 cultivation thereby increased. 
 
 Proceeding along the line, we arrive at Dunmore, the centre of the 
 11 tarms of 10,000 acres each belonging to the Canadian Colonisation 
 
 
seeu by u« ; 
 
 ince Albert, 
 )at countrj, 
 i for mixed 
 I vicinity of 
 with scrub, 
 most parts, 
 [id was well 
 » are reared 
 the prairie 
 e hundreds 
 the prairie 
 \o visiting 
 ly him, the 
 da. There 
 ike sure, I 
 bing out a 
 red, and fit 
 or "bigg," 
 lusively in 
 Bs for this 
 a, and will 
 therefore, 
 h'^ place of 
 U maturity 
 
 of settle- 
 
 with some 
 
 we passed 
 
 in, valley, 
 
 . arrive at 
 
 upon the 
 
 American 
 
 are to be 
 
 ongst the 
 
 suggested ; 
 
 ! lands are 
 
 ^e know to 
 
 he granite 
 
 to be due 
 
 7 seems to 
 
 ese plains, 
 of ground 
 can be no 
 aargin for 
 
 itre of the 
 lonisation 
 
 Mr, Oeorge Brovm'a Report, 
 
 35 
 
 
 and Coal Company, formerly Sir John Kaye Listor'a farms. Those 
 extent^ along the line from the vicinity of Regina until Calgary is 
 reached. " Thore are 10,000 acres uuder crop this year, the greater 
 bulk being oats and barley. Oats are sown in May. Hot winds and 
 drought did a deal of damage. Where wheat was sown the pro- 
 duce was 25 bushels per acre. Oats sell at 2s. 6d. pt-r bushel if 
 kept till spring. When damaged by frost the crop is converted 
 into winter fodder, so that the loss is lessoned. It is important 
 to get the ploughing done in the fall, as the dry weather affects 
 the land in spring. Id future we shall only grow crops for winter feed. 
 There are 7,000 to 8,000 cattle, 400 mares, and 23,000 sheep on 
 the farms. The best mares are heavy draught ones, obtained from 
 Ontario, which are put to stallions imported from the South of 
 Scotland (Clydes). The horses which did best last year were those whicix 
 were allowed to run out all winter on the prairie. These were found 
 in spring to bo shaggy in the coat and quite fat. Have aold lately 
 mare and foal for £60, and can get .£60 for :. team of horses. Farmers 
 here grudge the fees fbr imported stallions, and use scruo horses 
 instead. We have imported a krge number of Cheviot and Leicester 
 rams ; the ewes are Merino. Jheviot rama take the lead for crossing, 
 Shropshire second, and Leicester the third place. Black-faced rheep 
 would do well here, as they are hardy, and would not require winter 
 shelter. We have sheep-sheds or other shelter for the winter. 90 per 
 cent, of lambs are dropped; and we have killed them when weaned 
 40 lbs., dressed. We kill 60 steers and 150 sheep per month to supply 
 our customers and ^he dining cars of the Canadian Pacific Eailway. 
 Last winter we did not use any hay. Sheep do well on the prairies 
 up till September, when they are taken to winter quarters ; one man 
 can manage 2,OU0, with assistance at lambing and during storms. 
 Vermin and scab do not appear amongst the flock here. Merino ewes 
 cnst lis. each, and the wool pays all costs of production. We use 
 Shorthorn and Polled Angus bulls, and have plenty of calves, which 
 are doing well. Use Galloway and Angus bulls to cross with the 
 scrub cow." Such is the outline given us by Mr. Stone, the manager of 
 the company, and it gives a fair idea of farming on a large scale in the 
 North- West. He arranged a round-up of horses near the railway line, 
 and from what we saw we vv'ere of opinion that the great bulk of the 
 young horses were just those needed for the country. 
 
 At last Calgary is reached — a nice town, lying at the junction of 
 the Bow and Elbow Eivers. "^„ lies in a hollow, and is surrounded on 
 three sides by high-lying lands. Five of the delegates arranged with 
 Messrs. Stone and Alexandex^ to drive out south and see some of the 
 ranches in that direction. 
 
 In our drive, some 40 miles out, we passed through perhaps the 
 best ranching country in North Ajnerica ; the various requirements 
 necessary for this branch being present at every turn — good water, 
 
 (fnn(\ nViplfor 
 
 crnc\(\ 
 o * 
 
 ViaxT- Innrl 
 
 nria onfl f.Vm -iirViolo ^li»Yiq4-f» rv-P 
 
 
 La t'i. X 
 
 tempered during the season by the warm breezes of the chinook winds. 
 But not only to the large rancher is this district suitable, but the 
 smaller capitalists can make a larger return for their money than even 
 
 ni.— D 2 
 
 
 {*,.. 
 
 v.," 
 
 H- .-V 4 1 
 
 1 
 
-J.';,' 
 
 ■ .'■■« 
 
 
 36 
 
 The Agr'ieidturnl Resources of Canada. 
 
 those with more capitul can obtain. 500 head being more readily 
 managed than 5,000, the loss is diminished ; and this loss often means 
 a large profit if it can be averted or mitigated. We passed a good 
 
 BANCa SCKNB, ALBERTA. 
 
 many houses of these settlers on the way, all of whom seemed to be 
 prospering. Coming to High Eiver Ranch, we stayed the night, return- 
 ing to Calgary next day. There are COO horses on this ranch. On tlio 
 average of seasons 250 foals are dropped, being 90 per cent. The loss 
 last year was 10 foals and 3 mares. On another ranch 300 horses 
 were kept, the mares being crossed with Clyde and Percheron stallions 
 85 per cent, foals dropped. No hay given during winter ; nu loss, and 
 ho jes look as well in spring as in the fall. A neighbour had eight steers 
 which ran in the open all winter and came in during spring fit for the 
 butcher. Another told us 80 head of cattle ran out all winter, and 
 were found in good condition in spring. These experiences are sufficient 
 evidence as to the character of the district. 
 
 Leaving Calgary, we now approach the Eocky Mountains, and come 
 into contact with one of nature's greatest and grandest works. Hour 
 after hour is passed in which the most magnificent scenery meets the 
 eye, now abrupt, then undulating, again opening up in a vast vista in 
 which are seen mountain overreaching mountain, until the mig'lity 
 Selkirks are seen overtopping the lower ranges. It would require the 
 pen of the poet or the pencil of tne artist to even faintly depict it, and 
 It IS therefore outside the province of the rustic pen, so let us resume. 
 Looking at these freaks of nature from an agricultural standpomt, they 
 
 
lore readily 
 >ften means 
 3sed a good 
 
 emed to be 
 ht, return- 
 1. On tlio 
 The loss 
 300 horses 
 a stallions. 
 u loss, and 
 ight steers 
 fit for the 
 inter, and 
 6 'Sufficient 
 
 I, and come 
 ks. Hour 
 meets the 
 st vista, in 
 lie miglity 
 •equire the 
 )ict it, and 
 us resume, 
 joint, they 
 
 
 Mr. Georgij Brown's Iteport. 
 
 37 
 
 are not in it ; so we shall pass Banff, with its springs, and pass on to 
 British Columbia, which has been compared to a " sea of mountains." 
 
 TAMCOUTBB. 
 
 British ColumUa. — The main feature of the province is the 
 immense forests it contains. So great are these that it has been 
 said, " Scotland might be buried in one of them and never be 
 seen." This is, indeed, a land of great trees, rivers teeming with 
 fish, and mountains containing vast mineral deposits. How to 
 develop these are the problems which are being daily brought under 
 the notice of the Canadian public. The climate of the province 
 in the south is mild and humid; further north the summer is 
 shorter, and winter longer and more variable. All kinds of fruit are 
 grown to near perfection in the open air. Agricultural land is 
 not so plentiful as in the provinces east of the Eocky Mountains, the 
 country being nearly all covered with heavy timber. We were told of 
 great stretches of lands, lying between the Cascade and the Eocky 
 Mountains, at Spallumcheen, Okanagan Valley, and Kootenay ; but 
 the difficulties of transport will affect their development for some 
 time. While at New Westminster , we visited the " Delta," and 
 from Vancouver City, Lulu Island. These are made up of alluvial 
 deposits, and lie low, dyking having to be done in many parts of 
 Lulu Island. As the canning of fruit (a beginning being already 
 made) becomes developed, all this land will be converted into fruit 
 gardens. The clearing of the forests for the purpose of growing 
 
 rf-"- i. 
 
 •:-i:~- 
 
 '.»: 
 
 •'i« 
 
 •r li 
 
 J^; 
 
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 •i ''i 
 
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■».■ 
 
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 111!'; 
 
 I ■ 
 
 
 •i, ■• ■ 
 
 m 
 
 38 
 
 iP/ie Agriculhiral Resources of Canada. 
 
 wheat or other farm produce would not pay at present prices, 
 ap the cost would be very heavy. When, however, the price for lumber 
 increases, so that the settler can sell his trees instead ol: burning them, 
 the clearance of the forest will become universal, as the climate and soil 
 would simply warm the heart of every good farmer. When on a visit to 
 New Westminster, we inspected the saw-mills, which are very extensive, 
 the chief markets for lumber and manufactured articles being Japan, 
 Australia, &c. As this is one of the centres of the fishing industry, 
 and as this subject is of great interest to the fishermen all over the 
 North of Scotland, I here add a few notes obtained from Mr. Mowat, 
 Inspector of Fisheries. Canned salmon can be landed in London with a 
 profit at l^d. per lb. Each fish weighs on an average 10 lbs. to 20 lbs., 
 and costs on an average 6d. on the Eraser Eiver. Men are engaged 
 at from ®2 to S2| per day. A few of the fishermen, who own their 
 boats and nets, get from 4|d. to 6d. per fish they land ; others work 
 on the half system— that is, the cannery supplies the boat and nets, 
 and get half the fish caught, and pay 4|d. per fish for the other half. 
 Fishing commences during the first week of July, and continues for six 
 weeks. 
 
 The varieties taken are the quinnat, or spring fish, the saw-quai, 
 or redfish, and the cohoe, silver or fall fish. When the fishermen are 
 through with the salmon fishing, white or deep-sea fishing is taken up. 
 The creeks and rivers along the coast and the deep sea are teeming 
 with every kind of fish. Fishermen make from £200 to £250 during 
 the season. The salmon fishing commenced in the Columbia Eiver in 
 1865, and reached in 1873 to a take of 60,000,000 lbs. of salmon ; 
 afterwards this take fell off to about half, the river being over-fished. 
 The Eraser, the Naas, and the Skeena are, however, the chief salmon 
 fishing rivers in British Columbia, and, to obviate the possibility of 
 their being over-fished, the Dominion Government have established a 
 hatchery near the Eraser Eiver, out of which 7,000,000 salmon fry are 
 sent yearly into those rivers. 
 
 There is a most valuable fish, called the cole, or skil, caught off the 
 coast of Vancouver and Queen Charlotte's Island, in from 150 to 200 
 fathoms, which is of great value on account of the oil obtained from it, 
 and the fine flavour of the fish. 
 
 These fish are caught by line and hooks in great numbers, and are 
 likely to tpke the place of mackerel in the American markets. But these 
 are not ;./ any means the only kind, as the whole coast away towards the 
 North litorally swarms with all kinds of white fish. This industry only 
 awaits development. To me it appears that British Columbia offers 
 great inducements to our Northern and West Coast fishermen to settle, 
 as fishing and farming could be combined here with some ho])e of 
 success. New markets will be opened up when the mining industry 
 is begun in earnest. There can be no doubt in the mind of anyone 
 who is acquainted with the circumstances at home and those in British 
 Columbia, that our fishing population in great numbers would find a 
 congenial home in this province, and by ordinary care and industry 
 place themselves in a very short time in au infinitely better position 
 than ever they could do at home, 
 
sent prices, 
 } for lumber 
 rning them, 
 ate and soil 
 on a visit to 
 J extensive, 
 eing Japan, 
 ig industry, 
 all over the 
 Mr. Mowat, 
 ndon vi'ith a 
 J. to 20 lbs., 
 ire engaged 
 own their 
 )thers work 
 ,t and nets, 
 other half, 
 aues for six 
 
 le saw-quai, 
 bermen are 
 i taken up. 
 re teeming 
 250 during 
 a River in 
 )f salmon ; 
 over-fished, 
 lief salmon 
 ssibility of 
 tablished a 
 Lon fry are 
 
 ght off the 
 150 to 200 
 ed from it, 
 
 rs, and are 
 But these 
 owards the 
 [ustry only 
 abia offers 
 1 to settle, 
 e ho])e of 
 5 industry 
 of anyone 
 in British 
 )uld find a 
 I industry 
 sr position 
 
 Mr. George Brow Js Report. 
 
 39 
 
 When one considers the great mineral resources of British Columbia, 
 we may say that, except gold and coal, this great source of wealth is 
 practically untouched. The iron, copper, silver, lead, &c., which the 
 mountain ranges and river basins are known to contain will yet be 
 explored and opened up. "When this occurs, British Columbia will be 
 looked upon as one of the wealthiest provinces in the Dominion. 
 Capital has already begun to flow in this direction, and judging from 
 what the Columbians have already done, a very few years will mark 
 the rise and progress of this most pleasant province. 
 
 Vancouver Island lies about 80 miles from the mainland, and 
 contains the capital city. The chief agricultural part lies south-east 
 — of no great extent. Although good tracts of land are scattered 
 throughout the island, still the whole place is heavily timbered, and 
 would require money to clear it. At Kanaimo coal-mining is exten- 
 sively carried on, much of it finding its way across the Pacific, down to 
 California, &c. 
 
 In a big country like Canada, where soil, climate, and surroundings 
 are so varied, it is often a most difficult matter for the ordinary farmer 
 to choose a location, and, when chosen, to decide what kind of crops 
 will be suitable for the climate and soil. In a new country, where the 
 population is thinly spread over the land, experiments to find out the 
 proper kind of crop to sow can hardly be undertaken by a new settler. 
 The Dominion Government, keeping in view these circumstances, have 
 come to the relief of the farmers of the country by the establish- 
 ment of an Experimental Parm in each province — Nappan for 
 
 ■ZFIRIHBNTAL FARM, OTTAVl. 
 
 
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 r^g Agricultural Resources of Canada. 
 
 the Maritime Provinces, Ottawa for Quebec and Ontario, Brandon 
 for Manitoba, Indian Head for the North-West, and Agassiz for 
 British Columbia. From the central farm at Ottawa, in charge of 
 Professor Saunders, the others take the cue. Here crops, flocks and 
 herds, pigs and poultry, all undergo a most crucial test as to their 
 various qualities, and adaptability for the country. When a success has 
 been made at Ottawa, it is further tested at each of the farms, and 
 adopted in the locality where it attains its greatest maturity. 
 
 Prom what has been written, it may be inferred which parts I 
 consider the most favoured and suitable for the various degrees of the 
 tillers of the soil. I can only add that no man will regret going to 
 Canada to begin life there, provided he makes up his mind to work, and 
 exercises -ordinary caution. And I conclude by giving it the highest 
 praise a man can give — viz., were it possible for me to break all the 
 ties and change the responsibilities which surround me here, I would 
 go to Canada and stay there. 
 
 lUrMTBD tABU, HOTA mm^Jk. 
 
), Brandon 
 ^gassiz for 
 L charge of 
 flocks and 
 as to their 
 success has 
 farms, and 
 
 ch parts I 
 rees of the 
 t going to 
 work, and 
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 3ak all the 
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 The Agricultural Resources of Canada, 
 
 THE REPORT OF MR. JOHN 8PEIR, 
 Newton Farm, Newton, Glasgow. 
 
 I HAD the honour of beiilg appoitited to represent the South of 
 Scotland as one of the farmer delegates invited by the Canadian 
 Government to visit the Dominion' 4o report on its agricultural 
 resources, and, leaving Glasgow on 20th August, I sailed from Liver- 
 pool the following day in ono of the Allan I^ne steam '^'•c. Aftsi- a 
 rather rough passage I landed at Quebec, and had a look round 
 
 it, proceeded to Ottawa to see th6 Miniote. agriculture (Hon. 
 
 John Carling). Here I found I was the first ^o arrive, and while I 
 waited on the others, I twice visited the Government Eyperimental 
 Farm there, the different industries carried on at Ottawa and Montreal, 
 and the country around these cities and Toronto. At the latter city I 
 visited Canada's great Industrial Exhibition, and made excursions into 
 the districts around Niagara, Hamilton, and Guelph, where I visited the 
 Ontario Government Experimental Farm. The last of the delegates 
 having turned up at Toronto, a special sleeping car was hired, and we 
 all proceeded by the Grand Trunk EaUway to North Bay, and thence 
 by the Canadian Pacific Eailway to Winnipeg. From Winnipeg 
 excursions were made both north and south along the Bed Eiver ; then 
 the South Western Bailwav was followed to Carman, which is a branch 
 terminus, and to Glenbor Adhere the railway just now ends. Fiom 
 there a drive was made to the Scotch crofter settlement around Pelican 
 Lake, and from thence north to Brandon. A day was spent driving 
 round the farms about Brandon, and visiting the Dominion Government 
 Experimental Farm there, after which we went on to Eapid City, and 
 from it by rail to Minnedosa, then up the Manitoba and North Western 
 Eailway to Saltcoats, the present terminus. Around Saltcoats we had 
 two-days' driving, one south and the other north, and on the latter day 
 we visited the most of the familiea composing the crofter settlement 
 there. Leaving Saltcoats we went down the railway to Binscarth, then 
 north on a branch line to Eussell, which is the present terminus. Here 
 we visited Dr. Bamardo's Home for Boys, retraced our steps to 
 Binscarth, visited the Stock Breeding Farm of the Scottish Ontario 
 Land Company there, then passed on to Birtle, saw the Agricultural 
 Show being held that day, had a drive round the district, and then passed 
 on to ^ Neepawa. Here another day was passed seeing the farms and 
 interviewing the farmers, after which we moved on to Portage-la- 
 Prairie, where another day was spent seeing the district and people. 
 
