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' ^ '— • .^—. • ~j-—:j.i.'. - nr.! z ni; ' j ' ji r .^Kr::i. z Tj : ^^ ' .i;r : i:TL T i-' TENANT-FARMER DELEGATES' I VISIT TO CANADA IN 1890 1 AND THEIR RKPORTS UPON THE AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES OP THE PROVINCES OP Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Thr 'orth-West Territories, and Britisli Oolumbia, i PUBLISHED BY OBDEE OF THE PARLIAMENT OP CANADA. {Canadian E'lition.) OTTAWA PRINTED BY 8. E. DAWSON, PRINTER TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. 'A ^./ IMPORTANT NOTICE. Canadian iMMiaRATioN ARRANGEMKNia— In additiorf to the free grant of 160 acres of fertile land offered by the Cana- dian Government to any male adult of the age of 18 years and ove^r, in xMan.toba and the Korth-West Territories, and to the land that may be obtained at a modemte price in British Colambia the Minister of Agriculture is now authorized to ofler until iurther notice, the following bonuses to settlers fi-om the United Emgdom taking up such land witliin six tnonths of their arrival in the country :_ Fifteen dollars (£8 Is. 8d.)to he head of a family, seven dollars fifty cents (XI lOs. lOd.) for tlie mfe and each adult member of the family over twelve JtT^r. .If: ^"•^ ^ ^"''^^''" '""^ «^ ««^'«'^ ^<'»ar« fifty centa (XI 10s. 10(1.) to any a^'' '^r''''t-'^^' ^^f''-^'- ^- P^^'''^^ °f Manitoba, ofontario U P ■■ ?T''"- ^'°''"'=^ "^ '^"*'«" Columbia. 92. Provinc^ of Ontario 94. Province of Quebec. 90. Province of Nova Scotia, 90. Canada recommended as a field for settlers, 97. »-anaua Mr. Robert Pitt's Report General description of the Dominion. 100. Province of Manitoba,'l01 of Ontario, 109. Province of Nova Scotia, 115, Mr. William Scotson's Report The NTtrWest'^Tt"; '''' .0^^' "' 0''*»"°' "9- Province of' ManitoU. m" i he North .,e8t Territories. 125. Province of British Columbia. 128. Free lands- Happy homes-Canada a superb country, 132. J^reoianus JVlR. Henry Simmons's Report 1^4- 1 S<=; of MaiiTtobl '5?'Vh'' N 1 w "''^"'' '''■ ^'•"^•"'^ °' Ontari^. "laS. Province 148 n rp^;- . North-West Territories. 146. Province of British Columbia 148. Directions to immigrants, 15a '--uiuuiom. Mr. John Spkir's Rkport T ,^ , J 156-186 Line of travel and general remarks on what he saw, 156. Province of Quebec, Province of Manitoba, 158. The North-West ' Who should go to Canada," 180. IST-Sll f.rI''^T''\ "'''■^ °^ *''° Government of Canada towards immigrant" settlers 187 Geographical position and extent of the Dominion of CanadT 187 vZ ' ) Manitoba, 189. The North-West Territories, 197. Pr, Province of 200. Pri » --. 99 116 Province 117-133 157. Province of Ontario, 158. Territories, 159. Provinceof British Columbia, 159. Major Stevenson's Report tAOl Mr. J. T. Wood's Rkpoiit 212 230 Province of Ontario, 213. Province of Manitoba, 21H. The Nurth-W«Ht Territories, 222. Province of HritiHh Columbia, 224. Canada generally, 227. Miureprenentationi corrected— A patriotic Government -Pubjlo education, 228. Domestic comfort*— Under the ISritiKh flag— Words of warning— Vast extent of Canada— How to b«!Souroes of the Dominion ; aad persons contemplating settlement in Canada are adA jsed, 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 : — QuEOEc Mr. li. Stafford, Louise Embankment and Point L^vis, Quebec. Toronto Mr. J. A. Donaldson, Strachan Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. Ottawa .Mr. VV. J. Wills, Wellingtcn Street, Ottawa, Ontario. Montreal ; Mr. J. J. Daley, Commissioner's Street, Montreal, Pro vince of Quebec. Sherbrooke ?,ir. Henry A. Elkuvs, Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec. Kingston Mr. H. Macphekson, William Street, Kingston, Ontario. Hamilton Mr. John Smith, Great Western Ry. Station, Hamilton, Ontario. London Mr. A. G. Smyth, London, Ontario. Halifax Mr. E. M. Clay. Halifi;x, Nova Scotia. St. John Mr. S. Gardner, St. John, New Brunswick. WiNNiPEO Mr. Thom.\s Bennett, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Brandon Mr. A. J. Baker, Office at the Railway Statio'\. Regina Mr. J. T. Stemshorn. Calcjary Mr. F. Z. C. Miquelon. Port Arthur Mr. J. M. McGovern. Victoria, B.C Mr. John Jessop. Van juver, 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 lands open for settlement in their respective provinces and districts, fai-ms for sale, demand for employment, rates of wages, routes to travel, distances, expenses of e .nveyance, and on all other matters of interest to settlerj, and will receive and forward letters and remittances for settlers, etc. The following are the land regulations prevailing in the different provinces of the Dominion : — Prince. Edward Maud.— The availab! '■ uncultivated and vacant Government land is estimated at about 45,000 acres. Tliese consist of forest lands of medium quality, the very best having, of course, been taken up by tlie tonants in the first instance, and their price averaged al)out one dollar per acre. Parties desiring to settle upon them are allowed ten ycai^to pay for tlieir holdings, the purchase money to bear interest at 5 per cent. , and to be payable in ten annual instalments. Nova Scotia.— There are now in Nova Scotia about two millions of acres of ungranted Government lands, a considerable quantity of which is barren and almof>t totally unfit for cultivation ; but thero is some land in blocks of from 200 to 500 acres of really valuable land, and some of it the best in the province, iiid quite accessible, behig very near present settlements. Tlie price of Crown lands is $40 (£8 sterHng) per 100 acres. New BrumwicL— Crown lands may be acquired as follows :— (1.) Free grants of 100 acres, by settlers over 18 years of age, on the condition of improving the laud to the extent of £4 in three months ; building a house 16 ft. by 20 ft., and cultivating two acres witliin one year ; and continuous residence and cultivation of 10 acres within three j'ears. ('2.) One hundred acres are given to any settler over 18 year- )f age who pays £4 in cash, or does work on the public roads, &c., equal to £2 per annum for three years. ^Vithiu two years a house Ki ft. by 20 ft. must be built, and 2 acres of laud cleared, ('oiitiniious rosideuce for tliree ye.ir.°, fromdateof entry, and 10 acres cultivated in thut time, is also required. (3. ) ilingle Introduction. 7 applications may be made for not more than 200 acros of Crown lands without conditions of settlement. These are put up to public auction at an upset price of 43. 2d. per acre ; purchase money to be paid at once ; cost of survey to be paid by purchaser. ' Quebec. —Lands purchased from the Government are to be paid for in the foliowing manner :— One fifth of the purcliase money is required to be paid the day of tlie sale, and the remainder in four equal yearly instalments, bearing interest at 6 per cent. The price at which the lands are sold is from 20 cents to 60 cents per acre (lod. to 28. oAd. stg.). The purchaser is required to take possession of the land sold within six months of the date of '^^he sale, and to occupy it within two yeard. He must clear, in the course of ten years, ten acres for every ip"? t*^ ^^'*^ ^y '^'""' *"'' '''"^*'* " habitable house of the dimensions of at least 16 ft. by 20 ft. The letters patont are issued free of charge. The parts of the Provmoe of Quebec now inviting colonization are the Lake St. John district ; the valleys of the Saguenay, St. Maurice, and the Ottawa Rivers; the Eastern Town. ships ; the Lower St. Lawrence ; and Gasp6. 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 mac over 18 years of age, or a married man having no children under IS residing with him, can obtain a grant of 100 acres. This land is mostly covererl with forest, and is situate in the nortnern and north-western parts of the province. Such a person may also purchase an additional 1(X) acres at 50 cents per acre, 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 year. In the Rainy River district, to the west e 1^® Superior, consisting of well-watered uncleared land, free grants are made ■ t,"?-^*^"^^^ *" * ^^^^ "^ * family having children under 18 years of age residing with hnn (or her) ; and 120 acres to a single man over 18, or to a married man not haying 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. /ioils 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 herself to the change, the outcome of which has been a more systematic style 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" a year or more, and thus by introducing oats, beans or pease into the rotation, it may be extendetl 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 woukl 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 ecjual to one-half that of good hay. If this be so, it will have a very marked effect upon the agriculture of the diHtricts in which this crop can be grown, On- tario being one. It will diminish, if not put an end to, the cultivating Mr. Georye Brown's Heport, 15 of that most expensive crop, turnips, as here we can obtain 10 tons of yood feeding stuff off an acre of land at a nominal outlay— a consider- iible difference from IJ to 2 tons of hay, this being the average pro- (luce per acre of this crop. Stock is now being shipped to England from Canada, which places the Ontario farmer in a better position than Ilia Western brethren, as the cost of transport is much less, and his i-iittle are saved the deterioration incidental to conveyance by rftilway. 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 p ,„ Bow Park herd find theii 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 improvement has been effected during the past 12 or 15 years l>y many farmers, who 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 m the English markets. Here is an opening for a level-headed l)reeder from the old country. Not only in this province, but in the Xorth-West, there is room for any number of men of this kind. 1" am iiuite 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 Rnnche or Binscarth Farm, and it may open their eyes to the fact that tiie very bluest Shorthorn blood thrives and improves in its new environments. Dairy farming is another branch of agriculture recently started in Manufacture Ontario. There are now over 700 cheese factories and from 30 to 40 o.'T'tS cieamenes. This is a considerable advance on old country practice Gutter, and is well adapted for the manufacture of cheese and butter of that unifonn equality 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 milk sent to the factory. It is evidently found to be remunerative, as uiilch cows are on the increase in the province. Fruit-growing is a special industry near Hamilton, and down by pruit culture Niagara River ; there being extensive orchards and vineries in those districts. Grapes, peaches, A-c, can be seen growing and ripening in the open air. Vegetables are also seen of every description, large in size, and excellent in quality. Throughout all the province potatoes are a most prohhc crop ; they grow to a big size, are sound, and extra gheep raisme good quality Sheep are reared in considerable numbers, there being "'""P '^"•*"'»- about 1,400,000 last year within the province. This number mic^ht be increased with advantage, especially on the partially exhausted farms, as there is no kind of stock that increases the fertility of land so quickly, especially if fed with corn duriirg winter and summer. In general, the flocks seen by us were South Down or cross-bred They wanted uniformity of type— a pretty sure indication that they were hadly bred. A little attention in this direction would be amply repaid by the production of better-class mutton, and wool of a superior kind 16 Tfte Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. Hcma markdt pigg and poultry are moat prolific, and find a ready market at home and in the States. Undernotwl are the current prices of prouwn, Leicester, Lincoln, iVc, and were but a middiiug turn-out. In Afr. Uoorgf BrowniK Report. 17 the implement depai (ment the Canadians are a long way ahead of us. The most improved appliances are seen here in nearly a perfect state, the confltniction of every machine being most carfully done ; the mate- nals, generally steel, produce a light machine, easy to draw, doing ita work well, with little or no breakage. The delegation were very much indebted to Vice President MacMaster and the directors for their kindness while visiting Toronto Fair. Before leaving this city we were invited by Chairman Somers, of the School Board, to visit the schools and \ etermary College. This we were enabled to accomplish, under the guidance of the chairman, Mr. Herbert Kent, solicitor, and Inspector rl ughes. ^ ,^^®.'''!^*'"""*° ^<='^ool8 aro perhaps the best and most complete in Edne«tion. the Dominion. The system of education adopted is admitted to be the best in the world. Every branch of educatioa in here taught, and thoroughly well don.-. During our visit the fiif alarm was sounded, and in a few minutes every man, woman and tJiild was in the court- yard ; there was no confusion, the childred, headed by their respective teachers, coining out in divisions. We also saw the map of Europe drawn in outline by a whole class in five minutes. The ^'-ancial arrangements are similar to those adopted in this 'Country. \ e next saw the Veterinary College, and were taken round by Dr. Smith, the proprietor and principal. This is an institution which must have a considerable eflect for good in a country where hortes, cattle, and sheep will in time be counted by the million. n ^^ J 'l"^? *',[''" ^^ frequently asked : Should a young man going out College of to Canada with capital pay a premium to a farmer in order to learn Agriculture at farming ? The payment of any premium is, in my opinion, unnecessary, ^'""^^P^- and a waste of money, as any young man who is not afraid to work, and to "rough it" a bit, can readily obtain employment with some good farmer ; thereby not only will he gain experience, but will be able to earn and save money. There are some, however, who may prefer to take things more easy, and who can afford to expend money in acquir- ing a knowledge of agriculture ; let those take a session or two at the Agricultural College of Guelph, where they will obtain a thorough grounding in the science and practice of agriculture. This institution il deserving of more than a passing notice, as its influei-ce is wide- spread, not only in the Dominion, but wherever agriculture is looked upon as 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 so 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, wheie a whole array of professors and superintendents daily, while in session, give practical lessons to the students. The climate of Ontario is variable. In the vicinity of the lakes Climate <.f 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 exrremes 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 Asriculture for much y.alu,able infonnatioH and books relative to the province. Ontarid. 18 Tlit Agriculturnf nnH oth^r Retourcen of Canada, TKllHITOUIES. Coiirag* knd eiitxrpriita r>* warJiKl. lUpiility of Three great agricultural plains. Cliuuitic variations. Manitoba and the Nouth-Wkht. Tt is to tli« men who conceived tlie plan and oxocuted the work of building till! (yaniuliiiik Pacific Railway that ia due the credit of open- ing up and placing at the diHjKisal ot' the Duniinion thoHe immense plains of fertile land known as Manitolia and the North- West. Hofore the advent of i\w railway these vast regions were con>- paratively unknown, and sipnitted upon here and there by those hardy jiionoers who transformetl the unbrokeii forests of Ontario into fertile fields and comfortable homesteads. Without the means of transport artorded by the railway, those vast regions must have still remained the haunt of the bufl'alo, and the happy hunting ground of the Indian. Instead of this, a wide area upon 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 Rooky Mountains is reached, and the whole aspect of the country has become so changed that to me it apj)ears, in this land of sui-prises, to be the greatest wonder of all. As an example, when visiting tlie show at Regina, 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, ifec. Yet wo were told that eight years ago these Indians were uncivilized, wandering about the prairies more often in their war paint than in the garments of peace. Yet in this short time these same Indians have settled down, and are now competing with the white Roltlers in the markets of the country. From Winnijjpg to the foot of the Rocky Mountains there lies an immense plain, broken here and there with rising ground which can hardly be looked upon as mountains. This land is divided naturally into three area.s, all of which lie at different alti- tudes. West from Winnipeg we have the Red River Plain, extending out until it reaches a point alwjut half-way between Winnipeg and Brandon. This is the first area, the average height above the sea level being about 800 feet. From this point west until near Moose Jaw the second table-land occurs, attaining an average height of about 1,600 feet. From this point until near the foot of the Rocky Mountains is occupied by the tliird 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, drift, and alluvial deposit. Deep black vegetable mould pre- dominates on the lower table-land, which embraces within its area the best wheat lands in the Dominion. The eastern ppii if the second plain has a soil of a similar chnracter until Brandon is reaohed, the western portion being largely made up of the dis'" ■'':r(,,«,j f the underlying fonnation. This area is admirably adapti.u lor .luxeci farm- ing. The third plateau, chiefly made up of debris transported from tlie Rocky Mountains, is more broken and rolling, largely interspersed with briX)ks and creeks, making it the home for ranching. T.'ie climate of Manitoba and the North-West is in great part oi " ->{ extremes, summer heat being intense and winter cold severe. In HuUHoba --'nd the eastern part of the North-West, during the spring r ica Ji^ >;ather is dry, which enables spring work to be done quickly ei; the degree uf loid cannot be judged by ilie rise and fall of th« thermometer, as mui;h deptsi ds on the slate of the atmosphere, which in this locality is very dry and bracing. When snow tlescends the weather geneially remaiu«* without ohaiige until the thaw sots in, so that the settler can clothe himsc once for all to meet the cold season, as thei-e is no necessity to change liis 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 intfivifiws) to those of this country. Blizzards occasionally occur, but so seldom as to be outside serious i-onsideration. Hummer frosts, however, do sometimes occur, and are the chief difficulty wheat-growers have to contend with. To me it appears that (he very (hyness of the atmosphere during the period in which they happen is one of the causes. 'J'he.se frosts generally occur from the loth to 26th August in some of the districts— that is, after the long- continued sunshine of the preceding months, which ova|)orate8 the sap out of every green thing on these broad j>rairies. This being followed by a cold, dry, moJMi ire-absorbing wind from the north, must evaporate moisture wherever such is present. It is a well-known law that where evaporation occurs a lowering of the surrounding temperature at once takes place : 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 first 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 stsems to be overlooked in some of the higher parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, where wheat 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 Su.nmor frosts the damage, on the average of years, .sustained by summer frosts is "ot the »priou» immaterial in districts suitable for wheat-growing ; this view being 'Ir"^*^ ""*' further confirmed by visiting perhaps the largest flour mill in the **™''^" ' world, situate in Minneapolis, where we were told that smmer 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 frosted 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 moisture 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 diminish- ing 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 another reason, 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 fai-mer works away, getting tlio fiist jrortion done in good time — in fact, getting about half through when he '«*^la™ecl 240 acres, with 80 acres Si' ;:;;;;! '"f r "P ^'^ ^alf-section. He now possesses 15 ow and .1 teams of horses, and would not take $8,000 for his sto.-k nd homestead. He has also started his son .„, anUher IlteoSn on T. T'"^" ""'^"' '"''P' ^2cowsand 2 teamsof horses. The second son has taken up a quartei-section-160 acres-and is joint ownei of a portable steam threshing mill. 1 saw his cvrain wli 1. T! • ! -Iu-eshed.and would estinmte it as follows -Wheat 5 000 iv'l barley 400 bushels; with about 200 bushels of oatf ' A pret v S^J aflair this for five years' work. pietty tidy and slw "s^J"'f!wv'* "' ^/'"^'^'/'^^'-^ ^'-^ ^i^ited the annual show. Anagrioul- ind sa« .ome fair samples of gram, excellent vegetables and ^'.''vil^air. ut tar cattle ; but slieep were a poor show. Horses we^re aiT .ood Sf ' ''"''~ After smng he show we drove to Geneial Wilkinson'^ "farm Birtleside). The farm is 2,000 a.res in extent, and wa loTt three years ago. Cultivation was begun two years since .mlSOo!. .u-e now under crop. The Birtle river runsTrmu^rthe n, J ? :^:^^: ''7'^r^, rr^^^r ^^^^^™^ ^t'^ xpeuences. A 31r. ( ook first stood up, and said he came th^.v^ 1 1 year, .,„ ,v,th S,0 in M, ,»ok, „„d S,„„p«, hi,, 4r:i*,': ^iSS^ 11 •ops which were touched bv fr during all tl,« trnjo he h-.u] farmed he' had only two settlers ifliit ■ ■ost. He had done well because he had f,!*'^: *'^ 2Q Binscarth f.ii'iii. I'ieM [iro- ducts. 2%e Agricultural a*id other Resources of Canada. not put all his eggs in one basket, but went in for stock-raising as ",'ell as corn-growing. The next speaker was James Murray, who came to the country along with his father in the year 1880 ; his 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 aa 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, (fee, being paid for me if I stuck to the man for three yearsl Well, I got here, and went to the homestead and began work. The place was called Raeburn, and I got from $8 to $10 a moth. I started the first morning to plough with oxen along with the others ; some of us got on fairly, but others got all round tb'^ houses, and landed at the stable door instead of the end rig. Aftei a time the ' boss ' and T (luarrelled, owing to anot her man. The ' boss ' started and cursed me all round, same as if I was a ' nigger.' Well, I went away, and Avalked 25 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 68 a month for a year. At the end of the year the ' boys ' ofiered me 625 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, 1 bought a team for $83, 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. ^[y father lived at the homestead, and my brother and I worked out when not needed, getting $2 to $2.50 a day. I went down country to meet a brother and sister who were coming out, and for which I sent tlieni 160 to help. On gettmg there I had to wait a week or two, so went to a man and asked for a job. He ofiered me $2 a day, but if T worked without putting my foot to the shovel he would give me $2.50. '*Vhen I got back there was a job at $25. My homestead was after this entered upon, and we got 15 acres broken the first year ; next year 2.") acres more ; and this year 70 acres ; so that next spring I will have, witli 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 fe^t, 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 which 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, " hard to beat." We next proceed to Binscarth, where I was driven to the farm by ]Mr. Wm. Scarth, from whom I received much information as to Mr. 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 from what I could learn as to his plans, is on the fair way to make nioney. We drove to the Binscarth farm — a name well known in tlie North of Scotland, being of great interest to Orkney men. The farm is well managed, there being 300 acres under cultiva- tion. 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 f^r the breeding of cattle, as it lies well, is sheltered from all points, having streams and ^alleys run- ning through it in all directions, deep bottom lands where abundiineo of hay can be cut, and tlie .soil undpr cultivation, stton" bkick In.ini. Mr. George Brow. i' a Jieport. q.of-tlh^r?T-P*^ ""f'^r ^"^^^'"^•h the fann is carried on by tlie Scottish Ontario and Manitoba Lan I Company is the breecuL of "fnbrT/*"?.' ""^^"'' *^'^ ^"'P^^^ - ShortLrn herd ha bm estabhshed. 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 oldercows inspected by us seemed to be patchy and wanted the symmetry, which always is such a char- acteristic of the Shorthorn; many were also a little ^ough about the head and horns. This, ho« ever, only applies to the older cows. Those untSuhe T ™r.I""'"*' ""^ '^'' '=«'^*'"'^«« i'^ ^" th« different ages luitil the calves of this year are reached. These are about the best I have seen anywhere, showing Shorthorn blood at every pointTindeed wntrv Thr "'f ^" diiiicult to beat by the be^st\erds in S country. There can be no doubt that these stages of progression are due to the care and Judgment of Mr. Smellif, the^mrn^^ Zbers over%00 "t^""' -Shorthorn breeding. The h'erd Tow numbers over 300. The young bulls are sold annually, at from £20 to i..3o. The feeding is hay and straw, bruised oats, and bran for cows and young bulls. Young cows and heifers are turned out o the prairie during summer, getting no extra feed. The company owns 30,000 acres of land in this vicir.ity all of a similar character. The establishing of this farm is there^ a wise and far-reaching policy, as it notonlj gives the settlerswho have taken hLSrhutt "" ^PP!'^*-"*^ «f «btf--K good sires to useTn S . herds, but many experiments are conducted on the home farm, which when succcessful, are adopted by these settlers. The latter S ^00^ sequence prosperous, which gives the locality an excellent chaScter" and results in settlen.ent and enhanced prices for land in thellstrict' We afterwards visited Russell, and drove to Dr. Barnardo's home and farm for boys The farm consists of 8,000 acres 5 000 Inr R T^' ''n^ ^'^^^ P'"^"^*«^ by the Manitoba and' /ortli ^\estern Railway Ccmpany. The object is the reclamation of the waifs of London and other large cities. There is room foi 60 boys in the Home; these are generally from 15 to 17 years of a^^e and a 1 kiS off "" " ^T 'V"' ^^"^' ^""-^^ '^-' ti™« -e instructed « all kinds of farm work ; afterwards they are drafted out amon.^st the farmers m the district There is a demand for the BarnarTbovs so that the institution is of real benefit to the neighbourhood Some 3 acres are at present under crop, and a garden of 25 aciS inwhSh all kinds^of vegetables are cultivated, llere is also a fai^ s ock o cattle and sheep, and the best Shcrthorn bull I have seen in t e coun made 1^^""' " '"" "' ''''''''' '" "^^^^ ^^ '^'- -^ ^^""er are Saltcoats~Cro/ters.~We next visited Saltcoats, in whiJi district aie settled. The district is a wide one, and consists of great tracts of p.aine land, covered here and thei-e with scrub. The" soi s 'ood ;3^.otrott2 tr -*-''«^'^« obtained anywhere by'^i^'^ othpr^^nV""!"'"? ^-'T^'^'^^f ^^ families, who were sentoutin 1889 • tuS i^W88S 'TSrTS''"*?V''^^ ^'^'^^^'^ '^'^^'^^ Southern Mani-' t ba, in 1888. The Imperial Government provided means (£120^ for .■ach family, which was expended on their transport andlmielteid mtions being given them until their first crops Arrived a Zturltv b.!l- oT ye'a^s ^" ' *° ''' ^""'"^ ^" instalments spr. ad oveTa numl ^^yeai. 23 Stock raising. i Training farm for boys. Personal ex' perience of Highland crofters a& told by themselves. I 24 'llie Agricultural ami other Besourcen of Canada. D. Grahame, an old Hudson Bay man, who came out to the coun- try one and a-half years ago, for the second tinie, as a Government emigration crofter, says : "I have to complain of great hardship the first year, because tlie 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 on. -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 this country make for their goods. I have also to com- plain that the rations were stopped too soon." Note.— In cross-examination, find that this man had been offered work on the railway and refused it, preferring to occupy his spare time drawing hrewood to Saltcoats. Robert McKay, Stornoway :— 1 1 " V'^Toii '''"'-f'' ""''^'' °''*'P *^"^ y®^'"' '^"d will have other 20 acres broken for 1891. I worked on the railway in the winter time, and ^ot us. per day 1 think my land not fit for cattle, as the water is scarce. 1 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. lam quite satisfied witn everything done by the people or Government at home i, "7*^QA^?* *^ 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 T often want It the same day. I would rather have a cow less and get a whole wrggon. I would have no hesitation in telling my friends to come to this country, and would not now leave it for anything " Charles Docherty, North Uist :— "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 u ,o\. ¥^ "'^y ^^^^ ^'^^ potatoes from June till September I have 1^ head of cattle, including my work oxen. I expect to have 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 : — "I have^ 12 acres under crop, and expect to put 10 acres more ney.t year. I have nine head of cattle and nine of a family Mv family are all healthy. There is a school near us being built We havo a sermon every other week. I am very well pleased with the cou.