 Here we again joined the Canadian Pacific Eailway, which was 
 followed to Indian Head, where we examined the Dominion Govern- 
 ment Experimental Farm, the Bell Farm, and the Brassey Farm. 
 Leaving Indian Head, we went on to Eegina, where a short stay was 
 made, and thence by a new branch line just finished we passed on to 
 Prince Albert. Having had a day's driving round Prince Albert, we 
 again returned to Eegina, where an exhibition of roots, vegetables, &c,. 
 
Mr. John Speir'a Report, 
 
 43 
 
 ^, 
 
 le South of 
 le Canadian 
 agricultural 
 from Liver- 
 »":;. After a 
 a look round 
 Iture (Hon. 
 and while I 
 ixperimental 
 id Montreal, 
 latter city I 
 !ursions into 
 I visited the 
 he delegates 
 red, and we 
 , and thence 
 I Winnipeg 
 Eiver; then 
 I is a branch 
 mds. From 
 >und Pelican 
 jent driving 
 ilovernment 
 id City, and 
 rth "Western 
 ioats we had 
 e latter day 
 • settlement 
 scarth, then 
 inus. Here 
 ir steps to 
 ish Ontario 
 Agricultural 
 then passed 
 farms and 
 Portage-la- 
 . people, 
 which was 
 3n Govern- 
 ssey Farm. 
 »rt stay was 
 issed on to 
 Albert, we 
 ^tables, &c,. 
 
 
 was being held, and which we visited. The day following a move was 
 made westward to Medicine Hat, where a short stop was made to visit 
 a show of roots, grains, &c., which was being held there. Still going 
 westward, another short stop was made at Crane Lake, to view a large 
 breeding stud of horses belonging to the Caniidian Ajfricultural Com- 
 pany; after which a halt was not made till Calgary was reached. 
 Around Calgary three days were spent visiting cattle, horse, and sheep 
 ranches, mixed farms, and an exhibition of cattle, horses, sheep, grain, &c. 
 Leaving Calgary, a stop was made for a day at Banff, where there are 
 hot sulphur springs, after which we went on to New Westminster, which 
 is the end of a short branch line, 18 miles from the terminus of the 
 railway on the Pacific coast. Prom here a short sail was taken up the 
 Fraser Eiver, then down to Ladner's Landing, during which several of 
 the salmon canneries were visited. From the landing I drove over to 
 Boundary Bay, visiting one fruit and vegetable farm, one stock farm, 
 and several mixed farms on the way. Eetuming from Boundary Bay, I 
 crossed the Fraser Eiver in one of the large and handsome passenger 
 and freight steamers, to Stevenson, from which I dro"e across Lulu 
 Island to Vancouver, where I joined the rest of the company. After 
 having had a look round Vancouver and its vicinity, we took steamer 
 for Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island. Here I visited and descended one of 
 the pits of the Vancouver Coal Company, and then took rail to Victoria. 
 Two days and a half were spent in and around the district north of 
 Victoria, after which we returned per steamer to Vancouver, and from 
 thence per rail to New Westminster. Here we joined the regular 
 up-river steamer, which conveyed us to Sumass, from which we drove 
 through the Chilliwack Valley to Popcum, where we entered Indian 
 canoes, and sailed three miles down the river to opposite Agassiz 
 railway station, where we landed, and after hurriedly visiting the 
 Dominion Government Experimental Farm there, again joined the 
 eastward-bound train. On the way back to Winnipeg, some of the 
 party dropped off at Calgary, Eegina, and Brandon, and I went off and 
 passed a day around Wolseley, and another at Moosomin, where I 
 visited a number of the Lady Cathcart crofters ; after which I went 
 on to Winnipeg. From there I returned round the south side of the 
 lakes, via St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Chicago, to Port Huron, entering 
 Ontario at the south-west corner. From this I went to London, 
 thence north, via Clinton, Bly the, and Wingham, to Kincardine. North 
 of Kincardine I spent a portion of one day, and then drove south about 
 12 miles, and from there on to Wingham, Palmerston, Guelph, ard 
 Toronto, where I again joined the other delegates. The following day 
 was spent driving through the coxxntry about 12 or 15 miles north of 
 Toronto, wWe, among others, we visited Mr. Eussell's excellent stock 
 of Shorthorns and Clydesdales. From Toronto we went to Ottawa, 
 and then on to Montreal, from which I drove out to see the 
 very good stocks of Ayrshires belonging to Messrs. Brown and 
 Drummond. The following day we went by rail to Quebec, where 
 we joined the Allan Line steamer "Parisian," and, after a fairly 
 good passage of nine days, arrived at Liverpool on 22nd November, 
 and I got home rather late that night. 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 \A 
 
 am 
 
44 
 
 The Agricultural Resources of Canada, 
 
 , 'I ■ 
 
 \¥ •< 
 
 •^ 1-.' 
 
 V ;, 
 
 -i^ 
 
 Soil and General Appeabance. 
 
 Quebec. — Much of the hind of the Province of Quebec is rather 
 disappointing, a large extent of it being thin and poor, and, where 
 deep enough, in many cases it is very damp, the whole province 
 evidently being much in need of under-draining. Eound Ottawa 
 and Montreal there are many good farms, but the bulk of the land 
 even there is shallow, the rock in many cases lying quite close to 
 the surface. Market-gardening and fruit cultivation are carried on 
 to a considerable extent a few miles outside of Montreal, the bulk of 
 which is done by the French Canadians, and, although as a rule the 
 farming of the province is not up to the standard of British ideas, 
 still that around JMontreal does credit to those engaged in it. Of the 
 flat or good land of Quebec, little is now carrying timber, but recently 
 cleared fields, with the blackened stumps still standing, are occasionally 
 met with. These show very vividly, the labour which the first settlers 
 must have spent in clearing their farms. 
 
 t ■^rvaiwfi'iwi^tiiit'i-'ui'^'^siMiiiiiii' 
 
 ^"'!:irjiiBir{int.i,t 
 
 VIEW OP QUBBEO. 
 
 %; •■■■;,* 
 
 lil^: 
 
 Ontario. — "Unless in the North, the greater bulk of the Province of 
 Ontario is all first-class land, and much of it really of a very superior 
 quality. In a general way, it may be said that the land along the lakes 
 is all good, as is also that north and north-east of Toronto, while a 
 little west of that city it is rather indifferent. At and near Guelph, 
 the land becomes fairly good again, and from there south by Hamilton, 
 Niagara, east by London, and north through County Huron, the soil is 
 all that can be desired, and the farming generally very good. The 
 farm dwelling-houses are usually built of wood (but several here and 
 there are of brick and stone), as are also the farm buildings, most of 
 which have a neat and clean appearance. The bulk of the farms are 100 
 acres in extent, but a few are to be found 200 and 300 acres, and even 
 more. The fields usually contain about 10 acres, the principal fence 
 being the rail one. 
 
 Manitoba. — The fertility of the soil of the Prairie Province, as it is 
 called, can scarcely be surpassed by that of any other country. The whole 
 region, from the Eed Eiver to the Eoeky Mountains, appears to have 
 been at comparatively recent times, the bed of an immense lake. The 
 greater part of this vast area, which must be travelled over to be realised, 
 
 f- 
 
uebec is rather 
 
 lor, and, where 
 
 tvhole province 
 
 Round Ottawa 
 
 ilk of the land 
 
 quite close to 
 
 are carried on 
 
 al, the bulk of 
 
 as a rule the 
 
 : British ideas, 
 
 in it. Of the 
 
 r, but recently 
 
 ire occasionally 
 
 he first settlers 
 
 he Province of 
 
 p very superior 
 
 long the lakes 
 
 'onto, while a 
 
 near Guelph, 
 
 by Hamilton, 
 
 ron, the soil is 
 
 ■y good. The 
 
 eral here and 
 
 iings, most of 
 
 farms are 100 
 
 ores, and even 
 
 rincipal fence 
 
 avince, as it is 
 •y. The whole 
 pears to have 
 ise lake. The 
 to be realised, 
 
 Mr. John Speir^t Report. 
 
 45 
 
 is underlain by deep beds of a greyish-white clay, on the top of which 
 are from 9 to 24 ijches of black vegetable mould. The greater 
 portion of this mould is the remains of former generations of plants, a 
 considerable portion of the richness of which is undoubtedly due to the 
 ashes left by the repeated and long-continued burning of the prairie 
 grass. These prairies have for generations been annually devastated by 
 fire, and from the continued accumulation of ash, no one need be surprised 
 at the richness of the soil, more particularly when it is combined with 
 such a large quantity of vegetable matter as this soil contains. In the 
 southern and middle districts of this province, are to be found millions 
 of acres of the finest farming land to be met with anywhere, and these 
 same plains produce a quality of wheat wh^ch sells in Britain higher 
 than that of any other country. Unless in the north, the land as a 
 rule is generally flat, with very few interruptions in the way of water- 
 courses or hills, so that plough furrows may often be run for mile after 
 mile without any interruption. To an Old Country farmer this seems 
 incredible, and he cannot understand how the rain and melted snow are 
 carried ofE without rivers. In Manitoba the rainfall is very light, and 
 the air is so dry that the greater portion of it is sucked up by the soil 
 and air, and very little of it indeed passes ofE by the few rivers which 
 the country contains. 
 
 Northern Manitoba is more rolling or hillocky, and is better 
 watered and timbered than the middle or southern portions of the 
 province. In many districts the land is equally as good, but, lying 
 
 A JFAaM-HOUBB IN TBB N7RTH-WBST TERRITORIBS. 
 
 {Dratmx by Colonel Fane.) 
 
 \ 
 
 
 '•'■ 
 
 
 pi\ -X 
 
 4., 
 
 .«rj' 
 
 :* • ,11 
 

 • • 
 
 
 1 / 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 .'> 
 
 
 'h 
 
 
 
 I • ■ 
 
 ' ■\ 
 
 • k 
 I 
 
 ■■'1 
 
 ■V 
 
 ' ' ! 
 
 46 
 
 TAtf Agricultural Resources of Canada. 
 
 18 
 
 farther north and at a considerably higher altitude, the summer 
 not so long, and autumn frosts are said to be more frequent. 
 
 Msiniboia.—Thia territory extends from near Moosomin to the 
 junction of the Bow and South Saskatchewan Eivers, and goes about as 
 far north of the Canadian Pacific Kailway, as the United States boundary 
 IS south of it. "West of Indian Head the depth of black soil becomes less 
 until about Eegina it is only from 4 to 6 inches thick, with a rich clay 
 soil under. Northward from Eegina the black mould increases, until it 
 is about the same depth as in Manitoba, before the northern limits of the 
 territory is reached. Westward from Eegina for some distance the 
 land 18 much the same as it is around the capital; but as the western 
 boundary is approached it is not so good, and wheat-growing on an 
 extensive scale becomes more risky. 
 
 SasJcatchewan.~Thi3 territory is the one north of Assiniboia. It is 
 the same width as the latter, and extends as far north as settlement has 
 yet gone. The Saskatchewan Eiver runs across it from west to east, and 
 forms an excellent waterway for several months of the year from Lake 
 Winnipeg westwards, and on which ply several steamers of considerable 
 size. Erom the south of the territory to Prince Albert there are 
 yast stretches of excellent land, generally well watered, and most of 
 it with sufficient timbev for fuel and fencing. In the immediate 
 vicinity of the capital, the land is very rolling, but a few miles south 
 it becomes more level and better suited for cultivation. The soil is 
 deep and black, and beirg generally well watered and sheltered, appears 
 more suited by nature for mixed farming than grain-growing. North 
 of Prince Albert, little has been done in the way if settlement, but 
 all along the banlcs of the river from Prince Albert to Edmonton, in 
 Alberta, a considerable area of land has been taken up. 
 
 Alberta.— All the country between Assiniboia and Saskatchewan on 
 the one side and the Eocky Mountains on the other is called Alberta. 
 It is the great ranching territory of the Dominion, the bulk of the land 
 being as yet more given up to grazing than cropping. As a rule, the 
 surface is not so flat as either Assiniboia or Manitoba, but, like the 
 former, a great extent of it is underlain by immense beds of clay 
 through which the rivers have cut deep and wide tracks. Calgary the 
 capital, lies in one of these valleys, 150 to 200 feet or more below the 
 level of the surrounding country. The soU of Alberta is not so rich as 
 Manitoba, but it has equally as good a summer climate, and certainly 
 a very much better winter one ; and judging from these, and my own 
 observations, I see no reason why Alberta should not h) as good a 
 general farming country as any of the others, and probably better than 
 some of them. 
 
 British Columhia.—Ml the land between the Eocky Mountains on 
 the east, and the Pacific Ocean on the west, and north of the United 
 States boundary, is comprised in the Province of Bri jh Columbia. Very 
 much of It is mountainous, but along the river valleys and at the mouth 
 ot the Irazer Eiver, and between the vast mountain chains, there are 
 immense tracts of excellent land, suitable for any purpose to which a 
 farmer may wish to put it. Some of the large valleys in the mountains 
 appear to belong to the same formation as the prairie lands of Manitoba, 
 
) summer is 
 it. 
 
 somin to the 
 goes about as 
 ites boundary 
 becomes less, 
 h a rich clay 
 iosea, until it 
 limits of the 
 distance the 
 1 the western 
 swing on an 
 
 niboia. It is 
 
 ttlement has 
 
 b to east, and 
 
 r from Lake 
 
 considerable 
 
 ft there are 
 
 and most of 
 
 e immediate 
 
 miles south 
 
 The soil is 
 
 !red, appears 
 
 ing. North 
 
 tlement, but 
 
 Idmonton, in 
 
 atchewan on 
 lied Alberta, 
 c of the land 
 s a rule, the 
 )ut, like the 
 eds of clay, 
 Calgary, the 
 'e below the 
 ot so rich as 
 nd certainly 
 md my own 
 ) as good a 
 better than 
 
 ountains on 
 : the United 
 mbia. Very 
 t the mouth 
 iSj there are 
 ) to which a 
 e mountains 
 >f Manitoba, 
 
 Mr. John Sinii^s Report. 
 
 47 
 
 w'ile others seem to be even of a later date. Along the river sides and at 
 the mouths of the Fraser River, all the land is alluvial. The delta lands 
 at the mouth of the Fraser are about 30 or 40 miles wide, and triangular 
 
 *.^=fr^-"'rg;ya» ■ 
 
 ^:''M^-- 
 
 ':^^T^ 
 
 
 \ ' iN'5-ri 
 
 cirr OF vicroMA. 
 
 in shape. The leyel of the land is only a very little above that of the se*, 
 and up to quite a recent date it was turned to little account othdr than 
 to graze cattle on or to cut hay from. Now however, these lands are 
 being dyked and drained, similarly to the reclaimed lands of Holland, an4 
 they are likely soon to be, if they are not already, the most valuable agri-, 
 cultural lands in the Dominion. Over all the prdvinCe trees appear t^ 
 grow with astonishing luxuriance, end everywhere immense speciment 
 are to be found, while others of more moderate proportions clothe the 
 mountains from the sea level to near the snow line. 
 
 Climate. 
 
 Quebec and Ontario. — As far as climate is concerned, both provinces 
 may be, practically speaking, considered as one. Of the two, Quebec 
 has the heaviest rainfall, while the winters are also both a little longer 
 and more severe. In both provinces tomatoes do well in the open 
 air, and in the south of Ontario vines and peaches are extensively 
 cultivated ourside. The average rainfall for over 20 years is about 
 25 inches, varying from slightly under 20 to over 40 inches; and 
 while the minimum winter temperature is seldom below 12° F. below 
 zero, the maximum summer temperature is seldom over 93° F. Frost 
 usually sets in about the middle or end of November, and continues on till 
 the beginning or middle of April. The average number of wet days 
 per annum in Ontario is 82-2, and in Quebec is 95-5. 
 
 Manitoba and the JStorth-West Territories. — In the main, the 
 climate of all the North- West may be considered as alike, although, 
 iu minor particulars, some districts often differ much from each 
 
 11 
 
 V,', 
 
 .? :/■/■■•, 
 
 
 
«' 
 
 ■■.,i 
 
 vi^ 
 
 V-;, 
 
 IV'" 
 
 > ■ 
 
 •*«,-• 
 i^ 
 
 > 
 
 48 The Agricultural Retourct* of Canada. 
 
 other. In Manitoba and the North-West Territories, elevation 
 abore the uea and distance north does not always indicate a lowtr 
 summer temperature, or a more severe winter, as is commonly 
 
 T 
 
 A VIEW IN STANIiBY PARK, VAKOOUVTO. 
 
 supposed, for at Winnipeg, which is 733 feet above sea level, and 135 
 feet above Lake Superior, the winter cold is, if anything, more intense 
 than further west, near the Eocky Mountains, where the land is from 
 3,000 feet to 4,000 above sea level. In the wheat, belt of Manitoba, 
 with a difference of elevation of about 1,000 feet from the one side to 
 the other, the winter minimum temperature is about — 30° to — 35° F., 
 while in Assiniboia, which is from 1,000 to 2,000 feet higher, the 
 minimum winter temperature appears to run from —25° to —30° F. 
 and in Alberta, which is about another 1,000 feet higher, the mini- 
 mum winter temperature runs from — 20° to — 23° F. The minimum 
 temperatures recorded during winter at Calgary and Banff are thus 
 nffnn ^0° V. warmfir than at Winninejy. although the former is 
 3,388 feet and the latter 4,500 feet above sea level, while Winnipeg 
 
ies, elevation 
 icate a lower 
 is commonly 
 
 '^-^"^ 
 
 
 level, and 135 
 more intense 
 land is from 
 of Manitoba, 
 le one side to 
 
 = to -35° r., 
 
 t higher, the 
 to -30° F. 
 ler, the mini- 
 The minimum 
 anff are thus 
 he former is 
 lile Winnipeg 
 
 Sir. John Speir^t Report. 
 
 49 
 
 is only 733 above sea level. Even at Edmonton, which is nearljr 
 200 miles due north of Calgary, the minimum of winter is much 
 less than at Winnipeg; so that strangers unacquainted with the 
 country, its elevation or meteorology, should not fancy that because 
 any district lies farther north or at a higher elevation, it of necessity 
 must bo colder, for in these territories such is not the case. 
 
 Contrary to popular belief as are the facts with regard to the 
 winter temperature, thoy are no better in summer. Although the 
 greater part of Manitoba is 350 miles farther north than Ontario, it is 
 generally hotter there during June and July than in Ontario ; but 
 people who know both provinces well, say that owing to the dryer air 
 of Manitoba, they feel the heat there while working less oppressive 
 than in Ontario. During summer the thermometer in Manitoba often 
 goes over 100° P. ; in Alberta, only occasionally ; while in Ontario — 
 a long distance farther south— it very seldom gets over 03° F. 
 
 The average maximum temperature during the past four years, beginning witli 
 1887, for the months of May, June, July, and August, for icveral towns in the 
 same latitude, is as follows : — 
 
 Alberta 83-Go F. 
 
 Assinlboia 88-70 F. 
 
 Manitoba 88-9° F. 
 
 The tnean temperatures for the same months, towns, and years is as follows:— 
 
 Alberta 55-4o y 
 
 Assinlboia 60'8° F. 
 
 Manitoba 57-90 F. 
 
 The minimum temperatures for the same towns and years for the months of 
 December, January, February, and March, are as follows : — 
 
 Alberta 
 
 Assinlboia 
 
 Manitoba 
 
 The mean temperatures for the same t 
 
 Alberta 
 
 Assiuiboia 
 
 Manitoba 
 
 - 21-00 -p. 
 
 - 29-1° F. 
 
 - 33-60 F. 
 
 nns, months, and vears are as follows : — 
 
 15-5° F. 
 
 lO-QOF. 
 
 2-40 F. 
 
 The rainfall — which is such an important factor in the welfare of 
 3very country — in Assinlboia is too light to admit of the country 
 producing the crops it might do if it was a little more. The rainfall 
 of the whole of the North- West is rather peculiar, and deserves special 
 attention, as in average years from one-fourth to one-fifth of the total 
 falls in June. May and July are also usually heavy, and combined 
 often equal June. May, June, and July, being the principal growing 
 months, it follows that if the crops are well supplied with moisture, 
 then their well-being is secured, as they require little at a,ny time 
 else. If 3 inches of rain or over fall in June, the crops are almost 
 sure to "be good; if 2 inches or less, they generally suffer from 
 drought. Were the country better wooded, the probability is the 
 rainfall would be greater, for past experience in other countries appears 
 to show that the presence or absence of timber will materially increase 
 or decrease the rainfall of a country, all other things remaining the 
 same. Whether or not cultivation will have the same effect no one 
 knows, and us the opportunity is now afforded of finding esaetly v/hat 
 the climatic conditions are, I am inclined to believe that it would be 
 
 ni.— B 
 
 H- 
 
 I 
 
 f ■ , 
 
 ^ 
 
 'i'.'.'i 
 
 '.: l\ 
 
 Ai 
 

 dO 
 
 T7ie Agricultural Resources of Canada, 
 
 i;-' 
 
 »■ , "^, 
 
 
 
 ■;H 
 
 ,V. i 
 
 - 
 
 . I t, 
 
 "Jl 
 
 
 for the best interests of the country, if the number of meteorological 
 stations were doubled or trebled, as a few j-^ears hence the information 
 may be desired, i-nd it may then be impossible to get it. The whole 
 instruments necessary would be a self-registering minimum and 
 maximum thermometer and rain-gauge, and the keeping of the register 
 of which might easily be done by any person of ordinary intelligence. 
 This duty might well be entrusted to the police or railway agents in 
 each district, both being persons likely always to be on duty. The 
 rainfall of Manitoba for an average of 15 years is about 16 inches, and 
 the average number of wet days 57 per annum. 
 
 British Columbia. — The range of the thermometer between the 
 summer and winter temperature is much less in British Columbia than in 
 any other portion of Canada, it being neither so hot in summer nor so 
 cold in winter as the other provinces. The rainfall, although fairly 
 constant for those places where a record has been kept, varies very much in 
 one place from another, as is usually the case ir any country where there 
 are low plains and high mountains. At Victoria, the capital, the 
 average rainfall for eight years has been fully 27 inches, which has 
 fallen on an average on 84 days, principally during the autumn, winter, 
 and spring months. At New Westminster, the average rainfall for 12 
 years is 58"5 inches, with an average of about 150 wet days. The 
 thermometer rarely falls below zero, the winters being comoaratively 
 mild and short, while the maximum summer temperature scarcely 
 ever exceeds 90° F. 
 
 General Health of Canada. — In the matter of health, few countries 
 compare so favourably as Canada, the death-rate being very low. It is 
 not subject to fever and ague, or any of the other diseases peculiar 
 to most warm countries. The variation between the summer and 
 winter temperature, and dry atmosphere, appear to alternately convey 
 new life and vigour to the inhabitants. In Canada the deaths during 
 childhood are very few compared to Britain, and the young are 
 everywhere numerous and healthy. 
 
 Government Experimental Farms. — Land and agriculture are the 
 mainstays of Canada, and her Government very wisely instituted a 
 Department of Agriculture, with a Minister to look after its affairs, 
 long before our Government had anything of the kind. In connection 
 with the Department of Agriculture, the Dominion Government have 
 experimental farms at Ottawa, Nappan, Brandon, Indian Head, and 
 Agassiz, while the Provincial Government of Ontario maintain one 
 themselves at Guelph. The Guelph farm is also an agricultural school 
 of the highest class, managed by the best teachers, and furnished with 
 the best apparatus the country can produce. What is more, there is 
 always a good supply of pupils, and the teaching imparted at this 
 school cannot but have a very good effect on the future farmers of 
 Canada. 
 
 At the Dominion Experimental Farms, new plants are tested and 
 propagated, methods of cultivation are tried, breeds of animals for 
 
 TviilG- Tnoot nv ■^nn\ tt.ra nnnf.imin.llv liavinff fViftir crnn(\ nv hnA nninfa 
 
 demonstrated, while fruits, vegetables, grasses. Sec., are sui^^jcted to 
 every test that can be thought of. Animal and plant diseases also 
 
 M- 
 
jorological 
 formation 
 Dhe whole 
 mum and 
 le register 
 telligorjce. 
 agents in 
 iity. The 
 aches, and 
 
 bween the 
 sia than in 
 ler nor so 
 ugh fairly 
 vy much in 
 here there 
 ipital, the 
 which has 
 in, winter, 
 fall for 12 
 ays. The 
 naratively 
 i scarcely 
 
 ow 
 
 countries 
 It is 
 3 peculiar 
 mmer and 
 ily convey 
 hs during 
 oung are 
 
 e are the 
 stituted a 
 its affairs, 
 onnection 
 nent have 
 lead, and 
 itain one 
 iral school 
 shed with 
 ?, there is 
 id at this 
 armers of 
 
 ;ested and 
 imals for 
 ad points 
 ^jjcted to 
 eases also 
 
 Mr. John Speir's Beport. 
 
 51 
 
 receive attention. Besides a general superintendent, there are special- 
 ists in chemistry, botany, entomology, horticulture, and poultry^ so 
 that if the farmers of Canada do not prosper, they at least cannot 
 blame the Government for not looking after their interest. The work 
 of each season at the different stations is published and forwarded to 
 all who desire copies. 
 
 Cost of Land. — In Ontario, farms in ordinary cultivation and 
 full working order can always be purchased in any district at almost 
 any time, for Canadians are ever ready to sell, at a moment's notice, 
 to any suitable purchaser. The price, of course, varies with the land, 
 buildings, fences, location, &c., and any figures given must be looked 
 on as only approximate. In the agricultural statistics published by the 
 Grovernment, the average for Ontario for six years is as follows : — 
 
 Land and buildings. 
 Implements, &c. 
 Stock 
 
 Total ... 
 
 £ 8. d. 
 
 7 18 per acre, 
 
 9 6,, 
 
 10 0,. 
 
 .£3 7 
 
 Within 10 to 15 miles of Toronto 1 found land changing hands at 
 from £7 to .£20 per acre ; around Guelph £8 would be about the average ; 
 in Counties Middlesex, Huron, &c., from £S to £12 was asked ; whilst 
 in the fruit districts around Hamilton and Niagara the figures were 
 very much higher. The leased land of Ontario averages 13 per cent, of 
 the whole; the present average rent for cleared land being from lis. to 
 12s. per acre. During the last twelve years ordinary agricultural land 
 in Ontario has receded in value from 15 to 25 per cent., owing, 
 among other causes, to the movement of the farmers and their sons 
 to the new lands of the North- West, where each member of the 
 family could start farming with much less capital than in Ontario. 
 It is, however, difficult to say whether or not the lowest point has 
 yet been reached. 
 
 In Manitoba unimproved land can be bought within a radius of 20 
 miles from Winnipeg at from ^£1 to £3 per acre, but near the city it 
 runs up to £50 per acre. All through Manitoba, within a few miles of 
 the railways, unimproved land can be bought at from £1 10s. to £3 per 
 acre. As one goes farther west through Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, and 
 Alberta, plenty of land can be purchased at from 5s. to 25s. per acre, 
 according to quality and location ; and in the most of cases I would 
 advise settlers who have the means, to purchase land near a railway 
 rather than go farther back in order to get it free. 
 
 In British Columbia timber land may be bought at 5s. per acre, but 
 the cost of clearing is so heavy, and the value of the wood so little 
 (practically speaking, nothing), that it is often said that it costs more 
 to clear land than the same land will sell for after being cleared. 
 Heavy as must have been the clearing of the land of Ontario, that of 
 Biitish Columbia is worse ; but fortunately, there are vast stretches of 
 good land vvhicli rcquiro no clearing. Tlio delta lands at the mouths of 
 the Eraser are among this class, as are also the alluvial lands along its 
 banks. They, however, generally require dyking, ditching, and draining 
 
 HI.— E 2 
 
 y-:^ .. 
 
 ■ s 
 
 tv;* . 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 -• * ♦ ■ 
 
 ( 
 
 
 i 
 
 V * . 
 
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 i 
 
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 V',). 
 
 M: 
 
 52 
 
 r^ Agricultural Retourcet of Canada. 
 
 before being suitable for cultivation, all of which add materiaUy-to the 
 first cost of the land. Lulu Island and the district lying between 
 Ladner's Landing and the United States boundary belong to this class ; 
 and recently farms have been changing Lands in these localities at from 
 £12 to £15 per acre, which, in some cases^ included very few improve- 
 ments. Near Victoria farms partially cleared can be readily bought at 
 from £6 to £10 per acre, but for good land, all cleared and near the 
 city, £20 per acre will have to be paid. 
 
 In Manitoba, the North-West Territories, and in British 
 Columbia, a small percentage of land is leased. On the east side of 
 the Eockies, more particularly in the wheat districts, the usual custom 
 is to do so on shares, in which case the owner of the land pays ail 
 taxes and provides half the seed, getting as his share one-half or anv 
 agreed on portion of the crop, the tenant doing all the labour. Thi's 
 manner of renting land does well enough where tha produce is all 
 grain, and where the amount can be accurately ascertained, but is quite 
 unsuited, at least without great modification, for any of the systems of 
 farming generally practised. On the Fraser Eiver I found a mixed 
 farm with some fruit rented at 30s. per acre, but such rents are vertj 
 uncommon. 
 
 AN ONTARIO FARM. 
 
 7?«i7fZiMY7.?, — Dwell! nsf-houses and other farm buildings all over 
 Canada, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, are as a rule built of wood, there 
 being a few here and there of brick and stone. In Ontario the dwelling- 
 
)riaUy-to the 
 ing between 
 bo this class ; 
 ities at from 
 'ew improve- 
 ly bought at 
 nd near the 
 
 in British 
 east side of 
 isual custom 
 ind pays all 
 half or any 
 ibour. This 
 oduce is all 
 but is quite 
 e systems of 
 nd a mixed 
 ats are very 
 
 ^n^t-r-^- 
 
 iffs all over 
 : wood, there 
 he dwelling- 
 
 Mr. John Sjjeir^s Report. 
 
 53 
 
 'J 
 
 houses are generally very artistically built and nfiatly painted ; tl« 
 very comfortable, and usv.2,Ily are larger in proportion to the size of 
 the farm than the same class of houses in Britain. All are heated by 
 stoves or hot-water pipes, wood being the fuel in general use, many 
 farxiis still having as much wood on them as keep the farm in 
 fencing and fuel. On the ordinary farm the usual out-hoiises are com- 
 prised in an immense barn, with cow and horse stables under, extra 
 buildings for other purposes being rather scarce. The barn is now 
 generally built of stone to the level of the barn floor, and, if the 
 ground permits of it, the building is half-sunk as a protection against 
 cold. The barn proper is constructed of wood, is usually a very high 
 building, and in it is stored the whole season's crop of grain and hay. 
 From the level of the ground a roadway is built to the barn entrance, 
 so as to permit of driving the loaded waggons right into the barn. If 
 turnips or mangolds are grown, a root-house or cellar must be provided 
 tor them, as, owing to the severity of the winter, they cannot be stored 
 outside, as is done in Britain. 
 
 In Manitoba or the North-West Territories it is very rare that a 
 barn is seen, the bulk of the farm buildings there consisting of a horse 
 stable, occasionally a granary, and on the mixed farms a cow byre. 
 These are built in many different ways : if boards are plentiful, they are 
 of sawn timber ; if large trees are easily got, they are built of logs, and 
 if only small ones can be had, they are set up on end, quite close to 
 each other, so as to form a wall, outside of which are placed a wall of 
 turfs, three feet or so in thickness, the whole being roofed in the usual 
 way. Horse stables are either floored with planks or blocks of wood 
 set on end, or it may be left without any artificial floor at all, as stone 
 is as yet seldom used for that purpose. It is only on rare occasions 
 that any building is put up for implements, waggons, or machines, the 
 usual custom being to let these lie about exposed to the weather. 
 Earm dwelling-houses are occasionally now being built of stone, but as 
 yet their number is very small. 
 
 Fences. — In Ontario the principal fence is still the snake-rail one, 
 although in many instances these are being re-made and put up straight. 
 In occasional instances there are seen walls built of stones gathered from 
 the fields. "Wire fencing is not yet very common, while barb wire is 
 only occasionally seen. Live fences are almost unknown, as none of 
 the fencing plants of Britain can stand the Ontario winters. A 
 suitable plant would be a great boon to the country, and it is to be 
 hoped that such will be introduced soon. 
 
 In Manitoba and the North-West Territories, stob and rails of 
 young poplar trees are in most general use, while some put plain and 
 others barb wire on the stobs and a rail on the top. Much of the 
 West is, however, as yet quite unfenced, but this class of work is 
 progressing rapidly. 
 
 Draining. — Most of the land of Quebec, and some of Ontario, is 
 much in need of under-draining, as very little of such has yet been 
 done, owing to the cost of labour and want of money. In the dry 
 climate of Ontario such thorough draining as is common in Britain is 
 not necessary, and it io even very questionable if it would pay if 
 
 .i-: 
 
 f 
 
 JV 
 
 
 ■ '-4 ■ 
 
 vi.V '■ 
 
 .'"■•■.■'iJ 
 
 
 '■ft- 
 
 m 
 
 'i" 
 
 I 
 
 •H ' 
 
 '"•■ij 
 
64 
 
 •;' II. .• ' ■ 
 
 ., 
 
 1^ ' i • . ' 
 
 
 In' 
 
 •-:■• 
 
 
 H •:■* 
 
 ^ 
 
 . I 
 
 The Agricultural JResourcet of Canada, 
 
 done ill anything like a thorough manner ; still, I think drains should 
 be put in all along the lower and damper places of each field. 
 
 In Manitoba and the North-West Territories no under-draining, 
 unless in exceptional cases, is ever likely to be done, the rainfall there 
 being so small. A great deal remains, however, to be done around 
 Winnipeg and other centres in the way of providing open drains or 
 canals to carry off the surface water. Within a radius of 30 miles of 
 Winnipeg there are several vast stretches of what appears to be 
 excellent land if only drained, but which ia rendered comparatively 
 useless through the presence of surface water, and yet there' is ample 
 fall from it to either the Assiniboine or Eed Eiver. What appears to 
 be wanting there just now is the formation of the whole country into 
 a drainage board, in order that open canals as deep as the levels will 
 permit of, may be dug along one or both sides of the road concessions, 
 and that each owner should pay in proportion to the area drained. This 
 work can never be done privately, and the district will never make 
 much progress until it is done; the Government should therefore 
 inquire into the matter, in order to see how the present state of affairs 
 can be easiest remedied. 
 
 In British Columbia, the districts of Ladner's Landing, Lulu Island, 
 and several smaller areas along the Fraser, the best lands are being 
 protected from the rise of the river and the tide, by having embank- 
 ments about four feet high thrown up along the river and sea side. 
 This work has made that land much more valuable, and open canals 
 with sluices at their outlets are now being made along the roa ". allow- 
 ances, which is thoroughly completing the work. In many cases under- 
 draining was necessary to finish this work, and in some cases it is being 
 carrried out also. 
 
 It seems strange to me that the mole plough has never been 
 brought into service here, as the lai>d being flat and entirely composed 
 of silt, it is a situation where it would work to perfection, and at a tithe 
 of the cost of ordinary tile-draining. Where the bottom is not firm 
 enough to warrant the use of the mole system alone, round tiles can 
 quite easily be laid m the track at the same time as it is being cut. 
 This, however, in many cases I think would be unnecessary, as I found 
 the principal method of draining was to leave a shoulder or projection 
 on each side of the drain, about six inches from the bottom, and on 
 this to lay pieces of board, so that if the sides of such a drain stand 
 quite satisfactorily, much more should the sides of a mole drain. 
 