-itry, 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 tamiJies 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 raUway, and made |83 in three months. This money kept us all winter. I wish all my friends to come out. I could not go back to live in the old country. I have written tor my mother, brother, and two sisters to come here ajul J think they will come ; anyway, I wish no better place." Kenneth Mclvor : — '•I have 12 acres under crop this year, and expect to have 20 acres more next year. ] have 11 of a fann'ly : one gir] aged Ifi, is „earlv icrcs more Mr. George Browns Ri-iiort. 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 fS think all my friends ought to come out here, as it is a grand place I wtnl^gtrmTb'oi:^"""^ '^"^ *^"^"»^ *^- *« --' -^ to Pelican Lake and KiUarney.—This settlement consists of I') opp:;^: r^uhr,r' ^'t^™ ^■^'^^' *^« '^"- beingrtied on tl; opposite side of the lake. These emigrated in 1888. settledor 'l^'"''^' ^^Z;^^' b«g"» "^^ ^'itli a team, cow and calf, and and in ?890 I i'm ^^''^•. ^"''""^ ^*^*^ fi''^*^ y^'^^'he broke 8 acres, and m 1890 liud 40 acres under crop. His cattle have done well and he sells enough butter and eggs to keep the house. The wTnter L not Inlr '" t'.°^'* 'T''y' b^^^"«« ^hen the snow 00!™ it neve changes so that one day one does not get wet, and thrnext drv Z for hSh ''^ ^\"^^^' "r/"' ''^^ P"* ''^ ** ^'^'••«« ^-heat, also 5 acres s?ead rt"' T ? '' ^"^ °'^ "^""' ^"^ '••'•'^i'^^^ O'^ - neighb;ur ng home lie lias also bioken 10 acres more this season for his father He has sx of a family, who are well pleased with the country. He has 11 cattle, 2 pigs, and lots of poultry. ^ -ne nas u D. Stewart, Fort Augustus :— over that i„ t.me, and would oot „mv like to leav" the riao'e Th* dozen for ec^o-s Tl„-« ;= fi. " !i . ^ * *°' butter, and 5d. per c,49\;fe seS:„!:;; s'itpTd li",*^-^ ">■» '^ "- '»^'-* ba.e;;To.i™tdi~.j£''t:'-rht^^^^ ..d geese, .„d tutk";: af^d ; a : t^^, ^n «^:^rf iv ■'T'"' 25 A matron g enthusi.ostie testimonv. f ;■'■ I A representa- tive settler speaks. Taxes nnd Hoii, -land- lordism gf>t rid of. 26 [fi Moosoinin aet- tlement, Lndy 'iordoii Cath- cai't's High- landers. Persona! ox- l)f riences i e- lated by tlio settlers. The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. and a rich marly subsoU several feet deep, and a blue clay botlom. Several farmers have raised crops of wheat here for 10 years in suc- cession 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 trom 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 wit h confidence invite them all to come where they can make comtortable homes for themselves and their families " llie iiarl at this point wished to hear of any drawbacks to the count'i'y. "Very well, my son" said McLeod. "If I would tell you any- thing about the dark side, T would be telling you something I know nothing about, because it has been all the bright side with nfe since I came here. I am authorized to make this statement by the whole of the crofters in this settlement. When I first arrived at Killarnev 1 was oliered $2^50 a day for doing mason work, and the first job o mason work I did I got $2.50 a day ; I can now get $3 a day, but I cannot leave my farm. There is plenty of work here for masons and man labourers, bu I prefer to stick to my farm ; and I can say that any man who will work and till his farm property can make a good living The crofters who make up this settlement are from the estates of Lady Gordon Cathcart. In the year 1883, owing to the congested state ot some parts of these estates, there was an ofier made of £100 to the head ot each family wlio desired to emigrate to the North- West This ^"^J.^%*o be expended albng with the amount obtained by the sale ot their farm stock, in their transport, and to enable them to begin lif.. with some hope ot success in their new homes. Fifty-six familif-s availed themselves of the offer, 11 going out the first year, and 4^1 thpTq/;? ''^"<^7^f^"g °'^«- . Tlie money advanced was secured under the 39tli c ause 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 iti area The soil is good oam, and in many parts covered with scrub. Good botton. farmir ^^ ^^^^^' '^ abundant. A country well adapted for mixed 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 aci-es under crop last year, ami will put in three more this season. I have two cows four other cactle, and one team of oxen, and have got all the implements I require, self-binder included. I might -o back to the old country, but would not stay there, as this is a heafthy place ?h?8 yeai- "' '' "'*''' '•^dependent. Besides, 1 have got a very good cro; Farquhar 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 implemeiZ and a team o oxen. Has a tidy house and oflice's, and farms Ws and well. W ould go back to the old country if he got a very good situation but would not go back to farm. ^ry^ooa situation, J. Campbell, South Uist :— "I have seven cattle and 40 acres under wheat. I like the country but would like to visit the old place." » Would you stay ? " « Och ' no no. " Ihen you would not farm at home ? " •• Na, faith. I d d not sow all uiy land tins year. If I had done so, I would be rich " Mr. George Brotvn's Report. McKinnon, South Uist, located at Red Jacket :— 27 bought T sold 18 to 20 cattle this year, and have on hand 40 head , . ^ ^ " " >. IV- ..en,, more. u tTor - "O'^es for $250. Seasons are changeable. I have about 80 acres under crop, and have a return of about 2,000 bushels wheat. 1 .^j ^ comment from me is unnecessary, as the preceding interviews, selected haphazard from my note-book, are sufficient evidence as to the present position and future prospects of the crofters. I may add that on inquiry I found that of the 18 families who left their home- steads id would not take the locations selected for them by the otfacials in the vicinity of the others, but went in a body to the Leech -Lake district and selected the land for themselves. Some of the lands are odd-numbered sections, and in consequence belonged to the Manitoba and North-Western Railway. The company at once gave «ie sections to the Government, so that the crofters might homestead. Ihese U families left this land of their own selection before chey had 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 Uakota who travelled over Manitoba with us. He infoi-med me that he had just completed the purch.ase of 60 homesteads at Saltcoats, where-feettlers from Dakota were to migrate; this district being, he considered, the best selection he could make. p ■7'' p""^- '■°*"'"" ""'^ ,l*ortage la Prairie and join the Canadian Brandon and facitic. Fassmg on toward the west, we come to Brandon, the most vicinity, 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 -''!. nn ^''^ """l^ substantial buildings, containing a population of about .),4U0. Near Brandon is the Government Experimental Farm. The tarms m the district are excellent, and the soil well suited for wheat- growing. Leaving Brandon, we come to Wolseley, where we stopped on our return journey. We were driven out to Qu'Appelle valley. The sceneiy is a considerable deal better than the land, as the latter is low- lymg, and seems to have been the bottom of a recent river. Cultivation IS tried here and there, with fair results. The land lying on the higher lands IS fair loam, and suited for dairy and mixed forming. THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES. r A- ^"^"^5*^ '<^«P is ^^ Hegina, the capital of the North-West, visitinc. Regina. Indian Head on our way. Here is situated the North- West Experf- luental larm, as also the famous Bell and Brassey farms The Bell tarm is a big undertaking-much too big for one man co carry out Mannnoth the work with economy. It is 13,000 acres in extent, and takes a ride of farm.. -' uiiles 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 2o bushels per acre, and the cost of production from $4 to f o per acre I here is frequently 40 per cent, lost by frost, which miaht be saved to a considerable extent if the farm was divided into holdinc^s of o.ie-twentieth the size. One furrow outwards and another homt wards IS the naif-day's work for 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, altliough mixed farming would leave money. ° The Brassey farm has just hefiu started, and nonsists of 40 000 acres. A commencement has been made by establishing a fair lot of «' i S til 38 Priiiofi Albert — a iiiaKiiifi- ceiit country forfaiin set- tlanu'iit, 7'/,/. A;iri,',t.lttmU ami othfii- Resources of Canada. Suullsnu!"''''''.' -'k" "■n""'*'"' !^""« ^" b™**' ''"™«« "f greater bone an .ub,.tuuce, wuch vv.ll ,soo„ be required for farm purposes. There 8 also a fair herd of cattle. The land is fair. (h-ain-K'wing is also to be taken up as time goes on. * ** Hat a^nfc''l f'T^"^ """• " '"""' '•''""' *^''^ «"''•""'"«»« country bein« and saw lZf\ " «T"'^^ '^'"''^' ^' '''^^^ *^'« exhibition thnf and .saw some extra g-^od roots, potatoes l)mng a very good show. Theie rtt?..rf '"""•"" f'\""^"^" '•""«'■' ^^^>'«h would makeitappr 5 •< or of ;h'''\'l"' '"l^'i'p '■ •''^'^'" "^ "^^'^ ^"°««^«- 'l^his is the head- m >1p . . ^^l;'.":'t«'l l^"l>o<', >n.iny of whom were seen by us ; thoy appear to l)o uii ethciojit body of men. ^ whiclHioT'w^ 7^1 "7 r'i.^ "^' *'"? ""^ "'"'°*' '■'^''^'^>' to P"'"^e Albert, wl ith ho^ on the Saskatchewan river. We have here a great country Tn.l, ''V I ?" 'T^ very much similar to that in the vicinity of wh h affo?d ' '"^''f •"»' :i<^'» ^'^"«y« •^nd knolls covered with sc^ub, P e tl t^ h H. V''" *'"™' "^ *'^" neighbourhood, and was well h th s dltit ^^'"''■'^•.'iPP<''"-'^"'^'« of the country. She.-p are rearo.l Ian /-on ' '!"^/'""''"'«""g the great extent of some,.} the prairi. lands (200 m.les), thousands .night well hike the place of the hundreds at present ,n the hands of a few ranchers. These run out ^n le MrPlav;"?"r """"?■' "'"' *'""' "^ '"^^ ^^"""^ ^^'»t«''- While visiting Ml llaxlonl was shown .some two-rowed barley grown by him the b t .unple I have seen anywhere, either at home or'in Canada Ther ev n in ed lli ' . "' "xT^ T'l ''« "'•"^" ^''''- '^^ "-ko sure, I exa.n.nod Ins stacks and found the sample obtained by rubbing out a feu heads to be ec,„al ly as good-fine, plump grain, well culourfd^and ht or brewers^ Untd lately, four-rowed barleylthe " here," or " bigo ' tl ere' Z '^ ^'"' '"'^ "/^"^ ^^^" '^'^'^'^ •'^''"«^t exclusively in Can£, Ba lev nf"^' ;' fr' '"'^•''^"^ ^"^ '•'« U"^*«d States for this vari^v La, ey of a better quality can, however, be grown, and will find a ready sale in the markets of Great Britain, if is, therefore mnlv a question of time when two-rowe.l barley will take thTplace of tVe inferior variety, as there can be no fear of it attaining flmUurv in a climate where wheat can be grown ' All this district is as yet almost untouched in the way of settle- meat to t^f T T ^-'^t 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 nountaui and timber following in succession until we aiain irHve'u Kogma and away west towards Moose Jaw, when we enter pon tie flese.t, o, bad lands of the States. How these plains are to be ec.mo,ni.sed has often I.een the subject of discus.sio . among't t le e u bers of the delegation. The gra^ing of sheep has been sugjeste • o ttheVJ TH. ""'''^ f "^™"^'" ""' ''^<^V^-' This we know t^anVe fn f '°",?**T' ""^ '"*'" '^^^^''« ^^eep an kept on the Ke to XaMn"' "^'"" '^ ^^y'"^^' Z''"*^"'''*- The' disease is said to be due to alkaline poisoning potash or soda), and the only remedy seewis o be a change to a district lying over a ^different formLLn ' but care nd";? 1 %"''"'i I'V""" '" P''"'' °^" '^^ y''"' «'^ these plains, but caie and judgment would be necessary, so that a chancre of -roun. wou d be given at the proper time. As to culti^-ation, thefe can^ , Ku fthS T'^""^^-^'' '"1 ^^''^' ^'' ^'^'^-^ "P --' the m.„.in 101 cultivation thereby inei'e.aRer], Mr. Gfunje llroivtix h'i'porf. 1 1 farrS''l ('f()On"^ *'" ''T' :^ ^''r' ''* ^^r^^^ovo, the centre of th. ILlPZ I ' f" t-ut-h belonging to the Canadian Colonisation and Coal Company, formerly Hi.- John Kaye Lister's farms Thes ;'ea:;;ed "^ri ': '" a^^''^ ^'"'"'^^ ^' «^g'- unt/l Calgl^ eached. 1 here arc 10,000 ac-r.-s under crop this year the greater bulk being oats and hurley. Oats are sown in May. ^ Ho« wLds and drought chd a deal of dan.age. AVhere wheat was pown thTpr^^^^^^^^^^^^ o^ W so ^.ttti. l'"'*'^''^' ^'■"^' '^'^^ ^'•''P ^« ««"^«''t«-'d into winter .T. d .ne i, tt dl "'' H '"r^"'"'' J^ '^ i'"P<'rtant to get the plough- ing done in tl e ta I, as the dry weather affects the land in sprinjr In 8"oSoV:tuf 40n"''' ''"''' "I'T ^'^ ^^*"^-' *'-d- There areTSoO to »,000 cattle, 400 nmres and 23,000 slu^.p on the farms The beat mares are heavy draught ones, obtained flom Ontano which are pu to stalhon.s nnported f.om the south of Scotland (ClydksT The ToC which did best last year were those which wer. alow d o run out a' Tt ^Md" ■: Tr\r '^'^"^^^ ""•« ^«""d in spring to be shaggy in th oat am^ .,u,te fat. Have sold lately mare and foal for £60^Td can get £ ,0 to, ,t toan. ot horses. Farmers here grudge the fees for "uported stalhons, and use scrub horses instead, '^ Weluvve inporte tl Id ,h h, m w ^«7T''""'^^'"«P'^*^"-^ ^^•'^"d, and Leicester UK. thud pl.tco Black-faced sheep would do well here as they are hardy, and -.vou h not require winter ^bpl*-o,- w„ i v. , ", otiit.rsb<>l(-«.. f... fi '.'4""*' «iiicei anelter. VV e have sheep-sheds or oti. . shelter for the winter. Ninety percent. of lambsare dropped • and II S ^."^ "'"'" "'^T "^'^"^'^ ^"^ "'«- '^'-^^^'^'J- We uK stie ■ o le ciirC^^^ ^"PP'^t""'' ^"^^^'^'^''^ '-d the dining ca Sh en do^ll .1 ^'■^'^"'^- ^""'^ ^"^"*«'- ^« '^id not use any hav. Sheep do well on the prairies up till September, when they are taken r S 1 e e A ■■.•"■'"'■ 'I'T ""^ '"'^' d^ "«t wear an.ongst t , du. io ■ A T' T' ^ ^'- "*^'-''^' ^'^"^ the wool pays all costs p eduction. A\e use Shorthorn and Polled Angus bulls and have bdlsU, '''^'"''ir^'r^' -■« d-".? -ell. Use Galloway and An'; bu Is to cros.s with (he scrub cow." Such is the outline .dven us by Mr. Stone, the n.anager of the company, and it gives a fah idea of tanning on a large scale in the NorthVeLt. He f rai ged « n Tm In our drive, some 40 miles out, we passed through perhap. the necessaiy toi this branch being present at every turn— c/ood water ^od shelter, gooc hay lands, and tho whole climate of the drstrfct BTnot onl'vf '^f '?""'" '^ *1" "^"■■" ^^'"'^^-^^f the chiiiook wtX iiut not only to the large rancher is this district suitable but the smaller capitalists can make a larger return for their inoney th-xn even those with more capital can obtain. Five hundred S be „' i^ore nieans a laige profit if it can be averted or mitigated. AVe passed a goo.sts and fruitti of Britiali (Jol- iinibia. ?'/<« Af/rinihnru/ ninf othrr Rf^oHfCCit o/C^imoln. returning to Calgary next day. There are 900 horses on this ranclio. Un the average of seaHons 2r.O foals are dropped, being 90 per cent. Iho loss hwt year was 10 foals and .'J ninres. On another ranche 300 horses were kept, the mares being crossed with Clyde and Percheron 8ta llionfl ; 85 per cent, foals dropped. No hay given durin<,' winter ; no loss and horses look as well in spring as in the fall. A neighbour iiad eight steers which ran in the open all winter and came in during spring tit for the butcher. Another told us 80 head of cattle ran out all winter, and were found in good condition in spring. These expe- riences are sufncient evidence as to the character of the district. Leaving Calgary, we now approach the Rocky Mountains, and wme into contact with one of nature's greatest and grandest works Hour after hour is passed in which '.o 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 mighty .Selkirks are seen overtopping the lower ranges. It would require the pen of the poet or the pencil of the artist to even faintly depict It, and it is tlu-refon^ outside the pi-ovince of the rustic pen, so let us resume. Looking at these freaks of nature from an agricultural standpoint, they are not in it ; so we shall pass Banti; with its springs and pass on to British Columbia, which has been compared to a " sea of mountains." PROVINCE OP BBITISII COLUMBIA. The main feature of the province is the immen.se forests it eon- tains, feo great are these that it has been said, " Scotland might be buried ill 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 arc 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 Vll kinds of fruit are grown to near perfection in the open air. Agricul tural land is not .so plentiful as in the provinces east of the Rocky Mountains, the country being nearly all covered with heavy timber A\ e were told of great .stretches of lands, lying between the Cascade and the Kocky Mountains at Spallumcheen, Okanagan valley and Kootenay ; but the difiiculties of transport will affect their develop- ment 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 liaving to be done in manv parts of Lulu Island. As the canning of fruit (a beginning beiii" L.„uh.,.tm-k. f T^ 'T^ '',pf "'f ^l?veloped, all this land will be converted into "" '^- fruit gardens. The clearing of the forests for the purpose of growin-^ wheat or other farm produce would not pay at present prices, as the cost would be very heavy. AViien, however, the price for lumber increases, so that the settler can sell his trees instead of buruincr them the clearance of the forest will become universal, as the climate and soil would simply warm the heart of every good farmer. AVhen on a visit to New A\ estminster we inspected the .saw-mills, which are very extensive, the chief markets for lumber and manufactured article's being Japan, Australia, itc. 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 Ur. Mowat, Inspector of Fisheries Canned salmon can be landed in London with a proHt at Ud. per lb. Each fi.sh weighs on an average 10 lbs. to 20 lbs., and The fisheries Mr, George Brown's Hfport. 81 tion 1 8fi?Tn, u r •'"°'; '"'""« com.n,.neecl in the Columbia Rive.- in 18b5, and reached ni 1873 to a ta'^c .,F r,n noo nnn ,"'""' *^Y*' '" conr„ial' home h H, * P"P»l»<'"n in g,e,>t ,u ,,.,» w„„l,l |i,„| „ .h»„ ever they could do 7home " '"''""''y '"'"*" P""'""" we 4^Ttre:°e*;r':ir™rortS^^^ c;K-«l,- ^.. ■ 1 '""^J' •'Y '•'f'l* It- At JNanaimo coa -mimn» is exton ^JSXr ' ""^'^ ^' ^^ ^"^^""' ''^ -3^ — tl- Pacilc:downTo GENERAL REMARKS ON CAWDV I' ii J'/i'' Aijt'icnUufal aiui other llesourcen of Canada. Jiovilnit to •••'OOHO a loctttio... and, when di.wfi., to d.M-i.|,. what kind of ..oi.s of Cttiittdu. ^^■•" "« Hintablo for tlie cliiiiatc and si)il. \n a now country, when- the population is tliinly spivad ov.t ihc land, expcriniPnts to find out tin- KXPKlUirENTAI, KARM. OTTAWA. proper kind of crop t(. sow cm liiudly 1.(3 undertaken by a new seltlcr. The Donnnion Government, keeping in view these circumstances, ha\e come to the relief of the farmers of the counti-v by the establishment of an expernnental farm in each province Nappan for the Maritinn- Provinces, Ottawa for Quebec and Ontario, Brandon for Manitoba. Indian Head for the North-West, and Af?assiz for British Columbia From the central farm at Ottawa, in charge of Professor Saunders, th.- others take the cue. Here crops, flocks and herds, pigs and poultry, all undergo a most crucial test as to their various qualities, and adapt ability for the country. When a success has been made at Ottawa it IS further tested at oacli of the farms, and adopted in the locality where it attains its greatest maturity. From what has been written, it may be inferred which j.arts I consider the most favoured and suitable for the vari.jus degrees of the tillers of the soil. I can only add that no man will regret going to Canaua to begin life there, provided he makes up his mind to work, and exercises ordinary caution. And [ conclude by giving it the highest prai,se a man can give— viz., wciv it possible for me to break afl the ties and change the responsibilities which surround me here, T would go to Canada and stay there. THE REPORT OF MR. ARTHUR DANIEL 172 Dereham Road, Noi-wioh. Havinu l„.,-n tl.osen by Hiv C. TupptT as one of tlu, fH.iner deleffatos t.. viMt Canada for the piir|«.Mf. of aHi-t'itaiiiing tlio ivwuucu.s of the country and its suitability for .•iniKrunts, I iiav.i t„ import that I left Liverpool on the 28th of August, in tho Allan steamship " Circassian. ' nnd arriv.'d m Montreal on the Hth of .September. As this report will douhtless be read by many who have no idea ru, i,.,„.„,^ ot the extent of the Douunion of Canada, I will briefly describe the inlan'.l. ^ extent ot our journey. From Montreal we travelled to Ottawa and Toronto, where we were met by Mr. O. H. Can.pbell, who acted as pilot tor the renminder of the journey. Haxins ha'• Ihunder Bay— remarkable for its grand scenery— we experienced one ot the inany .slight railway accidents so often heard of in the new woWd ; but luckily for us, it proved to be comparatively harmless, for, with the exception of the engine leaving the track, and the live hours' delay, no one in the train surtered further inconvenience than having ones breakfast emptied into one's lap. Then we proceeded on our way to Winnipeg, Carman, Glenborough, Souris, Brandon, Rapid City, Minnedosa^ Saltcoats, Portage la Prairie, Re.^nna, Prince Albert, Cal- gary, Banff, New Westminster, Vancouver and Victoria. Thence we retraced our steps to old l-lnglaiul, where I arrived on the 22nd of November, having travelled 16,000 miles by xvater and rail and 1,000 by road. ' PARLIAMRN'T BUILDINGS, OTTAWA. 34 Tliu capital of tlie Ucminion of Canada. A great agri- cultuial fair. Where fann pupils should atter.d to get a practic al aii( scientitic- training. The AyricuUural and other Reaourcea of Canala. ONTARIO. Geveral Description of Places Visited. Upon arriving at Ottawa we were shown over the Parliament Houses, a very fine block of buildings standing upon rising ground and commanding a grand view of the city and river, with its immense water power, from s\ hich is not only derived the force to drive the very extensive water works, and the electric machinery with which the city is lighted, but also Sbveral immense lumber mills. It was marvellous to see with what ease and speed the logs, which had been floated down the stream, were taken out of the river into the mill and reduced to small boards, splints and shingles (roofing material)— a process which only occupies a few minutes. We next visited the Experimental Farm near Ottawa, where we saw sonic very fine samples of both wheat and oats, especially of the latter. I was informed they averaged about 55 bushels per acre. We also saw so)ne good pieces of mangolds, swedes and carrots. The stock on this farm was fairly good. We next proceeded to Toronto, where the Annual Industrial Ji-xhibition was being held. This is, in fact, an aoricultural show in the best sense of the term, in combination with an exhibition of every kind of machinery, of raw materials and of manufactured products, supplemented, to make it more attractive to the pleasure-loving section of the community, by amusements of the most varied character What interested us greatly was the competitions for fast-trottin<^ and iiigh-jumping horses. One trotter went a mile in 2 minutes 25 seo°onds and a jumper cleared 7 ft. 1 in. Dogs of various breeds were also trotted in harness. The cattle, sheep and pigs were, on the whole, ^■ery good, and would not have disgraced any show yard in England' Some very useful Clydesdales and Shire horsas were shown, but the roadsters were not of a class that would sell in this country, as their great merit is speed, and not style. We sa^v two imported hacknev stalhoiis—" Young Nobleman," by " D'Oyley's Confidence," and "Nor- tolk Hero, by " Perfection." In my opinion these had the best style and action of anything in the show. Wheat, barley, oats and all kinds of vegetables from Manitoba and British Columbia were espe- cially good. There was likewise a very fine collection of grains and truit from Ontario. We next proceeded to the Ontario Agricultural College, at t.uelph (supported by the Provincial Government), where we met Professor Roberts, who .sliowed us over the college and farm Here we saw some good cattle, especially a Hereford bull, which was pur- chased from the Queen's herd, and a Shorthorn bull of the Booth blood. Experiments were being made at the college upon the feeding of pigs. The college is built to accommodate about 90 pupils who pay i',21 per year, and $3 per week for board. They do most of the work on the farm, foi- which they are paid and if they work the whole time, their pay will cover almost all expenses. This I consider to be a good institution. The pupils are taught the scientific as w-ell as the practical part of farming ; and altogether the college atiords an exampk' which might well be followed in this country AVe next went to Moreton lK)dge--Mr. Stone's— and saw his heni ot Herefords— a good lot ; as also were Mr. Thomas McCrae's t, alio ways, on the adjoining farm. Taking a short journey into the county uf York, T observed that most of the land through which I passed, as well as that aiound Guelph, was not as well farmed as we Afr. Arthur Daniel's Report. dShZ'Ttll^r i" ^'f "•'^•' '^'J^ ""'^'^ ^« "" t'»^ better for under- S; . m.lT "^ r I ^'''''V'^ ^"*^^^« I ^•^"'^d the same kind .t taimii.g. Wheat and oats are their chiei crops, and in manv cases hey seem to rather neglect raising stock. It is^ only d^ Z ^av however, that arge quantities of cattle and sheep afe eiporte^ frtS .Jn ano, as we Us cheese. A large portion of the fa^ on VhS " IruZ: o?th.t '' '^"^ '""'"''S ^^""^^ ^^g- °f over-croppLg A .,ieat uianj of the farms were, at the time of our visit, in the market tie JNorth-W est, where then- capital would enable them to establish their annhes in a more satisfactory manner. This land^ frl wh I . ould learn was m many instances heavily mortgaged, and t^e prices ;^rhaT'tL Tr' ^^ '^f ^^ ''"- ^^^^^^ - England? My obserSn "t the surrounding country, which is not as well farmed as it mijK PROVINCE OF MANITOBA. We next took train to Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba It contains a population of 28,000, and at one til made ^reat strides Winnipeg has some fine buildings, including the city hall nost oftice, churches, schools several large hotels, and banks. It also boas ..f a weekly market, where all kinds of me^t, fowls, dairy prodLe and oS o'"fi'/V"i^'o*5'P"*^^' being-Beef, from 6d. to tS peHb o«ls, 2s. 6d to 2s. 9d. perpair; butter, 7d. per lb. Fruit iSeTs verv ™m BHtgh Cof "T' "^'f ^^••"^»^' ^°^ ^' -" has to ^re eiS rom British Columbia or Ontario. Travelling on to Carman and Glenborough, we passed through a good district of land, SgreaT;^. part of It occupied, so that very little was left for free homesteads A Carman we we.it over a grain elevator, or general granar^ where the VeTtaver; P? ^r°""f ^'^S ^°"'^*'-^ --- delivering t^Llr wheat \e stayed at Glenborough one day, driving out to Craic^iloa and Bel ood 'sir 7 'T^ \l''''^- ^^^T ^"^^ ^- ^-^'^ farming? having a „'ood supply of water. We visited some of the new settlers amono.f : ve" :eTsrtS "1'";?' ^"1 ^''"°^^ ^" «^ themtpSed Them selves ^^eli satisfied with their lot and with the countrv From ^11 \^IZ% Herffor tt fi''^ ^'^'V^ ''' '^" ^^"^«^«' -'- were all sheen The H^sTT f T , i ^'""K^'"'^ I ^aw a good band of about 250 OnSio The i '^''«' '" ^""'^*^' ^^'^^Pt ^ fe^ bure-bredsin c on vtl/ / ''^' ?*''^^>' ^"* •" "«*^o«k," and looked a very goo t.op, yielding good samples of both wheat and oats. Here we Lw n ew pieces that had Ijeen touched by a frost in August aT^j * large quantity of tlie land is h^ld !,v ^ coTm • Vv -V ' '-' .'t fro.n .$10 to 120 per acre " ' " "^'"P^^"-^' '^''" =^™ ^^'"^"^^ ^o sell 3.J I , MiiUi«m>UiittiaHHai 36 77te A (J r'l cultural awl nfh,'i- Ri'.tnurces of Canada. Brandon, which we visited, is a rising city, with a population of 5,400. It has well-built houses, several grain elevators, a flour mill aad a lumber mill. A large trade is done here in grain from the country around, which is generally under cultivation, producing a very large quantity We here visited tlie holding of a very successful Scotchman, farming 1,900 acres, 1,200 of which were in grain, from which he expected to get an average of 22 bushels of wheat and 50 of oats per acre. He stated that live years since he was not worth 60 cents, that his best tViends were those that lent him money at 8 per cent., and that he would not now take X6,000 for his holdhig. He had two threshers running, on wheat, at the rate of 2 bushels in 43 seconds. From the machine it was carted straight to the elevator, where a charge of 2 cents per bushel is made for cleaning and storing. No stock except horses was kept on this farm, which took 37 to work it. The system adopted on this farm is that of two grain crops in succession, and one long fallow. Und°i this process almost all the land is pre- pared during the summer and autumn for the next year's crop. This is the great secret of success. To get good crops the land requires to ha sown as early as possible, in order to enable the crop to reach a certain stage of maturity to withstand possible frosts in August, with which they are sometimes visited. No manui-e is used on this farm ; all the straw and fetubble are burnt, because the climate being so dry, there is an absence of the moisture necessary for the speedy decomposition of vegetable matter. Meeting Mr. Bedford, I saw on the Government Experimental Farm, of which he is manager, some good samples oi two-rowed barley — so good that I fear there have been few like them produced in England this year. But from the situation of this farm I do not consider they can be regarded as a fair criterion of the capabilities of the surrounding- country for barley-growing, as the farm is on the river bank, and has consequently a more moist situation, better adapted for the growth of barley— the seasons of this country being short and hot. South towards Brandon Hills the country seemed to have been taken up, and well farmed. At the f jot of the hills is a good country for mixed farming. A drive of 25 mibs through a good corn country brought us to Rapid City, where there is a woollen mill on the river, doing a small trade. We then took train for Minnedosa and Saltcoats, whence we drove round Langenbnrg, and called upon several farnaers who had been out only from two to four years. Most of them emigrated with very little capital indeed ; some had their passages paid for them. We met English, Scotch and Irish families, who all appeared to be doing very well. One man who went out with two sons had 840 acres, 300 of which were in with corn. He commenced by borrowing £200 at 8 per cent., all of which he had paid otr, so that he had become com- pletely master of the situation. Another who had been out three years had 160 acres— 60 acres of grain— 8 head of cattle, and 2 working oxen. Anothei-, whv had 160 acres, went out without any money. His corn crop was worth £200. He had also 16 head of cattle, worth £6 each. A fourth, \\itii two small children and no money, borrowed £100, and though he had only been out three years he had 15 acres of wheat out of 160 acres, 5 cows, 2 oxen and 4 sheep. An Irishman who landed with 75 cents, but had borrowed £100 from the company, had 160 acres— 50 aci'es with wheat— 27 head of cattle, and was free froip all liabilities. A Norfolk rnan— Mr. Ivnotts, from Watton— with three small .