 Roads. — Unless within or very near the large towns, very few of the 
 roads of Canada are gravelled. Everywhere road allowances run north 
 and south, east and west, one mile apart, but even in Ontario little is done 
 for them over the greater part of the province, unless a little levelling 
 and rounding of the road, and what bridge-making is necessary. In 
 Quebec and Ontario, as a rule, they are fenced in, but in Manitoba and 
 the North-West Territories such is only done in the thoroughly 
 settled localities. Owing to the dry summers and frosty winters of 
 the whole OL Canada, I can quite easily believe that fcr ten months 
 of the year the roads will be amply sufficient, but for one month in 
 spring, and another in autumn, they are often excessively bad. In 
 
 ii-« ' ' ' I 
 
alns should 
 
 jr-draining, 
 infall there 
 )ne around 
 1 drains or 
 30 miles of 
 tears to be 
 nparatively 
 re is ample 
 appears to 
 3untry into 
 I levels will 
 !oncessions, 
 lined. This 
 lever make 
 I therefore 
 be of affairs 
 
 (ulu Island, 
 I are being 
 ig embank- 
 id sea side, 
 pen canals 
 roa ". allow- 
 ases under- 
 1 it is being 
 
 aever been 
 f composed 
 d at a tithe 
 is not firm 
 d tiles can 
 
 being cut. 
 as I found 
 
 projection 
 im, and on 
 Irain stand 
 ain. 
 
 T few of the 
 I run north 
 ttle is done 
 le levelling 
 jssary. In 
 nitoba and 
 thoroughly 
 winters of 
 en months 
 
 month in 
 
 bad. In 
 
 Mr. John Sjpeir^s Report. 
 
 66 
 
 the newer provinces this state of matters can qmte well enough be 
 excused, but in Quebec and Ontario such is not so easily done. Ihere 
 stone in the shape of rock, land boulders, and gravel, are fairly plentiful 
 in many districts, and if farmers were only paid a small sum tor 
 gathering these boulders and small stones where rock does not abound, 
 the supply might considerably be increased. If the mam roads were 
 once thoroughly bottomed, by laying the foundation of hand-packed 
 stones of the largest size, then another layer of medium ones on the 
 top, the whole being finished by a layer of gravel, they would last for 
 years without much attention other than a little mending and rounding 
 now and again. The way in which the roads are managed is also 
 much behind the age, each farmer at present sending every year a 
 certain number, of men and teams for so many days, according to the 
 size of his farm. The consequence is, each man does as little instead 
 of as much work as he can, everything is done unsatisfactorily, every 
 operation takes more time than it should do, and in the end no one 
 18 pleased. Each farmer has the option of doing his statute labour by 
 himself or his servants, or by paying a sum in lieu thereof, as he 
 thinks best; most farmers, however, prefer to do their number ot days- 
 work. The remedy is to form district road boards, levy an assess- 
 ment for the maintenance of the roads, appoint a head roadman, and 
 put and keep a certain number of men on each length of road according 
 to its importance, and the probability is that the roads will be better 
 and cheaper kept than at present. On inquiring into this matter a^ 
 to the number of days of a man each farmer owning 100 acres had 
 to furnish, and calculating such at the current rate of wage, I found 
 in the neighbourhood of the large towns that the indirect sum the 
 Canadian farmer pays towards the maintenance of his roads is not so 
 very far behind what the British farmer does, and yet he has few 
 worthy of the name of roads after all, in the worst seasons of the year. 
 In several of the low-lying districts of British Columbia where 
 rock is quite wanting and where the soil is always soft, I found many 
 of the roads bottomed with planks or trees laid across the road, a good 
 bed of gravel being afterwards spread on the top. In aU the instances 
 which came unde? my notice, an excellent road for any moderately 
 heavy trafiic was formed by this method. In many districts of British 
 Columbia, where the rainfall was very heavy, I was surprised to find 
 that in making new roads soil was used in preference to rock, which 
 was lying alongside, and only required to be blasted and broken. _ 
 
 Wheat Farmin<7.-Unles8 in Manitoba, this system of farming 
 is not practised to any extent in any other part of the Dominion ; 
 and where the land is good, climate suitable, and means of transport 
 sufficient, more money can in all probability be taken out of the 
 land in a short time by it, than by any other system. This class 
 of farming has also other recommendations, m being one which 
 requires less capital in propc^ion to the receipts than where mixed 
 fJmin? is pursued, while at the same time it gives very quick 
 returns". Its drawbacks are, that the land is quickly exnausred 
 that the success of the farmer entirely depends on the suitability ot 
 the season and markets for this one crop, and that sufficient labour 
 
 m 
 
 
 
 
 
IMHMI 
 
 
 
 • 
 
 
 i 
 
 <>\ 
 
 ■■ y 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 The Agrimltural Jtesourccs of Canada. 
 
 is not provided for the farm hands all the year round. On these 
 farms no happy medium appears ever to be struck : work is either in 
 excess of labour, or labour in excess of work. Autumn ploughing has 
 to be pushed on with all speed in order to get it through before frost 
 
 VUBAT STACKS, UANITOBA. 
 
 sets in, after which there is little or nothing to do till spring, parti- 
 cularly if the crop has beer threshed and hauled to market previously. 
 If such has not been done, it affords a little labour during the long 
 winter, but it is nothing like enough to keep the whole staff going. 
 The consequence is, many have to be turned off. As soon as frost 
 breaks up, a hard push has to be made to get all the crops in as soon as 
 possible, for in the dry climate of Manitoba late seeding never succeeds, 
 for various '•easons. If farm hands cannot be kept on the whole winter 
 through, and if they find it difficult to get employment during winter, 
 they must be paid a much larger wage during the active part of the 
 year, in order to bring up their earnings to an equivalent of what can 
 be received at other employments. 
 
 The autumns of Manitoba are so dry that shed grain very often 
 does not germinate until spring. This shed grain often comes quite 
 thick enough to form a fairly good crop, under which circumstances it 
 is occasionally allowed to stand, so that a crop is here produced without 
 any direct seed or laboui\ I do not infer that such is the best way of 
 pro-auciijg a proutaole crop ol Wiieat, occausc by ploughiug aiiu seeding 
 in the usual manner a more profitable one might have been reaped. 
 These crops are called volunteer crops. The growth of grain shed the 
 
On these 
 8 either in 
 jughing haa 
 aet'ore frost 
 
 ill 
 
 W^Mi^j^p- 
 
 
 ring, parti- 
 previously. 
 g the long 
 itafE going. 
 )n as frost 
 '. as soon as 
 sr succeeds, 
 lole winter 
 ing winter, 
 >art of the 
 : what can 
 
 very often 
 Dmes quite 
 instances it 
 pd without 
 (est way of 
 nu seeding 
 en reaped. 
 I shed the 
 
 Jl/r. John S2'>eir's lleitort. 
 
 67 
 
 year previous is one of the principal reasons why Manitoba wheat often 
 contains a considerable proportion of oats or barley. In one flour mill 
 I visited, I found these oats being taken almost entirely out by a very 
 cleverly constructed machine, the oats so recovered in the course of 
 a year amounting to a very large quantity. 
 
 Eeasoning from the success of these volunteer crops, I would be 
 inclined to suggest that in districts where early ripening is desirable, 
 a portion of the seed should be sown in autumn just before frost is 
 expected to set in. The soil would then work well, and if the land was 
 frozen before germination had gone too far no loss of seed would be 
 likely to occur. This is a system of cultivation which the Experimental 
 Farms at Brandon and Indian Head might do well to try on a small 
 scale, as the land being left undisturbed in spring might retain its stock 
 of moisture better than where spring cultivation has to be done. 
 
 On these wheat farms, until the last few years, there was very 
 little work to do between seed-time and harvest, unless where new land 
 had to be broken up. To meet the difficulty of a press of work at 
 certain seasons of the year, and in order to raise the fertility of 
 exhausted land, a system of summer ploughing, called fallowing, has 
 been introduced, which at least provides sufficient employment between 
 seed-time and harvest for the farm hands vehen they are not engaged 
 in hay-making. It has been found that in the most of cases 200 acres 
 of la .d under wheat, which has been summer-fallowed one year out of 
 three, will produce as much grain as 300 acres kept continually under 
 crop, while at the same time there is a saving of 100 acres of seed, 
 besides the labour of seeding and harvesting. This land is ploughed 
 during the growing season, and in the generality of cases nothing else 
 is done to it till the seed is sown the following spring. If the soil 
 contains a large amount of seed weeds, and more particularly if the 
 ploughing is done very early in the summer, these weeds may mature 
 enough to seed about harvest time, in which case it will be necessary to 
 give the land a second ploughing before harvest begins. If, however, 
 the weeds do not get strong enough to seed, they do little or no harm, 
 as the frost kills them all off during winter. The opening up of the 
 prairies for the growth of wheat is reducing the area of both fall and 
 spring wheat, not only in Britain, but in Ontario, while oats appear to 
 be on the increase, and also peas. 
 
 Ploughing. — In the older provinces ploughing is conducted in 
 much the same manner as in Britain, and Scotch ploughs are very 
 common at the ploughing matches in Ontario, although, as with us, 
 these ploughs are being less used for everyday work. On the prairies 
 and wheat belts double and single sulkies (or riding ploughs) are in very 
 common use, but for superior work I find the best men prefer the 
 single walking plough. 
 
 The breaking up of the prairie b done early in June, when the 
 plants are soft and succulent, and before the soil becomes too dry. 
 A special plough is generally used, which turns over a broad thin 
 furrow about 2 inches or 2^ inches thick. When ploughed so thin the 
 hot sun very soon kills all the vegetation, whereas if done thicker, such 
 is not the case. Any time during the autumn this land is re-ploughed, 
 
 
 ^>' ■'' 
 
 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 -i' 
 
 i; 
 
 ». 1 ■ 
 
'«'• 
 
 .»■> 
 
 58 
 
 TJie Agricultural Resources of Canada,' 
 
 the furrows running the same way as before, as, although the Yegetation 
 is now dead, the sod is so tough that the coulter cannot cut it. This 
 work is called backsetting, and should be done an inch or an inch and 
 
 
 
 FLOUOBINa AT SANDISON'I FARM, BRANOOK. 
 
 % 1 
 
 a half deeper than the first ploughing. Nothing more is now'done to 
 it till spring, when it is sown and harrowed in the usual way. 
 
 After harvest, ploughing of every kind is pushed forward with all 
 speed, because frost soon sets in, and there is such a hurry in spring 
 that little can be done then. In all the North-West ploughing is done 
 very shallow, seldom over 6 inches deep, and in the present state of the 
 fertility of these lands, it has been found to be the best plan. If the 
 land were deeper ploughed, it is generally conceded that the crops 
 would suffer less from drought ; but it has been found that grain on 
 new land, deeply ploughed, generally grows so much to straw that it 
 does not ripen well, and that about as much is lost through late and 
 irregular ripening and occasional deterioration by frost, as is gained 
 by conservation of the moisture. Like many other farming operations, 
 no fixed rule can be laid down, as the depth, moisture, fertility, and 
 likely date of ripening must be so considered as to give each its due 
 share, otherwise disappointment is sure to follow. Some emigration 
 agentfj and enthusiasts have been in the habit of proclaiming that on 
 these prairies the soil only required to be scratched, and in some cases 
 tickled, in order to produce a full crop. Not to use a stronger ex- 
 pression, such statements are gross exaggerations, for although ploughing 
 can be, and is, done more carelessly than in Britain, still good ploughing 
 everywhere gives a better return than where indifferently done. 
 
 In several of the wheat-growing districts, farmers are to be met 
 with, who have large farms and no stock other than a driving horse. 
 
 ir- 
 
Mr, John Sjaeit^t Report, 
 
 60 
 
 ho YGgetation 
 cut it. This 
 ' an inch and 
 
 now'done to 
 
 ^ard with all 
 irry in spring 
 ghing is done 
 it state of the 
 plan. If the 
 lat the crops 
 that grain on 
 straw that it 
 >ugh late and 
 
 as is gained 
 ig operations, 
 
 fertility, and 
 
 each its due 
 le emigration 
 iming that on 
 in some cases 
 I stronger ex- 
 ugh ploughing 
 Dod ploughing 
 
 done. 
 
 Te to be met 
 driving horse. 
 
 These men let the ploughing, seeding, and harvesting at so much per 
 acre for each and all, to their smaller neighbours around, and, judg'ng 
 from reports received, they appear to be making the system pay ; it, 
 however, is one which cannot be recommended, and which is not likely 
 to be very long continued. 
 
 Sowing. — Sowing is generally done by a drill, or seeder, as they 
 call it ; the best I came across being one with wheels having a 2-inch 
 face, running behind each coulter, and ajong the top of each row of 
 seed. The machine is called a press sender, and, besides doing the 
 ordinary seeding, it does the rolling in a much superior way to the 
 roller. In the dry climate of the North-West it is very desirable that 
 the soil be pressed jrmly around the seed, otherwise a considerable 
 proportion of it may fail to germinate. Many of the richest soils of 
 the North- West are so fine when dried in spring and crushed by the 
 roller that if a high wind comes on soon after, they are apt to drift 
 and leave one portion of the seed uncovered and another too deeply 
 buried. This drifting or blowing does not take place after harrowing, 
 because then the soil is all in little lumps, and with the press seeder 
 the good efEects of regular seeding with rolling are secured, without 
 any of the disadvantages of the latter. 
 
 ^ Some farmers of undoubted success whom I came across strongly 
 advocate broadcast sowing in preference to drilling, tvhere a large breadth 
 has to he done in a limited time, as ia the case on all large wheat farms. 
 By sowing broadcast more seed must be used, but they say what little 
 is lost in seed, is gained at the end of the season in ejtra quantity and 
 quality, as the whole crop if sown broadcast can easily be seeded in 
 good time, whereas if drilled a considerable area may be so late that 
 the loss on it by autumn frosts and lessened produce may exceed any 
 saving which can be effected in the seed. It may here be mentioned 
 that in the North- West there is no loss of seed left on the surface, 
 through the depredations of birds, as is the case in Ontario and Britain, 
 as birds are very few in these regions. Of all the seed grain left on the 
 surface I do not expect over 30 or 40 per cent, will germinate and grow, 
 so that, supposing that estimate to be correct, the actual loss in seed 
 will only be about one-third of what is left on the surface, which, after 
 all, is not very much, if it is to save a crop from a night's frost in 
 August. With a broadcast sower attached to a waggon, and scattering 
 over 50 feet or so, many farmers say they can sow up to 100 acres per 
 day : the story looks pretty big, but I am told on fairly creditable autho- 
 rity that such is done. 
 
 Heaping. — All reaping, as a rule, is done by going round about the 
 field, the dry summer and shorter and stiffer-strawed crops, allowing the 
 self-binding reaper to work to perfection. The stubble is usually left 
 from nine inches to a foot high, unless where the crop is so short that 
 they are compelled to cut it low in order to get it tied. The great 
 unoccupied area of new land usually gets the credit of being the cause 
 of the lowering of the value of farm produce generally, and of the land 
 of Britain and the eastern provinces particularly ; but I am inclined 
 to believe that the self -binding harvester has been as important a factor 
 as any. Without the land it certainly could not have been done, but even 
 
 •4 • .-. . 
 
 • /I 
 
 A.- 
 
 X--' . 
 
 'H < 
 
 ■^1 
 
l^miA 
 
 ['♦. 
 
 .-'; 
 
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 h 
 
 tS^ 
 
 ■9i 
 
 •:. 
 
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 vi 
 
 60 
 
 7'he Agricultural Resources of CarMiht, 
 
 -biiidt 
 
 ^ [question 
 
 if very much wlieat could bo grown in the North-West at u profit, if 
 wages were to remain, much less get any higher than they presently 
 are there. 
 
 Heaping begins when the crop is comparatively green, I m.ght 
 almost say quite green, because ^^"' hot sun ripens it so quickly and 
 causes it to shed so easily, that .. is not cut before the dead ripe 
 stage is reached, more may be lost by shedding than by early cutting. 
 Owing to the hot sun quite shrivelling up the straw very shortly after 
 reaping, the grain must consequently be unable to draw any nutriment 
 from the straw after cutting, whereas in Britain it is always considered 
 that grain ripens a good deal in the sheaf, therefore such green cut 
 wheat ftraw should 1^ much more valuable as fodder than ours. The 
 reaping machines are generally fitted with sheaf carriers, so as to drop 
 as many sheaves at one place as make a stook or shock, thereby very 
 much lessening the labour of sotting up. As showing the rough-and- 
 ready way in which farming is often done in the North-West, and the 
 good climate with which they are favoured, it may be mentioned that 
 in good seasons large areas are never stooked at all, the sheaves being 
 simply allowed to lie on the ground till they are ready to stack. They 
 had a regular Scottish , harvest this year, that is, as far as weather is 
 concerned, so that I saw none of that way of doing work myself. 
 
 Stachintj.— In Ontario the grain is all housed in large barns, 
 which are built over the byres, stacks being scarcely ever used. In the 
 North-West and in British Columbia, the grain is usually stacked 
 in tlT field. If cattle are kept, it is hauled to near the house, so 
 that ic may be used by them both for fodder and litter. The usual 
 pattern of stack is circular, with a low body or shank, and a long 
 sloping roof. As rain seldom falls in autumn, and the snow is so dry 
 that it never wet^ anything, thatching appears never to be thought 
 of, and is never done. Two, three, or four of these stacks are usually 
 built together, so as to cause as few removals as possible of the engine 
 and threshing machine. 
 
 Threshhu/.— Many fan.^ers thresh their whole crop from the stook, 
 the grain being hard enough at that date to store in elevators any 
 number of feet deep. The threshing machines in many respects «ro 
 very like our own, but their drums, instead of having corrugated 
 beaters like ours, have short pegs an inch and a half to two inches 
 long. The drum appears to be run at much about the same speed 
 as ours, but, instead of putting in the sheaves sideways or at an 
 angle, as we do, they put Lhem in ears first, in the same way as 
 the slow-speed peg drums of Scotland are fed; but, unlike the lattor, 
 the Canadian pattern has no feeding rollers. Each machine very 
 often weighs and records the number of bushels threshed — ^^a sack 
 of grain being two bushels, instead of four or six, as with us. 
 The sacks in common lisa are very much the same as clover-seed 
 is distributed in throughout Britain. The feeder is supplied with 
 
 sheaves iruiu uvia biucs, lwu waj^gv^us DCI115 ■c^-- ^.-ii-^u ««; ^j^.iuc. t. 
 
 threshing from the field, six waggons, each with a pair of horses, are 
 generally used. These machines usually put through from 1,200 
 
 
Mr. John Sr^rir** Report, 
 
 61 
 
 r, I question 
 it u profit, if 
 liey presently 
 
 een, I m.ght 
 ) quickly and 
 the dead ripe 
 ;arly cutting. 
 
 shortly after 
 ly nutriment 
 ys considered 
 eh green cut 
 n ours. The 
 
 80 as to drop 
 
 thereby very 
 le rough-and- 
 Vest, and the 
 mtioned that 
 sheaves being 
 
 stack. They 
 as weather is 
 (nyself. 
 
 I large barns, 
 used. In the 
 lually stacked 
 :he house, so 
 r. The usual 
 :, and a long 
 now is so dry 
 o be thought 
 ks are usually 
 of the engine 
 
 om the stock, 
 elevators any 
 7 respects i»ce 
 ig corrugated 
 o two inches 
 e same speed 
 ays or at an 
 same way as 
 ike the lattor, 
 machine very 
 sshed — a sack 
 , as with us. 
 IS clover-seed 
 supplied with 
 
 r\r\na ^X7ripn 
 
 of horses, are 
 , from 1,200 
 
 
 bushels to 2,000 bushels per day, and I am told that 2,600 buflhels is 
 occasionally done. That is frorii three to fi^e times as much as can 
 be done with our crop, and were it not for their very short sheaves 
 (almost a sheaf of ears) and the brittle nature of their straw, it would 
 
 THRESBim AT IANSUON'S MKH, nUNSOIT. 
 
 be impossible for them to do so. All the threshing is done by the 
 bushel, and from the way in which every operation is performed, one can 
 easily see that every person is on piece-work. After the straw comes 
 through the threshing machine, it is very much broken, but to the 
 wheat farmer that is a matter of no consequence. As the straw comes 
 from the thresher it is hauled 20 or 30 yards away by a pair of horses, 
 each yoked to the end of a ten-foot pole, much the same as hay is 
 occasionally collected in the fields with us. On the large wheat farms, 
 the only fuel I saw used for the engines was straw, and with it steam 
 appeared to be very easily kept up. Straw, when fed in small but 
 continuous quantities, appears to give a very fierce heat, and to my 
 mind the quantity used was very small indeed. 
 
 Stratv-Burning. — After the grain and machinery have all left tha 
 field, the whole is set fire t , and if the field is alongside any unbroken 
 land, a few plough furrows are usually run round each field, so as to 
 confine the fire to what it is intended to burn, as anyone setting fire 
 to the prairie is not only liable to be heavily fined, but runs a risk 
 of having an action brought against him for any damage which may 
 be caused by his carelessness. 
 
 Where a long stubble is left and afterwards burned, the land is 
 often sown the following spring without ever being ploughed. In such 
 fases, the land is simply well harrowed with a pair of heavy harrows, 
 but oftener with the disc harrow, the se^d being afterwards put in with 
 thedrUl. 
 
 
 
 
M 
 
 The Agricultural M^oureet of Canada. 
 
 . ■ .-.■ . 
 
 !Si 
 
 
 
 ''' ' 
 I. 
 
 ■ . '•! 
 
 The Average Crop of Grain, — The average amount of grain which 
 an acre of land will yield under continuous wheat-growing is very 
 various, according to the land, locality, climate, and farming, for there 
 are good and bad farmers in Canada as well as elHewhere, I have 
 carefully gone over the collected crop returns of the Province of Ontario 
 during the past ten years, and, estimating the present crop at 24'6 
 bushels per acre, the average production of that period will be 20 
 bushels per acre ; whereas the average of England is generally set down 
 at 28 bushels, although this is considered by many to be too high. 
 
 From the estimates made by me of the yields of the various crop? 
 in Manitoba, I would be inclined to place the wheat average at about 
 20 or 22 bushels per acre. This year many crops ivere very much 
 more, bome almost double; but then, dry years come every now and 
 again, when the yield is very much less. Since coming home, I have 
 received the actual yi«^lds of several farms in ordinary 'cultivation, 
 the farmers having sent me such themselves, without any previous 
 arrangement, and these run from 3o to -^2 bushels for wheat. On the 
 other hand, when the averages ot Ontario or Manitoba are compared 
 with the published averages of several of the wheat-growing States of 
 the United States, it will be found that they compare very favourably, 
 for these States are generally from 2 to 4 bushels an acre less than even 
 Ontario. The averages of all the provinces are very much less than 
 they might be, owing to the very indifferent way in which the bulk of 
 the land is cultivated. 
 
 The wheat of British Columbia has quite a different appearance 
 from that of Manitoba, the latter being a very albuminous wheat, 
 while the former is more starchy, resembling, in fact, very much the 
 best white wheats of England. 
 
 In Ontario the average for oats runs about 36 bushels, but where 
 good farming is practised, it of course goes very much over it. The 
 weight per bushel of Canadian oats has always been very much against 
 their sale in Britain as oats, the usual we^'ght being from 34 to 35 lbs. 
 per bushel. The Government have, however, for several years been 
 testing samples of oats at the d ifferent Expt rimental Farms, from every- 
 where throughout the world, and it is hoped that several varieties 
 more suitable for the British market than those now grown, and 
 capable of being cultivated by the Canadian farmer, will shortly be 
 introduced. Good headway has already been made, and the future 
 looks prosperous. 
 
 In British Columbia oats do extraordinarily well, and several very 
 large crops came under my notice. Contrary to the experience of the 
 rest of the country, the weight of oats per bushel in British Columbia 
 is very good, I having there measured and vioighed them myself at 
 44| lbs. per imperial bushel. 
 
 In no grain has greater strides been made than in barley, the 
 introduction and cultivation of the British varieties of which, the 
 Government have done very much to encourage of late. Previous to 
 the last two or three vefirSi the four and six rowed barleys were the 
 only varieties groven, the bulk pf which went to the United States for 
 brewing purposes. Four years ago, however, the Government, througb 
 
 . .« 
 
: grain which 
 wing is very 
 ing, for there 
 ere. I have 
 ce of Ontario 
 crop at 24*6 
 4 will be 20 
 ally set down 
 00 high, 
 various crop? 
 rage at about 
 'e very much 
 ery now and 
 home, I have 
 y 'cultivation, 
 any previous 
 leat. On the 
 are compared 
 I'ing States of 
 ry favourably, 
 ess than even 
 uch less than 
 h the bulk of 
 
 it appearance 
 linous wheat, 
 ery much the 
 
 els, but where 
 over it. The 
 much against 
 34 to 35 lbs. 
 al years been 
 3, from every- 
 eral varieties 
 ' grown, and 
 ill shortly be 
 d the future 
 
 d several very 
 jrience of the 
 tish Columbia 
 em myself at 
 
 n barley, the 
 
 )f which, the 
 
 Previous to 
 
 Ava ifOT'ia 
 
 the 
 
 ied States for 
 nent, througb 
 
 J/r. John Speir^s Report. 68 
 
 Piofessor Saunders, of tho Ottawa Experimental Farm, commenced to 
 make some testa with British varieties, with a view to getting a better 
 malting barley than was then in general use. Since then every sp'^ing 
 Hmall parcels of seed have been largely distributed at cost prce among 
 the farmers all over the country, and next spring it is anticipated there 
 will almost be as much barley in the country as should meet its require- 
 ments for seed. Hundreds of farmers have tried tho British varieties, all 
 with more or leas success, and samples of Canadian barley, grown from 
 English seed, sent to the late Brewery Exhibition in London were very 
 favcrably reported on. 
 
 Peas are very largely grown in all tho olden* provinces, and every- 
 where appear to do well, the average for Ontario being about 20 
 bushels per acre 
 
 T 
 
 THT" 
 
 'M£i. 
 
 pi II 
 
 ' , • '• ■ ,i'J ■>•,■; ■■' till,,, i khi': '■ ■ ' 
 
 FARM SCKNB, MAOTTOBA. 
 
 Mixed Farming. — In no country and on no soil, can the continuous 
 growth of one plant without manure be carried on without the crop 
 becoming lessened and the land deteriorated. In order to return as much 
 as possible to the land, and to be able to turn the straw to some account 
 as fodder and litter, mixed farming is the general system practised in 
 every country, and in my travels through Canada the bulk of the most 
 successful farmers I came across were certainly persons who had 
 adopted mixed farming, and who had decided not to put all their eggs 
 in one basket. Mixed farming has several other advantages : it permits 
 of the farm work going steadily on from one end of the year to the 
 other J a comparatively small supply of labour is necessary, yet what 
 
 
 * ■ 
 
••j 
 
 J, 
 
 64 
 
 The Agricultural Eesourcet of Canada, 
 
 
 1,' 
 
 t V 
 
 flupply is always capable of putting in and getting oS the crops in due 
 time without risk of frost, or requiring to pay extravagant wages for 
 outside labour. Mixed farming requires buildings and fences, which 
 wheat farming does not, so that, until prairie farms are put in order, it 
 is not just so easy to adopt mixed farming in a new country, as many 
 would at first suppose. In the north of Manitoba, and west of it, on to 
 the Pacific, mixed farming is being more and more adopted every day, 
 as many of the large wheat farms of these districts are not turning out 
 the paying concerns many at one time supposed them to be. 
 
 Dahvj Farming. — Throughout Canada very few farms ai'e devoted 
 entirely to dairy purposes, yet the majority of the farmers of tiie 
 older provinces and in the North- West do more or less at it and 
 general mixed farming, each of which may be considered as forming an 
 important part the one of the other. A very considerable portion of 
 butter is made in the farm-houses, but I did not come on any very 
 great quantity of cheese being made in that way. 
 
 Besides the butter which is made in the farm-houses, there is a 
 good deal made at creameries, of which there are between forty and 
 fifty in Ontario alone. Their number is, however, decreasing in Ontario, 
 cheese factories appearing to be more in favour than they are. In 
 Ontario, each creamery on an average is supplied by about 450 cows, 
 and continues in operation from about the middle of May to about the 
 middle of October. In Manitoba, however, it seems likely that 
 creameries will continue to increase for many years to come, because 
 where houses are considerable distances apart, the cream from a number 
 of cows can be easily enough gathered at very little expense ; whereas, 
 were the whole milk collected over a sparsely-peopled district, the extra 
 cost of hauling it would run away with all the profit. In Manitoba, I 
 found that most of tiie smaller farmers raised their cream on the deep- 
 setting principle by immersing their narrow cans in cold water. Some 
 few had ice-houses, in which case the cans were kept in water cooled with 
 ice J but where such a provision was not made, the cans in most 
 cases were lowered into the weU, where, during the hottest time of the 
 year, the cream kept quite sweet tiU the creamery cart came round. 
 
 In Ontario for a number of years there has been an average of 
 about 750 cheese factories, a large number of which are co-operative 
 concerns. About fifty or sixty farmers send their milk to each factory, 
 the buildings and dairy utensils of which belong to themselves. They 
 usually engage an expert cheese-maker, and pay him on an average 
 about one halfpenny per pound for making the cheese, the farmeis 
 delivering the milk, supplying all requisite utensils, and carting away 
 the cheese, while the maker provides all necessary labour, rennet, 
 colouring, &c. Each farmer has a stage fixed at the end of the road 
 leading to his farm, tho top of which is level with the bottom of a 
 waggon, and on which he leaves his fuU cans of milk. The farmers in 
 rotation do the hauling to the lactory — two, three, or four, according 
 to the size of their herd, combining to send their milk in one 
 waggon, v^ne ol tue tarmers is appoinLeu presiucnt or the as3ociJit.ion, 
 and on him devolves the duty of selling the cheese, which, as a rule, ho 
 does in such quantities and at such times as he thinks fit, without 
 
Mr. John Speir's Eeport. 
 
 65 
 
 
 crops in due 
 nt wages for 
 'ences, which 
 it in order, it 
 Ltry, as many 
 st of it, on to 
 3d every day, 
 b turning out 
 
 1 are devoted 
 rmers of the 
 3SS at it and 
 8 forming an 
 le portion of 
 on any very 
 
 3S, there is a 
 en forty and 
 ig in Ontario, 
 hey are. In 
 ut 450 cows, 
 to about the 
 likely that 
 ;ome, because 
 om a number 
 ise; whereas, 
 ict, the extra 
 I Manitoba, I 
 
 on the deep- 
 'ater. Some 
 r cooled with 
 ans in most 
 ; time of the 
 le round, 
 n average of 
 
 co-operative 
 each factory, 
 lelves. They 
 1 an average 
 
 the farmei's 
 carting away 
 )our, rennet, 
 . of the road 
 bottom of a 
 e farmers in 
 ur, according 
 milk in one 
 e association, 
 
 as a rule, ho 
 ) fit, without 
 
 consulting the other members. The farmers themselves do the hauling 
 of the cheese to the nearest railway station in such quantities and at 
 such times as sales are made, the total proceeds, after deducting 
 expenses, being divided among them in proportion to the milk supplied 
 by each. The cheese factories very often begin about the same time as 
 the butter ones, but they usually continue open about a month or so 
 longer. The climate of Ontario appears to be very well suited for the 
 making of cheese, and Canadians as a rule are very well up in its 
 manufacture, and consequently turn out a very superior article. 
 Canadian cheeses, like Canadians themselves, are very little known in 
 Britain, and usually all go by the name of Americans. Canadians 
 would therefore do well to see that their own make of cheese was all 
 branded " Canadian," as the cost would be infinitesimal and the gain 
 might be great. 
 
 Fruit Farming. — The land lying along the St. Lawrence, the southern 
 and western counties of Ontario, and most of the land of British Columbia 
 is admirably adapted for the growth of fruit. In the Hamilton and 
 Niagara districts vines, peaches, and tomatoes do well outside, and are 
 cultivated over vast areas. The vines are usually train 1 to trellises, the 
 peaches as standard trees, while the tomatoes are grown very much as 
 we do potatoes. Cherries, plums, pears, and apples do well over all 
 Ontario, while in British Columbia their growth is simply marvellous. 
 There the plum and cherry, and more particularly the apple, do remark- 
 ably well, occasional samples of the latter being grownup to 1| lbs., and 
 pears up to 2 lbs. in weight. The weight of fruit which these trees 
 carry is beyond the comprehension of the average Britisher, and requires 
 to be seen to be believed ; in fact, the trees in many instances appeared 
 s(j covered with fruit that you could scarcely see the tree for the fruit. 
 In British Columbia large areas of land are being annually planted with 
 fruit trees, and in the near future it appears that the preserving of 
 apples by evaporating or otherwise, and the canning of cherries and 
 plums, might even be a greater industry than the salmon-canning of that 
 province. Presently, the local demand equals the production of the 
 province; but, unless the population increases at a phenomenal rate 
 owing to mining or something else, the supply will very soon exceed the 
 demand, and then drying or preserving will have to be resorted to. At 
 the present time timber up to 3 feet or more in diameter is being cut 
 or burned down in the easiest way in which it can, the logs being cut, 
 tben split by dynamite, and burned where they lie, because they are of 
 no value to haul away. In some cases the tree roots are dug out, in 
 others blown out by dynamite, or by both, while in many they are left 
 to rot, fruit trees being at once planted between them. Tree roots 
 take on an average about 8s. each to taki them out in British Columbia, 
 the roots being generally large and the wages high. 
 
 Hops also do very well in British Columbia, and in the near future 
 it seems probable that a profitable trade may be begun in these, as they 
 are found to do and pay well in the neighbouring state of Washington, 
 where they have been grown for a gnnd many years. The costly carriage 
 to the British market need be no difficulty in the way of cultivating 
 hops, as their value per lb. is so much greater than ordinary farm pro- 
 
 III.— t 
 
 ■3 
 
 »-■■■' 
 
 ^1 
 ■ if 
 
 
 
 
 
 t V 
 
 
 1% 
 
 IJ' t- 
 
 
 ." ... ] 
 
*. 
 
 ■3 
 
 
 •1'"; 
 
 .1-. 
 
 
 
 *.i 
 
 
 d6 
 
 T7i« Agricultural Besources of Canada, 
 
 (luce, that if they can be grown successfully they are almost sure to 
 he grown to profit. 
 