-hildren, who had been out two and a half years, borrowed £100 from the company, and had now got 27 acres Mr. Arthur Dani, ,■ Report, of poultry "^hentS He 'o':?,?'^'' t ?•« ^'^'' ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ thatheildbefrerfromllpt l'^ "'""* i?^' payments, he replied one coming ^ t^tirpTrf S^C^^^^^^^^ S3 i e';^t'dnh'eTo7nt?; -'Tj- r -^ "^^^^^^^^^^ ^t fhe'cold did noJ S the SdreT "' '^' '^'^ "''^'^ '^« "^*«-' - which'^^rsVS^ofcattT^^^^^ ^T'l"^ 9.000 acres, on which had cosi£i%0^'^^,ZtZ"V^^ Around Saltcoats we c^Uf^A on ? '' T ^^ng^nburg station. whom have been oulthr^e years anTh "''""}'u "^ ^^T^^^' ™°^* «^ each, of Avhich aZtT^wLT 1 * i^'''^--^ °''''*^^'^^ ^^^^^''^^ aver;ge of 8 head of caS i ^ 't^'*^ grain, while they had an menced with but little ca,^t„T A l^!, ^^'"1'' ^^'^ "^ ^^^"^ ^o«^- themselves satistieVwll h thSlot'"' ""^ *° '°"°"- ^" ^^P^^^^ home. Several hod h!!^ ? ^ ?^ .^* ^.^^ ^^'^ «* o'^r visit in the three ins'rcS^ hal thl^ t^f ^l^^^^Z^'^^ '\' T'' \*^«^^ cows and cattle and a band of sheen a.l £n. T!k i^ ^""'^^ ^^'^ ^^ boys do most of the work Th^r.?.: i ^ ^^ *^^ ^^°^^' '^^^''^ ^^e hoL. where the bXrat tal^ ^ butSrTh-'**'''^' '"^ 't a good and well-conducted insSutL ^^'' ^^^'^'' *° ^« compi\et?e^r:shotr;Sot't"4^*?.^^^ *^« ^-^^'^ ^-d seemed to be win done At mrf S Shorthorns Everything here prohibitory hX- law for we ;nf/\'''P'''u'"'^''' *^« ^^^"^^ °^ ^^^ La,sourLk?rnd^raterthTt S f o1 bTc'S Id'^n'^N^^^^^ t^SwTh^fhriot^^f^^ ^^'. ^«""^^' -ho SXpea?v7ry'cr were It PortrJ , 'p *^^°"^^' '^^ ^^^ ^^h^'' ^^^^d, I met many who .;rthePa?ar^of^E:„ lee^o^d ^^^^^- ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^''^^^ doing well. ^'^^ 37 Most of the people are THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES. Bell S™," ShTkV mosf oTh?'^'' T'"^ ^f ^^*"^*-^ '^^ '^^^^ns hSth^S p^JtT'^heT'fT'- . ^\here obtained informS BroadvLwrh^d by speculators "tM^^^n^^ railway from Virden to H^ingpte"" '"' '^"'^ "'^ J"^* ^P^'^^^' ^« destined to'bectm'e; -1 4:: a. 38 The Ai/riculturai arid other Resources of Canada. On our way to Calgary wo passed through, at Rush Lake, the first of the farms of Sir Lister Kaye, about which the agricultural world has heard so much. The concern was two or three years since turned over to a company, under the title of the " Canadian Coal and Coloni- sation Company." These farms — ten in number — consist of 10,000 acres each, and are situated at intervals of 30 miles between Rush Lake and Calgary. At the latter place wo obtained further experience of horse, cattle, and sheep ranching — an occupation which, except in a few instances, does not appear to have been so far very remunerative. BRITISH COLUMBIA. Wfc next visited British Columbia, staying a day at Banff, in the Rockies, whence we proceeded to New Westminster, where there are large salmon and fruit-canning establishments. The land about here is good, but vei-y heavily timbered. Vancouver, though only five years old, is a grand city, the most promising place in British Colum- biij, and will eventually do a large shipping trade with Australia, Japan and China. Although of mushroom growth, Vancouver can boast of two newspapers, handsome churches, schools and fine hotels. The city is not only lighted by electricity, but also has electric tram- cars. Victoria, the end of our journey west, is beantifuUy situated on rising ground, has several fine buildings, and has the character of being the most Lnglish-like of any place we visited. There is a large Chinese population, but they do not increase very fast, as the number who return to the Flowery Land nearly equals the number of innni- grants. Soils and I'roductiont. — The soils of the old provinces vary from a light to a heavy loam , but the light, sand loam predominates. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, pease and maize. Of late years pease have ben more extensively grown. I account for this from the fact that in a great measure the land had been cropped so often without manure, with wheat and oats, that it had almost worn itself out for those cereals ; consequently, a great many farmers have fallen back on pease. The land, for the most part, wtis not, in my opinion, as well cultivated as it might have been, with advantage to the owners, or as we are accus- tomed to at home ; each man trying to cultivate more than he could manage without help, which is rather difficult to hire. The fanner does not pay enough attention to stock-raising. I do not mean to say that this applies to all the farmers. Many of them pay a good deal of attention to live stock, which is seen by the lai-ge number of cattle and sheep, and the immense quantity of dairy products annually exported. The average crop of wheat was 24 bushels per acre, which was worth 3s. 6d. per bushel. This will give the value of an acre of wheat at .£4 4s. Oats yielded about 40 bushels per acre, which at Is. lOd. per bushel makes the value £3 13s. 4d. per acre. Owing to the hot and short summer, oats are not generally a very good sample, and seldom weigh more than 34 lbs. to the bushel, which is the standard weight. But owing to the Government importing some different kinds of seed from our large seeds.nen in England, the quality has been very much improved of lat^-. I saw some very good samples of oats, weigh- ing 42 lbs. to the bushel, grown at tlie different experimental farms. The four-rowed barley is the chief kind grown, but it is not so plump and good-looking in sample as the variety produced in this country. It is very bright, but much thinner and harder than ours, owing to the hot and short summer causing it to ripen quicker. Up to now it li.aa all been sold to American brewers. The average yield is about 24 Mr. ArUiur Laniel'a Report. bushels per acre, and it is worth 2s. 9d. per bushel, givine £3 Ss u the worth of an acre. Experiments are now going on all over the country in growing a variety ot barley suited to the English market and It seems hkoly to be a success. In most districts we saw larcre quantities ot fruit under culture, comprising apples, pears and graphs -the latter coming to pefection trained on wire extended on posts in the open held. These crops appear to be very remunerative. : Ihe soil and products in Manitoba and the North- West differ much from those of the older provinces. The soil consists of a dark vegetable loam of great depth, and capable of producing grain for many years to come without the application of manure. Here we found the chief crops to be wheat, oats and potatoes. The latter, though only grown in small quantities, are very tine, and of good quality. Wheat is thQ chief crop, and averages, at a low estimate, from 18 to 20 bushels per acre ; and as it is worth 3s. 4d. per bushel, this gives £3 6s. 8d as the value per acre Oats yield 40 bushels per acre, and are worth 'is. Gd. per bushel of 34 lbs., ^hich gives £3 as the value of an acre of oats. We also found throughout the Dominion creameries established, for the production of butter and cheese. These creameries are a great advantage to the small settlers, who have very little time to make their own butter and cheese. An enormous trade is done in the exportation of products much of which finds its way to the English market. \ankee traders send a lot of their cheeses to Canada for shipment, so that they may get the benefit of the reputation of the Canadian ^ro- ducts. Could the Canadians have their own brand duly recognised in the English market, our kindred in the Dominion would have a much greater demand from this country for those products, which are supenor to those of the States. f„t» ^j^f.P^^"^ district is one vast tract of level grass country, desti- tute of timber, and without fruit trees ; but man/ of our small fruits are indigenous to the soil, and experiments are being made to intro- cWte " ""^^ ^^''''' ^""^ ^^"^'■^^ *''^^' *^'^* ^^" ^"'•^ *b« The climate and soil of British Columbia very much resemble the climate and soil of England. Large tracts of land lying in the differ ent valleys of the Fraser river are very fertile, capable of growing large crops of gram, hay, fruit and vegetables of all descriptions, if one of these valleys (Okanagan) we were told that 25 tons of bindinr^n'''^^'-'''''*'''°''^^'°'''^"S'^^^"g« ,«,,,« i>,,j. ;„ .^u- o^ . ^ ^ \ .,"_". l^^Y rp. „ . ,' J ' ;~- r V' ■ '" '■"'^ ^tatc-j anu tne rVurth-VVest The introduction of pure-bred cattle, with judicious crossing, has ve.^ 39 4U |[ .:i The AgricuUuni arid other Resources of Canada. much improved the native breeds, which are large-boned animals, and well adapted for working, especially on the prairie, where, it is said, tiiey break the land better than horses. We saw, in the course of our travels through the west, very striking instances of the good done by these imported cattle. Almost all the small farmers aim at getting some good blood into their stock. We came upon a good herd of Shortho?ns at the Binscarth farm, at Russell, Manitoba. This herd i£ sure to do a great deal of good, as it is located in the midst of a large tract of land well suited for mixed farming. On all the small prairie farms, where stock has been raised, the owners speak very highly of the praire grass, stating that they can raise for $6 a three- year-old steer which will fetch $35. But cattle-raising in the North- West falls under two headings — those raised on large ranches and thcod raised by small farmers, -wh^ house tbATP during the winter feeding them on hay, straw, an- ,o cases a few roots. This kind of farming pays very weii, le farmers who adopt this course are much better oif than tho. • , ho keep to corn-growing only. We met several lots of cattle on their way to England, some of them having been collected by dealers from small fanners, while some had been brought from the ranches. Cattle-raising on the ranches is quite different to cattle-raising on farms. The ranches each comprise many thousands of acres, and on them the cattle are allowed to roam at pleasure, without any shelter during the severe winters ; consequently the loss is now and then very great, in some instances exceeding 25 per cent. This, on the whole, so far has not been a pay- ing business, as we heard of several failures ; and in only one case (that of a tompany) did we hear of a dividend being paid on the capital expended. It is only righfa to say that the people at work engaged in the business have had to contend with a new climate, and have had to get their experience. They seem hopeful, too, that they will succeed ; and the number of cattle is increasing every year. In the last two years several thousands .,ave been sent to our markets, and this trade will no doubt develop. With proper attention to shelter and winter feed there is no reason why the ranches should not answer. Sheep-ranching is not carried on so extensively, but in no one instance did I hear that sheep-ranching is profitable, while I heard of no end of failures. Canada is not a country where sheep-raising can be carried on to any la.-ge extent, owing to the breeders being obliged to house them during the long winter. I notice, however, that for many years past the average number of sheep exported has exceeded 300,000. In 15 years 5,000,000 sheep have been sent to this country and the United States, but they come largely from Ontario and Quebec. Horse-ranching, with good management, is a paying business. On one ranche we visited there were several imported stallions, and 130 mares from Ireland. The imported mares— even those fiom Ontario did not breed well for the first few years. Thi.« naturally entailed a great loss of time and outlay of capital. In my opinion, with imported stallions, and good nativ« mares, a useful general-purpose horse can be bred, sure to meet with a good demand in the market. Rents, Taxes and Labour. — Rents in the old provinces vary from 12s. per acre to 30s., including taxes, which are very light. Most ui the farmers, however, own their own land. The rents and taxes in Manitoba are nominal, almost every man fai-ming his own land. But labour is rather scarce, and as a rule commands good wages ; for instance, masons or bricklayers get from |2.50to$3perday; carpenters, from$2 to |2.50 ; while the common labourer gets from $1.25 to $2 per day. This is the genera, pay. ^ .le lood r:-nges about tiie saiiie as here. Clothing, if in no one Mr. Arthur Daniel's Jieporl. quality. House Jnt Is aLo tar P"" "' '''''' '"^ "°^ «° »-°d in oarried out in clal S :frpL^ V^^^^ "°* ?« «*««• The^ystem free. surpasses our own, and, moreover, i.s entirely ^rnpri7:n:tu\-;I^^^^^^ ^ ^#— ^ and broad reply there is tlie impression nf 1 ! .*"^-''* ' ^"^* °^ ^11, 1 would boundless mineralindaSultn J uJ''r'°''^' '""P"^^^ "^ ^i^Wiug brought to bear upon it^3"SL^'^'*^' '^ ""P^'^^ ^nd labouJcan bf brinlthe product.fwithln reach otS ,T°^""^°^*r •'" ^^^^'^'^^^ to grown old world. One stronaW ,5 n.^ teeming population of the over- is in Canada a wide field ontn ?! nu '^'*'' ^^'^ conviction that there of the opportuSoSer wh.?iV .°'':^ "*""^ *" ""*" themselves nothing Z>re than HrpaTr7fTani f '\*^' ^^rm labourer, possessing for him! or the capftSrsrwft^seveVal ThouL'T^f '^"^ 'f '«^" P^^^ Both can readily find empWmentt hi «.%''* pounds to invest, for his cash-in this vast terriTorv 7.f a ^'"' '"' '^*^°"''' ^^^ "^^er east to west and UOotom no^t^fCso'ufh'^O?"" ''^?. "^^^ ''•«'" who has capital will have the Ser chanl*!, «o»rse, the emigrant told-and Ve found many instan es o? Tt tS "' "'" ^'•^'1"'^"^'^ to work the land often does succeed wit Ku7h. '^ T."" .^''^"^tomed possessing any money of his own^th w ^^^J . ^"^ ^^^ advantage of Instances are numerous in wmI ' 1 ^^ ^u" ''«"""ience operations. «one to Canada with onlj a few n '^ ^™"f^* "P "" '^e land have to support them till hevLn t7.l^T"''\ T ^^''' P^^'^^* (J»^t enough with bLrowed moi^ey :^^^^^ t^^ ''^' *^J^- ^^e homestefd three or four vears, so thL th«v >nigrant; therefore, much as T r gret it, hundreds of names and addresses must bo left out T hope those gentlemen who lost days of valuable time in assisting the dele- SironT Y"'f ^'"",' r'"''"' *''^ I"''^"*''^ ^'» deem this a sufficient uason tor not acknowledging their valuable services by pe-sonal refer- ence in thi.s rep.jrt, and that one and all will accept mycordial thanks. ♦ ('.mn^iT'' "^''''y ^'^^'} ""d*"- the inipre.>,sion that the resources of S„..ial ad- r«in T r J"' "''''" '" ^^"^ P""'''P'^'ity to any extend, and since my va..cemet,t return I fand, in conversing even «ith the best informed, that I was ['/""la ""• "' not far wrong. The United States have been for the last 50 years the dne attraction for Welsh emigrants, to many of whom, no doubt, the ,\Zu?! fJr7""f»t '''>"' th« Srei^^ inducement. The political ten - loncies of Wales being pretty well known, I do not think a passing ■nSS fZ'f '""^"^1 Plaee-in fact, a comparison between the condition of W ales and that of Canada in that respect is most essential in my opinion In Canada, as in fie States, a man enjoys manhood suffrage, and if he a.sp.res to political honour, and po.ssesse8 the ability, enterThe'H'' "'T/'"' 't."' -'"^^ '^^ '' P'"^^ ^^'^ ^^' trouble. He can enter the House of A,ssombly in his own province, and there is generally a Minister ot Agriculture, as a member of the Government; to look atter the interests of the farmers. Joh.7^*'. t^""'**"!' "I ^H'"'"^*"!'' ""^ ^^" Dominion, the Honourable John Calling acts tor the whole of Canada, and sits in the Federal Par lament a Ottawa, and to him the famer delegates are deeply mdcbted ; and his geniality contrasts favourably with some of our far til one n *". ■ w '"'"'^^'^^f- I" ™y to""- through Canada Imet more than one piactical fariiK^r who was a member of Parliament, and who coud nde his own sulky-plough or self-binder; and I have no doubt tha the practical knowledge of such men is invaluable in the councils ot the nation. I should like to ask how many such men we can boast able'to^iet."''^'''" r"'"''/- ^''^l^^ »^^y. P^'-J^'-^P^. l^« P»-oud of being able to return one farmer's son to Parliament, but among 670 mem- bers he IS almost powerless to render any assistance to his struggling countrymen. In Canada I liiid that agriculture and commerce movi torward together ; their representatives in the Provincial and Dominion ir'arhament.s are so equally balanced that one element cannot predom- • mat>e, and, if I am not mistaken, the situation is not likely to change m the limnediate ruture. ' * t ;i h I! 1 f ' ! il 46 A cnlleM for •cientiho and pikctioal ddu- cAtion of jroung fiktm- Th« Agrienttural ami other Rfnoureeg of Canada, Kxperiinental farms of the Dominion Government. I The agricultural coUeRe and experimenUl farm at Ouelph, Ontario, under the able guidance of scientiHc ami practical men, where the young fanners from all parts of th« wt.rld are taught the practice ami science of agriculture, testifies to the foresight of Canadians, and will exercise immense influence upon the future agricultural prosperity of this almost endless Dominion. This institution deserves more than a pjvasing reference ; the advantages to thf- young men who attend it are nuinifold, and the knowledge ac(iuircd in the short space of two years is such as to enable them to start at once upon a success- ful career ; and, in whatever part of the (iartli they nuvy take up their abode, their example will act as a stimulant to their neighbours, and prove of great national value Applicatitm for admittance from all parts of America, and some from Europe, have compelleerH came over to England this summer with a view of gaining further information, in oi-der, if possible, to improve their method. With all these expenses to be borne by a comparatively young community, the intending settler will naturally encjuire : " Where is the money to come from?" and wiicn told that the rates are merely nominal — about 6d. per acre probably ho will doubt my statement. When I was informed that there were no poor to be supported, no perpetual pensions to be provided for, no sineciiro offices to be filled up, that there is only a small military force, and that the expenses of government are relatively small, I found a part of the explanation. I inquired of the best authority what was being paid to the officials in Canada, and was informed that the Prime Minister of the Domini.)n received about £1,640 per annum, the members of the Cabinet about £1,440, and members of Parliament about £200 per annum and a small allowance for travelling expenses. The Government, with all their economy, are perfectly honourable^ and pay every one who renders the least service to the State. Even the juryman's services are reoognised, and he is paid for his time, and his expenses are refunded. Outside the Province of Quebec English only is spoken, and an interpreter is rarely called for except in dealing with the Indians, who are treated in Canada with more consideration than they are in the ■States; but in face of this encouragement they aredecreasing in number. Their mode of living not being conducive to health, they die young, and in many respects life seems of little or no value to them. They become very excited under the influence of alcohol, but the law is rigorously enforced upon those who infi mge it by supplying them with spirits. With regard to the liquor traffic, local option is adopted in parts Liquor laws, of all the provinces, and some of the towns which I visited had no intoxicating drink of any kind, except at private hou.ses and chemists' shops, and a doctor's certificate has to be obtained if it is wanted for medical purposes In Toronto and other large cities the public houses Su„day obser iu-e closed from 7 p.m. on Saturday till 7 a.m. on Monday, and in all vance. my travels through Canada I saw only one drunken man on a Sunday. On that day traffic is entirely suspended, no street cars run, and very few cabs or other conveyances are to be seen. Perfect religious liberty iind equality prevail in every part of the Dominion. In some parts the Roman Catholics are in the ascendant ; in others the Presbyterians, or the several denominations of Nonconformists. In other parts the Episcopalians take the lead, but in some places the factions leaning to High or Low church services have a very deterrent eff'ect. Every churchman with whom I had the pleasure of conversing chares the same opinion — i. e., that its ministrations have far greater effect than if it were connected with the State. Tithes are not heard of, except in the province of Quebec, where the Roman Catholic clergy are allowed to collect from their own adherents, but the law does not compel payment by defaulters ; therefore, it is much the same as an\ other voluntary contribution, although bearing the — to Welshmen- odious name of tithe. vW* 48 Climate of Canada. The Agricultural and other Jiesources of Canada. In addition to many other bugbears that are hurled against Canada with baneful effect is " the climate." Arriving there at the end of the hottest season, and leaving when winter was setting in, T had no opportunity of judging personally of the two extremes, but the uniform testimony of all, whether Canadian-born or not, to whom I put the question, was that, although in winter the thermometer registers many degrees below our coldest days, the atmosphere is so dry that the cold is not felt to the extent that one might imagine. For the first season or two the settler feels more inconvenience from the heat of July and August than the cold of January and February, but when acclimatised he thoroughly enjoys the winter, and endures the summer heat as well as the natives. The seldom occurrence of sunstroke proves that the heat of summer is not unbearable. The two extremes occupying only four months in the most northern part of the Dominion, two-thirds of the year is similar to our own climate, but far drier in winter, which sets in about the beginning of December and ends about the middle of April, when the farmer starts in earnest to put his seed down, and, as a rule, finishes about the end of May. I have seen wheat that was sown in the last week of June, and was being carted when I was there in the last week of September, a splendid sample, and estimated to yield 30 to 32 imperial bushels an acre ; but this is not an example to be widely followed. In Canada early sowing means success. PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. The Province of Ontario, which is the oldest in the Dominion except Quebec and Nova Scotia, has much the same appearance as the British isles, but lacks the trim aspect of our quickthorn fences, and for a few months travellers are compelled to put up with badly macadamised roads, as the winter frost makes sad havoc of the best managed. The old snake fence is being replaced in many districts by wire ; in others the rails are nailed on cedar posts in a straight line, and, although split 40 or more years ago, are fit to stand the exposure Improved another such term. In this province there are many desirable farms Und3 tor sale, for sale owing to various causes. Some are selling to migrate with their families to Manitolja and the North- West Te/ritories ; some retire with an independency, and others ai-e compelled to leave from a lack of agricultural knowledge, the land refusing to yield a profitable crop without the necessary stimulant. Many of our most scientific and practical farmers would do well here, and could buy the best farms, with excellent homesteads in thorough repair, for £9 to £15 per acre', or less by paying cash. Money is scarce, and the interest -.vould be high. If a mortgage were required the rate is from 5^ to 7 per cent., according to the amount and time for which it is required. At first| the charge appears iiigh, but when we come to consider that £100 in the hands of a practical man in Canada will go further than £300 in Great Britain it will be seen that the small capitalist has a much better chance of getting on, and only pays interest equal to 3 per cent. here. If these farms are hired, the rent charged is from 12s. to ISs. per acre, according to the situation, and they can be stocked with a little more than a third of the capital required in Wales. The above .amount represents only the tithe and takes on our land, so that the farmer has practically no rent to pay as compared with ours. Labour is a serious item, if he has all to pay for, and no one ought to venture on an Ontario farm without capital or sons to assist him, and even then he should be prepared to pay for all his stock, bo.sidos -a third of tho Fruit culture, purchase money. Fruit farming in some parts of Ontaric is very Cost of pur- chase and rates of rent. Mr. William Edwards' Jieport. 49 profitable In the neighbcurhood of Oakville, and along the banks of ' Lake Ontano to the .Niagara, there are many hundreds of acres under fruit trees. Vines are planted in rows, supported by wire fencing, three or four deep ; they yield from four to six tons per acre ; in somf places a tew rows of potatoes or mangolds are grown between the vines: The grapes are large, and some varieties of excellent flavour, these are sold from 2d. to 5d per lb. ; and in the neighbourhood of Grimsby, where there are excellent fruit farms, I tasted wine 13 years old, and some 2 years old ; both had splendid flavour, and would command good prices m this country. Some hundreds of tons of all sorts of fruit .nrnf- •"''^.. r'u"^? ^'^ '^Wed to Liverpool, and the greatest attention is paid to the fruit which is most in demand. A new industry IS being developed in the "canning" or preserving of all fruits, espe cially pears, peaches, plums and other soft fruits that will net keep in wS T ., M? ''/^f ""^ ""^"y ^^™« ^""^ '""^^ i" ^^^^'-^o, a copy of which I should be glad to supply to intending purchasers, or would give the names and addresses of real estate agents who sell on commission, generally acting for the vendor. ^ MARITIME PROVINCES. mv dinS^."''^""^. S** ^ ^.''' ''^^ *^^^' °^"^"g *° the limited time at my disposal, to visit the maritime provinces ; but, from what I could f^Z.l!'r''7''T!r,7'**' gentlemen 1 had the pleasure of meeting from that part of the Dominion, I have no doubt that many remarks I have made respecting Ontario will apply to them. Improved farms with portions of the land under crop, with good buildings and fenc^' can be obtained at very moderate prices, owing either to the owners Tnr!hwITT -r"' °' ■'' t^^ir re^^oving to Manitoba and the North-West Territories, m view of the smaller amount required on the prairies to start their growing sons on farms of their own? PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. n.r.Jf^i^^ ^^- *°° ^™'*^^ *° P*y * ^^'^* *° Quebec ; consequently, I cannot offer an opinion on its resources ; but from a passing glance in a mlway carriage I imagine that AVelshmen would prefer going furJher PROVINCE OF MANITOBA. The oldest settlements in Manitoba much resemble thosn nf v.^^ v,. S'ndTiZ^ " ""n-^^'f^ ""^ ^"^ *^^'^ plenty :rrspitarand Sr^^urS^ kind neighbours willing to give assistanae in erecting a homestead or »Pd a splendid that in a few months he feels quite at home among his new friends P^^^snt. The greater part of this province contains millions of acres of wheat growing land, varying in depth from 15 inches to 5 fTet of black vegetably mould and will yield eight or ten crops of wheat in sucl sion without rest or manure. The prices at which farms can be to "ii f^T ''™' considerably, from 16s. for the unimproved prdri^ or th« i. 7"""^ broken and with good houses and outbuSdings for the latter figure. For the hard-working farmers of Wales with small capi al and two or three growing lads, there is a grand 0?;^ with a certainty of success and independency, health and unforeseen accidents permitting. But if any one is willing to sacrifice for 10 or 15 vears the homft rnmfnrto .„i,i„i, i,„ U-- u.