 Cattle Rancldng. — Alberta more than any of the other territories is 
 given up to cattle ranching. That part of the province south of Calgary is 
 principally devoted to cattle and horses, McLeod being the centre of the 
 ranching industry. Although the greater part of Alberta may be said to 
 be devoted to ranching, still, ranching is not all confined to Alberta, as 
 odd ones are scattered over all the country from Manitoba westwards. 
 Less snow is said to fall in Alberta than in any of the North-West Terri- 
 tories, and while the summer temperature is lower than farther east, 
 the winter temperature is higher. The land is generally leased from the 
 Government at a rental of one penny per acre, the Government com- 
 pelling the owners to keep at least 10 head of cattle on every 200 acres, 
 while they reserve the right of breaking the lease at any time by giving 
 two years' notice to quit. In some cases the ranc^ies are very large, 
 several containing 100,000 acres. Owing to the rough way in which 
 the stock are handled, and the entire absence of any provision being 
 made for providing them with food or shelter during winter, the losses 
 are often excessively severe, and among the ranche-men it is said that 
 little dependence need be placed on the reported death-rate of any 
 ranehe, as nearly all are much higher than they are generally said or 
 admitted to be. The cattle receive very little attention in the way of 
 herding, being simply allowed to roam over the prairies at their own 
 sweet will. Twice a year, spring and autumn, the whole herd is 
 gathered together for branding purposes, all strayed animals being at 
 these times returned to their owners. At McLeod, Henderson's Cattle 
 Mark Eegister is kept, and in this book is entered the mark or brand 
 of each ranehe. People are beginning to advocate better provision being 
 made for wintering the cattle, but on the large ranches little has as yet 
 been done. Prom inquiries made it appears quite evident that the 
 cattle can get on fairly well in an average winter without any provision 
 being made for them, but every few years one comes on more severe 
 than the rest, \vhen the losses through cold and starvation are very severe. 
 If suitable lands all over the ranches where the grass grows long were 
 set aside for making into hay, it might be preserved and stacked 
 near at hand several years in succession, there to stand until a severe 
 enough winter came demanding its use. A similar plsln is adopted on the 
 Scottish Highland sheep farms, and I see no reason why one somewhat 
 the same should not be adopted on these ranches, as, according to all 
 accounts, a oingle severe winter causes losses equal to the cost of storing 
 hay for many winters. 
 
 It may be noted here, as the experience of many persons in the 
 ranching business, that hornless cattle, such as Galloways or Angus, 
 are preferable to horned ones for standing the cold. Several of these 
 men told me that they had seen hornless cattle quietly eating their 
 fodder or chewing the cud, on an excessively cold day, when horned 
 ones were shaking their heads, and turning them to the side with pain 
 in the horns, owing to their being wholly or partially frozen. It is 
 also said, that their horns occasionally drop down or altogether off 
 owing to having been frozen, which is at least one good plea for the 
 
 
 
)st sure to 
 
 jrritories is 
 £ Calgary is 
 mtre of the 
 y be said to 
 Alberta, as 
 westwards. 
 kVest Terri- 
 irther east, 
 id from the 
 iment com- 
 T 200 acres, 
 e by giving 
 very large, 
 ly in which 
 ision being 
 , the losses 
 3 said that 
 ate of any 
 lly said or 
 the way of 
 their own 
 )le herd is 
 Is being at 
 on's Cattle 
 k or brand 
 ision being 
 ! has as yet 
 t that the 
 y provision 
 lore severe 
 '■ery severe. 
 ) long were 
 ad stacked 
 il a severe 
 pted on the 
 ) somewhat 
 ding to all 
 i of storing 
 
 ons in the 
 or Angus, 
 il of these 
 iting their 
 len horned 
 ! with ])ain 
 len. It is 
 )gether off 
 ea for the 
 
 Mr. John Sjpeir's Itejaori. 
 
 ^ 
 
 introduction of these breeds. As both have a distinctive black colour, 
 and are well known to be very impressive as sire?, the introduction of a 
 few bulls would very soon grade up the whole herd. 
 
 If proper precautions were adopted for sheltering and feeding 
 the stock in winter, the business bids fair to continue to be a very 
 profitable one. At present the working expenses of a ranche are very 
 light, the taxes are only a trifle, the rent is little more, the only item 
 of importance being the interest on capital. Bullocks two and a half 
 years old sell presently at from £b to £6 at the ranches ; the rail and 
 ocean freight, food charges, insurances, &c,, to Britain are about another 
 £5 or £Q. At th. :e rates two and a half year olds may be delivered in 
 Britain at from £10 10s. to .£11, M'hile three year olds could probably 
 be delivered at from £12 to £13 ; at which prices, if the winter losses 
 on the ranches and the autumn ones on the ocean could be reduced to 
 within more moderate limits, the business might be made a very 
 profitable one. Up to the present, the bulk of the cattle which havo 
 been exported to Britain have come from Quebec and Ontario ; still in 
 the near future a very much larger proportion will likely come from 
 the ranches. The cattle trade appears to be one which is likely to go 
 on and increase, for in eight'^en years it has grown from nothing to 
 120,654 head during the past eleven months. During that time there 
 have been a few ups and downs, but, all the same, the figures have 
 gone on always increasing. 
 
 Coiy*.— The export of cows from Canada to Scotland appears to me to 
 be a trade in which a large and profitable business could at the present 
 time be done. Grood cows, showing some breeding, and apparently of 
 a fair milking type, could be bought readily in Ontario during the 
 autumn months at from £6 to £9 ; rail and ocean freight, insurance, 
 &c,, to Glasgow, if put at £5, would bring the price in Scotland to, say, 
 £12 to £14; whereas these same cows would presently sell here at 
 from £15 to £20, leaving a good margin iov profit. Cows near the 
 calving, to come with safety, would require more space on board ship 
 than bullocks, but I think 1 have allowed enough margin for that, when 
 the present ocean rate is about £3 for bullocks, whereas I have allowed 
 £5 for cows. As in bullock's so in co^^ s, only the best should be sent, 
 because the freight and other charges may amount to about one-half of 
 the total value, and they will be the same whether or not a valuable 
 animal is sent. Cows to calve from November to February might also 
 be sent over for grazing purposes any time during the summer months. 
 
 Horse EancMng. — On the horse ranches the stock are treated very 
 much in the same manner as the cattle are on the cattle ranches. 
 The mares and young stock are allowed to run out all the year, and 
 little, if anything, appears to be done to provide them with either 
 food or shelter in a severe winter. Many of the ranchers and 
 farmers have supplied themselves with pure-bi'ed stock of the different 
 favourite breeds, but as a rule the bulk of the mares are of the 
 usual Canadian stamp. Clydesdales and Sliiret. of uiuderate quality and 
 medium size appear to be most in favour, but, in spite of all the 
 importations which have arrived, comparatively little imp'.essiou has 
 been made on the general stock of the country. 
 
 III. - r 2 
 
 - .fl 
 
 ■ .♦ H 
 
 
 ■J.-'- 
 
 
 *'.-. 
 
 
 
 'fl 
 
 * . 'I 
 
■0^' 
 
 68 
 
 '#. 
 
 .■'> 
 
 
 > • u 
 
 I'.i;* 
 
 V 
 
 
 r/te Agricultural Resources of Camula. 
 
 The Canadian horse 
 
 to be well suited to 
 
 presently bred appears 
 the wants of the country, and as long as breeding is carried on sii-.iply 
 to supply the wants of Canada, little or no increase of size or weight is 
 necessary ; but the day appears to be near at hand when horses might 
 be exported on a scale almost similar to what cattle presently are, and 
 if such is to be done, they must bo bred of a size and quality likely to 
 please the purchasers. These purchasers are likely to be the British ; 
 so that the sooner Canadians get at least a portion of their stock graded 
 up to tae requirements of the British purchasers the better it will be 
 for themselves. 
 
 Owing to the light weight, of the average Canadian mare, the 
 heaviest class of Clydesdale and Shire stallions are not wanted, and will 
 not pay to import, unless in very exceptional cases. The service fees 
 which can be obtained in Canada are so much loss than in Britain, tl^'at 
 a good horse of any of these breeds will do better at home than abroad. 
 All the North-AVest Territories appear to be admirably adapted for the 
 rearing of horses of eveiy kind, and I think a good market already exists 
 in Britain for the heaviest class of draught and carriage geldings. A 
 small trade in the latter class is presently being done, and it might very 
 materially be increased with benefit to both countries, were there a 
 sufficient supply of the pro])er class of horses, which, however, there is 
 not. The breeding of heavy carriage horses appears tc be the class 
 easiest and quickest arrived at, if the existing Canadian mare is to be 
 worked on, as by using the heaviest obtainable class of thoroughbred or 
 Cleveland bay stallions, and carefully selecting the mares, the desired 
 article might at once be produced. Such a horse would suit the wants 
 of Canadians and Canadian agriculture, and it could be worked and 
 trained at home until it was of mature age, after which it could be 
 exported at a price double or treble that of the ordinary stamp, while, 
 at the same time, it would onlj have cost a mere trifle more to produce 
 it. This class of horse has been in great demand in Britain for years, 
 and in Canada it is likely to be produced as quickly, of as good a 
 quality, and as cheaply as anywhere else on the globe. For the 
 immediate production of the heaviest class of draught horses, imported 
 stock of both males and females must be used, otherwise it will take 
 many years and considerable selection to get up the weight. 
 
 The short, rich herbage of the prairies, the clear bracing air, and firm, 
 dry land appear to be admirably suited to produce horses sound in 
 wind and limb, if only reasonable care is exercised in the original 
 selection. The attention absolutely required during the year appears 
 to be even less than is usually given to cattle, although, like them, a 
 little more care given to shelter and feeding during severe weather, 
 would be doubly repaid. It is also worthy of note here, that imported 
 stock of all kinds are not at first anything like so well able to support 
 themselves, as those which have been on the prairies for a few years. 
 Valuable imported animals in no case should be turned out on to the 
 nrairifiS; and no further attention naid to them^ in the belief that thev 
 will be as able to forage for themselves as the native animals, for if 
 such is done, loss and disappointment will be sure to follow, as has 
 already happened in a good many cases. 
 
Mr. John Speir^a Report. 
 
 60 
 
 1 suited to 
 on sii'.iply 
 r weight is 
 trses might 
 ly are, and 
 :y likely to 
 le British ; 
 ;ock graded 
 r it will be 
 
 mare, the 
 dj and will 
 ervice fees 
 t'itain, tl^'at 
 lan abroad, 
 bed for the 
 •eady exists 
 ildings. A 
 might very 
 sre there a 
 3r, there is 
 e the cLass 
 re is to be 
 ughbred or 
 ;he desired 
 ; the wants 
 i^orked and 
 t could be 
 imp, while, 
 to produce 
 L for years, 
 
 as good a 
 
 For the 
 
 3, imported 
 
 b wiU take 
 
 r, and firm, 
 3 sound in 
 16 original 
 :ar appears 
 ke them, a 
 ■e weather, 
 t imported 
 to support 
 few years, 
 t on to the 
 ' that they 
 mals, for if 
 ow, as has 
 
 There has been no increase in the export of horses from Canada 
 for ten years, a fact which deserves the serious attention of all those 
 interested. This, to a certain extent, is probably accounted for by a 
 very great number of the extra horses being required during that time 
 to stock the new lands being opened up in the North- West, so that 
 matters may not be so bad as at first sight they actually appear. 
 
 Sheep Bunching. — A great part of western Assiniboia, northern 
 Alberta, and Saskatchewan appear to be well suited for the raising 
 of sheep. The short, dry grasses point to sheep as the stock fitted 
 by nature to consume them. The class of sheep apparently doing best 
 there just now is the Merino ewe crossed with the Cheviot or Shrop- 
 shire ram. The ewes cost on the ground from 15s. to ISs. each, and 
 are easily obtained. The rams are generally imported from Britain or 
 brought from Ontario, and in either case they are very costly. 
 
 On these plains, sheep require much more attention than cither 
 cattle or horses, which, owing to the scarcity of la,bour, is one of the 
 reasons so few people have entered into the business. "Wolves and 
 foxes are still comparatively plentiful, so that a shepherd must always 
 be in attendance on the flock, otherwise heavy loss might occur at any 
 moment. One man can easily attend to from 1,500 to 2,000 sheep, 
 and for his use he generally has a pony and one or more dogs. The 
 deerhound has been found particularly useful for killing prairie wolves, 
 and besides the usual collie, many flockmasters are now providing their 
 shepherds with a deerhound. The collie is of very little use for catching 
 the wolves, although when caught it readily manages to kill them ; so 
 that to attend a flock properly both dogs are almost necessary.* 
 
 During the day the shepherd keeps slowly moving his flock towards 
 the best pieces of pasture, never omitting to provide them with water at 
 every suitable opportunity. IE such cannot be procu ed naturally from 
 springs, streams, or lakes, then wells must be sunk. In summer time 
 the shepherd carries a tent and supply of food with him, and at night 
 he gathers the flock around his tent, where they lie down and rest. The 
 dogs being always about, the wolves and foxes appear to detect their 
 presence, either by smell or otherwise, and very seldom make an attack, 
 and if they do, they are almost sure to be killed. In winter the sheep 
 are kept during the night in specially-constructed houses, and, unless 
 during very severe weather, they are turned out every day on to a por- 
 tion of land near the shee])-houses which has purposely been left rough 
 for winter use. The grass of these regions is much more valuable as 
 food during winter than similar grass with us, because in the North- 
 West the blades of grass are, practically speaking, liilled by drought in 
 early autumn, just when they are at their best. The consequence is, 
 that these blades contain their full proportion of nutriment, through 
 being stopped in their growth just before reaching maturity ; and as 
 little rain falls during autumn, the soluble food ingredients are not 
 washed out of this naturally made hay, as would be the case in Britain. 
 
 * T^h,ft TTios*". iisf^fiil do** f("ir kill iTir' tHo. woIvgh is h. cross bctwsfin tlifi (ls6r]ii>un(i 
 (log and greyhound bitch, and the great value these animals are can readily ho 
 estimated when I state that I have heard of single dogs killing eight wolves in on« 
 day, and nearly 100 in one year. 
 
 ■*-•;■■ 
 
 ■.V-, 
 
' s: V 
 
 ' * • 
 
 70 
 
 TJiC AyricuUural Resources of Canada. 
 
 ■,*''■ 
 
 • ■ *' .: .:•■ 
 
 • ■ 
 
 
 :■''-' 
 Im 
 
 
 'J / 
 
 
 In fact, if the reports of those resident in t^e^e districts are to be 
 believed — and, jiulging from the many sources from which 1 heard them, 
 I am inclined to do so — it appears that these prairie grasses are almost as 
 valuable for feeding in winter as in summer. In these districts the 
 snow is so dry that it does not deteriorate the grass under it to any 
 Appreciable extent. 
 
 The slieep-liouses are built with turf sides, and of a size correspond- 
 ing to the tlock kept. The roof is composed of poles laid flat on i:iain 
 beams supported by uprights, the whole being covered with a deep layer 
 of straw or hay. Owing to the absence of rain in winter and the dry 
 nature of the snow, no wet ever comes through tlie flat roof. The 
 height of the roof should only be enough to permit of easily clean- 
 ing out the house, and the jnore effectually to do this, a roadw\ay should 
 be made through the middle of it. During severe weather the flock is 
 kept in the house all day, and hay, which should be stored near at hand, 
 is supplied to them as required. 
 
 In the North-West there is no trouble with the ordinary sheep 
 diseases of the old country, ma^'got, foot-rot, scab, &c., being quite 
 unknown. There are some districts, however, where many persons 
 assert that sheep will not Hve at all, owing to a sharp, wiry grass called 
 spear-grass, the blades of which penetrate through the wool and into 
 tJie flesh, ultimately killing the animal. Fi'oiu inquiries made regarding 
 this matter at many of the largest and most intelligent flock-masters, 
 it appears to me that the losses from this cause have been grossly 
 exaggerated. As far as my inquiries went, the greatest complaints 
 were made against it, and tkose appeared to know most about its bad 
 effects, who neither now nor at any past time had ever kept any sheep, 
 while floclc-masters generally had very little to say about it. 
 
 The sharp-pointed blades of this grass appear to enter the body 
 oftenest at or near the brisket or other uncovered part of the body 
 coming in contact with the ground in lying down. After the hard, 
 sharp points have pierced the flesh they get broken short off at or 
 inside the skin, and, like the point of a needle inside the body of 
 a human being, the spear-grass may travel anywhere after having fairly 
 entered the flesh and been broken off. Flock-masters everywhere, how- 
 ever, say that -even where spear-grass is fairly plentiful the losses 
 are very few indeed — so few, some of them said, that it caused them 
 much less trouble than foot-rot, scab, or any of the other ordinary sheep 
 diseases cause the average sheep farmer in Britain. 
 
 HaymaJcing. — In Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia haymaking 
 is conducted very much as in Britain, only, owing to the brighter sun- 
 shine and more steady weather, it is more easily and bet ter done. In these 
 provinces the principal hay crop is clover and timothy, and both do remark- 
 ably well. The timothy keeps good for several years, but the clover rarely 
 produces much after the second year. In the North-West all hay is 
 cut from the sloughs (damp places) on the prairie, and a portion 
 of such land is a valuable ad^lition to any farm, even a vhoat one. In 
 many emigration pamphlets it is asserted that the farmer ha? only to go 
 to the prairie to get as much hay as he requires. Such, hovever, is not 
 the case, as in many localities hay lands are the scarcest o£ any, and 
 
 11^' 
 
Mr. JoJin Sjcteir'a Report. 
 
 71 
 
 are to be 
 leard thoni, 
 e almost as 
 stricts tlm 
 
 it to any 
 
 orrespond- 
 at on i;iain 
 deep layer 
 nd the dry 
 roof. The 
 Lsily clean- 
 ivay should 
 ihe flock is 
 ar at hand, 
 
 nary sheep 
 leing quite 
 ly persons 
 ^rass called 
 I and into 
 ( regarding 
 :;k-masters, 
 en grossly 
 complaints 
 ut its bad 
 any sheep, 
 
 • the body 
 I the body 
 the hard, 
 3 off at or 
 le body of 
 ,ving fairly 
 here, how- 
 the losses 
 Lused them 
 nary sheep 
 
 haymaking 
 ighter sun- 
 !. In these 
 do remark- 
 over rarely 
 all hay is 
 a portion 
 b one. In 
 only to go 
 ;ver, is not 
 £ any, and 
 
 often farmers, even in sparsely-settled districts, told nio that they had 
 cut their hay five and seven miles away. During the haymaking season 
 it is a common practice for the farmer and his men to take a tent with 
 them and remain away all the week. During the dryin ; little handling 
 is required other than the gathering and hauling to the stack. The 
 stacks are never thatched, and the bulk of the cop i stacked where cut 
 and hauled home on sleighs during winter. 
 