-^i ? ""^'iui-B lor w or from 30 to 50 miles into the interior, where he can take up a llS f HI 50 llie AgnculturcU and other Resources of Canada. Railway lands. Aid by loan to farm set- tlers. Stead of 160 acres, paying the Government £2 for the title, and can buy 150 acres more from 8s. to 10s. per acre, payable over a term of years. His sons can do the same if they exceed 18 years of age. The Canadian Pacific Railway Company, to whom the Government gpanted about 20,000,000 acres in aid of that great undertaking of con- structing a railway from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, also has land to dispose of on reasonable terras. This railway is nearly 3,000 miles in length, and winds its way for over 400 miles through the narrow passes of the Rocky and Selkirk mountains. The Manitoba and North- Western Railway, which is to go north to the Saskatchewan river, is now complete as far as Saitcoats, This company offers every inducement to settlers by advancing money, or at least its value in the shape of working oxen, cattle, implements of husbandry, provisions, seed, corn and potatoes, and breaking up of 10 acres ready to receive the seed in spring. If necessary, they will f^-f^A^i;™""®^ *°'" passage and maintenance on the way to the extent of £40 for each family ; they will also build a house of two or more rooms at an outlay of £15 to £25, allowing the settler 15 years or more to repay the amount. Eight per cent, interest is charged for this loan two years' interest from the 1st of November next after takinc up a homestead being added to the capital, allowing the settler 2\ years before he pays any interest. Security is taken in the shape of a mort- gage upon the land, and the settlers' note of hand is sufficient for any stock or implements he may require. The rate of interest appears to be high, but the farmer has the advantage of buying everythinc^ for cash, and if he is persevering he can pay off the bulk, if not the whole, in fave or six years ; and the company are prepared to receive any small instalment in reduction of the amount, the interest upon it ceasing from date of payment. At the invitation of this company, the delegates visited several settlers in and about Saltcoats, and it was very interesting to hear each of them relating his experience in the North-West, all with one exception— the wife of a settler— being per- fectly satisfied with their lots. I have the names and addresses of all these, and many more, but am anxious to keep this report within reasonable limits, and the insertion of one would necessitate the filing of several pages. Suffice it to say that I shall be happy to supply the intending emigrant with references to all those whom I visited in every district named in ray report. Saltcoats seems well adapted for mixed farming. Cattle and horses do well ; all sorts of grain and roots can be grown, and butter of the best quality is made in this district A cheese and butter factory was started last year, but the number of cows m the district was too limited to keep up a regular supply of milk, and an effort is made to distributd more milch cows among the settlers < ready for next season. I visited one of the factories near Winnipeg, at which first-class cheese and butter was manufactured. From every point of view I think these institutions have an important future ia the North-West Territories. At the Barnardo Home, at Russell, some first-class butter is turned out, proving that the district is well adapted for butter-making. The stock of Shorthorns at Binscarth farm which IS second to none iu England, in the same neighbourhood, would satisfy any critic of its adaptability for grazing purposes. THE NORTH- W^EST TERRITORIES. SSTud a , -^'^f ^^""^ '" ^^^ neighbourhood of Prince Albert and along the ffrazing lan! as a field for emigration, I applied to Sir Oharloa Tapper, the High Ctimraissionor for Canada re.sidont in England, to ho one of the men to be appointed in the above capacity. Hir Charles Tupper waH kind enough to grant my request. I loft Liverpool in company with several of my brother delegates on board the Allan S.S. "Circassian" on Thursday, 28th August, and landed again at Liverpool from the Allan 8.S. " Pari.sian " on 22nd Novenilx-r, 1890. The results of my observa- tions are embodie(i in the followiiif^ extracts from my diary, which was too lengthy to be printed for general circulation. Left Liverpool 28th August on the Allan steamer " Circassian," and arrived at Quebec on the 8th September. On the voyage had interesting conversations with various emigrants — some who were going out for the first time, and others who were returning to Canada after paying a visit to their friends in (Jreat Britain. I went over the fore part of the ship with the head steward. A^s people were recovering, it was very clean. The passengers pay £4 and £G for steerage and interme •.uiiiA, c*jiu ncic A moaei exj-lamed the working by so intelligent a gentleman that I longed to creamery, have him in Lincolnshire. They take in crca,ni or milk from the neighbouring farms. Each sample is tested in a simple way, and the cream is paid for atjcording to its butter-producing qualities. I gathered the following facts, but I may not be quite correct, as it is impossible to get a clear understanding when one goes about in half- dozens, as we did on this occasion :— 9 to 10 lbs. of milk to a gaUon ; 5 lbs. of cream to 1 lb. of butter. Measurements are all made by the pound. On our journey to Guelph we passed .some of the best land we had seen in the country, with many young horses in the fields, but few sheep. Country near Milton pretty. The autumn wheat was well up in some fields as we went to Guelph. We had a short time to spare at Guelph, so we drove to two neighbouring farms, belonging to two excellent farmers, but could see them only in a hurried way. One was the property of Mr. Stone, who owned some 300 Herefords, and farmed 900 acres of land. They wore of a remarkably fine breed, and had been in his possession many years. He used to get large prices for them at his sales, but their value has umch diminished of late. He is to have a sale of 150 next month. His neighbour was a Mr. McCrae, a noble-looking old Scotchman, A successful who came out here with nothing 30 or -'0 years ago. He owns the '^migrant, best breed of Galloways in this countrv. Had .sonip. vei-y had been a keeper in Yorkshire, who started four years ago with- out a cent ; and Mr. Smeaton who seemed a moneyed man. Both seemed doing wonderfully well ; had good houses, surrounded by trees. Watson had only 160 acres of land, of which he will fallow half next year. He has this year 120 acres of wheat and 10 acres of oats. He has five sons to help him ; he and they do all the work. Worked first year on other land. Has 16 head of cattle and one pair horses — three pair of draught oxen included in the cattle. He says breaking and backsetting costs $4 (16s.) an aun,-. On this road we saw some fine crops of millet, which seems very suitable for forage. After dinner at Wawanesa, we started cro.ssing the Souris River, and drove 27 miles to Plum Creek (late Souris), arriving there at 7.30 p.m. Land all taken up, but much unbroken. Rolling prairie. Few cattle. Good deal of wheat spoilt by hail. Our horses had brought U3 60 miles this day, and seemed as fresh as possible at the end. Plum Creek is a thriving place, and apparently a very pretty one ; but it was dark, and we started directly after supper in a special train for Brandon, which we reached in one ajid a half hours, at 10.30 p.m., 2") til September. Ascertained following information respecting land values, taxes, yield of crops, prices, &c. : — Cultivated prairie, at $5 an acre ; uncul- tivated prairie, at $4 an acre. Taxes, &c., on 160 acres, from $14 to $16 a year = to 8 or 9 mills on a dollar; no tax on buildings on farms; no tax on personalty, such as horses, cattle, implements, itc, unless they exceed §500 in value ; no one can be assessed above 2 cents in the dollar (5d. in £) without a special Act. The above varies in different districts ; North- West Territories taxes are lighter than Manitoba. Price this year for best wheat, 80 cents a bushel ; average of year, probably 70 cents a bushels ; average yield of province, 23f bushels an acre ; yield of last four years — 1SS7, 35 bushels to acre; 1888, 20 bushels to acre ; 1889, 15 bushels to acre ; 1890, 25 bushels to acre. Average, 23| bushels. Wheat can be grown at $8 (34s.) an acre. If sold for 80 cents a bushel, there will be on it — Cost of work, 40 cents ; profit, 40 cents ; total, 80 cents. In 1880, 100,000 bushels were exported ; in 1887, between 11 and 12 million bushels. Sept. 26. — -Made a most interesting expedition to Mr. Sandison's farm, five or six miles from Brandon. Mr. S., a Scotchman, began without a cent seven years ago. Hired himself out at first, then took a small section, and has gradually added to this, either by purchase or hire, till he farms above 5,000 acres. He is still quite a young man — perhaps 30. He employs a great deal of labour, mostly Scotchmen, probably giving at this time of the year about $2,50 a day. He has 33 teams of horses (66 horses), and three teams of driving horses. A 'eani sometimes goes with grain into Brandon with load three times in a day (total, 30 miles). His men's work hours are as follows : — Half- })ast 6 to half-past 11 ; rest, 2 hours ; half-past 1 to half-past 6 ; total, 10 hours. He does not not find it answer to do longer hours. He threshes all his grain from the stocks, and leaves the straw in. Can thresh 312^ quarters (2,500 bushels) in a day ; but straw is very sliort and much broken ; it is used to fire the engine. The wheat is cleaned again at the elevator before being put on the railway. It goes direct there, and a certain percentage is charged for dirt — with Sandi- son probably about 5 per cent. The men get $35 a month, and bo.T,i'd. I saw some splendid black oats grown on the farm, about 80 or 90 bushels to acre (?), they said. T admired a stable well guarded with 3 feet of sods — almost the first of the kind I had seen in the countrv. Colonel Fane's Seport. ]Mr. Sandison and his wife live in the most tumbledown old shanty, though his stables, barns, &c., are most excellent. I believe he frequently goes to Scotland, and brings out fresh men for his farm. At Brandon we visited the experimental farm, one of those admira- ble institutions scattered all over Canada. Here we were received by the most intelligent and obliging of officials, Mr. Bedford. After a sumptuous luncheon, and an inspection of the various grains, and the grasses hung round the barn, we saw the various expei-imental grasses that had been tried for this climate. It is found that clover is killed by the frost, but lucerne stands well. We saw some excellent samples of wheat and barley — the latter the best sample we have seen in Canada, and well worthy of the attention of English maltsters. In the afternoon most of our party drove to some other farms, but I went to a blacksmith's to look at shoeing. All shoes are ready- made and nails ready-pointed. The charge for a new set.of shoes is $2 (equal to 8s.) ; 25 cents (Is.) for a remove. At a butcher's, lieef, 12^ cents a lb. (beef in winter, by carcass, 6 cents a lb.) ; lainb, 16 cents a lb. Journeymen get $30 a'nionth and board. A lady who buys a deal of beef says that she only pays 10 cents (5d.) for all kinds of beef. Beforo we left Brandon in the morning, on the 27th September, we Mills, hurriedly examined a splendid flour mill, which could grind 1,000 bushels of wheat in a day with 200 horse-power. Charged 1| cents I)er bu.shel to Sandison ; perhaps 2 cents to anyone else. We also saw some interesting work done at a saw-mill. The engines at both these places were fed by sawdust. 67 Dominion ex- ])erimi'iital farm at Bran- don. A F.U'.M HOUSE IN M.iNITOBA ( Drmvn hi/ Colonel Fane.) We left Brandon amidst the cheers of the public, to which we gave a hearty response, and drove 22 miles to Rapid City. The country was undulating and pretty, but more suited to grazing than grain. We, however, saw some gi'and crops of wheat, one of which exlended as far as the eye could see. We saw good-lookina; cattle in larsre num- bers. 68 The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. At Rapid City we were entertained by the Mayor and Corporation at the hotel, and then took special train to Miunedosa. There wo joined the main line of the Manitoba and North-Weatern Railway, and wound through a pretty, undulating and well-settled country along the Little Saskatchewan to Birtle, arriving there at 7 on *jhe 27th. I was met at the station by Mr. Herchmer who lives here, and Mr. Mytton, the clergyman, the latter of whom drove me to the town, a mile from the station. Before doing so, we were entertained at The rest of my party supper at the station by the railway company, went further west. After church I drove with Mr. Herchmer to dinner at Mr. Lloyd's, a nephew of General Wilkinson. Mr. Lloyd is managing General W.'s farms. He has about 1,200 acres here, and another farm a short distance off, besides having got his cattle about 100 miles north on some unclaimed land. General Wilkinson is in England, but he has a son and a nephew here — the latter a son of my friend the Rev .0. Wilkinson. Mrs. Lloyd has had no servant for two months, but she had an admirable dinner for us, and it was interesting to see what a lady can accomplish when put to it. Mr. Lloyd had had a capital Barnardo boy in his service. Ho had gone back tc the Home to superintend work there. His name was Fisher. Drove to see Lewarton, a man who came with a large family from Fulbeck to this country about thcree years ago. He seemed to be doing well, and the elde. iuys had no wish to go back to England. Lewarton had a good house, which he had built himself ; and the property was now his own. He could also have two more pieces of 160 acres each on certain terms. They had about 30 acres broken, and had stacked their corn. Had 19 head of cattle, one pair of working bullocks, good potatoes, and turnips. At Birtle had interesting conversation with Mr. Thos. Vant, a Yorkshireman, who came to this country with a fine lot of boys two years ago. Doing well on a small piece of garden near Birtle. Children all well dressed. One son lives on a quarter-section (ICO acres). Caine to this country with £100. Built small house — two rooms above, two below — for £10. Paid $1 10 for oxen, $24 for plough, $40 for entrance to homestead and pre-emption. Earned one and a-half dollars a day at fii-st at odd jobs ; eldest boy also earned money. Has no wish to go back to England, except on a visit ; is quite satisfied. Told me three days after he put in radishes, their leaves were as large as a shilling. Drove 20 miles from Birtle to Binscarth ; had to wait three hours for car from North- West. In the hotel found a landlord who had been coachman to Duke of Cambridge and others. He and his brother had a livery stable and farm, and were doing well after four years. Weighed a potato grown here ; it scaled 2^ lbs. Tasted jelly and jam made of wild black currants, wild red currants, wild gooseberries, wild cranberries, wild saskatoons, wild cherries, and wild strawberries. Early in the morning of 30th September the car was moved up by a branch line to Russell, one and a-half miles from Barnardo's institution for London lads. Here, there is a large farm, with upwards of 55 cows m milk, a creamery, good garden, good farm buildings, &c. The boys see'acd of all ages, from 1 3 to 20, some of low cast of countenance ; but the matron aaid she had no diffi'-ulty with them. Splendid vegetables in the garden. Good water. Measured some vegetables in garden. Turnip radi.^li, 14 in, circum- ference; long radish, 2 ft. 2 in. long, swede, 2 ft. 4 in. e.numference j Colonel Fane's Report, drumhead cabbage, 3 ft. in. circumference, solid heart ; cauliflower, 3 ft. 1 in. circumference of flower. Met here Colonel Bolton, whom T had known in the 100th, 27 years ago. He 18 an old settler, and large property owner in these parts, and says he has done very well. A few miles from here we came to the Binscarth farm, belonging to the Scottish Ontario Company. They farm 4,000 acres, and have a total of 19,000 acres wich they can acquire, I believe. Here we saw some splendid pedigree Shorthorns, many of them worthy of the best show in LnglaTid. The calves were particularly fine ; bulls rather short of quality. Calves have never been out. About 120, two, three and four year olds had lately been shipped from this district ; average, |35 (£7) There are 80 head of pedigree Shorthorns on the farm, and 14 sheep Land suffers from frost. Cattle allowed to run witliout tending after 1st October. No manure used on farm, though cake is given in quantities. From Binscarth we returned to Birtle, and drove to a .small exhibi- tion of horses, cattle, bread, butter, cheese, vegetables, onions, beet root, &c. ; also pictures, needlework and patchwork. Added to above were trotting and galloping races. All the latter part was poor, but the exhibition of roots and vegetables most excellent. A man told me he sowed 2 bushels of potatoes. He has four in family. Began to eat in July ; in September he had 37 bushels to spare. In the evening we were entertained by the Mayor and Council, and afterwards spent an enjoyable evening in the Town Hall, listening to the experiences of various speakers. The delegates also had to speak. All speakers seemed to have prospered more or less. John Ewbank Edmondson came out. May, 1889. Bought half- section 4 miles from Birtle ; has 70 acres in crop. Five boys, aged 14 downwards; three girls— young. Drilled wheat 16 th April ; cut wheat 10th August. Doing well. A young Scotchman also gave his experiences in the clearest way. He began with 25 cents, and appeared now (after eight years) to be worth a great deal of money. He was a gallant-looking young fellow, who meant work. Oct. 1.— Left Birtle, where I had received the greatest kindness particularly from Mr. Herchmer and the Rev. J. Mytton, the Encrlisli Church clergyman. We all started east together, and I went on to Portage la Prairie, where I changed on to the C. P. R. "We saw quantities of cattle, and very pretty country from Min- nedosa, Neepawa, Gladstone, kc, and splendid wheat land on Portage plains. All the corn was gathered, and a good deal threshed. We went for some little time along the banks of the Little Saskatchewan. It must be lovely here in spring ; now it is all burnt up. Portage seemed a busy town, with good shops, and electric light. There was nothing particularly interesting to see between Por- tage and Moosomin, but all the land seemed pretty well taken lip. NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES. I arrived at Moosomin at 1 1.30 at night, and was met at the sta- tion by Mr. McNaughton, a storekeeper of the place, who insisted on my coming to his house instead of the hotel, and gave me much useful «nd valuable information. Oct. 2.— Drove out to Pipestone Creek to visit a farm belonging to Mr. Manners. Spent the da]P with him, and returned to Moosomin at night. 6 69 70 The AijrkuUural and other R>ut 3 in the uiormng, where I was met by the Rev. F. Baker, the clergyman of the district, who was ''""^There^we'l^e'a great many people in the village for the agricultural show that was going on. I have never see., so many English in one place befo,e-. many well-dressed young English gentleme.i ; they brou..l.t \n ho.-ses, sheep and cattle to the show The roots, kc were shown i.. the Town Hall, which has been built for the purpose, though ihe inhabitants of the village do not a.nou.it to a W 200 persons. I saw a good tho,-oughbredstallio.v-"Corneille," by 'McGregor a first-rate shire stallion-1 "Prince 8th"-out of Keeval's stud ; sevem teams of horses, ponies, Ac; and a food thoroughbred yearling bull 8horthorn, beio n^^g to Mr. Rowley. The sh..p we.e a poor show. Colonel Fane'ti Rfport, 7J «.Kn^"!u" *"""*"' '^''"''^'"''■^'^^''*^'*^- 'l'«"i'>< "f hig horses, .1(350 to * JOU ; these are not turned out in winter. The best teams of ponies could be bought at |120 to $150 the pair; they were gencrully accompanied by their foals. They and youna stock got no hay or oats, and were out all the winter, but looked very well, ^ There was an excellent e.xhil)it from the new Experimental Farm at Indian Head. The black oats, iucerue and clover were very good • but the best exhibits of wheat and pease were from the Indian reser- vation, a tew miles from here Products of 1 ndian Head Farm :— Spring rye good : sown 7tli July, cut 1st September. Red clover wintered well. Lucerne wintered well : 1« inches ot root. Scotch tartarian oats, 60 bushels to acre— very good Land : 8 inches of black loam ; clay underneath. o.u ?^^ ^y"""^ ''■''"'^ •**''^ ^^"^ ^^^^^"^ had they not had a hailstorm on otn J uiie last. This being the North-V/est Territory, no liquor is allowed to be sold without a permit. Persons requiring 2 gallons of wine or whiskey must pay |1 to Government. No innkeeper would be allowed to have a permit. This does not stop drinking at times. I hear that a German settlement in this neighbourhood is very Houiishing. "^ I have collected from an old settler the names of some of the old countrysettlers within 11 or 12 miles of here, together with their previous occupations, from which it appears that out of 61 only 14 had been farmers. There are several more Englishmen in the radius, whose names I could not gather. They have a second church at Weed Hill, a cricket club, and a pack of hounds. At Regina, where I arrived at 5.30 a.m. on 6th October, Colonel Herchmer, the Chief Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police came to fetch me ' The bai-racks are excellent, with every comfort for the men, and the Commissioner's house the nicest and best-kept house I have seen since leaving Toronto. I spent the day with Colonel Herchmer ; looked at the roll of his men, visited the stables, riding school, &o. This is the headquarters of the force, which consists of about 1,000 men and 40 officers. The force is entirely mounted on "bronchos," raised on the prairies north of this. They are a good class of horse, with good feet and legs, rather wanting in rib, but with capital action. Colonel Herchmer buys them at about an average of $120 each, at three and four years old. The police make almost everything they use on their own premiyes. I drove round to two places with Colonel Herchmer, and visited some settlers. One man had two yonng men from England (Risk and Browning) working for him ; one of them had been with him two years. They had just bought 320 acres from the Canada North-West Land Company, at six miles from Regina, paying $6 an acre, to be paid in six yearly instalments. I came across a farmer named Young, from Coddiiigton, in Not- Once poor tinghamshire. His brother still farms there. Ho has been able to do people who well for his five sons— first, editor of paper, aged 24 ; second, tinsmith ,f '^°"® (foreman), aged 22 ; third, chemist (foreman), aged 20 ; fourth, with a chemist ; fifth, at a bookseller's. Young farms, shoots, and keeps a small store. Herchmer told me to-day of a man named Brown, one and a-half miles from Bi tie. Began in 1879. Cut some hay, above ice Had i \\ 72 Fassine through thf Rockies. The capital B.O. The Agricultural awl other Resources nj C'tntula. eight or nine children, a scythe, and two or three week's too*! ; lived in a stable in winter. Father has now 320 acres ; son also 320. Two daughters married. Hati two span of horses, 50 cattle, and doing well ; owes nothing. Brown -omes trom Oakham, where he was on the railway. Sa\ at Regina a man named McLeoti— Highlander, with largo family. Came with nothing seven years ago ; has now good house, windmill, HO or 90 head of ciiith ; supplies town with milk. I slept at the hod 4 U. IU«in,', and at .') in the morning of the 7th October went on hoanl the .jai>, and travelled all day. There sef-med very little land tnkcn up between Regina and Calgary, except the large farms of 10,000 ik.ivs each, which were taken up by Sir J. L. Kaye.and now belong to a oompat»y. They raise very litth' wheat, but I saw some fair crops of turnips. It looked a go.nl si.dcp country, but I only saw one flock of a thousand or so. We saw the sage bush growing strongly for the first time. Lakes peemod much dried up, and there appeared a good deal of alkali - >out. in bume parts the ground was nicely undulating. The country north of this is so much better that this part of the country has been rather neglected up to thistimi\ We did not even see many horses ^redicine Hat seemed a busy place, as the Saskatchewan is navigable here, and the coal district is at no great distance. Left Regina at 5 a.m. 7th Octobi r, and reached (Jalgary on th.^ mt^ning of the 8th. A Mr. H. D. Johnson came to see me. Ho came from near Newark. Had been in tiie country eight years. His wife was the daughter of Mr. W. Holt, schoolmaster of Denton. He came out as a mason. He now builds for the Government; gets $1,200 a year. Son farms 160 acres of his own. As there was a heavy fall of snow in the night I did not stop long at Calgary, but took the train again at 2.30 a.m. on the 9th for the west coast. PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. Oct. 9. -Lfft Calgary. It was most fortunate that we had a fa!' of snow yesterday, as it covered all the tops of the mountains to-day. We were the whole day passing through glorious scenery, with splenditl peaks and wild ravines in all directions. The only drawback was the quantity of dead timber, the gaunt, tall lines of which covered the face of the hills. Towards the afternoon the cenery iniproved in this respect, and the shape and colour of thi- mountains were as tine as anything I have ever seen. At Glacier House, where we stopped for a meal, the view of a glacier close by was most excpiisite, as there wji snot a cloud in the sky. We crosseil the Columbia River at one point, and went on all night through the s.ime sort of scenery. .'f At about 3 p.m. on the 10th October we arrived at Vaiictuiver, and went straight on board a line steamer, which landed us in about five hours at Victoria, on Vancouver Island. The voyage was very delight- ful, as we travelled through narrow channels and past niany islands almost all the way. This was my first view of the Pacific. The surroundings of Victoria are beautiful, with endle.ss bays, hills and rocks, covered with vegetation, and splendid Douglas pines and other timber. Wherever tliere was . ny cultivated ground the crop seemed good on it, there being at least o or 7 inches L.f good soil on the top of clay. The wheat 1 saw was very fine ( white autumn wheat) ; oats also ,'ood ; but what a-Stonished me most was the pro- fusion of fruit. On the 11th I called on Sir J. Tiutch. His garden seemed to grow everything in profusion. Thick hedge of privt,-r, m: broouj, laig'- Colonel Faue'g liejwrl. violots. cherrios, poUtoes apricots, honeysuckle, pears, plums. holIi,..s. h mv W« rr """i' '^•^««'"^« y ^^t'^ with fruit ; i.uied, 1 ha;e neve t7«lt. Tl'^T- ^ *>" ^'®""'^y ^»*h ''I' ^hoso things, however, IS to find a market for theai. ,., , ^"' "^^ Trutoh drove me some miles into the country. It surprised and'SnTn tT'"™ ^"'V" °"r ^^'r°' P»'«'^«""ts fly from the cultivated 1.?. ^^^^ ^T^'^^ °* '^'^- ^''^y ^'"•^ "»P°'-t«'' »»«••« a few years ag.,, and have thriven wonderfully. Thev- must be difficult to kill, as ulTZT'^^^'^^'^f" .^'''•' »'«'»*•'•"•. -'How. broom, d:c., and i;ng g.as3, and various kinds ot pines Everyone seems to have a gun, but we Ha« frequent notices to sportsmen not to trespass. An attempt is made to preserve. *^ „ 0°t 13.— U'ft Victoria for Vancouver at 4 in thn morning. We x^ reached the town of Vancouver at 10, and had three hours tlierf. The CiT"'" town has made gigantic strides in four years, and i),omises to be a most important plu.e The Canadian Pacific Railway have not only hmlt a splendid hotel there, but are now building an opera house. The town has electnc hj^ht, electric tramway, ic. The latter goes a fearful iZ" VT/' «"'P'-'^ef\ there are not accidents ; but children, dogs, Ac. seem to take care of themselves in thefie countries. I had some interesting talk at an estate office. The manager told 1st $3.50 Zt^%t '■''"' ""'^ «""° "^ '«"• ^'^ '-^^^^ ""^ ^' Return to the Territories. T left Vancouver at 1, onoo more for my long journey east I very much regretted I had* not more time on tl„ west side of the nockies, as though there is no great quantity of agricultural land, at ( limar^' '"' " ''""^^' *'"'""® '^ ''''""' ^'^^ ^""^ ^''''^^ ^'^ ^ ™^'l After st.iying at Banti; and visiting the Devil's Lake, I left for Bi« ranches Calgai-y, arriving there at 2.30 a.m. on the 1 6th October. "I" a tine ^'Jlonel Herohmc-i', who is in command of the police depot here ^'-''-f-y. Had kindly arranged to driv,- me in a four-horse police team across (ountryto Lethbri.'ge, via Fort Macleod, to seethe big ranches of the district. We 'ft at 2, and had a d,>lightful drive over the prairie to the Quorn Ranche, 30 miles. A great part of the country seemed settled up, but there was v^^y little cultivation. There were no green crops. Cattle and hor.ses were scattered ibout. Some of the creeks were very steep, and required a good dea. .f driving to get over. The land seemed first-rate, but cold ; there vere patches of snow about. The ranche covers 17 square miles, and is held on lease. There are line buildings, yards, kc. They have 1,200 horses (200 of which are luiported Tr. h mares), 12 stallions and .'1 000 head of cattle ; uo sheep. One ■ the most remaikable features of the place is that tliey got _,000 aeail of cattle from Ontario last year, one and two year olds, at prices varying from S20 tu $25 each. Will pay well a.s thre^ ami four year olds at $40. It must bo remembered that neither horses nor cattle ever get an oat, except < he stallions. Mares tuai generally alone, in the open. They employ eight men all the year ronnrl. We left the Quoi :i Ranche next morning, and had a splendid drive, in lovely weather, about twenty miles, to the High River horse ranche, belonging to a company, but managed by Mr. Macpherson, late 1 V"1 \^-"' "'s-""^' ^"^3 "^^'t-" - ■■ nurses, tnree tlioiuujih bred stallions, and a Norfolk trott^-r. The-, had 250 foals last year. 74 Tliti Ayiiiiilluriil mnl otiifr Ri'xuurcKH qf Cnninhx. The niHchp f xtenfls ov.sr 60,000 aorcH, but only H,000 are paid for, ..ii lease at 2 cents an aero. They hav«! also l.'JHO aorei of freehold. Their start" consistn of manager and three men, and oooasional Help. Wauen uf latter at hay time, «;W a month ami l)oard ; head man and wife, $40 a month and Ixmrd. Coal is found near the surface at about seven miles di.stance. Fine river and plenty of tish close by. We started again at 2 o'cloek, and drove about 20 miles further to the North- West Cattle Company's ranehe. We drove over a spleixlul roUiiiK prairie, with fine grass and many .attle. This is one of tlie large^st ranches in the district, and is managed by Mr. Stimson, a Canadian gentleman. ^.u u Oot 1 8 —We got up early, so as to have a good look at the horses, calves, «kc. There are about 10,000 cattle and 800 horses on the ranehe, which consists of about 240,000 acres, for which they pay 1 cent an acre a vear on lease. We saw about 100 mai-es, and some two, three and four vear olds. For the latter they get up to %VM. They have 2,000 calves this year ; they have just finished weamng them. They have sold many hundreds of steers this year, at an average of $50 .Mich, and have paid a dividend. We were shown some excellent stallions, the best I have seen in the country ; and two very good Norfolk trottors— " President Garfield," by " Hay President, and '• Sam Weller." These horses have nothing but hay all the winter, and were by no means in high condition. , -, -i After a delightful visit, we left at 10 o'clock, and drove 1 ' mdes to the Litule Bow River (or Cattle Company's) tranche, ihis is managed by Mr. Cochrane, a Leicestershire man. He, a ;^o«sm, ami Mr. Graham, are ownei-s of the ranehe, which consists of about bU.UUU acres, held on lease. They have about 1,100 cattle, including 100 pedigree Galloways, but no horses. Their land is so dry that they send all their cattle fo'r the winter to an..ther ranehe, near the mountains The proprietors go to England. :STr. Co.-hrane estimates the value ot capital in the ranehe at .«,>-),000 ; expenses. $3,000 a year ; receipts from sales, .|4,000. No interest has yet been paid on capital. The weather all day was delightful -ipiite warm till h o clock in the evening. After luncheon, we drove five miles further to a rest- house and post office, called .Mosquito Creek. Here a police team from Macleod met us, and T parted with i«y kind fried Colonel Herchmer, who went back to Calgary, about CO miles. Cannot say how good and useful he had been to me, as without him I should not have seen halt the ranches and their kind owners. The Oxley ranehe is a large one- some 2.^0,000 acres— owned by a company ; Lord Lathom, Mr. Staveley Hill, and Mr. G. Baird are the principal share-owners. T am told they have only 6,000 head of cattle but I think they nmst luue more, as they have just rounded up l,oOU or so of steers to send to J^lontreal. I could not gather that they ever earn a dividend. ,, , , ^i x> I started with the team at 9.15, and drove parallel to the Jr-orcu- pine Hills for some hours. AVe were principally on the Oxley ranehe, but also passed several small ranches, owned mainly by Canadians, who, I heard, were doing well. At al)out l.:50 we crossed wh.at nnis^t be a verv nasty passage at times -the Old Mans Uiver-und shortly I found myself in' comfortable quarters with Major Steele, of the constabulary, at Fort Macleod. I had heard that a successful man in this country was a Mr. Mollison. who farmed about five miles from here. He came to see me this morning (20th Oct.). I found him a He had only be^'n here two or three years, shrewd, clever Seotclanan. but was doing well. He Colowl Faw'n /Ifport. 75 WHS one year with tli« Mnter Kaye fanus, but he is now farming oa hiH own account. Ho owns 320 acreH. Can grow gno<\ vfgfltablpH (he Nhowcd spooinieiiH), iiiul ke«pH milk cowh and honm. Next >t>ui- he hopes to try irrigation. Ho wuh (|uite mitisfied that thJH part of Canada would be a suirt't m. Oct. 20.— Colonel Macleod, Mr. Peters atid I ntarted in a four- Fort Maoleod horse teain from barracks at .Ma«l«'l. They have about 2,000 calves this year. They lose a considerable numlier by wolves. They spey all the heifers they do not want, and have been very successful with them. The average of oOO steers sent last year to Montreal was 1,450 lbs., live weight. One they tried for themselves weigheeen 17 years in this country, and, like many other (government ottiiials, began as a constable in the police force. At this place, I parted with Colonel Macleod, who returned to Fort Macleod with Mr. Pocklington. Mr. Peters and I continued our journey, and after passing two very nasty rivers, which are not pleasant now, and most dangerous at certain seasons, I arrived ac Lethbridge, after some 200 miles of delightful driving over the prairies, and seeing many small, besides several very large ranches, in the most agreeable way, and with pleasant companions. Pinoher Creek and Macleod have many English ranchmen in the neighbourhood. Lethbridge is the headquarters of the coal district, and busy work is being done hfir«. The town is the neate«t western town I have ?ee!>. though only of a few years' gi-owth. The houses of the miners are princi- 76 Prosi>(>rou3 fannerB. Rftuni to Ontario. Personal in- ter vifw;- and general indus- tries. The Ayricuhurai and other lieaources of Canada. pally built by the Gait Company, who own the mines and railway. I was met here by young Mr. Gait, the son of Sir A. T. Cialt, whom I recollect seeing in England. I went into one of the miner's houses. Hp was civil, as usual, and asked me to sit down while answering questions. He was gettin«r first- rate pay— some $4 a day, and only paid $1 a month for his house of tw.. rooms. Oct. 22.— We passed through a grand district, particularly between Virden and Brandon, and some 20 miles beyond Portage la Prairie. At one station there were three elevators. There werefarm houses tha whole way and a nice sprinkling of cattle. A good deal of fall ploughino- had been done ; but there was still a good deal of corn standing in the .stook. Unusually wet weather has interfered lately with the harvest. 1 did not see many cattle. Nearer to Winnipeg we came to poorer land, \^ith a good many cattle ; there were a few trees on sandy hills. After that the land was good, but very wet, and so it continued all the way to Winnipeg. These last 20 or 30 miles are of the finest wheat land, but require draining. The soil is a rich black mould. It sticks to wheel and boots like India-rubber, when half dry. We passed A. Wilson's late farm about 14 miles before we got to Winnipeg, at 4.30 in the afternoon. Before le-. ing Manitoba I should mention that I never saw or heard of a policeman there, except at Winnipeg. They must be a law- abiding race. Sundays are wonderfully well kept. Nothing is seen of the rowdyism of the western towns of the States, where I am told gambling saloons are kept open most of the Sunday. In every small town there are Church of England, Presbyterian, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches. The hotelkeeper of the hotel I am staying at here (Winnipeg) and the proprietor of the principal hotel at Regiiia, were talking to me i^0K\xn^^^ ^O'""*'" ^'^ifJ i'e paid $15 a month to his women, the latter .>i-5. When I said governesses were not better paid, the Regina man said two of his maids had been governesses in the old country I heard yesterday from a gentleman in the train that many of the waiters in the summer hotels in New England are students, &c., who spend their holidays in that way. There is an excellent club at Winnipeg, of which I was made honorary member. I met many pleasant people there. J ^^' Winnipeg at 10.45 a.m. 2oth Oct. ; travelled due south. The and for the first 40 miles was wet, and not much cultivated. It is held by speculators. It seemed to be fine land, but would want some draining. Towards Morris much of the land was taken up, and quantities of wheat were in stacks, and being threshed. At Morris there were three elevators at work. We crossed the frontier into the United States at Gretna, and travelled via St. Paul, Minneapolis and Chicago. PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. Oct. 29.— Arrived at London, Ontario, at 11.30 p.m. I knew no one in London, bu^ soon became acquainted with several gentlemen who volunteered their services to me. Mr. Webster, the member for_ the county, drove me out to Mr. Luard's, a Lincolnshire man • ana m tJie afternoon Mr. Weld, editor of the Farmer's Advocate, drove me 13 miles to see the town waterwoi-ks and pleasure grounds, and on to Mr. Gibson's, who owns a farm called the Belvoir farm of 300 acres. ' I found Mr. Gibson was a Lincolnshire man. who had befin n^ school at Broughton. He received me most kindly, and showed me all Colonel Fane's Report. Be?;Joirt™™okeJ': 'f "'"•'^' ^^*'^ here and on the road to ti.e moltexcd™ and ^rf T'^'^'''^- The cultivation was evidently farm I hai ,1 • ?u ^""^ ''^'"^ S^^^^" ^his was altogether the best buT '< 8f h n • ''i ?' '°""*''^- ^'•- Gibson had a splendid Durham 7.0 '::« bred Shorth "ZT'li:' ^^^ ^^ «0 P"-b'-^ Dolrabout urCs Ij?s It:"'' ^ '''' ^^ P''^^^''^" Berkshires, and 100 beautiful r n,T' \ house was a most comfortable one, and his wife ^a (wHhthe coi.s) mS wmT"""'' 'i' ™'«r upon cutlndian corn in ttodisStofo'o S ™ '!"" ,»» '"""<^»* ""-l"' of toal« are b,ed Mr. Hodgens tells me that many good farms about here wiH, f„,v hou^^es on then., can be bought at from $30 to .S40 an acre He 1«\ Borne year, they export a great number. The co„„,r,?nhUlv s«l,S 77 build The t-r>\vn f>f T.nnrl/ lings, i)ark, (fee, the best I have " is handsomely laid out, and seen , , - • > - -■, -•— "w.,„ .1 .ia,,c occii m tne country. T of the ground round London is undulating and well tinLred tlie agricultural in the coun'try. The whole 78 Tlie Afjrlntlttiral and other Resources of Canada. I inspected a cheese factory, of which there are many in the neighbourhood. The cheeses seemed very good, and are exported to Europe. The factory takes the milk of about 600 or 700 cows. The milk is weighed as it comes in, and the whey returned to the farmer the next day. About one-third goes back in whey to the farmer for his pigs, seen on this continent. At Grimsby the orchards m inwl very large, and the land very good, though wet. It probably looks worse than usual just now, as they have had constant niin for some weeks in these parts. AtThoroId I took a carriage.' ;uiu (In)\r across eight jiiijes to Niagara Falls. T Colonel Fane'a Bfport, 79 meant to visit some farms, but it rained and sleeted the whole way The roads were in a dreadful state, and were almost impassable when we got to Tramways, near Niagara Falls. I left Niagara Falls at 3 p.m., Nov. 2, and got to Hamilton at 4.30. It poured the whole way, but I could see much of the country wanted draining. There were very few cattle in the fields, all being given up to orchards It seems a pity there is not more mixed farming, a^^ peaches have been a failure, and apples a bad crop this year. Grapes have been very plentiful, bu: only fetched 2^ cents a lb. I passed a factory for making them into wine. The country must be lovely in summer. ■^ Nov. 3.— Went into the market this morning to look at the meat, Ac. Vegetables not so good as in Manitoba. Beef poor ; some ^owl amb, or, rather, young mutton : dressed, 60 lbs. apiece. Best cuts of beef, 12^ cents per lb. Spoke to an old Devonshire butcher, who has been here 35 years (from Buieford). Has thirteen children —five sons, all butchering in the States ; three married daughters ; the former consider Hamilton 'slow. Old man thinks that people have little poAver over their children in this country ; they soon lose their inHuence over them. Went with Mr. Hendry to see his horses. Mr. Hendrv is the Pickford of Canada, and has here and in orher places about 5,000 horses He has the finest draught horses in Canada, all bought in the country or bred by himself ; they are all out of countrv-bred mares by Shire Clydesdale, or Suffolk Punches. He does not Hke Percherons. I saw some splendid teams. All are weiglied, and matchf d, principally bv weight, and some were 17-3 in height. The weight of two of t' pm was ] , / 70 lbs. and 1,790 lbs. An ordinaiy pair would cost .*400 O'.f can pull 9 tons on wheels, 11 tons on sledges. All wheel-ir i:;,r cart- making, shoeing, &c., done on the premises. Shoeing avei ■ '^ |2 a iiorse per month. Mr. Hendry, jun., considers that the tallest horses have the gieatest power of moving a heavy load. Me. Hendry cUove me out to his farm, about six miles from HamiltoiN to see his thoroughbred stock. His farm was a lovely one, composed of hills, valleys, tiinter, and having several small streams running through it. He had three thoroughbred stallions, one of them a great beauty— "Strathspey," by " Glenelg,' out of "La Polka" (" Glenelg " vw>s by " c 'itadel"). He had 64 animals ont his farm, many of the thoroughbreds showing great substance. He lias several horses in tiaining, and we saw some of his yearlings gallop on his private course. He showed me some splendid mares. The clover eddish on this form showed an excellent plant. After spending some hours there Mr. Hendry drove me to his cliarming residence o /erlooking the town, where J was received at luncheon by his family in the kindest way. In the afternoon, drove with Mr. Smith, Dominion Immigration Agent. Went to Mr. Barnes's, who has a large vinery, orchard, c nnnipu ,( full of pots and iiard-working man. His wife and daughte arrived, and he was about to do the same. MC is H tiiOHI Cxieci*^ r were milking when w' I'll The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. Mr. Pofcliergill has some good stock, also about 40 cows. He .sends the milk to T. ronto. This farm has 240 acres, and three miles off lie has another farm of 250 acres. He came out here from Northumber- land about 30 years ago, with nothing. He has had 17 children— 13 alive. Five of his sons are farming. His crops were indifferent this year—wheat, 27 bushels to acre ; barley, 23 bushels to acre ; . its, 40 l.ushels to acre. He has often had 80 or 90 bushels of oats to acre, and 40 of barley. air. Fothergill prefers Clydesdales to Shires for this c >untiT. i;ay.s his labourers 75 cents a day, ordinary work ; $1.50 at - arvest tune. Mr. Fothergill says you can rent good land at $4 to $5 .,n acre f *qa'"®' I^"^^ ^" Middle Road (the best near Hamilton) i worth trom $80 to $100 an aure. Got home at 8 p.m. Roads alwir nable. bome Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire men came to st ^ me in the evening. One- a tailor named Thorpe, from Nottingham- -eemed a very intelligent man. He is quite satisfied, though his wife i'^ a little homesick. They have been here three years. Gets good wag-s; but house rent and coals are dear. Complains, like me, of ilij meat. Hours, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with an hour for dinner. Almost al piece- work. ^ Nov. 5.— Meant to go on to Toronto to-day ; but heard th.i i there was to be a ploughing match in the neighbourhood, so deterr Tied to stay to see it. Asked Mr. Smith, one of the best farmers in the neighbourhood, about his yield thi.s year. Only got 20 bushels of wheat and barley to the acre. Never uses cake or artificial manure ; considers turn! kt over the sod of clover sufficient manure. Some top-dress the wheat after it appears above ground. Complains, much as we in England, ^r,at the sons now want " rigs " (carriages), and the girls organs; and that times are not good in consequence. Went on to Toronto in the evening. Stayed with Mr. Bridseman himpson. * Nov. 6.— Went to JBarrie, about 60 miles. Land good n parts, hut no very good-looking farms. Farms can be bought about here for about 840 an acre, with house, &c. Saw Banand, tailor, from Fulbeck. Went f o his house ; saw his wife and four children. Has been out nine years. Had saved at one time about $700. with own house and furniture, but lost all by fire. Gets $9 a week when in work ; his wages for year would average about $7 a week. Wife does most of her own sewing. Books for school, about $1 a year when children are young ; more later. Barrand pays $4.50 a month house rent ; has five rooms, all on ground floor, with backyard for chickens &c. Pays for beef 12^ cents per lb. ; bread, 1 1 cents for 4-lb. loaf (but loaf does not weigh 4 lbs.) ; butter, 18 cents per lb • coals $6 per ton wood, $3.50 a cord (lasts a month in winter). Has now got his )wn furniture paid for, and is beginning to look up again. Saw also at Barrie a youn^ man named Brown, from Leadenham. Is doing remarkably well as a market gardener ; wishes he had come out five years sooner. Used to get $30 a month, and board, but has now been admitted as pa-tner in the business. Lives with his partner and pays 810 a month for board. Have 30 acres, 20 acres of which ai-e stra.v berries. Have hothouses, &c., and sell plants in the spring Ivov. 7— Left Toronto at 9, with Mr. Wade, a gentleman con- nected with the Agricultural Depart aent of the arovince, -.nd two of my fellow delegates (the first I had seen since the l«t of Octooor) for Whitby, about 30 miles. We passed some good land near Whitby ii -.yjvaa excellent cari-hors ■ses (Clydesdal I'S). We drove to the fa: ni Colonel Fanta Report. 81 of Mr. Dryden, who is Minister of Agriculture for the province He entertained us at luncheon, and afterward showed us some most su- perior Shorthorns and several young bulls in prime condition : also some excellent Shropshire ram kmbs, and a Clydesdale mare witli the best toal I have seen in the country. Mr. Drjden's father was one of the earlier importers of stock in this country, and his uon carries on the business most judiciously. He farms about 400 acres, and lived on that only, till he became Minister. He has a most comfortable house, good barns, &c. I am sorry to say we had not time to walk over his .Ton * ^^^ ^'^^ ^G^med well cultivated. We got back to Toronto at D.JO p.m. Dr. Barnardo has a Home in Toronto, which I visited to-day ; it The Barnardo seemed admirably managed. There were no l.oys, however, in the Home at To- house at the present moment. About 300 come out every year • they '■°"'°- are all applied for long before they come, nnd there are now 30 or 40 applications from farmers, on the books. Ages, from 1 2 to 1 6. Agree- ments in print are made with farmers, who keep them till they are IS unless they separate by mutual consent. Almost all become farmers '; no town applications are entertained. About 5 per cent, only returned tor misconduct, kc. Farmers agree to pay $100 at the end of heir service; no great difficulty in getting the money. There are visitors going round to see the boys all the year. One gentleman I saw had just returned from an eight weeks' tour ; had seen about 100 boys ; had not had to remove one, and only slight faults found. The boys are placed in a district of about 160 miles north to south and 80 east to west. A good mony of them have money in the Savings Bank to begin with when they are 18; they are not lost sight or, after that even, if poopible. The boys come out in batches early in the sprincr and goon to July ; it is not advisable that they should come out later Some farmers complain that they are slow ; but of course they have all to learn. The superintendent thinks that about $3.50 a month would be the average earnings of a boy : of course he is found board, washing, and mending by the farmer. PROVINCE OF QUEBLC. Nov. 8.— Left Toronto at 9.15 at night, and got to Montreal at 8 a.m. on the 9th. Rain and sleet all day. In the evening met General Grant, who has a son who took up a section of 160 acres near Gris- wold, in Manitoba ; has now, with a young man named Lawder, from Australia, 640 acres more, seven miles from Griswold ; 150 of former are broken up. Had 105 acres of wheat and 45 acres of oats this year ; got 25 bushels of wheat to acre this year. Have 25 head of cattle,' mare i-nd foal, and live other horses, one team oxen, 20 hogs. House of four rooms and kitchen. Neither of young men had anything to begin with, but have had from friends, about $1,000, since. Thev'aio now running a livery stable also, and consider themsr Ives worth £2^000. AVhen all the land is paid for, which will be in about a year, they are about as successiull a pair of young " gentlemen farmers " as I have heard ot. Mr. Lawfk. ■ ,/: fi-ur years' experience of bush life in Aus- tralia. Mr. Grant ciwine luv at 17. Nov. 10,— Left Mr ..itreal at 8 a.m. for the Eastern Townships. Country round St. Hlaire, St. Hyacinthe, A-c, occupied by French. Long, narrow fields ; plenty of poor-looking stock in the fields ; enor- mous churches and convents everywhere, and many tidy houses. Towards Richmond the counti-y became very pretty, with num- erous fine rivers and wooded hills. It was principally a grazing counkrv. Thr- ir.iiii houses : -ae'i occupied by peopio fiom Europe, and'some very neatly kept. Passed some large copper mines. 82 The Agricultaral and other Resources of Canada. The Ccw'hraiie farm. Met Mr. Beevor — a Nottinghamshire man — employotl on the railway. Haw some good Herefords, and also a few good-looking colts. At about 12.30 reached Hillhurst, a station near wliere Mr. Cochrane has his famous farm. It is needless for me to write about Mr. Cochrane, and his famous farm, stock, Jrc, is known all over Europe as a most succe.ssful breeder, and I believe ho has obtained for his cattle as large a price jis anyone in Europe. I believe his great fancy at one time was Shorthorns, Lut at present he breeds black Polled Angus cattle, Herefords, trotting horses, and Yorkshire pig.s. His yards, stables, nclie, and keeping black cattle only. Wages, about |1 a clay ; monthly, *lij, and board ; m.irried men, $23 a month. At page 7"), T mentioned that from the Cochran«i ranche they had shipped about 1,000 cattle to Liverpool this year. Mr. Cochrane sent his son with them, and took all risks himself. The venture proved very satisfactory. Part of th,; cattle arrived in first-rate order— in fact, they rather improved on the voyage. They averaged about £17 a head at Liverpool. Young Mr. Cochrane w'rote to say he saw some killed, and iJiey «' died " well, and the purchaser was wefl satisfied. Mr. Cochrane had not received an account of the last batch. These cattle were all wt-ighed by car-load at Montreal, but were not weighed at Liverpool; hut he considered they were worth M cents a lb. at Montreal. Tltey were ,.ll well bred^ there being 2r)0"Herefords in one lot. Mr. Cochrane confirms wluit 1 have before heard -that the loss of 200 Ibj. weight in cattle betwcn Calgary and Liverpool takes place on the railways, and not on board ship. Of course no one has had more experience in this matter than Mr. Cochrane, as he has shipped pedigree cattle to and from Europe for the last 30 years, and has always been most successful in the business. Mr. Cochrane was able to give me a printed statement of the ranche, showing a good profit on the working of last year. This year he expects it to be better. Nov. 1 1. - After a delightful visit at Mr. Cochrane's, I left at 6.30 this morning for Quebec. I had meant to stop at Sherbrooke, but the trains were so awkward that I could not do so. I would have driven, but there were 21 degrees of frost this morning, and the roads were dreadfully rough, so J had to gi\e it up. I meant to visit Lennox- ville. where 300 young boys and men are educated excellently in a college 1 had long heard of. At Sherbrooke I should have wished to visit an institution for waifs and strays, managed by the Rev. Canon Thornloe. I heard this highly spoken of. There are several manufactories at Sherbrooke, a town of 10,000 inhabitants. 1 had to go on, however, to Richmond, and wait there two hours for the ti'ain from Montreal. I made a good deal of iiKjuiry about farms in this very pretty country, and found that about #30 an acre would buv a nice cleared one. with good water, gowl house, and plantation of firewood This sounds cheaper and better than the prices in Ontario. The countiy is certainly much prettier, but the winters are longer and more severe than in Ontario. There is not much agricultural land between Richmond and Point Levi, opposite Quebec, bit some grand rivers are passed. The woods were particularly beautiful this morning, every twig being covered with ■vhat is called " verglas ; " the whole forest shone like diamonds. We Colonel Fatie's Ui'iiort. arriyo.l at, Point Levi about 2.30, a.ul crossed over to Quehoc. I drove straig^it tij my dear friends the Pii.es', at Wolfstield. ^ At 9 this morning [ embarked .,n hoard the Allan Hteain.ship ransian, after a delightful and most interesting trin of two months and seven days in the Dominion ; and, after a prosperous voyage in that most comfortable ship, arrived at Liveri-ool on Saturday, the 22nd iNoveinber. ■' sa I ! CONCLUSION. T have been frequently asked on my journey what I think of Canada. I reply that it is ditKcult in ten weeks' to give a decided opinion on a country larger than that from the Rock of Uibraltar to the nort hern part of Russia. The delegates, however, have had excep- cZn-d^Tnir''? r""" *^ '"T"'''-'^^' ^'-^ "*' ^''« ^-"""try, having coveied 10,U0U miles of ground, exclusive (.f our sea voyage 1 have no hesitation myself in saying that the Dominion of Canada A good ooun- is a most favourable country for emigrants of certain classes. It must ^''^' f»'''K''cul. remain with tlu- emigrant himself to choose where to settle. For this Irlnnts"""" rea.son one should hesitate to give advice ; but were I to do so, it would be on the following lines : wifI.!:/\ '/""' '''^'7 r'"*'">" i'"";'""^ ..f capital cuM buy a nice farm, Tl>e classes with goodlmuse and cleared land, at about .$30 (.£()) an acre !„ tlu- ^^''""^^ou'd l-astern h.wnslnps. and many parts of Quebec and Ontario. By doin-^ Ca"X*' '" so. he wouUl avo„i the hardships of Manitoba and the North- West • he would be m the midst of c«imparative comfort and society, and within easy reach of markets, schools, Ac. 2 A s.nal I farmer or labouring man, with one or two boys rang! n- from 12 to !(,, and girls ot the .same stamp, could find occupation, and be .sure of a competency hereafter, wherever he went ; but he would periiaps have a better opening in Manitoba and the North- West The vvork would be severe, particularly for the parents ; but there is no leason why the children ot such persons shouhl not rise to the hi<^hest pasitions m the province. In fact, this has been the origin of many of the ,n.^t prominent men in the State. The Government offers espe- cial tacilities to such people, and there are millions of acres of gwd jirairie land waiting for good men to occupy them. 3. The above remarks equally apply to young unmarried men of Jie same class. ^- For mechanics or market gardeners I «„„ld recommend British Columbia, where wages are very high, anfl the climate admirably suited to gardening, as would appear by my report. o. For sons of professional' men, officers of the armv &c it is tt v u. i more dilficult to speak. I hey are a nume.'ous class in the North-West ■ iiumijj.ation. but neither I nor iny fellow-delegates are able to speak very hopefullv ol their prospects Thei.- life ,sa hard one ; and \ could noi tind many who were n. .re taau "stopping." There are, of course, many excep- tions ; but J tlunk .s great many were little more than " remittance farmers, and .s*>veral might be called farmers who farmed with a s..atte,-gun ami a^smell-.log." Very few have received a training to suit them for the Jack-of -all-trades work of a western farm There are many who do their best ; but .ill their education at our public sclioois g.ies for naught when on a farm in thiscountrv. Many of them in consequer.<;e seem almost to lose heart, and live worse than many labourers woiild do in England. Still, T am bound to say that even among th..s class, T never heard any grnmbling ; and numbers told me tiiat tl'"" '■■'^■■•* I i!- 1 '1 • '••■ • - - ley inlinlt.-ly pieferreil this life to that of a clerk or oth ■Ct.«Gn~ «4 A most iiDpni- tantdiflfereiicp in favour of Canada, as comparetJ with the Unit- efl Statex. Morality of theCaniwliiiii people. The AfjricuUural and other Resources of Canada. tary occupation in Europe. There seems a charm about the indepoii dent life of the west that suits our youth. The question is, how will they be in their old age?* 6. It appeared to me that the rancho life is much more suited to a gentleman brought up to the pleasures of British country life. In this case there is constant excitement— riding after horses and cattle, with a hunt occasionally after wolves and coyotes— but theii capital is wan- ted ; for it appeared to me that ranching, e- -"pt on a large scale, is seldom remunerative. For men who want a few 'years' discipline and rough life, I can fancy nothing better than the work and freedom and air of a ranche near the Rocky Mountains. 