 Silage. — Owing to the costof labour and the hotsummertemperature, 
 turnips are never likely to succeed so well in Canada as here. It has been 
 found in Ontario, however, that more food can be f^rown on an acre of 
 land seeded with Indian corn and cut green than by turnips, and the 
 introduction of the silo bids fair to put gn^en maize in much the same 
 position in Canada as the turnip is in Britain. In Ontario maize grows 
 well, it is easy of cultivation, k. eps 11 ; weeds in check in a way no 
 other crop does, and produces a weight per acre of preen food that is 
 not excelled in quantity or quality b} any either plant for stock-feeding. 
 This, when cut green and chopped into short lengths of from half to 
 three-quarters of an inch, and p' into the silo, is easily preserved for 
 consumption during the winter, and in the future yliould add greatly to 
 the milk and meat producing power of the country. 
 
 Marhets. — In the older provinces the facilities for disposing of farm 
 produce are ample and sufficient, while in the newer territories they are 
 keeping pace with the requirements of the country. Wherever grain is 
 produced in anything like large quantities, some one is always ready to 
 erect an elevator for the storage of grain at the nearest railway station. 
 Wheat is^raded into four qualities — Manitoba Nos. 1 and 2 hard, and 
 Northern Nos. 1 and 2 — and commands a fixed price for each quality at 
 every elevator, the prices being that current at the ship-side, minus the 
 cost of transit thither. When a farmer has grain to sell, he has the 
 option of three methods of disposing of it. He may sell it direct to 
 the nearest elevator owner or miller, he may store it in the elevator, or 
 he may send it by rail to some distant elevator owner or miller. On 
 arriving at the elevator, his sacks are emptied into a large hopper fixed 
 on a balance, and when full the whole is weighed, after which a sluice 
 in the bottom of the hopper is opened, and the grain runs out into a set 
 of elevating belts, which convey it to the bin to which the particular 
 wheat belongs, or, if dirty, to the cleaning machinery. The weighing 
 hoppers may be any size, but they are generally made to hold about 
 70 bushels. If the grain is to be stored, or is sold to the elevator owner, 
 and is so dirty that it r'cjulics cleaning, a small percentage — generally 
 2 to 5 per cent. — is deducted from the gross weight. The elevator 
 owners are always ready to pay cash for wheat, but if the farmer desires 
 to store it, the elevator owner does so, and cleans it, at a charge of five- 
 eighths of a penny per bushel for the first 15 days, and one farthing per 
 bushel for every 15 days thereafter, until 2d. per bushel is reached, after 
 which nothing more is charged until May. Any one storing wheat in an 
 elevator does not get his own wheat out again, but an equal quantity of 
 the same grade as he put in. The elevators generally have an elevating 
 and cleaning capacity of 1,000 bushels per hour, but they are seldom 
 worked over 500 or 600 bushels per hour. 
 
 
 
 - .:■. 
 
 '■ 
 
If ■ t, V 
 
 1^ ' 
 
 ■ '.■ »■•>:" 
 
 If; 
 
 Ir !*• 
 
 I 
 
 11 ■, 
 
 . • (■ 
 
 79 
 
 The Agricultural Retourcet of Canada. 
 
 Eailwayt. — In Canada the influences which dictate the conscniction 
 of railways are quite the reverse of what they are in Britain. In the latter 
 they are only constructed after a payable amount of traffic is supposed 
 to exist, whereas in the former they a- made first in order to increase 
 the value of the land and create traffic. The rates charged for passen- 
 gers and freight are fairly moderate, the passenger cars being eminently 
 suited for easily and conveniently travelling long distances. Most of 
 the railways are single lines, but all are well laid, and supplied with 
 heavy engines and two classes of carriages. 
 
 Bartering and Priceg. — In new districts, where the small articles 
 of the farm are sold to the nearest store, it is the common practice 
 for the farmer to take groceries in return, and as many of these store- 
 keepers act as collectors of eggs and butter, on which they say they 
 can make little profit, they refuse to buy unless an equivalent is taken 
 in what they have to sell ; the consequence is, that most farmers receive 
 little actual money for these articles, the balance only being paid, by 
 either person, at each yearly or half-yearly settlement. 
 
 The price of wheat in Britain may be said to regulate the price of 
 wheat all over Cana-la, as its value there is just its price here, minus 
 cost of freight and coi amissions. This year the best wheat was realising 
 about 3s. per bushel all over Manitoba. In Winnipeg, butter has been 
 selling at lOd. to lid. per lb., and eggs at from 3|d. to 7d. per dozen. 
 Cabbages cost from lj|d. to 4d., according to size and season ; and other 
 vegetables are all also equally dear, a hand-bunch of green onions 
 often costing from 4d. to 5d. Farther back in Manitoba, I found 
 butter selling at from 5d. to 6d. per lb. in summer, and 7d. in winter. 
 In Victoria and Vancouver, both butter and eggs are always dear; 
 butter ranging from Is. 8d. to 2s. per lb., and a dozen of eggs about the 
 same price. A small butter factory at Saltcoats I found sending all their 
 make to Vancouver, a distance of about 1,500 miles; while a farmer in 
 the Okanagan Valley, up in the Eocky Mountains, told me he seiV all 
 his butter and eggs to the same place, a distance of about 400 miles. 
 Mutton is everywhere proportionately dearer than beef, and so is pork. 
 Good cows generally sell all over the Dominion at from £5 to £9; 
 and two and a half year old bullocks at from ^5 to £6 ; and ordinary 
 horses at £10 to £20. For the service of a mare with a stallion of 
 moderate_ worth, the cost is from £2 to ,£3, lae whole being paid at 
 foaling time and none at service. Apples being scarce this year in 
 many districts of Ontario, prices were in consequence much higher than 
 usual, the average price running from 10s. to 15s. per barrel, according 
 to variety and season. Clothing is slightly dearer than in Britain, but, 
 as far as I could judge, not over 20 or 25 per cent, more than here. 
 
 Wages.— These vary very much according to the district, occupation, 
 and season. In Ontario unmarried farm survants, boarded in the farm- 
 house, get from £32 to £40 per annum, and if engaged for the winter 
 months only, the wage is about £2 10s. per month; while during 
 hay and harvest time the usual wage is £5 ; -^i* month. Married men 
 receive about £20 to £25 extra per annum. Special men, having a 
 knowledge of horses, cattle, or sheep, get extra u; s. General 
 labourers get about 30s. per week, while some classes of tradesmen get 
 
JUr. John Speit'* Rep<yrt. 
 
 78 
 
 U '1 
 
 £3 per week. In Ontario the average working man spends much more 
 on house rent than is done by the same class in Britain. In the old 
 country it is generally estimated that most men spend about one-tenth 
 of their total earnings in house rent, but in Ontario it is calculated 
 that between one-fifth and one-sixth is so spent. 
 
 In Manitoba and the North-West Territories the ordinary labourer's 
 wage varies according to locality and season even more than in Ontario. 
 It may, however, be said to run from 6b. to 10s. per day; and as 
 showing how scarce labour is there during the busy season, I may men- 
 tion I found a farmer in Brandon, which is not far west, offering 21s. 
 per day to all who would work for him during the stacking period. 
 Ordinary farm servants told me in this district they could keep them- 
 selves and small families and save from .£30 to £35 a year besides. At 
 railway work all over Manitoba the companies were paying from 7s. to 
 10s. per day ; while on the new portion of the Manitoba and North- 
 western Bailway that company were paying this autumn 9s. 6d. to 
 10s. 6d. per day to the Highland crofters after they had got their 
 harvest in. 
 
 In British Columbia wages are full|r, higher than anywhere else in 
 Canada, and masons at the time of my visit were getting as high as 
 21s. per day. Miners at Lethbridge, in Assiniboia, were getting Ss. 
 to 12s. per day ; while at Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, they were 
 getting 10s. to 13s. per day. Female domestic servants are in great 
 demand everywhere. In Ontario the average wage may be said to mn 
 from 25s. to 50s. per month, according to ability and trustworthiness. 
 In the North- West they are very much higher, .£3 to £4 per month 
 being not uncommon wages for experienced housemaids and cooks. In 
 A^'ancouver and Victoria domestic servants are particularly scarce, and 
 if experienced and trustworthy can command almost their own terms. 
 
 It may also be mentioned that west of Winnipeg no smaller coin 
 than the 5-cent piece (2|d.) is used, and at quite a recent date the 
 smallest in circulation was the 10-cent piece (5d.) ; and at the introduc- 
 tion of the 5-cent piece there was considerable dissatisfaction among a 
 section of the population. 
 
 Loans. — Extra facilities are given all over Canada for effecting loans, 
 not only on land, but on stock and implements, so that where these 
 are judiciously used they can often be turned to great advantage by the 
 steady and industrious man who has little capital. All mortgages have 
 to be registered, and for a small sum any one loaning money can find 
 whether or not any other mortgages are on the property. Ordinary 
 debts, or even promissory notes, have no claim against a farmer's 
 homestead, and no matter what is seized for debt, a plough, harrow, 
 seeder, binder, mower, and team of horses with their harness must be 
 left. The ordinary legal interest over a great part of the North-West 
 is e.ght per cent., but ten per cent, and over is quite common for 
 ordinary loans. The facilities given for mortgaging all kinds of 
 property in Canada are 3o great, that I question very much if they 
 have not done more harm than good ; at any rate, it is an undoubted 
 fact that Canadian farmers of all classes contract debt very readily, and 
 there, as elsewhere, debts are always more easily incurred than got 
 
 "♦'. . 
 ' * -". 
 
 ■,£•'■ 
 
 ^' 
 
 B 
 
 : •.. •'•1 
 
 ,. '* . j 
 
 * ' I 
 
i.;J. 
 
 IV • 
 
 ■y >>: 
 
 11 1^ 
 
 ff::: 
 
 ll''"' 
 
 |! .■' ■ 
 
 I 'i. 
 
 .'i ': 
 
 -!■ 
 
 •^ 
 
 ^ •'. , 
 
 74 
 
 T^fi Jgricuhural Resourcfi of Canada, 
 
 rid of. ]\ry idea is that the Qovornmont should discourap;*^ mortpnger,, 
 rather tliuii eucm age them, if a happy and contented rural population 
 is to bo malntaiutii. 
 
 Water.- Over all Quebec and Ontario, water in veils, springs, 
 or rivers is quite plentiful, juf it las been asserted that, owing 
 to the limited rain and enowfuU of Manitoba and the North-West, 
 there wat* r was very diidculfc to get. Undoubted!;, very little 
 water runs off the land by streams or rivers, the woil and the air 
 absorbing the greater portion of it ; but, altliough springs are any- 
 thing but plentiful, and tlio water in man} of the lakes is unsuitable 
 for dietetic purposes, still it is very exceptional to find a distric t 
 (if such at all exists) where water can;.;b bo i'ouicd by wf,ll-sinkini, 
 at a moderate depth. All over the prairies it is usually founi 
 between 15 feet and 50 feet deep, but there are odd cases where 
 double that distance has had to be sunk before water was obtaineci. 
 Owing to the subsoil of the greater part of the; prairie lands being 
 deep clay, it is not to be wondered at that water in sometimes 
 difficult to find, but through the clay are scattered thin beds of gravel 
 at different depths, and where it so happens that a well is sunk without 
 coming in contact with one of These, little or no water is ever found. 
 I have known a farmer sink three wells, all 40 feet deep, around his 
 house, and still find no watei', yet, in tlie fourth one at no great 
 distance, he found a plentiful supply i* 15 feet deep. In another 
 instance, a farmer sank 70 feet withouL finding any water, after which 
 he put down a seven-inch bore to 127 feet, when the water rose and 
 filled the well to within five feet of the surface. 
 
 ^ In both these cases no water was get until beds of sand or gravel 
 were struck, and although there may be isolated instances in which 
 slight difficulty has been experienced in getting water, still such appear 
 to be compai'atively rare as far as my observations went, and I made 
 special inquiry at almost every farmer on whom I called with reference 
 to this matter. 
 
 In every district of Britisli Columbia to which my inquiries 
 extended, water was everywhere plentiful and good. A^ictoria and 
 Vancouver are both supplied with a never-failing supply from small 
 lalces quite close at hand, and at a considerable elevation above both 
 cities. 
 
 Fuel. — In the older provinces of Canada both coal and wood are fairly 
 plentiful and moderate in price, the St. Lav rence and lakes allowing 
 of water carriage at a very low rate. In lue North-West, however, 
 wood is very scarce in some districts, and, of course, is more costly. 
 Tor instance, in Portage-la-Prairie, which may be taken as a fair 
 instance of the other districts, a cord of wood was selling during the 
 past year at 33s. for poplar, and 46s. to 50s. for oak. A cord of wood 
 is a quantity 8 feet long, 4 foet deep, and 4 feet thick. The trees 
 are cut into 4-feet lengths, and, if necessary, split into pieces from 4 
 to 6 inches in diameter. In measuring the cord two stakes are driven 
 into the ground '2 feet apart and 4 feet high, then other two are driven 
 in 8 feet from the first ones, and the wood as split is piled in betwefen 
 the first and second pair of stakes, until the space between them is filled 
 
iortp;nge."., 
 opulation 
 
 I, Bprings, 
 it, owing 
 rth-W est, 
 ery littlo 
 (1 the air 
 
 are any- 
 jnsuitable 
 a district 
 ll-sinkiiif; 
 Uy found 
 3es where 
 
 obtaineti . 
 nds being 
 sometimes 
 
 of gravel 
 .k without 
 ^er found, 
 iround his 
 
 no great 
 a another 
 Eter which 
 • rose and 
 
 1 or gravel 
 I in which 
 ich appear 
 nd I made 
 L reference 
 
 inquiries 
 3toria and 
 :rom small 
 ibove both 
 
 d are fairly 
 is allowing 
 ), however, 
 ore costly. 
 
 as a fair 
 during the 
 •d of wood 
 
 The trees 
 3es from 4 
 are driven 
 are driven 
 in betwefen 
 em is filled 
 
 Mr. John Sjteir^a Report. 
 
 76 
 
 up to the top. Along most of the river banks and elsewhere, 
 enough wood to supply present demands is to bo found, but as the 
 country settle? up it will become ncarcer. Happily, however, coal mines 
 are bein;, opcjiiu in the south of Manitoba which will supply the 
 whole of that province at a moderate charge. In the south-east of 
 Alberta the Lethbridge mines, belonging to the Alberta ^ jal and 
 Kailway Company, are in full working oru r, and are connected 
 with the main Canadian Pacific Hallway h\ a bran -h line. This 
 lalis of excellent qual'ty, and will bo quit'j biiHici* nt for f he supply 
 of the wliuk) North-"Wv-it for many years to come. Near tbo Imse 
 of the Hockies several good beds of coal crop out in various places, 
 some of which are air- inly bein^, worked in a sntall v, ay, lile others 
 are in contemplation. In Etitish Columbia there is sulUcient wood 
 to serve for fu(d f( • generations, an '1 at Nanaimo there are eight or 
 nine shafts wo. ked by *hreo companies, where several tiiousand tons of 
 excellent coal are put out daily. This coal Id sold at ''28. Gd. to 13s. 
 per ton at the pits, and is used principally for occji steamers, the 
 Canadian Pacific liailway, and the iSan Fryncisco marker. 
 
 School, Churches, ad Taxes. — In the prairie districts in each 
 township tiiere are tw) sections, Nos. 11 and 29, which are called 
 school s,tction;4. These arc old ah soon as the district be imes fairly 
 settled up, and tho proci'cds go to a general fun'1 for (educational 
 purpcses. In -^ome districts where the pcjpuktion very thin, and 
 the u| keep ol the scli 'ols is proportiouatoly heavy, a small extra 
 charge has to be made ior their maintenance, but in most localities 
 education is to all intents and purpo'^es free. Wherever 8 or 10 
 children of s(hooi age can be found, a school is erected, and from 
 visits made to several of these prairie schools, and also various ones 
 in the cities, I can testifv to Jie sii^ciency of the accommodation 
 and excellence of the e(i ication which was being imparted in even 
 very remote districts. 
 
 In Canada there are no tithes anil no State Church, unless in the 
 Pro ince of Quebec, where the Koman Catholics alon pay tithes, all 
 others being exempted, yet churches are very pleii';iful and well 
 attended, each worshipping according to the dictates of is o L r own 
 eonscienco. In even the sparsely-peopled districts of the North-West 
 several churches are found in every small towii, Ontario alone last year 
 sending to their nssip* mce ^10,000. Presbyterians and MethodiHis 
 appear to be in great numbers, Episcopalians a ^d Tioman Catholics; 
 coming next. 
 
 The direct taxes of Canada are very light, enough being derl\ ed 
 largely from the duty levied on imported goods, tol< p up the Govern- 
 ment, the cost of which is comparatively light, seeiiu, no standing army 
 and navy htive to be provided for. Ench township appoints its own road 
 managers and levies its o\\ road rate, eo that if the roads are not 
 in good condition, the public have themselves to blame. The total 
 direct taxation of Canada during the past ten years has averaged 23s. 
 per head of the populatiuu. 
 
 People. — The Province of Quebec is peopi^ principally by French 
 Canadians, three-fourths, if not more, of the w.^ole population being 
 
 ^' 
 
 
 ■ ' . '.'I 
 
 1 - 
 
 
 / 
 
 \- 
 
 ]■/' I.' 
 
 ■'•■ Ml 
 
 * if 
 
'♦, 
 
 76 
 
 The Agricultural Raouree* of Canada. 
 
 i 
 
 
 •r^ 
 
 If'' '" 
 
 \l i'l 
 
 ' ■''■■• 
 
 ,» I 
 
 .'';■■ 
 
 f , , 
 
 
 of French extraction, speaking the French language, and belonging to 
 the Roman Catholic Church. The remainder is principally composed 
 of British. 
 