7. I wish I could speak of the Maritime Provinces of Canada, which, I believe, have charms of their own. I, unfortunately, was not able to visit them. There is one element in Canada which ought not to be lost sight of by an emigrant to the west, viz., the advantages of the DominTon over the United 8tatos. It is almost impossible to take up an Ameri- can paper without reading in it some startling murder perpetrated in the western States. The shooting by judges, colonels, Ac, of one an- other seems of daily occurrence ; and little punishment seems to follow, except occasionally by Judge Lynch. Even in Chicago, revolvers, T was told, were worn by peaceful citizens; whereas in Canada all is order even in the wildest parts. ' I may mention that I was in no village where Sunday was not as well kept as, or perhaps better than, it is in England. I never attended a meal at a storekeeper's, public 'liimer, oi settler's where grace was not said before sitting down ; and everywhere the most enthusiastic loyalty was shown. I think it difficult to find any country where there is less rowdyism and drunkenness than in Canada. I don't mean to say that there is not a good deal of whisky-drinking at bars. There is no doubt far too much of it, and it is most injurious to many men ; but I should say that, taking them as a whole, the population of the Dominion of Canada is decidedly an abstemious one. I can only conclude by saying that the emigrant from the old country will find, if he goes to Canada, a most kind-hearted and hospi- table people, ever ready to help a new hand. For myself, I can only say that, from high to low, from one end of the country to the other, I was received with most unbounded kindness and hospitality, and my visit was indeed made a real pleasure to me during the whole time I was in the country. gentlemen in Canada, I am happy to give the names of two mi.st Khistworthv gen IPmen who came home with me in the "Parisian. General Grant has a son settled near Gnswold, Manitoba. According to the General, his son r.nd his partner Mn Lawder. are doing particularly well. .\fr. W. H. Porritt ha. four sons, all mar- ried living on their sections near Holland, in South Manitoba. Mr. Porritt speaks most hojjefully of their prospects. He knows the country well, having taken up a section eight years ago He sees an immense .ath ance in Manitoba during that tim^ Ibehtve none of tlie above youug nion were educated at our U-rge public schools — F THE REPORT OF MR. GEORGE HUTCHINSON, Brougham Castle, Penrith. ?an™to^?ltirTr"^- '-^ '" i""^''^*'"" ^'■«"' '^^' Government of Muusiy Msiteu Canada in the autumn of 1870 nf ■nri.; u i- t appointo.1 todo sc by the Penrith Farcrs' C lb' My fi-t\ X, -« u. «-arnnj^, Minister of Agriculture. Ottawa is the seat of tl.n T)n,..; xuon Pai lament. The cliief industry is the timber rX tleL^,^X' are very large, and are worked night and day during the summer u ExhiS«^^[nh:\s^.s:'r t;::^^;:i;r '^t i^'-'i^r^] -f r'^-- Exlnbitions in Canada are very ^Z^Zr^^ A^ ul^" ^^^^ ^ In Canada, every town of any size has an Exhibitiongiouml Zn the J^xhbition Itself being a combination of our A^rieultunl <.orth Bay, to Manitoba. Some parts of thisjourneHielhrou h country which is wild and solitary in the extreme, notS tit mZ tain and wood meeting the eye on every side. ° PROVINCE OF MANITOBA. the 20tb n7^*'l''^^^"''''?'- *^'' '*"P'*'"^ "^ Manitoba, on Saturdav the 20tli of Septenriber, and were received at the station by the mS and Corporation. Winnipeg is now said to have a popu latS^a of 26 S)0 A glance at the map of Manitoba will show clearlv tlr.t fh^r.fu. so centred in Winnipeg, that, for all timSTotm f it ml^'L" sS^^^^^ he most important city of the North-West. It'is smive^rroS to •alize that, eleven years ago, not a single railway had ci-ossed either tie Red River or the Assiniboine River, and that to-day seTenrirwavs rin anto the city. We visited several of the schools in Winn'pe" a7d had 86 I'lililic whooln anil chuix'liei<. .\fr. f7>'or(/r Ilntchinfion's lii'porf I '1 which everything .■^luday, tiio 2 1st of Cliniatu of Set'cl t iiu! liai-Vfjst. 1111(1 a good op[)ortunity of si-oing tiie excoiloiit way connected with tiicin is carried on. I spent Septeml)or, in Winnipeg, anil I was pleased to note how well the churclies I attended b(»Hi morning and evening wen- tilled, and the orderly and Sunday like ,ii;piaranco of the city in g( iwn-il. On tli; Monday I drove out tu St. Paul's, a few miles ncjrlh of Winnipeg, a>id visited the Indian Industrial Si.-hool, where (50 Tndiun boys and girls were being taugiit Englisii, and ti'aiiusd under the blessings of civiliza- tion. An erroneous idea is very prevalent respecting I lie climalo of Manitoba. If the seasons there had been as unfavourable as thoy are often represented, the population would never have increased at the rate it has done during the last twelve years, nor should I have found so many old settlers who have endured the winters from twelve to twenty years still looking healthy and strong. I'he snowfall is not so excessive as in some parts of the Dominion, the depth seldom exceeding eighteen inches or two feet. I have heard of cases in which the subsoil has been found to be frozen iiard at a (h-pth of four feet. Spring and wheat .sowing genei'ally connnence in the first week in April, which is generally a dry month, giving the farmers the bcs' possible seed-bed in which to put their wheat. I have been, time, without number, assured Ijy people who for years have made Manitoba their home, that, with a little care, they never sutler from the cold, owing to the dryness of the air ; and that twenty-five degrees bcdow zero is not felt half so much as freezing point would be in a place where there is a damp atmosphere. In sjieaking to the most recent settlers, who have been only a year or two in the country, they will tell you that they do not dread the winter, but rather look forward to it with pleasure, as the season for sleighing. The farmers take advantage of the facilities which winter atlords trliem for carrying their wheat to market, and for cutting and hauling timber, which could not be easily moved at any other time. They can then take the shortest route, as the rivers, laJces, and swamps are all frozen up, and make ^e very best of roads. As a general rule, the climate appears to be favourable for the sowing and gathering-in of the crops — there being very little of that rainy and murky weather that makes hay-making and harvesting so troublesome in this country— it being apparently easy to tell in the morning the sort of weather there will be during the day, and generally after a few days' rain the weather will keep fine for weeks together. I heard a few complaints, especially from new settlers, about the annoyance arising from mosquitoes and sand-flies during the summer months ; but, as a general rule, these pests are not considered of mucli account by the older settlers. The frosts that occasionally occur in the autumn, not those of winter, are what the farmer in Manitoba dreads the most. — These frosts pass along in streaks, something like hail-storms In some cases you will find that while the wheat on one farm has been injured, that on the next farm has not oeen touched at all. I saw some very striking examples upon several farms I visited in the neighbourhood of Elkhorn. This early frost is a very tantalising trouble : the farmer may have a splendid crop of wheat ready to cut, and in a single night the frost may come and reduce its value by one-half or two-thirds ; this being what really did occur in some cases, during last season in Manitoba. The frost which did the most damage last year was that of the night of August 22nd. When it is ccmsidered how short the seasons are, and how liable the wheat is to injury by these early frosts, it is of tl e greatest importance that the earliest varieties of wheat should be m 9 Agrioxif *raf and other Resources of Canada HaISiI*®'^' . ^ "■'? ""''''"^ ^'''^ ^l«o ^"^fi fo"nd to ov .m,,, u. a cons,- de.HhIe oxten. t^e pcs^l^ihty of such daznuKc, and the neclit? f DnC Vnrf.s«l./I iir..>.. *lw.* -xr. X t.r r, . y 67 miui lo a corisi- thiscannothpfr. . -^ Y' «"''" fl'i'n'i«'^^. and the necessity ,f ve ..^h u':7n hir ■"'nr':'^ '^'r^ "^•"- «™"d-'' Manitoba S ws ion r. I' P/r-'"^ '■""' ^"^•■'•''^^^d •" t''« '"•tu.un. so as to b" u a TTf attributed?;! ,, V ' '' ^"''''' ^'"''P' '''"'"'^^fl 1-7 *!'« «^ariy fro«t. uttc.r,tl'nt , v""^""-' ^"'^" , '" .-h-J-^'-win, to the' strict No.iluMu Kussl i; " "^'•■"''"'^t'on of wheat from ditiii'iihy. ■' '^ niwuis of ovoroouiing the lio«-,.v,'i l„,i , A ■ f . "■ °"°" "* '""■»■ I' does not, va 'SbV '"°'T"'''"'- '''»)' ,"'™'>'''mK tor ll,e harvest; it ex ■.■pi f,f °» '''° , P ."•'''''''■''"•'."I 'l>'^" f<"- fi'Mo" years, with the ■n, , r . ■ • .'J'" '""<"■ !■"' "' "I""!' «M ««». If we had had o.^fc::^^^ ""re;;et'r';re "- "-» --• Tttii^n^St!:!'' '.nJf V '-^ *^-"'4' " '^ '^^^^ t.u m Ks 1,1 the ^■leuboro'd-.tncthaveover ISOacresundercron SnZ oloa'r aTc!' \" '^1 over 30 bushels of wheat to "he a S^' and 50 ot oats. At Glenboro' I inquired what facilities there were forobtnin crof ers who were sent out with the assistance of ^In ( ov™ enUn Iw flf?v ?"f '' T "'"' ^''''''''' ^'^-^'^boro' and Souris, a distance of taLfo'f tTnJr^r'V^P'""'^^^ ^^°'^^ °^' ^^''^'^t the fine dry Thfffr few days having put the grain into good condition T le formers were very busy stacking, and in some cases threswttlm n "Br.?ndon T/'" ^*°°'\ ^^^ay, September 26th, was pen „% ? T W^ ^•'''''^. ^™' ''^ *^'^ neighbourhood. W went first to Mr LI; ^'"^^^^''"^ ^^^- Some idea of the scale upon which Mr ^ ... -ludrieis or wneat trom his crop last year. He used i 't %' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^r !!l.O I.I 1.25 •yut- 12-5 2.2 U 1111.6 '/It S VI °m ^;j w Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^•v 4 \5 iV :\ \ # N .^'' ^. 88 The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada, Rapid City. SaUccats. Public schools and endowment . fourteen binders for cutting his crop. He said he would not accept an oifer of £2,000 for his anticipated profits from that year's returns. From Brandon we drove to Rapid City, which was particularly interesting to me as being the furthest westward point which I touched during my visit in the autumn of 1879. Rapid City was without a rival in the estimation of its inhabitants. The announcement in 1880 that the Canadian Pacific was to take a more southern course was a great blow to the city, but, having no'^/ got railway communication, iu appears to be recovering, and, no doubt, in the near future it will yet become a place of some importance. Our next halt was at Saltcoats, in Assiniboia, in the North-West Territories. This is a town of some two years' growth. It has a creamery, making from eight hundred to one thousand pounds of butter per week. The cream is gathered twice a week, from a radius of over 20 miles. In the neighbourhood of Saltcoats I called upon several farmers, niost of whom appeared to be doing well, although all com- plained about the deficient crops of 1888 and 1889, and said the great- -^st drawback had been the early frost. Two farmers near Saltcoats, who had children of school age, complained about their distance from the nearest school. This point should be considered by those who have young children, previous to taking up land in a new and sparsely settled district, since the schools there must necessarily be more widely scattered than in the older districts. As this matter of education is of importance to anyone who contemplates removing with his family into a new country, I may mention that the schools in Manitoba and the North-West are endowed by setting apart two sections, or 1,280 acres, in each township; this last being a district comprising 36 square miles. I had several opportunities of visiting the schools, and of noticing the excellent way in which they are managed. As a general rule, a school is built in a new district as soon as it is required. No .school fees are paid, but all the school-books have to be paid for, and these I found were very much more expensive than in England. In fact, parents who had removed with their families from England, stated that what they paid in England for school fees and books amounted to less than the cost of the books alone in Canada. We visited Dr. Barrardo's Home for boys, where they are taught farming. On leaving, they are assisted to start on a faira of their own, or have situations found for them in different parts of Manitoba and the North- West. This new development of Dr. Barnardo's appears to contain the elements of success, and certainly deserves to be well supported. We also visited Binscarth Farm, where we saw some extra- ordinarily good Shorthorns, the heifer calves being particularly worthy of mention. We also saw thirty-six cows in milk or calf, amongst which were some very good specimens. The company which owns the Binscarth farm has two townships for sale, the object of the farm being really to show to intending purchasers the advantages and capa- bilities of the district. Our next halt was at Birtle, a town in the valley of the Bird Tail Creek, and not unlike Brandon and Minnedosa, in the beauty of its site. As far as we could judge during our short drive, it appeared to be in a good district, and surrounded by good farms. We spent Thursday, October 2nd, in Portage la Prairie and district. In 1879 this was the most thickly-settled part of the North- West. Knowing this, I expected to find great changes in the shape of better farm buildings and fences. What I saw greatly exceeded my expecta- tion. This district being noted for its wheat, 1 was surprised to find the farmers keeping so many cattle, and giving so much extra attention Mr. George Hutchinson's Report. gg tlt^^:tt^Z^'T^}- ^' ^'•^'^g^ ^- Prairie I got some interest.' ' oMSO aoirnf 1 A ^"i ?u ''"* ""^ ^'■"^^^"S ^heaton a quarter-section, 01 IbO acres of land, all the work being let by contract :- Ploughing l\'\ Costofgrow- Seed, 2 bushels at Sa. 4d . . . . n ^^ j '"S wheat. bowing and Harrowing... ,, I^ , Reaping with Binder, and Stocking; o « n Stacking and Marketing... n?o Threshing, at 2d. per bushel. v. v.. ■.'.■.■,.■...■.:; ;.::■.■.::; 034 Expenses per acre „j . , '^^''roK'rfr""''^ ^•P,"^'^^^^ P^''*'='-^> ^-'"^^h were TTT Deduct expenses per acre I 14 n £2 2 8 The carriage of wheat from Manitoba to Liverpool varied consi- Pn.f f f • . . Sat Sd L^^^^^^ T^'*t'- ^''''^^ ^^ "^^'' ^" '^veragerso that this Wheat could be delivered m Liverpool at a cost of 28s. per quarter WpS "S' '' *^« P---^ *-^. - -rth 40s. per^quaTe^Tn J^iverpool. This price allows a considerable margin of profit for the wheat-growers of Manitoba. The best improved farms! w'tWood We vi J/p? ' p""" -^ '''™ '"'''^*"^ ^or "^^<=h useful information \Ve visited several farms, at two or three of which they were busv ve? of; ^ ^^r'^'"^r' ?i*?^ "''*^^*"- - fair sample, IdyTelS weL. On two farms it would be reduced in value quite one-third on Su afs'o^To *r''?V'^ t^'- ^'- ^^" »--- trfoSi^g particulars of 10 steers he bought in the neighbourhood of Wolselev in July, 1890, for export to England, They weighed lOi cZT.2 ^"'' °^ ''''''- and cost Us. lOd per cwt., or £7 16s. Od. elhTfn his colnlry the^ would be worth about 30s. per cwt., or £15 15s. Od each or if 56 t;^of Srl'L'Thl^^ftl' '"""^^^ ^«™^' ^i" - ^^ ence ot i,7 4s. Od. The settlers in Manitoba and the North-West Terntories have great faith in the feeding and fattening properties ? tH PTb.' TT J^ T^™^^ of their cattle beai^s Ci out h this. They look better than could be expected, when it is considere how httle convenience the farmers have in general for shelter^ their stock during the winter. A mistake has b?en made in the early days of some settlements, of which Wolseley is one, in taking irforlSd Proted tLT: W '^'P*'? ^r -J--t-g--in^ ^ whereas^xperieS has pi oved that the farmer who keeps a few cattle, and goes in for " mixed X-ti;fat.'^^' ^'^^ *° '''' ^^^^ *'^« --- -h- theXt c^etheT wTtlf iT'soS V'"'^ '^^- ^r^' ^I-Yeomans,who,to-Rapiditvof Tn 87Q wl '"%'r : ^' ^T^X""^ ^^""^^ ^^'•"^^ "1 that neighbourhwd farming de Por aL K tr- '\ ""'''''^^ ^r^^^' ^'- Y^omans had a farm n^a ^•^^^°^""^"'- Foitage la Pnurie, and moved to his present location soon after^vards t^. l ' i^^^t^o^'^'"^*^'- 10th, which I have received since my rei turn home, Mr. Yeomans says:-'< At the time you called upon7e7n pi 9C The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. " 1879 thoi'o was not a single sottler (farn.er) in this neighbourhood ; " the nearest to where I am now writing being twenty-five miles off, " at Grand Valley, a little east of where Brandon now stands. To- " day there are two thriving villages, with seven grain elevators, all " now running and sending out wheat ; and, although the season is " nearly over for thresliing, yesterday I could see the smoke of eleven " steam threshing machines fi-om my door." This extract will give a better idea than any words of mine of the change that has taken place in Manitoba during the last ten years. Carbcrry, my next stopping place, was particularly interesting to me, as it was upon or near the site of this town that I camped out one night on my way to Rapid City, in 1879. I find from my cotes taken in that year, that there was only one settler there at that time ; and that between what is now Carberry and Rapid City — a distance of over twenty-five miles — we did not pass a single house. Carberry io now a town of about 500 inhabitants, aud boasts that over 60,000 quarters of grain were marketed here last year. On the day of my visit (Nov. 4th.) Carberry was alive with farmers bringing their wheat into the town to sell. I counted over twenty farmers' waggons in the street at one time. The buyers also appeared to be very numerous, and the competition sufficient to satisfy the farmers that they were getting a market price for their wneat. The price for that day was 3s. 4d. per bushel, or 26s. 8d. per quarter. The Nohth West-Territories. From Portage la Prairie we continued our journey westward, on the main line of the Canadian Pacific ; the first halt being at Indian Head, in Assiniboia, 314 miles west of Winnipeg. Near Indian Head are situated the Bell Farm, the Farm of the Brassey Colonization Com- pany, and the Government Experimental Farm. Wo visited these farms, but as our inspection was made in an almost continous down- pour of rain, we could hardly do them justice. I noticed that some of the wheat on the Bell Farm had been much damaged by frost, and consequently was a very poor sample. The new railway from Regina northv/ard having just bc3n completed, we travelle over it as far as RANTH SCENE, .M.BERTA. Mr. George Hutchinson's Report. wlSch Ind unSZZT'T' '''"" ^ '^P^'^*^'^ *° ^"^d them in a district niclf u. P^ recently, been so very remote from any railway commu- tinner "".^^"^d*- On our return to liegina we attended an exhibf- We were unfortunate in visiting Regina in very wet weather and as a consequence, we did not see much of the di.trirt but fmm^^^^^^^^^ san.pl.s we saw it must be a fine wheat-growLg dS kt FreeTome steads can stdl bo got within ten miles south ot' Regina call beiiSTt 7S ' •^"'iF^'^' '"^ ^*^"PP^d '^^ i^ Assin'iboia, our next n,ostt'?;'S.nM.o;:etuf clTe " 1^'"''^' ^"^ *^^ ^^"*^^ ^^ the The ranch the Ouorn TLn^ 1 u ^ i-anchmg country of Canada. At country of T^ln!n.\ ^ """h ''™°"Sst w)>i I were some very good animals I spent two days on the Knells R.u.ch, about thirty mites soutweS I .m tSbtedT"'" *\^^^^f her, a native of CuL^rkTS) whom 1 .im indebted for much kind attention during my stay at his ulace Bo lS:.t;Te t7\ ''' '"^"l^' ^^"^^,' '''' ^ '-g'num'ber o?h'orse ! i.oin tiie cattle and horses on this ranch were m extraord-nirilv annr) condition, and appeared to be in the best of health W^^^ i^provKled for either horses or cattle on the ranches of "rbertai, addition to what is afforded by nature-such as at w treefor othe natural protection. The snow does not lie Ion., owing toX warL TlottaTns ^iS'l'"" the Pacific through th^ passj of the RocW are urXerV^tt ' ?.'' f "''^^ '"''' ^^^ '''''''''' ^'^ "^"^^^ *han they Alber fnff r u ?t'^'-''r''^:\^"S '^PP^'^''^ to be the principal industry of :XwI 1 ''"""f P "^f ^^^'h some farmers who were giving a c^on s e able amount of attention to grain-growing and dairying. On the orved oTto tl "stol' -d^^-ked in the most sheltered places:anc A\^en A^Lh 1 during the most severe weather of winter. thafTlf f ffr"' T'^ thickly settled, I think it wiU be found ocl kerblf ^^^'^^^^^^^^ P'^^ ^^^'-^"d that the number o btock kept by one owner will not be more then can be comfortabb r housed. A certain amount of loss has been experienced throuTdeaths bHr Jw r fr-" 1"^^^' ''''' ' ^^« '^ ^'^-'-d- (supposed to De caused by the eating of injurious grasses) during summer and cTclS't -is tTlVtlr T' 'f , r ¥■' "hich I do notTMnkt Beef cattle aoes, It is not so great as it would be elsewhere, when the ease and ^^^l Pnces. c nXTtioT ^:';f ''^ r''^''- ^■^'^ .^r- P^^-^^ are tak^ inTo ZZ tZ.^ ^ ."^ '■''"^h adjoimng Mr. Fisher's I saw some very good tiiree-year-old steers, which would weigh, when dressed ' not less then 48 stones. These steers could be bought for £7lOs each o?iri0s"ro7 .^''ey ;vould be worth about £17 each, leaving a nia"gn of £9 10s. to bring them a distance of 5,131 miles to England Great as this distance is, cattle are now being successfully transported overl^^ 91 M^BR I 92 Tlip A(jri<'Hltnral and other Rfisourepa of Canada. Sheep raising. From the Cochrane Ranch, which is 100 miles further south than the one just referred to, 800 head of cattle have been landed at Liverpool, 500 of which were sold there for £17 each. I saw very few sheep in Alberta, but tho.se I did see would have been more profitable if more care had been bestowed upon them. After a few years it will bo better understood what brecils of sheep are best suited to the country, and what shelter and food should be provided for them during winter ; then, I have no doubt, sheep will do well there, as Alberta appears to have plenty of good grass adapted in every respect for growing wool and mutton, and also possesses a climate very Ilorso raising, suitable for that purpose. The cost of raising horses in Alberta is surprisingly low. Tliey apparently require a smaller provision of hay and a less amount of shelter than cattle. There is no question that horse-raising is proving a profitable business in Alberta. A disease, somewh.it similar to our "influenza," gives a considerable amount of trouble amongst the horses in that region, and throughout the North- West. This disease will no doubt soon be stamped out, as the Government always deals energetically with these matters. I visited a farm situated on the north side of "the Bow River, two miles froni Calgary, and owned by Mr. Jos. Laycock, a native of Kendal. This farm was well stocked, having then twenty-five head of dairy cows, with young sto^ik, amounting in all to over seventy head. Mr. Laycock was making from 80 to 100 lbs. butter per week, which found a ready sale in Calgary at one shilling per pound. From the appearance of the straw and oats, the crop on this farm h;i 1 evidently been fairly good. Mr. Laycock had also been succesful in growing a fe\/ turnips. To Dr. Laflcrty, the Mayor of Calgary, I desire to give my thanks for his great kindness to me uuring my stay there. After my return from Carberry, on Wednesday, November 5th, I visited Dominion City, fifty-six miles due south from Wmnipeg. The farmers here were more forward with their work than in other parts — most of the threshing being finished, and a larger area of stubble ploughed. The farmers appeared to be well satisfied with the return from this year's ci'op, it being not at all unusual for the yield to have been as high as thirty bushels per acre. Prqvincf op British Columbia. A description of the scenery of the Rocky Mouii' ins being scarcely included within the scope of this report, I shall jt dwell upon it, further than to say that its magnificence and grandeur are exceedin"-lv impressive. New Westminsteris a prettily situated little town on the Fraser River. It is the second town on the mainland of British Columbia, and also the centre of by far the largest agricultural district of the; province. There are also some most extensive saw-mills here, one of which we visited, and were astonished at the speed with which the saw passed through the logs, and the expeditious way the partly finished timber was passed about from one machine to another, by the aid of various carriers. There are also numerous salmon fishing and salmon packing establishments along the Fraser River, which employ a large number of men, especially Indians. From New Westminster we sailed down the Fraser River, an exceedingly fine stream, exceeding in some parts two miles in width. At Ladner's, near the mouth oi the river, we visited an orchard containing a large number of apple and other fruit trees. Apples appear to grow well in this district, and from the number of young trees I saw, the farmers appear to General indus- tries. Mr. Gpor''?r^'' Tr^^^ - extont.ladLnrece::tTr^^^'^''- sold tor £1,600,. and afterwards left for 14s. per acre and anotl.P,. *ood dw^lintr '"'^ rT- P"'"''^-'^'''' ^'^ ^he rent. These famis had good dwelling-houses and buildings. The taxes on each of these two wentfivA . r" ''^^'^'1 *° twenty.five bushels, and of barley twenty-five bushels per acre. At the flour mill in the town of Norval, the farmers were receiving 4s. per bushel for their wheat, delivered at t he mill. It IS not so easy to calculate the cost of growing and marketing an acre of wheat in Ontario as in Manitoba, but, for the sake of con:^ fameS :-''''' ^""^^^ing, which is tlie average received from se^•e,.uJ Plourr^MifT, Sowing, and Harrowing f f i ^1 Iiarvestins and Carting I'^l t Threshing ... 6 3 Carting to Market . . ° 'J 2 Kent and Taxes :;; " ,-^ ^ 10 £^ 1 23 bushels at 4s. per bushel a ^^o ^a Deduct expenses per acre '.'.'.'.'.'..'..'. ^ 3 10 £1 11_J0 At St. Mary's, in the County of Perth, I called upon Mr. J. D Butter and Moor, who gave me some very useful information about the egg anc eg^ butter trade, m which he is very largely interested. Mr. Moor sends waggons into the country for fifteen miles around, and collects tlegg lint '"^ '^' n"™T; ^"^* y''"'' f"-"'^ thi« district 660,000 do en of eggs were collected by Mr. Moor and another dealer, the i rice paid varying from 6d. per dozen in March, to 9d. in November. \mi Moor pays the farmers Gd. per lb. for butter in summer, and for a short fSe^ iT n ^'^^' '\^^- ^^^ ^""^•- ^'-^de in the factories generally fetches 2d. per lb. more than ordinary farmer's butter ^ f.nf ■ t^'^u'^"'"' ^ '"""^ ^bown over one of Mr. Ballantyne's cheese Cheese f-uv factories, by the manager, Mr. Bell, who gave me some useful particulars ^^ ^ regarding the cheese trade. Mr. Bell is probably as good an authorilT iSl""' wm 96 Sheep farm- ing. C«neral char- acteristics of Kova Scotia. Tlie Agricultural and other Resources of Canada, • on cheeso-making and the cheese trade as t could have mot with* There are six cheese factories witliin a radius of 10 miles from Tavistock" at which 1)05 tons of cheeso were manufactured durin>j last season, and there are over 400 co-operative -heese factories similar to the above in Ontario, ao that the total (juimtity of cheese mailo must be very la.rj,'e, Almost the whole of this cheeso comes to (ircat Uritain. At the present rate of increase, it will not be loii>,' l)efore more cheese is brought hither from Oamula, than from any otlwu- country. The cheese at the Tavistock Factory was sold duriiii,' last May, June and July for •l\d. per lb., and during; Auf,'ust for ojd. At this fa(!tory, the farmer.^ are chai'ged Id. jjcr lb. coimnission for mai\ufacturinf,' the cheese, so that the farmej-s would really get Id. per lb. less than the above. It takes about one gallon of milk to make one lb. of cheese, so that the farmers sending milk to the Tavistock Dairy weie receiving 3.id. per gallon in May, June, and July, and I [d. in August. The cost ot^'taking the milk from the far;n to the factory is ini'luded in the charg(» of Id. per lb. for manufacturing the cheese. At the Union or IJig Factory, the cost of making cheeso is |d. per lb., being less than the average on account of the larger amount made, and the shorter distance the milk has to be hauled to th(! factorv. At Woodstock, in Oxford County, I visited a farm of 300 acres, lielonging to ]Mr. Wm. Donaldson, who is a native of Dalston, in Cumberland. He has a very su[HM-ior stock of cattle and sheep, amongst the cattle being some very good heifers. l[o gave IGs. Gd. each for GO lambs, which, after feeding them for four months, ho had just sold for 20s. .3d. per 100 lbs. of live weight, or 29s. each. These lambs were sold to go to liutl'alo, in the United States, where 3s. duty would have to 1)0 paid nyxm each. Mr. Donaldson also fattens, during winter, about '20 steers, which he says pay very well. During my visit he had twenty, for which ho had paid £7 10s. each. He had tliree men-servants, who were Imai'ded in the house, one of whom received in wages £33, and the otlujr two, each £31 a year. Provixce of Quebec. My visit to the Eastern Townships and the Maritime Provinces was paid too late in the season to allow me to see much. I was pleased with what I did see of them ; their general aspect, in some placen, being somewhat like that of some parts of Cumberland — hilly, well watered and wooded. The soil appeared to be good, and l)articularly well adapted for green crops and pasture. The land, too, considering its quality, was cheaper than in the neighbouring provinces. One farm of 180 acres, with comfortable house and good barn, could be bought for £750, and a second of 300 acres, with two dwelling-houses — one in good order — good farm buildings, railway station upon the farm, and school within one mile, could be bought for £l,2oO. There are many farms for sale, of which the two I have nuMitioned are a fair average. I would advise anyone visiting Canada with a view to settling, to see this district for themselves. Province op Nova Scotia. In Nova Scotia we paid a visit to the far-famed fruit-growing district of the Annapolis Valley. Few parts of Canada can show such prosperous-looking farm-houses, or such pretty villages as can be seen in this valley, which lies between Digby and Windsor. The apple orchards are rapidly increasing, not only in the Annapolis Valley, but also in many other parts of this province. It is becoming I Mr, George I/utchinaon's 7i'rj>ort. more genomlly recognized that excellent tVuit can ho crown over a ttrge area of Nova Sotia. Another groat feature of this province is the ?.r n ' T '^ ' Y""^ ^^"^ rechumed from f.o shallows at the inlets ot tlio iJay of Fundy. As the name, dyko-latuls sugcf.st?, they have |oen enclosed fn.n, the sea In many cases the grass is cut frmn swa.nns, ^vh ch have not yet been dyked, and over which the tides How during < ortam seasons, fhe grass is made into hay a.ul stacked on a franuf- work, which IS raised several feet above the foot of the piles. It is a Z?J"'L^'f^y^ "'":*'','' ''''*'"' flowing around and under the stacks, when the tide is at its height. The real dyke-lands are fenced in from withTf '^ ',' IT? ^''"''. ''*';■'''■*''' ^'''"' «i^ t" «'^''" ^»^«t J'iK»'. the land withm the dyke being quite firm and solid. These dyke-lands, or bottom- fp •Hl-V'"'!! '• ^'''"'* '■"''^f ^'^ *''^ °^"'"'*^ «^ *''« adjoining highlands, their tejt.hty being unusually high. They are never manured, yet, on an average, upwards of two tons of hay per vcre are cut from them ; and t IS has been done for many years without showing signs of running out. Ihose dyke-lands are worth from £20 to £40 per acre, while a tarn, on the highlands, with dw,.lli„g-house and buildings, will not be worth more than £2 to £6 per acre. 97 9Bi| Conclusion. Emigration is a matter that should be undertaken very carefully and an endeavour should be made to get clear ideas of what settling in a young country really means. In many parts of Canada there are as good tarmers, as good houses, and as good schools as in England, l^ut It must not bo forgotten that considerable capital is required to purchase a farm in these districts. Anyone going out with the inten- tion of taking up a free grant, must expect to live for a few years in a very tlunly-settled district, and, as a consequence, to put up with a good many inconveniences, in addition to the usual ones of mosquitoes l)ad roads in summer, and cold in winter. These things are. no doubt' more or les.s of an annoyance, but I have often noticed how little most ot the people who have been a short time in the country regard them Ihe large number of farms for sale in the old provinces may be accounted for as follows :— Most of the owners obtained the land for nothing, and by hard work have made it of considerable value : with the capital acquired by selling it they wish to take up land in .Manitoba, or the Isorth-West Territories, where they have better oppor- tunities of getting their .sons settled upon farms of their own. Some ot the farmers of Ontario have so reduced the fertility of their farms that they find it no longer profitable to farm them in the old way, and either have not capital enough, or are no' willing to change their system of farming, to bring the land into heart again. They therefore want to sell, and begin afresh on new land further west. There are also many farmers who have their farms mortgaged, and are ready to sell and make a fresh sbart. It may be said that the same reasons apply to the British farmer and that he also, if going to Canada, should go to Manitoba or the ^orth-A\ est. But it appears to me that the English farmer, in takin-r up land in the older provinces, will find life more like that he has been accustomed to, and will be able to bring the soil into a better state of cultivation in many cases in which it has been much neglected. On the other hand, no one could be better adapted than the native Canadian to open up a new country. The farmer who has made up his mind to leave his native land to seek a home on Canadian soil will find in either Manitoba or the old Iinprovrrl fiiniiH avail- al>l(' to piir- A country rich in re- sources. OS Tlio (iropiT cliiHn for iia- nii);rut.ii>ii to MaiiitolM. Tlie Agrieultiiral and other Rtfgmireea of Canada. piiy cheap and welcome diet in the P •ovince of Ontario. Summei ' ■•• v"vj j-iwiiuuu iji wiiiario. oummer pears and apples shown, indicated that they were largely grown and .nnnently suited to the elima.e. In p.L, the nan^es'^-C ie du Congress and " Jos,^plune de Malines" are a fine and useful variety of summer sorts ; but in mi.l-autumu 1 found the supply of good pears sucli as the English " Aston Town," deficient. Jn app e,s( the " Duche ^ rL' : r "? '\' "n'T'" '^'' "«-venstein," a.l/l amongst elk the" King rompkin Co.," are Al. Grapes, white and black, outdoor and indoor grown, made a large show, and are immensely popular with 1m people here some vari,.ties being excellent eating, even the sorts with very small berries ; but there is much room for improvement in proi.agation of other sorts which have a peculiar flavour, which is quite an ac(|uired taste. * This branch is receiving careful attention at the head Expc-lmental i>„„inio„ ex- I'arm at Ottawa, under the able supervision of Professor Saunders, '^7/' J )irector oi_ Dominion Government Experimental Farms, of which kr^^- .hero are five throi^ghout the Dominion. The conception of this vaC K policy (of creating these farms) for the advancement of agriculture country, and assistance of farrners throughout Canada, is due to the Hon. John Carlmg, M.P., Minister of Agriculture, and is an estimable work-one that Great B tain has never done, but might justly <:'F;, ^^,*^ t«"" "Experimental" signifies, they are not so called Colleges for young men whereat to play at farming, but orthodox tarmsin every sense, where crops of ordinary acreage, and not plots, are scientifically, but practically, taken off the land in the best conceived rotation. Ihe Ottawa farm is not in the best agricultural district of Canada, but is carefully selected for variety of soils. A large amount of work has been got through in it.s tliree years' existence, making it look in profitable order for its particular requirements. The essence 100 The Agricultural ani other Eeaoiirces of Canada. of the system is to all and feed all An inin.'en8e country. Its area, com parative and actual. f^'ivil divi- isions. Provinces larger than J'Juropean Kingdoms, ik suitable, or likely to be suitable, to the country. The results are printed in annual reports, pamphlets or bulletins being issued periodically, as occasion requires ; and every farmer throughout the Dominion, whose address is once obtained is supplied with these free by post, without any sub- scription or payment being required of him. Thus a system is inaugu- rated, and is doing more valuable work each year, by which every far- me'' in Canada's western, central or eastern Provinces may at all times gain insight and advice from the experimental farm of his own province, or the head farm at Ottawa. The whole work done here shows advanced management, with a thoroughly honest purpose, which is very refreshing. Almost every branch of agriculture is taken in hand, from corn-growing to chicken-breeding, grasd culture to tree- rearing — of which latter a promising experiment is now making good way towards sjcce.-^s in llussian pines for planting in the, at present, treeles zones of the p- airiea, which may have the effect in a few year^ of making these as good in this respect as an> other parts. In perusing this report, or considering the qualities and capabi- lities of any land, careful reference should always be made to a map. and, for preference, a map of the provinces of the country, or " coun- tries " by themselves, as each province in this immense Canada may be styled. To arrive at an idea of the size of countries before having travelled over them, is very difficult, and it is especially so with Canada, because she is the largest civilised country in the world. The .rea of her inland lakes and rivers would just float Great Britain and Ireland, and yet leave a strip of water all round, so *' at they would still be islands. Comparing Canada with other continents, she is, roughly speaking, the same size as the whole of Europe ; half a milion square miles larger than the United States of America (without Alas- ka) ) also about the same number of square miles larger than AuJi "alia. In exact figures, Canada has 3,379,000 square miles of land and 140,- 000 square miles of principal lakes and rivers, making in all 3,519,000 square miles. This immense territory is divided into provinces, many of which are themselves larger than, or about as large as, our own most exten- sive European countries. For instance, Manitoba is rather larger tlian England and Wales ; Ontario and Quebec are each about the same size as the German Empire ; British Columbia is one aiid a-half times as large as Germany ; anJ Alberta, Athabasca, Assiniboia and Saskatchewan are about half as large as ihat empire. Y/hen we learn that Germany supports 45,000,000 souls on her 211,000 square miles, which is equal to 216 people to each mile, it will be apparent to what extent Canada is now capable of expansion, the present population numbering only about 5,000,000. All this country is now so close tj us that it is reached in seven days' steaming (and soon will be four and a half), with almost perfect immunity from accident ; the centre of the continent in three days more by rail ; and it is crossed in another three —making only 13 days in all, or less than half the time taken to reach Australia. Passing through from England, it was necessary for me to visit Toronto, in Ontario, for the sake of the show then in progress ; after which, in order to make a round trip, the Provinces of Manitoba, Assi- niboia. and Alberta were visited in order named, returning by the Great Lakes to Ontario, thence through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, home. Mr. Robert Pitt's Report. PROVINCE OF MANITOBA. 101 come, as he does to Si ;^ f *-G?^«™or Schultz held out a kindly wel- to th; land of Citobf o?tl w ')'% w' •^"•'""*^^- ^«" S^^tLg on .• ^^ '"'^''^ ^^™ ^^'•«' ^^ neighbouring graz n" dSS 'r""?"*,^'^ ^O'l out on another farm in a l-eLhipped^^SwtmtTthe"' -' '^"r'°' ^'^**'^ had just 60 horses are consUiX keTfl h,. 7'^" ' P,'^^"? ^^ ^^^^ ^^™' ^"^ the home farm had been ref Jd th^T;''^^^ ^ ^''''^H"« ^'■"°^- ^pon Wheat yield 30 bushels per acre No m3r« ^ f . ^^ f *''""' ^^ ^^^^^^t' yi^^lt^ng P^"" acre. put on for ^raisin. potat^;TTwr T^ ^"^ ?^' '•"'^"^'' ^^^^ it is onlv month-one for ilO^ pfr Tore and thfT' ?""ii'"*^ ^^^'^ ^^^^ last •were improved faims & house" r^ h mJ-'' ^''' ^^ P"^ ^^'•^- These remembered that tSe .vas inlSSl 8^ "l ?f ^'^ *h'°^- ^* ™"«* ^ which time a great ^:^e^:^oTl.T^:t^^C ff T?l'-\"^^ now passed over, and land i<, rl<.P ll!.ii A ■ ^^^ ^^"^"'^ «* *his has for this locality the i^:'.S^:t'lZ t.'ZlT tS' Z £'^^ is still unb^^ken forSy ^ilcs not^^^^^^ ^.V^^ ^^-1 P-irie it is held for specuIation,Tdng^ear MWe. r^ ^^'^ ''"* station on what is called th« C^^^ - mmpeg Around Carman, a this season; a g?aS elegit rbS;:? ^^'^^'^d' things seemed busy building beiWapparenrTh.Lf!^^J work, and much stimulus for fud-fledged muX?p7Lc'S: ;t^^^^^^^^ *- >-- "W- ^as pies here, but quite the first to noVnl ;. ^ , ' . ^ ""^^^ ^^"^^ grain sam- another station alon. tht "ad X^.n 1. J^"''"^ ^'^ °^'°"'-- ^reherne, mill, belonging to ^dSnt ;" rfZ'^^^^ hasaflou; found h^re, as at almost everyTtat on n^w V^ * T ^^^^''^^^^•'/Wch is Hiltof atd Lrnr.tS::1^." ,1 trt'h^rPa^^rTM^--" H^^-- trweJt rrnTbrL^Tttri ^--/f S-- «^^ ^^^^^ «? -^^^^T. TV.^c:^ ^o 1 -"^°"°*'^ o* Scotland— and 18 from the islanrl nf T ■ '"'^ Islands of These people were sent out in 1888 as an exne-irnent , !, i ""t.^^^^^- Scotland, ment grant system, but were sent hT W^ ■ ? '^'''' a Govern- secure any crops ; and the season of 1880 "^'"i *''''* y^'"'- to this year is the first in whir4ev Ln ho" ^'"^ •''" '" '^"'^ ^''^ """' Iwur. From a,k Tl,r ! "''"'"-"P- »", till harvesting coinnicncos — from the middle of August to the begining of September, so quickly do things grow. A peculiar feature of the country is that seed-time is not delayed till all the frost is out of the ground, but sowing is connnenced inunediately the soil is in condition for about 2 to 3 inches from the surface ; then the fact of the remainder of the frost gradually rising upwards supplies moisture to the plants. t? Between seed-time and harvest is when the good farmer hurries up to plough a fallow, or break a new piece of prairie for next year. I met settlers who had broken 40 acres with one pair of horses this year during this period. Many minor expenses vaiy with each indivi- dual farmer ; but, after many inquiries, I estimate that every payment for seed, ploughing, reaping, threshing, bagging and hauling to nearest station, will probably take 40 cents per bushel. These are all the processes the fai-iner lias to do with, all dressing of grain being done by the merchant after buying from the farmer, who reccdves his money according to barg.i.n as each load is delivered at the elevator alongside his nearest station. No doubt the grower actually pays for cleaning and dressing the • grain ; but this is much l)etter done by the merchant in this country, he having elevators and power machinery to do it with. It is an established custom also to pay for all grain upon delivery : the advan- tage to the farmer of this system need not be dilatetl up<.)n. Now the cost price being 40 cents, and sale price 75 cents, the pix)tit is 35 cents, but this is not yet quite all net. There has to be taken away still two uncertain (juantities — the fallowing of tl Umd every third year, and costs of ploughing that year. If one-third of the above average receipts is deducted, it will probably suffice for these, and leave the net result of corn-growing at 23 cents per buh;hel to go towards living and savings. In some instances, men have started with too little capital, and had to mortgage for payment of plant, etc.; but this is a repi-ehensible practice, as the danger of getting behind in a bad season is too great. Obtain- ing a mortgage, and engaging to pay ott" in five years, with interest at 6 per cent., is all very well, when once three or four years of success have been met with ; but it must be remembered that in every country there are dry and wet years, also years of blight or frost. Now, considering the amount in money to be made off a 160-acre homestead farm in tlie North-West, giving a man three years to get l30 acres under crop, and an average of only 20 bushels to the acre (which, as mentioned in other places, is no doubt considerably exceeded), this will make £119 as average profit from the wheat crop alone, besides which something will be coming in from about 28 acres remain- ing of the IGO. It should be mentioned, these figures are, if anything, under the mark, it not being desirable to overstate the possibilities of the country. Beyond this, there is at present a sure increase for a home- steader or purchaser in the value of land ; as it appears that some set- tlers have sold land which they acquired only a year or two ago and actually obtained three times the price they gave for it, or an increase of 300 per cent, per acre. It m-ist be a reconmiendation to a country, for a settler to know he has a pi'ospt'ct such as this in case he should wish, from any cause, to sell and buy in another part of the country. Of course, no one is allowed to homestead a second time, and moving, no doubt, means a less comfortable home for a family for a time, but does iiot give nmch mon; labour, as there is no clearing of the land to be done on tliost! praii'ies. Another manner for a homesteader to in- crease his wealth is, in the event of his having son.s, to choose for them Mr. Robert Pittla Jteport. homesteads ne.vr hia own which they are entitled to on attaining the age ot 18 and in this ca«o the sons Vn^cnio established for life, and at the same tune ean help their parent in the matter of labour The manner of starting to work on a iiomestead, a settler will Hnd out as soon as he has been in the country for a little while. The first thinjf done during the month of April, upon entry on the land, 107 generally, is to build a house (if a b-.iuded one, this is run up in a few days, but some prefer to lodge in a tent until they can build a lo-r one If such timber is procurable), then plough, and get in some crop, after which ploughing IS continued, and after harvest the time is occupied ^vlth ploughing and fencing. The money actually in pocket upon entry on a homestead must be at least £120, and more if possible Taking the case of a labourer going ,o settle on a homestead, if he has not saved the above amount in tvo years' work upon a farm, he had better work another year, ov agr- with a laudloixl to work his farm, as some do, upon half profits. The manner ..f taking up an li.-,,.,osiead, which is a free gift from Fre. l.ome- tne L,overimient, is as follows :— A man proposing to settle chooses a "*'''"'«. how locality for himself, and any of the inhabitants near will at all times '*'''"'*''■ be glad to show him the lands that are vacant ; but it is imperative on himself to make final choice. After making his entry in the land office • tor which a small fee is charged, he can immediately commence to build his house without further formality. The settler's right to the home- stead is now assured, free for ever, without any payment, except the Purchase of light local taxation, subject only to his dwelling on it part of three ^overment consecutive years ; and the next step is to buy his adjoining quarter- ''*"*^'- section should he feel able to cultivate it eventually. This bought land, it taken from the Crown, has to be paid for at the current Gov- ernment rate, which is now $2.50 per acre (10s.) ; but as this need only be paid in several annual instalments, the yearly sum is not heavy and the taxes on it will only amount to about £2 more. Everyone should strive to become the landlord of 320 acres. Thus a man becomes a landlord and a citizen in this new country, and may soon take his share in the management of parochial or governmental matters This IS one way; but if a person proposing to settle has enough money he can buy hi6 land either from Government or private persons, thus treeing him-lf from obligation to homestead, which means the three years residence. Underlying this, there is the advantage of a man 1U8 Local Uxu- tion. The count ir for ii Hi'tisli laL)oiirer. Soil and situa tion. Cattle and sheep raising. The Agrictdtural and other Resources of Canada. being able to pay up the whole price at once ; otherwi.sc, there has to b« added to the price, interest on the remaining unpaid balance each year for the renaaining years of whatever term he choost s to pay the whole m. In Manitoba, or any other country, ownership of laud means taxes Htid other obligations ; but here they are n«t great at present,,the only direct taxation on a 160-ucre claim being about $10 per year {£'!). Then there is the obligation of each settler to give in live days labour per year, or the equivalent, to making and maintenance of roads ; and that IS all. Every owner of land has the right, on payment of a small license, to cut a liberal allowancvi of firewood for household purposes in the nearest adjoining forest district which is always within hauling distance in Manitoba. When a farm or claim has any quantity of forest or bush on it there is generally a present value in it, and one that will increase annually. Hay may always be collected, by obtain- ing a " permit " at a small fee, off adjacent marsh or prairie. I have endeavoured to describe the state of things in Manitoba and the North-West, which is undoubtedly the country for an English labourer to go to. If he has but eight or nine pounds he can pay his passage, and, by arriving out there at seed or harvest time, he can be assured of work from that moment at a figure which will vary according to his competency ; and if he will only keep himself to himself, and keep his eyes about him, he is safe to be a landlord in three years, and an established man for life. The provinces of Assiniboia and Alberta have not yet received the same amount of incoming tide of population, as Manitoba, and the same remark applies to parts of Saskatchewan and Athabasca. They are, however, being rapidly opened up by branch railways from the line of the great highway formed by the Canadian Pacific railroad. British Columbia, with its vasts mineral riches, as well as agricultural prospects, offers some inducements for certain settlers, but at present is far removed from large markets. Manitoba is fast becoming well supplied with railways, mostly diverging from Winnipeg, and although in some few spots homesteading is a thing of the past, there are plenty of free tracts still left. In saw-mills % is well supplied, and some few other industries are started, in the shape of breweries, woollen mills, lime and stone quarries, and one or two - creameries. S^ eaking generally of its capabilities, there are vast tracts of good land, mostly rich loam top soil with clay subsoil. It is not by any means one vast flat of prairie, but has many highlands and good rivers ; and, above all, water is found of good quality almost over the entire province at such a shallow depth that the anxiety of disposing of this question before settling on any section of land need hardly be thought of. As a country for cattle and sheep, it is believed it will soon be fruitful, in spite of a long winter feeding. As soon as more mixed farming can be introduced, cattle and sheep will be requii-ed to consume roots, etc. ; and there appears no reason why this should not become a large calf-rearing district, cows being made to calve down during winter, when there is time to attend to them. In this case the calves or young stock would form a supply for those grazing districts of southerly provinces. Sheep also may be kept on the Scotch crofter plan of herding the flocks of several owners who are neighbours, together, putting one or two boys, with a dog, to mind them. At present there are few sheep in the whole province, the excuses given for their absence being that they cannot be kept within fences •' and this may indirectly mean that the winters are cold and long, and being aniinals of fastidious appetite, they get tired of the dry food. These diliiouities will probably be overcome by mixed crop growing, and at Mr. Robert J'iti'it Rfporl. ^09 tl.^ same time breeding a haixly mce of sheep. Disease at anv rate will never be a drawback in the North- West.^ I„ On^rio oveTy T .d of beast thrives ; f,..t-rot is har.Uy known, and pleun, ne4r hoid of n . wanntr: m^Pn '' T " .f"?'"'* "^'^ ■ '^ey require Slbi ?:Z'"' rgrand chiX. ll" n ""'o' ^' '^'" ^'"'^ ^""^ its advantages, as and wnf I. ? T" T"- P'^^'-k'^'Pin^ naturally follows dairying and wdl here extend with it without .lifJiculty ; although it n.a™ well, to a certain extent, preceest parts of the country as it is found to-day. The different state of Tl nC exhtW ^^"^ '^l ^^'•^h-West provinces at the commencement of 3 mzation m each is very remarkable, and should not be lost sisJht of t?f"Z'lTTl '''t f-««t-i--ense cedar, hardwood, or pine foresWwhich had all to be cleared before an acre could be cu thated and there is plenty yet left to be cleared and to be cultivated In Manitoba and the North-West there is no need for this lolg tedious labour: it is all prairie, which takes the plough straight awiy some people having started ploughing before building a house. The' work done m some parts o Ontario which were primeval forest 40 yearTa'o only IS very wondeful. Now there is a railway to every part St ooking farnis every were, with brick, stone or iood houses^ barns fnd buildings dotted about amongst bits of original belts of fores or pfan- ted copse; roads and fences, the latter quite good enough but Xch might be kept tidier in places. All this spell! success" carved ou o dense and dark forest by a generation of men now neady passed away barn" V "''""'T °^*^,^efarm buildings, andthe celebrated "CanaS barn seen everywhere, the country is most happy. In England iJS commonly noticed all the hauling has to be done Jp hill, and i? tl^ei Lll'scSvTS' 'T '^'?-ff--ting,grinding, Ic.it'is not utilized neiein scarcity of abour has been a blessing for Canada, asfarm build unfvirr -'"Jr" ^^r^' T^^ ^^P^^^i'-^Hytheall-importantbarn. Tht universal sight throughout the country gives a pleasin- solid f^^!' nating look to the scene. Its construcL?_varieT i^sTze" c^ d ng to the acreage of holding-is generally of stone foundation and wood above. In order to make the erection cheap, anyone about to b^ild prepares all the frame and heavy timber, then mak.. a ^iSlion on his neighbours, who, by .-^tom, all come to help him for a day with 110 Th^ Ayrindtwal and othi-i' Jicuvuiam a/ Canada. fTcction of suloH and iMKif ; and t.lius, oach helping tln^ otiicc i.i turn> time and t'xpciisc arc Mav.Hl. On «ikm1 faiin.s X\\v Warn holds all thiv • atthi and luirscs in winttM- in tho hasi^nient. — and U'hx^ built as often asposHihloonahill ,sid(»th()()n(M>rtw(Mip})i'rHtoricsar('(Mit<'r<'dhvwa)i;K"nK on the lev«^I, and niadc to hold all Uic food for winter. Where the natural faeilitieH do not exist, an im-lincd way m thrown up, of timber or Moil, to allow of a wajj;;,'on driving in. Water is also laid on, so that every provision is made for a whole winter. Of farnnnK or market f,'ard('nin;,' ('lose to the lar<;(( towns, nuicli need noth-^ said. Tn those spots under-drainin;,' is now completely carried out, and throughout the country a lai'ge amourtt is done. ClaHsificHtion There are three distinct divisions in Ontario farming- (1st) There O.itnr'io."'^ '" ^^ "lixetl farming, practised more or less all over the province; (lind) fruit-farmiiif,' in certain districts ; and (."hd) Tndian corn <,'rowin>,' in others, 'i'akiiit,' a district typical of the countiy, round Toronto and Guelph, ai-e fair mixed farms. I^'rom (ruelph, round places called Breslau, IJerlin, liandturg, to Stratford, some very tidy farming is to be seen. Then a large dairying district extends rouml the neighbour- hood of L fodder crop, the amount taken out of the land istiuite inai)preciable, although growing to 12 and 10 feet high. In the.se southern counties it serves the double purpose, the grain being taken ott' the stalk in October, and the stalk still coming in for food from Deceial)er to end of March, which is the full extent of Nvinter in this south* rn district. Ilotation of crops here is varied considerably from geaeial rule ; wheat, in small (iuantities,or oats, teans, or roots, following two or three successive crops of Indian corn sometimes. Opinion gains favour with some that this is the best farm- ing district of (Jntario, the gi't)wing season being the longest, and the winter-s shorter and milder. Considerable dairying is already done, ami a fine fruit district lies along the shore of Lake Erie on the south border. Fruit growing ^ found, generally speaking, that in the fruit-growing districts, their fniite'^ fields and fences were not kept .so tidy as in other districts, in many cases tufts of grass being allowed to grow high round each tree stem ; a look of unkemptness being about the whole farm. The more easily earned money fruit-growing brings appears to beget this state. Canada is undoubtedly the country for this industry. Three essential con- ditions exist for perlict apple-raising late spring, hot summer and short autumn, wherein the sap stops rising very soon after the fruit is ripe. Dryness of c-limate also favours apples : in that it is so dry the fruit is benefited by re-mining on the ground several days to "sweat" before being packed for sending to market ; and after putting Mr. Robert Pitt' a Report. \ \ \ into harrelH, just m seen cmniurily in KmkIhu.I, tlic^y iire .tfutn left wi'cks lyinj,' (ilM)ut flio dirhanls, until it .suits t.. sfll or carry to market. Kn>;iaa(l is tho ^rrat recvivfr for Canada's apphs, and it is undoubtedly " puyniK pioduf.!. Th<^ Invst fruit farms, as in Kn^land, have the hinJl planU^d wule apart, with apple, pear, peach, cherry or phitn, and cultivated in between with the plough, most of th<' usual crops U-ing raised except wheat. Wpad(f cultivatir)n is said t.. be much t;ht and air ; but in this wvy dry climate they are wondt^fully healthy, and do not appear to .sutler ; and the piosebeny, for some reason, does n<.t prosper. Wild raspberry, l)lackberry ( Am.ricun variety), huckl.berry. blueberry, cranb(!rry, Ac, are all so common that they are hardly cultivated for profit. Suinmer {mwiis are widely fjrown fordoniestie consumption, very large, tine fruits iH-in^r (piite cheap: Init of '-ouise these soft fruits cannot be exported, ex.vpt to the Stat, s, ul fj;rowin!; is probably overdone. The varieties of fniit <,'rown an; .so numerous, that d<>taile'd description of each wouhl be beyond the limits of this work, and already soincthinK •>'i« Ix'B'i said about grapes. These are, however, so im- portant a branch of the industry, that a few more lines mu.st be craved for them. They are, [)erhap.s, not a .sate staph- industry for a man of very small means to lely upon, but grape growing is like other adjuncts of the farm, which " go to swtOl the total." Little care and atti'ntion seem to be Ixistowed on them her(>, compared with that given in other parts of the world : not much manure is used ; nearly the entire crop is grown out of doors ; and .st» dry and healthy is the atmosphere tliat blight is little known. The best districts are no doubt along the shores of Lake Eri(< and Lake Ontario. Mixed fanning, with daiiying in all branches, is carried on in most Extentof land parts of Ontario, and more particularly in the- districts named above, holdings. The holdings are generally 100 acres in extent, with a good sprinkling of larger ones. ])e.scribing a 100-acre farn in good ord'r : it will have a wood, brick or stone house, placed neaj- the road, so that there is little private road to run up expense in repairs ; the barn will be close by, and generally one or two outbuildings, such as piggery and chicken-hou.se ; a clump of trees often seen round the whole, or an apple orchard on one side. Trees are now commonly planted along the line of the fence.s, four or five of which enclo.se the farm in a ring, many being still the old cedai- snake-fenoe, made from the wood cut out of the original forest that covered the land ; but where new fences have to be made, they aie of wood posts and wire. The land i.s ploughed for the most part, w heat and oats being taken off some porti"is every year, with timothy and clover following ; barley, or, in some parts, a little flax, Indian corn for green fodder, beets, white carrot, turnip, mangolds, potatoes, &c. Of permanent grass there is hardly any in the country, except in the orchards ; and there it ought not to be, as it is better for the fruit to keep the ground moved. A strict rotation of crtipping is not adhered to, but timothy generally is riown with winter wheat, and clover is broadcasted over it in spi-ing ; then, after the corn crop is off, it is fed in autumn, and cut for hay the following year, after which it is fed. and ploughed again the third year. This absence of permanent pasture is detrimental to the look of the country, and must be a distinct loss, as gooi othnr Hejoureeii of Cawuia. The Htock , and i)rodn(vs a large quantity of green fodder per acre. There is a smaller variety, which with some farnierff is the most popular, it being more succulent. The gentleman owning this tarm does well m providing as many as six houses for workpeople, keeping 10 raiMi on all the year round, and choosing tenants for his houses from those who have wives and families who can milk. Another good farm of 200 acres was seen near Stratford. This may be described as one in course of improvement, having lately been bought by pmsent owner. A new house and fine barn, etc., have already been built, and soimf very promising crops were on the land, which IS nearly all under-drained. A field of "Canadian Velvet OhalF" winter wheat, already sown and up, looked in splendid order, even from an English point of view. Winter wheat is allowed to get very prouil (^hnghsh term), as the frost and snow keep it back sufficiently. Other crops s.