 In Ontario the bulk of the people are of British extrac- 
 tion, the other nationalities being very small indeed, while a very 
 great number of the names of men and places are familiar old country 
 ones. 
 
 In Manitoba and the North-West, several of the newer settlements 
 have drawn almost half of their population from Ontario, the remainder 
 being made up of English, Scotch, Irish, Scandinavians, French 
 Canadians, &c. Around Winnipeg, on the enst side of the lied River, 
 the French Canadians have a very largo colony, and in other parts of 
 the province there are thriving settlements almost t tirely composed 
 of them. The British and Canadians are, of course so much in tho 
 majority that they can scarcely be said to form col' .ies, unless in tlio 
 case of the Highland crottors, who are all settled in bodies by them- 
 selves, and many of whom cannot yet speak any English. The Scan- 
 dinavians, who make very good settlers, are often in districts by them- 
 selves also, but in my opinion it is a decided mistake to give facilities 
 for any nationality to crowd into one locality. At first it may be a 
 little more pleasant for the immigrants, but in the end it will ultimately 
 be for their ov/n and for the State's benefit that all be mixed up as 
 much as possible, and all other nationalities submerged under that of 
 
 Canada. 
 
 Defects of the Counxet. 
 
 Brought. — Owing to the more abundant rainfall of Quebec, Ontario, 
 and British Columbia, these provinces rarely suffer from drought ; and 
 while in Manitoba the rainfall is fairly copious and regular, in 
 Assiniboia the want of rain is probably the greatest drawback the 
 country has. Drying winds also occasionally come on in June, which 
 sometimes scorch crops badly, and to such an extent as occa- 
 sionally to kill them back to the ground level. When the winds 
 cease and rain comes on they again grow, and in the autumn may be 
 cut green for feed, but as a rule are no use for grain. Whether or 
 not the climate will improve in this respect as settlement proceeds 
 and trees are planted remains to be seen ; a general impression appears, 
 however, to pervade the people that it will, but whether or not such is 
 well founded is very difficult to say. 
 
 For 15 years the rainfall of Manitoba 
 16 inches, and below are given the rainfalls 
 Hat, and Calgary for the following years : — 
 
 Rcgina. Medicine Hat, 
 
 1887 = iy-20 ... 9-89 
 
 1888 = 16-23 ... 11-40 
 
 1889 = 4-15 ... 8-64 ... 11-09 
 
 1890 = 9-GO ... 12 12 ... 17 04 
 
 The rainfall of all three places in 1890 is calculated from the returns 
 of the first soven months only, and as the harvest and autumn of tho 
 past year was n uch wetter than usual, the figures given are sure to bo 
 much under what actually fell. 
 
 has averaged about 
 of Regina, Medicine 
 
 Calgary. 
 1932 
 1751 
 
Mr, John SiteWs Rfpwt. 
 
 77 
 
 belonging to 
 illy composed 
 
 itish extrac- 
 while a very 
 • old country 
 
 3r settlements 
 ;he remainder 
 ians, French 
 le lied Eiver, 
 ather parts of 
 •ely composed 
 much in the 
 unless in the 
 lies by them- 
 . The Scan- 
 'icts by them- 
 give facilities 
 t it may be a 
 nil ultimately 
 3 mixed up as 
 under that of 
 
 ebec, Ontario, 
 drought; and 
 I regular, in 
 drawback the 
 I June, which 
 ent as occa- 
 m the winds 
 itumn may be 
 Whether or 
 Qent proceeds 
 !8sion appears, 
 or not such is 
 
 eraged about 
 ina, Medicine 
 
 iry. 
 
 J2 
 
 51 
 
 )9 
 
 )4 
 
 m the returns 
 lutumn of the 
 are sure to be 
 
 Hail. — Isolated districts here and there are every now and again 
 visited by summer hail-storms, which sometimes quite ruin the crops in 
 the districts visited by cutting them down to the ground. Fortunately, 
 however, these storms move in very narrow tracks, and the damage 
 (lone is usually conlined to a very small percentage of the area of the 
 whole country. 
 
 Autumn Prosit. — About the time the grain of the wheat is in the 
 milky stage, it is very susceptible to frost, and as such occasionally 
 comes on then, it often materially deteriorates it. I have found 
 great difficulty in arriving at the exact facts with regard to these 
 froots, and although I found many crops damaged by them, none 
 wera destroyed. Farmers who had been in the country for twenty- 
 eight years told me they had only once or twice had any frozen wheat, 
 while others who had only been there a few years said they had some 
 every two or three seasons. Prosecuting my inquiries further, and 
 comparing the opinions of all after I had heard everyone's story, it 
 appeared to me that those whom I had noted as being the liest 
 farmers had little dread of or had never lost much by August 
 frosts, while the inexperienced and slovenly farmers were losing every 
 now and again. The safeguards to adopt appear to be early ploughing 
 and seeding, the use of early ripening varieties of grain — more 
 particularly for the last scvings — and more mixed farming, so as to 
 decrease the area sown, ana increase the amount of labour available 
 for it. The farming population is composed of such an immense number 
 of persons inexperienced in the business of farming, that it is not to be 
 wondered at that they commit frequent mistakes ; for farming, to be 
 profitable, must be learned in the North-West as well as anywhere else, 
 although it is usually csaid anyone can be a farmer there. 
 
 Smudge iires (smoke fires), made by setting damp straw on fire, 
 have also been successfully used by many farmers, and one of the most 
 extensive and oldest settlers in Manitoba said to me he would have no 
 fear in keeping frost off plots one mile square, if not more, by simply 
 emptying cartloads of straw on the north and east sides along the road 
 allowances, and setting fire to such when frost seemed likely to come 
 on. Most settlers say they know quite well when the crops are about 
 to be hurt, as on these nights any little wind which blows, comes from 
 the north or east, and is usually attended with more or kss fog. 
 Those who have been successful in keeping off frost by this means, say 
 that the smoke is gradually driven by the little wind which prevails 
 over the crop, where the bulk of it lies during the night, effectually 
 preventing any damage. As a rule, it appears to be only one night in 
 a season, or in several seasons, that any damage is done, and if such an 
 area of crop as a square mile, or less, can be saved from damage by so 
 simple an expedient, and at so little expense, it is a great pity it is not 
 oftener adopted. In the wheat-growing districts straw is of so little 
 value that it is always burned ; it might, therefore, at threshing time 
 or other convenient seasons, be hauled where necessary, and let lie there 
 till such times as it was wanted, as the rainfall is so little that it 
 
 t J- 
 
 
 
 ■;' ' *» * 
 
 
 ."»';. 
 
 tl:- .• 
 
 does not rot. 
 
 From information 
 
 derived from several millers of undoubted 
 
■». 
 
 "I 
 
 ■i 'r ■ 
 
 ■> • f 
 
 
 t I 
 
 ■ J. 
 
 M'-:i 
 
 78 
 
 IT/tg Af/ricullural R^onrccs of Canada. 
 
 experience and respectability, I am informed that wlieat damaged by 
 frost is generally sold under its intrinsic value for flour-making, dealers 
 often making such a reason for buying it at a low price. 
 
 In 18SG, in order to test the value of the practice of farmers 
 using frozen wheat as seed, the manager of the Ontario Experimental 
 Farm had 12 samples of frozen grain forwarded to him from Manitoba, 
 which he tested in the germinator and in the field, with the following 
 results : — 
 
 No. ], at the end of eight dnys, showed 48 per cent, growth. 
 
 
 2 
 
 )) 
 
 
 3 
 
 )> 
 
 
 4 
 
 )) 
 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 J) 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 !) 
 
 
 8 
 
 M 
 
 
 1) 
 
 >) 
 
 
 10 
 
 , , 
 
 
 11 
 
 ») 
 
 
 12 
 
 *9 
 
 r>8 
 
 
 
 72 
 
 
 
 'M 
 
 
 % 
 
 60 
 
 
 
 72 
 
 
 
 58 
 
 
 
 0(5 
 
 
 
 l>2 
 
 
 
 42 
 
 
 
 r,.) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 (iO 
 
 
 
 55 
 
 99 
 
 91 
 
 Average „ „ ,, 
 
 The following note is also appended : — 
 
 Frozen wlieat is not reliable for seed, even tho igh germinating a fair per 
 cent., as its growth in the field is of a more or less weakly nature. 
 
 Absence of Shelter. — The bare and naked appearance of the open 
 prairies of INIanitoba and the North-AVest G?erritories is dreary in 
 the extreme, and very depressing on the spirits of any one accustomed 
 to, and knowing the value of timber belts. There is not the least 
 doubt that were the country planted with narrow belts of timber, 
 running across the course of the prevailing vv'inds, in short lengths, 
 and at first at wide distances apart along the main lines of railway, 
 many would be talcen up with it who now turn away disappointed. 
 There are difficulties, even very great diflicullies, in the way, against 
 carrying out such a proposal, but o]iportunities are now olfered for 
 doing such systematically, which may never be obtained after the 
 country becomes more thoroughly settled. The gains from such would 
 likely be a greatly improved appearance, a milder chmate, and increased 
 rainfall, fuel, fencing supply, and larger immigration. More par- 
 ticularly for the first plantations and for the outsides, very great 
 care would require to be exercised in the selection of suitable trees 
 to stand the climate, for which the experience gain 3d at the Dominion 
 Government Experimental Tarms at Brandon and at Indian Head 
 would be very valuable. 
 
 Locusts and Mosquitoes. — Occasionally very slight damage is done 
 by locusts, but it is now so small as to be scarcely worth taking notice 
 of. In all insect attacks the knowledge of the life history of the 
 pest is almost equivalent to half the cure, and as the life of the 
 locust is fairly well understood, and as settlement progresses, it is 
 confidently hoped that they will be unlikely to again cause any 
 material damage. 
 
amaged by 
 iig, dealers 
 
 of farmers 
 
 perimental 
 
 Manitoba, 
 
 3 following 
 
 i'th. 
 
 ig a fair per 
 
 f the open 
 dreary in 
 accustomed 
 it the least 
 of timber, 
 rt lengths, 
 of rail\vo,y, 
 ^appointed. 
 ay, against 
 offered for 
 after the 
 such would 
 d increased 
 More par- 
 very great 
 Itable trees 
 i Dominion 
 dian Head 
 
 ,ge is done 
 ving notice 
 ory of the 
 life of the 
 •esses, it is 
 cause any 
 
 Mr. John Speii^s Beport. 
 
 79 
 
 Mosquitoes cannot be got rid of so easily, and although they do 
 not cause much direct loss, still they give very considerable annoyance. 
 On new comers they are said to be particularly severe, yet none of the 
 people I came in contact with had any very serious complaints to 
 make regarding them. To cattle they are also very troublesome, 
 more particularly on farms in the vicinity of ponds or marshes, as it is in 
 such places that the mosquitoes breed. In these localities it is customary 
 to have a railed-in enclosure, with a fenced-in smudge fire in the centre, 
 into which the cattle are driven, particularly the cows in milk. This 
 fire is fed with any damp material, Avhich will burn slowly and cause 
 smoke, which is very distasteful to the mosquitoes, and into which the 
 cattle rush to get clear of their tormentors. 
 
 Long Winters. — The long winters of Canada are certainly an 
 objection to it by people who have been used to a short one ; but 
 it is wonderful how soon anyone can accommodate himself to 
 the changed circumstances. As the country also gets better settled 
 up, people will drift into ways of life and occuptions which are likely 
 to fully occupy their time. Every country has some drawback ; one, 
 like Scotland, is too wet, another is too dry, a third too hot, and so 
 on, so that were it not for these little defects, the climate of Canada 
 would be perfection. In winter all the work of preparing fuel and 
 fencing is done. 
 
 Wild Animals.— Over all the North-West prairie wolves and 
 foxes are yet fairly plentiful, but unless for their attacks on sheep 
 these animals cause settlers no trouble, as the wolves never attack 
 human beings. 
 
 In the grain-growing districts not a little loss is often caused by 
 gophers destroying the crops, but, as a rule, they do not do much 
 damage, and are not difficult to get rid of. The gopher is a small 
 animal, very much resembling the squirrel, and which inhabits the whole 
 of the prairies of the North- West. It burrows in the ground, its 
 channels very much resembling rat-holes. They feed principally on grain 
 when they can get it ; and where plentiful — and they sometimes are very 
 plentiful — they cause considerable destruction. Tl. 3 badgers are their 
 natural enemies; and on the open prairies they keep them down to 
 their normal level, but in the grain-fields they sometimes increase, when 
 they should be thinned by traps and poison. As yet there are no rats 
 in Manitoba and the North- West; they are, however, always creeping 
 further and further westward. 
 
 Who Should Go to Canada. 
 
 The class of persons principally wanted in Canada are farmers of 
 all classes, farm servants, domestic servants, and a few artisans; all 
 others are for the present unlikely to be any more successful there 
 liian here. Farmers who are up in years should not go for their own 
 benefit, btit it is desirable that they should do so for that of their 
 i'amilies, if they have any. If they are possessed of fair means and are 
 unwilling to face the hardships of starting a farm on the prairies, they 
 may purchase farms in full going order in any part of Ontario or the 
 Maritime Provinces, and at onco begin business. If they have some 
 
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 80 
 
 The Agricultural Resources of Canada. 
 
 money and would prefer Manitoba or any of the country west, they 
 may either purchase improved farms, buy unbroken lands, or go further 
 buck and take up a free homestead, according to their inclinations and 
 means. The men likely to be most successfiil are those who have been 
 in occupation of the smaller class of farms at home, and who, between 
 themselves and their families, can do a good proportion of their own 
 work, for labour is so costly that if much of it has to be hired a 
 considerable part of the profit is run away with. 
 
 Farmers with a few hundred pounds can make a very easy start as 
 owners in any part of the North-West, on a farm four or five times the 
 size of what they would be able to find capital for as tenants in the old 
 country, and at the end of a few years they may have it in good 
 working order and free of debt. Parm servants with a few pounds by 
 them — more than will take themselves and their families out and keep 
 them for from six months to a year— can also do very well, and all 
 such, by frugality and perseverance, may very soon iramensely improve 
 their position. All who are able to pay for good lands near a railway, 
 I would advise to do so, rather than go farther back and get it free. 
 The farmer with a considerable sum of money at his disposal may enter 
 into a large wheat-growing or mixed farm in Manitoba or the Terri- 
 tories, or go into cattle^ horse, or she^^rj* breeding in Alberta, if that is 
 more to his tastes ; or, if he prefers a Wiilder winter, s^ may go on to 
 British Columbia, where he may engage in general farming, sV^-k- 
 raising, dairying, or fruit culture, as suits his tastes and experience. 
 Canada is m large and so varied in character, that there is almost no 
 one in tlie farming way who is desirous of emigrating but will find 
 some place suited to his tastes and experience. 
 
 CoNOLUsroN. 
 
 My examination of Canada forces me to the conclusion that very 
 many of our farmers, more particularly the smaller class of them who 
 are used to cattk, would do very much better in the North- West 
 than at home ; and to all who are not getting on here to their entire 
 satisfaction I have no hesitation in saying that, if they mean shifting, 
 they should try Canada. If they are quite contented and satisfied, I 
 would say, " Stay where you are ; " but in all other circumstances try 
 Canada. When you go, do so in early spring, and go prepared to work 
 or travel about for at least one year, until you see the country and get 
 accustomed to its ways. Such a course will in the end be much more 
 profitable and pleasant than coming out and buying or taking free land, 
 and beginning farming right off. The latter can be done, but it is 
 neither judicious nor advisable to do so. 
 
 lIcCotQUodAla * Co., Limited, Cardington Street, Loodon, N.W. 
 
a. 
 
 )untry west, they 
 nds, or go further 
 r inclinations and 
 336 who have been 
 and who, between 
 bion of their own 
 laa to be hired a 
 
 very easy start as 
 .r or five times the 
 tenants in the old 
 ' have it in good 
 li a few pounds by 
 ilies out and keep 
 very well, and all 
 mmensely improve 
 ids near a railway, 
 k and get it free, 
 disposal may enter 
 IiAja or the Terri- 
 Alberta, if that is 
 , !if may go on to 
 al farming, Ki/z^k- 
 es and expemnce. 
 there is almost no 
 ,ting but will find 
 
 inclusion that very 
 class of them who 
 I the North- West 
 ere to their entire 
 hey mean shifting, 
 ;ed and satisfied, I 
 circumstances try 
 o prepared to work 
 he country and get 
 end be much more 
 or taking free land, 
 be done, but it is 
 
 ion, N.W, 
 
110 
 
 105 
 
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 money 
 may eil 
 back ai 
 means, 
 in occv 
 themse 
 work, 
 consid( 
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 owners 
 size of 
 countr 
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 them f 
 such, b 
 their p 
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 Canada 
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 satisfac 
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 Canada 
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 ■ l l ll ' l . ill l l lii ll 
 
 copies of .the Tenant-ITamers' Bejpartif, and . otheu lllu«tratecl 
 Pajnpklfits oi Canada, may .'be obtained, post frc, pu appHcafeioa tc, 
 
 Tim High Oommisaioner for Canada^^ (JSa OliiJ^LEg TIJPJPEK. Bak 
 Q.eM.Q., q.B.), 175 Victoria Street, I^ndon, S, W. ; 
 
 Or to the following Canadian GovermjH»nt iigents :— 
 
 Mr. John Dykb, 16, Water Street, Lirerpool 
 
 Mr. Thomas Gbahame, 40, St; Enbch Square, Glasgow ; 
 
 Mr. Thomas ChmotLj, Northumberland Hoise, Dublin ; 
 
 Mr. Heubi Mbbriok, Victoria Chambers, Vict ,ria Stlseet Belfast; 
 
 Mr. J. W. Dowjr, Bath Bridge^ BriatoL " • 
 
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