-en were— Indian corn, clover root, mangold.s, turnips, beets and potatoes. The essential feature of this farm is home-bred and imported prize stock, of which a large nnnil er is kent very success- fully, besides a fair-sized dairy of fine-looking po-s,^. H.. -e, as elsewl-ei- 1 found fault with the roughness of young n-riJL.ss j.Hstures, as luey appear to want nothing but frequent rollin;, ....1 :,uah harrowing: but the excuse is that frost damages the surface so much, and the season IS so short, time cannot be dp voted to this work. Cheese-making is, amongst manufactures, the largest in Canada next to lumber ; and as it is an industry due to the development of the country, it is more important than that of lumbering which only accrues from its natural resources. I visited several cheese factories in Unrxao, and found them to be admirable institutions in all parts Y ^ch must give ^^.atisfactory results to farmers. The industry has no doubt bo.m es^ablKhod and fathered by Mr. Thomas Ballantyne, who start.-(i tlio fiist factory about 23 years ago at Black Creek, near Mrattord, and nuw lives to .see a lar"e and ' • ■ th riving manufacture, Mr. Hiihfrt IHtt'n H'imrt. 113 liavitiff a rpiuly sal.' on tho KriKlisli and oth.-r iiiurk«tH. Soine faotoi i.-s aw now run 1)> pnvaU> iadivi.hmlH ; (.thcis an- mutual i'o-<.iMfiativ« conctirnu. All inaku upon t)i.' sumc fonnulu, with a vi.,wto i.i(Klucin« unarticl. lik« EhkUhIi .-boddar ; nml although, of .ours.., ail do not suctwd in nuiking the sani.^ .jualitv, lu.mt turn .mt a cheew) .s.-llin./ at tion> \i cjiitH to 10 c-ntH p.T II.. at the factory (4d. U. nd.) The essence of tli • succftsH of those factories is that each of Miem draws its milk from a large enough district, all the farmers within u radius of t..ur mdes. fr.un the centre at whi,h tli.- faHory is Hituatcd supplying ih.ir produce. (Jood management is ensured hy paying an elKcient man from CO cents to 70 cents per 100 lbs. of chees.. made (2s. «d. to -'8. 11(1.), he titidiiig all cloth and rennet re.iuired- The gei.».ral result of this .syHtem of management evidently gives U,c^,\ pncm good satist'vtion, probably iKJcause the work is in the hands of „»«,<>' '^hewe. man, who is truste.1 by those supplying milk, and because a dividend is not paid upon the capital re.piirod to establish .he factoiv, the fanners receiving th.' net amount of money the che.js.' bring.s, wluoh oomm<.rdv averages U cents to 8 cents (.'Ud. t., 4.1.) per gallon of milk they suiv ply through the year. On the whol.- country I b.-licve some rec-ive more than this figure, and others l,>.ss. It must l)e rememJjer.'d in considering the price obtained for milk, that in this country everyone Iive^ on Ins own land, having no rent to pay, and then-fon- the price of 4.1. per gallon of iO lbs, weight should be .•onsidered very .'...d ( onfasting it with that obtained thn.ughout England, it is probably Co«t.,f n.ilk only Id. less. Is not this a satisfactory result in a country .jnly u,i and h..w sV.J. haps fiO years settled ('many districts have ..nly b«-en cleared 35 or 40 P"*"' *•" ^''" years), an.l where the trade has ordy b.'en started since 1867, by '""*'"'"■''• various settlers, many of whom were no farmers, but tradesineii before coming here? In addition, there is the value arising from pig- feeding, which at most factory's an* bought in and fattened ofi' in batches throughout the season. This adds something to the return per gallon of milk ; but the result from this adjunct being a variable one, It IS not reliable to put this into Hgures. The routine at all fac- tories 18 much the same : one man, a milk supplier or otherwise, agiees to pick up the milk of so many farms each m..rning along his line of road, charging about half a cent per gallon ot 10 lbs. The milk is weighed as taken in at the factory, and run along shoots into the various tubs, which are always the oblong shape here. Night's milk is mixed with the morning's when delivered ; no collection being made on Sunday moinings. The curd is precipitated as soon as possible in the tubs, the milk being stirred by power-driven paddles, reducing hand labour as much as possible. It is put away th.; same evening, pressed and handed on to the cheese-curing room, which is always in another building. The ripening under the particular formula adopted is accomplished in six, eight, or ten weeks, when the chee.se is turned over to the merchant. All factory buildings in the country are still of wood, even the Factory build- floors, which, notwithstanding, I found scrupulously clean. Much ings. expense is thus saved as compared with factory buildings in En• . . - o butter-making by the. farmers at h^ OQIC. lU The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. The cheARe market. 'Creameries for butter making. Ureeds of milch cows. Superior edu- cational facili ties, free schools to all. All expre,s.sioii liere upon the present po.sition of the Canadian cheese market may not be out of place. My visits to ttie various factories left little doubt that all Canadian cheese is perfectly pure and unadulterated, and a largo bulk is no doubt of a superior eating quality, which, if placed upon the retail market solely as " Canadian," would no douljt realize a better price still. A>i example of such a policy is now to be seen in England, where the "Danish Butter Co." has succeeded in making such a good market for their particular commodity. The feeding of cows supplying milk to the factories receives careful attention on the part of factory managers. As noticed oloewherc;, there is little old, permanent pasture in the country ; therefore herds are partly what is called " soil-fed ; " consequently, certain tastes arising fi'om the food have to be watclied for, and it is to the credit of the farmers that they act upon letters of caution issued to them. Also, that very import ant point of giving cows daily access to sale and clean water is habitually observed, the water being all obtained from pumps and not fr(jm ditches, there being very few of the latter in the country. Of butter factori((.s, or creameries, there are afair numbei'distributed over the province, but of butter-making little in praise can be said. The old theory tliat the addition of a large quantity of .salt nakes butter keep, is still adhered to ; whereas it is now well established that if suflicient care is taken in drying by machinery and hand, withoul- damaging the grain, it keeps ju.st a: long, and retains a fine flavour, consequently a higher value. The custom at present at factories is to make in the summer and sell '\\\ the fall, to secure a higher price, the dryness of the climate no doubt favouring the procedure ; but this fact should all the more induce the making of fine fresh butter, especially in a country where ice is so cheap and cold stores easily arianged for. Tn those creameries visited, I did not observe any good modern machin- ery, the butter-workers being particularly antiquated. From what could be gleaned of butter-making and its prospects, especially in the south-west corner of Chitario, there are good ojjportunities for success and de\elopment. The breed of cows in the country is of no mean quality, those commonly met with being various grades of Shorthorn ; the best milkers now being nati\e animals, cmssed with inqwrted stock of that breed. Other breeds are Holstein, Ayrshire and Polled Angus, but these cannot be such good milkers. A good many well-bred J;r- seys are kept, some in herd.s, others scattered in twos and threes amongst the dairies, standing the climate quite well. The variety and quality of food now i-aised in this provin^-e is little short of that in England ; besides which, Indian corn stalk, or straw, makes .such a sweet, succulent and abundant fodder. The hay raised is much coar.ser in appearance that we are accustomed to at home, but is evi- dently very succulent. Tlie quality of milk produced, taken from various tests obtained all over the Province of Ontario, makes it appear to contain .'{wo per cent of butter fat. The adequate provision of schools, placed near enough together in coiitry distr'cts, and {)roviding efficient teaching, is one of the all- important items in the consideration of a country. Throughout the Dominion of Canada, the .system is practically the same, eaclf province having the management within its owti boundaries. Education is entii'ely free, unsectarian and connnon to the whole conunun'-^y, being maintained by Government grants and local taxes. In Manitoba and the North- West necessary fu-ids are provided by '.he reservation of sections of land, known as " school .sections," throughout every town- ship (six square miles constituting a township), as well as by a tax upon all other lands, whether cultivated or not, but this amounts to a sum so Mr. Hohert Pitt's Heporl. 115 small that it is no hardship on anyone. School-houses are placed so that no pupils have to walk more than two miles. There are high schools provided in towns for those who prefer them, but these are not -entirely free. After the age of 13, school attendance is voluntary, and up to now It has not been the o ustoin to eaforce attendance under that age, reliance upon the good se-i:c -jf parents and the honour of pupils being sufficient. In town^. the children can be looked up by the masters and mistresses, and the average attendance is apparently about 90 per cent, of those on the roll ; but in farming districts this is not kept up, owing to the great temptation to keep children at home in harvest and seed time, &c., and in a country where labour is so dear, this tendency is tl.5 harder to withstand. To obviate this, a measure IS akely to be adopted appointing school attendance inspectors. In a country whers there is litcle or no want, one was glad to see school pupils very clean, tidy, and well dressed, which appeared general through all the provinces. "" " V Thejollowing points stood out conspicuously, as compared with Canadian ^iUglish board schools :— The sexes are more mixed, and this enforces schools and better behaviour on the pupils through respect for themselves, thus Hlt^m"''^ lightening vastly the duties of teachers ; and further, neither masters tSd. nor pupils are allowed to addre.ss each other in a tone above that of ordinary conversation, even in as large a class as 35 pupils, which appears to work admirable results in two ways— good behaviour and strict attention on tue part of pupil.:, as otherwise what is going on in •class would be entirely missed. The system known as " payment by results" has long been given up as most pernicious. Pupils a.e examined constantly by masters of other classes, and by inspectors at the term end, when they have to pass their respective standards 71 ^ ^''^ ^^»'^* ' "^^^^ general opinion holds that the pupils ■ and the country are more benefited by this means. Teachers are not tempted to cram themselves or pupils ; favouring advanced chik'ren is discouraged ,; and to all appearance teachers work to keep their class evenly advancing, encouraging pupils to tl.ink before giving answers as viva voce. A feature in all the schools is the orderly way of fillino- and clearing the class-rooms in marching order, boys and girls being'filed ott with groat precision. This is admirable training in discipline and a preventive of panic in case of fire. PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA. Making my return journey through Nova Scotia, I had little time to examine the stateof agriculture, but ascertained from authentic sources that the Annapolis valley, whence so large an apple supply comes is a very fine but limited district— the whole province not being anythin- like so large as most of the other provinces of the Dominion. The chief occupations here are hiinbering and mining, and essentiallv mixed farm- ing in the cleared district,^ Government lands, at a nominal price, are still to be had, on timber-covered land, but of course the prairies offer better opportunities to the European settler. Farms are to be bouo-ht here from $10 per acre and upwards, according to position, number" of acres cleared, and quality of buildings erected, and upcjn the same terms as before mentioned. There appear to be many essential condi- tions for agriculture and industries. Peaches, and fruit generally grow luxuriously nnd of excellent quality; cheese-making is firmly established at many factories spread over the province: and other industries may soon develop and go hand in hand aheal-„ i" f y- '^"^ •)th, the .»«,, .„„ „e «,,atly „„J„;edt'"'lio'; ^fu, ■iJSJ'tZv'-LVtl',:.' ETv"; ,rwwte" "'T "' ,"r" °""'-' '"'"i i'™";fe„t ; HH,HaJ'v!S>:^L:-■fsr;^/:;:-.^J^:fl^ Wh.r„ ^1 *"''^''"' '»' ""'I ""do aloiiK thK shores nf t|„. ]„„„1, VVhen mails and passongors «,.,■„ safe ,>„ toard w„ ™1,,I a « v ifa b.->lhant rainbow hues in which they reflected he M f/nt m i-J t S "ir ' P A "" r^'"'^ '"■»-"-' Then came the c^ " Lan CM PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. i-o Aiiucosti and to Ihniouski. At the latter ni-iPf. ■, .<-. , alongside to take ott-,.ailH and passen^ r \ ^^ceedc ^ nu.st and nun to Quebec, arriving on fhe mornin,?rSum 1; t 17th ot September. Mr. Staffor.l, the resident Government in;„'..t,n w «; t^"St":;io "cr" r''-^' ''^^ t^^^ -^-^ drove 'us^^;.;;"': veimont just as the churcli-..oing people were on their way to tlie contLnr and happy. Ihe people here are mostly French m- of Fr«^ i. :-io ™.;"°i '^iftttrf *'• r """""t""- -- «'^^" •«'- - -« luacte Jots with 3-acre frontages, and running 10 acres deep Thev ppeared to be generally well cultivated, and wert bearing good crops of avt'^' °rr"' ''"^•^^I'^'^t, timothy grass, which is mottrldeTnt' liay for workhorses; clovers, which are given to cows in milk and Man rS V ^'■"'?'"'^ "'^^'^ '-^^'^ ^-^-"^^'^ble, whilst the stalks are i?S iest nT • ?™T' '' r''''^""'^'^^'-«'''^»^^^>"^l'^«««>«tobearvoSte eort of visitors from that city. The church-goers oft«n drive consider- able distances ; the horses are tied to a'ongrail fixed on p^Its wi^,t troubling to take them out of the shafts, and there .1.^,?,^'*^/.^* tbe service. Those who drive much, usually tL 'a^SJIifS 118 Thn Agricnilaral and other Resources of Canada. City of (Iw- bee. Ill' wm- City of Mon- treal. conveyances, to wliich they tether their annuals when they want to leave them. The lior.ses are (juite used to this style of "putting- up" ; no policeman interferes, and the animals stand perfectly quiet until their owners are ready to drive away. I was much struck by the clean, orderly, ChrLstian-like appearance, inside and out, of an Indian church at Vermont. The falls of Montmorenci, which are close by this village, would be considered a big thing in England, though on this continent of many waters they arc are of no great account. I was, nevertheless, luucli charmed witli th(>ni. lleturning to Q,uebec, wiiich is a line city of 75,000 inhabitants, and the parent city of the Dominion, T was much pleased with its general appearance. Its capture from the French by the lieroic Gene- ral Wolfe, in 1759, is one of tlie familiar stories in English liistory. At that time the whole populntion of Canada, exclusive of Indiana, was no larger than the present population of the city. From the lofty eminence on which the upper part is built a magnificent view is obtained. In this upper jiart are churches, convents, schools, liotcls, and iiigli-class residences. The lower portion of the city is distinctly old- world, with irregular streets and odd architecture, such as are to be seen but in few places on the western continent. The docks are com- modious, admitting the largest vessels. The lumbei' trade seems to be the cliief industry, the vast numbers of enonnous logs floating about everywhere, being quite a feature of the river scenery. It gives employ- ment to a great number of people. Those who are familiar with the timbei- docks at Liverpool can in some degree realize the scene. We left Quebec by the Canadian Pacific Railway on our long journey westward. The line skirts the m.agnificent river St. Lawrence, and the land upon the side of the track, as I was infoi-med, is settled upon the 90-acre system — i.e., .'5 acres frontage and 30 acres back. They are, it must l)c remcmljei-ed, old settlements, wholly unlike those which awaited us in ^Manitoba and the great North- West. As I have stated, the French element is very prominent in the Quebec province, but it was easily to be observed that all the inhabitants, French or not, were comfortable, and apparently contented with their lot. I regret that I was not able to see more of this province. As we journeyed towards Montreal, which is 172 miles from Quebec, I observed that the land is generally flat, with split wood fences dividing the farms, and that the system of culture pursued is much tlie same as that I observed round Vermont. The wooden and painted houses and highly orna- mented churches give the villages a. novel and interesting appearance, to strangers. The town of Three Rives, at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and the St. Maurice, which we passed in the evening, is a fair sample of these Anglo-French villages. We arrived at Montreal about 9 p.m., and secured comfortable quarters at the Windsor Hotel. The electric lights gave this fine place a somewhat weird appearance. Montreal is a city of 220,000 inhabi- tants, and the chief commercial centre of the Dominion. The large ocean-going steamers of the Allan line make this their terminus ; and many others also here receive and distribute their passengers and car- goes. There is direct access by railway to all parts of the Dominion, to New York, Chicago, St. Paul and other centres in the United States ; and, indeed, jNIontreal may be regai-ded as one of the most important cities on the North American continent. Its streets are wide, long, and straight, planted with trees. At the time of our visit these trees had not cast a leaf, and their effect, added to the well-kept lawns in the better parts of the city, gave it a very attractive appearance. Like Quebec, Montreal has a " mountain," and from its sunnnit an excellent long, Mr. William Scotaon'a Hejiort. ^SZ\^ZX%" '"■'"^' ^T ""1 "^"^'^ ''^^^ ^-y be obtained, w h oSftll , ;i ^'"T""'^ r.u "^ ^'''"^' '^'^ '^' b^«^- Montreal shares .■ndentton T T vi f ^f!vf ^ ^^'f'"' ^"'"''^'' t'^'^de, but is less do- on It?. r *^':^ ^^^ '"''•'^^*' ^^''^«'-« T «^^ l^rge waggon loads rZ o7all S''' '"T '\ :"^^"".'' ^°'- «'^^^' '^"d also fine samples a H freshness of ;i '^'"^ P<^*'^*°««- ? ^''^ struck with the healthiness u < treshness of the foliage in and around Iklontreal ; it seemed 'is i .":J^'''' iV"''^^ l'""''' had disturbed their pla id grow h i^ taded or damaged leaves being visil)le. ** ' 119 PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. due t?m. '°''*'''"^'^f ""'• Jo^'-^^y '>y the Canadian Pacific line, we in Pital of the D •^'''""' T i"" '^"^^^''^ "^-•- This city' is the .Tulation of 40?0rTt'; ^r r government, and lias a ■X pause of fl.o oVV «'t"'^tion is elevated, and commands a wide xpanse ot the Ottawa river and surrounding district At the Doi.art .•at of Agriculture, adjacent to the Parlian;'ent bu klint ^Z a ■ eivefZ thrt ''''"'?,*^'.^^^^*^^ ^^^- courteously Indkidl, .>abTea„L.us1„SslT''^^'' ^t'' C^"-Ji"& Minister of Agriculturi, t botanv i .''"^"f P°'* 5\^"^- He is assisted by able professorl botany, chemistry, &c, and by a staff of trained workLn in all Slv" n tlSTnr' TT7 "°^'- H^^« ^- *-ted and tSed. pra " the se^d ,• «Pe^'> /^l^'^ted grains of all kinds, and when app wed or them Fn?if T' ^"'"^ '^ ^'^^^ ?^'''''' "" ^^^ ^—''^ wh^o^pi' ly Wpd L ?^^' ''^ approved kinds are also grown and distri^ at"™t\ Tn*V""''^"*^ ^^^ gooseberries! Of these th re fromfhifv? ff^"- ^" ^^™^''' '^ ^^^"^ Dominion can obtain stock w^th f ! . institution. Indian corn is also grown in variety n he Do^- "^ ascertaining the best kinds for the%arLs d" s ricts ;u. ^Iso expeiLptail/" Sed'^'^^t;!;'^^:^^^^^ l|...atoes from seeds is another important part of the expeSentS wo k u old^' '. "'" -^'•i''|i-. of approved nierit, are necLsTy to^ejace . aU V This klT;"' ^r^' '" *^"^ =^'^'''^«* ^^--«« «r deterSe in I usM.ll House hotel, where we dined, and where Mr. G. H Campbell ^V-.-P^g; .lo:n«l the delegates as guide in their tmvd.s ^ ' -■a/::;h;sr:r^:^;"';-^^tlrt^^^ City of Ottawa. Minister of Agriculture. Government Central ex- Tierimental farm and tiie work it does. Agricultural exhibition of products and implements. 120 City of Tciro: to ami I'l'd- vince of On- tario. The Af/r!riifhirti/ inul olln'v lifnoitrci'n of Canada. both on and off the land. There were some good driving horses, also a eimipctition for liigh jumping, one particular animal doing .something extraordinary in this way. ^)n Wednesday, we again visited tlie show aiul were introduced to some prominent citizens and farmers whom wt» afterwards again met. There was an excellent collection of self-hind- ing, mowing and reaping maohine.s ; some string binders cutting as much as 7 feet wide — in fact, the whole machinery for dealing with hay and gni'a was very eoimnenduble for utility, lightness and strength. The Canadian or " Oliver " plough is made up in all forms, as a kind of swing, single and twin, sulky or riding plough. One })ai'ticular implement I noticed was a revolving spade roller, which acts on jilouglied land like an improved Acme harrow. This a{)pearc(l to me as likely to prove a very usefid implement for English agriculture. It is a new invention in (Canada. The exhibition of fruit, especially grapes and peaches grown in the open, was something that the Cana- dians might well i»e proud of, for in quantity, (juality and variety it formed a sigiit not to Im! easily forgotten. The vegetables and roots Avere alike a grand collection, not easily to be matched anywhere. Altogether this exhibition was a show the Canadians may claim every credit for. A featun^ that- 1 particularly observed was the orderly way in which the ciowds departed, without a sign of intemperance. This connnendable fact, coupled with the absence of beggars, was a most noticeal)le thing throughout our journey amongst all Canadian crowds. Toronto is a tine city, with wide streets and good buildings, and has a population of 172,000. It is the largest city in the Province! of Ontario, and situated on Lake Ontario, and possesses many important manufactories. The Prt)\in('(> of Ontai'io is a fine agricultural province, having an area of 182,000 square miles, and contains a population of about 2,000,000. This province grows almost every variety of grain,. TORONTO. vegetables and fruit in the greatest perfection. The soil was originally all covered with tind)er, tlie early settlers having had to clear their farms out of the forest, or, in other words, rid out the timl>er,. stuiu,ps ^fr. William Scotson's Rupnrt. iind fill, to clear Llio li-,rl 'I'l • and, consequontly 5,,;: ;,. , '" f""^"":'' ^tt'''^ete,I tlu, early settlors tli« provinces Sn '»«»"" ''"'«'' '''^""^ '«'"•« tf""^ i" any other of ki.ids, aspeoiall .1 !;;t"ui:.H ."'''"'" "-""^'-tories of various n.an.ufact.ryatJ}rutV 1 '; ""'•'•""'""^' ^^ " visited the Osborne J'inders ar/ «.• a d - i^ ^'^'"•'t '"'"sands of mowers and self- th. nwu.u.Ltl: ^.'^ J^'!;;"J^ Ji^J;-^ ^-t, I „.ay ..y that """""lion. Jn.av l,f, on '■^"*"™ '"■« <^1'« g''«at workshops for the t'utario; l.utfh ',;'": If"" ''•^^'-"''.^ *''^^ -^"oulturul features of We l..ff ' * . P'f's<'nt tlie cry is, "westward." Trunk K^^ft^"" N.";.. b;:!;':'^^^' V''' ^•'p*^'"^-' - «- «-"J PaciHo, w.. prc,ceod;d fo. s moT' '".' *?"^.'^"'-'''"« *<> «'« Canadian «tu.nps, showin . th L f 7^' ""''^'^ '''^^' ^'^H' ^'''^'-''ed tree nil ite t :''i.::';':;\i;f/''-f «-« which sometimes sweep i-ulway with ereekVt;! "''*"' f^^''''^^ '''^ interspersed along this liH-ei/ and ^ is" al hwf ^!^''' ""'^".'';""^' "-^'^ "' abundance. All went wen 'wth our ,^ "'^''^.r*^'' ^^^'^ wooden-built bridges. Superior, where Ih rece .t " T'^ ^"^ T""''^ '^'^ *J>« ^ead of itke across the ra iVrua t. uk l k'/''''' T''"^ '"^ '^''P «^ ^^^^^'^^ to fall short time A l A- . .v '*'"^'''*^ ^"'' ^'"'"^"^ *" ^ standstill for a all went vVell We h U d ri'":! T "''"r^ T' ^'^^^''^'^ *'- ^''-l^' ^^^ a.id watered in yards Th!! .!", t ""^'^'^ ^^^ "^<^<^1« ^^«''e beingfed to Montreal forS BrithlTm "t '' ^ T" "^^"™''^' ^^•"•^ ^'^ ^''^"^V sometimes seen i the £ 1 l'^"'* ^""^'^ '""^J^'' *« those I had amvalwasSotlrt\u.;^y^^^^^^^ Our next Po.t Anhur. has doeks. and is a noint wll. ' f *^"^t'^d«» ^^ arm of Lake Superior, great lakes. It hasTnonu t on r'""' r ^'IL'"" ^'^"''""^ P^^'^^^ «" the hotels, Ac. .fec'and isS« o?„ l'""''^'?*' People, grain elevators, coal and otherUmod^s " We neX^^^^^^ *''^'^ ^" »"^^^"' pai'ticular huc^e monnf.,;.. ^t \ , .V^^t passed some fine scenery ; one strikes the iXl. S ts ™; " ™1' '''"'^•''" Sleeping ^Giant, to Fort William a Hud on S. n ' ","mensity. On we travelled Silver mines. old. Near t is snof.ue s Pf ^^ ^'""P'^^y « settlement of 100 years the world, ^ e T Ih ch 1'%^' ■^"T "' *^ "^'-«* ^^^-^ ">-es in people residing ^1^:^^ ^"^^t^'^^. ^^^ V scenery is M'ild and K..,^L. •.. ., I*^ VVilJiam to Winnipeg the from L for;;t;"lle t ,re KaXk^r'n ''^'■^f'^^" ^ ^^' ^^I- Niagara. Westward the trl^.,'', *''""' ^'"''^ ^"^ ^« ^^^ber thau M-as^ssed, wSh it I'^m r P^rr' f "f ^the Lake of the Woods through w id scenery tmtd at lai l"" ^'"^'^'^ ^""^ «*^" ^'^ ^'^^ on open prairie-atSss Plain ^^.'I'T-rT'^^ ^^^-^^ the clear -.s oVossed, and ou a^n LTv^^^^ ^^^ *" * >.'' ^3- A wide river station, Winnipeg, the capi ITo ' A I^ litot "'"" '^'"'"'^ '^^"^^^'^^ 121 PROVINCE OF MANITOBA. poopw;;;'n;?^i:??,^nheT;^^^ fine city sit.e terl .,f +i ^"'^ P'^P^'-ition was only some 215), and is a Winnipeg and 1-th 7 w£if ;^ .^;^i";;;if r' '•" ''"' "1 *^" AssiniboL™ ^^-"^^'• which appear to sLtd'mes^t^ "TT."^ ^"^^^'"^-"■^' ^"^^ streets niodation to every point Ih-etdy ^et ,f ''^V'^^-.'^^^^^ '''^^ ^'^'^^^ -.ea.^S, there rUtf's;:Si:iS£^;-S^ 122 TVw Agrknltural and other ffenov rcr.<> of Canada. KiHin nm vato farms, Rapid pro- appears destinod to becoino one of tlio ^{loatt'st loiniiioroiul centres on *'*^' the American continent. I am convincetl of this fact when I try to realize the future of Manitoba and the grt^at north-wivstorn torritori(>s. This' great phiin of prairie land stretche.s from Winnipeg tfj Calgary, or near to the far-famed Rocky MountaiiiH, a distance well on to 1,0U0 miles, through which the Canadian Pacific Railway track runs. All (Uong tluH line of railway are agricultural towns and stations springing up- At many of these, such as Brandon, Regina, Calgary, Ac, there are grain elevators to receive the grain as soon at it is threshed from the fields or stacks ; also stores of every kind, and hotels and boarding houses, mostly built of wood. My readers will please remember l,0l)O miles is a long way, anil I have only mentioned three towns as illus- trating quite a number of others, such as Portage la Prairie, a town of ;?,000 inhabitants, and situated on the Assiniboine River, with grain elevators, flour mills, stores, etc. From Regina a branch railway runs north-west for 180 miles towards Prince All)ert. Amongst the other towns are Rapid City, Minnedosa, Medicine Hat, VVolseley, Indian Head, die, all on lines of railway. At Indian Head is situated another l'; Winnipeg to Calgary, when I say that it is now only beginning to be realized that here will be the great wheat-growing district, the granary of Canada. But it is not only grain that is grown here ; I was driven over fully a thousand miles in light conveyances, diverging from some of the towns mentioned, and in my travels found potatoes, every- where, grown by all classes oj:" settlers, from the large farms like 8ir Donald Smith's, near Winnipeg, and those of Sir John Lyster Kaye, which are ten in number, of about 10,000 acres each, Lo the IGO-acre homstead of the ordinary settler. The Lyster Kaye farms I may remark, are now controlled by an English company, whose head mana- ger is Mr. Thomas Stone, late a Lancashire farmer, well known herein the north. On Sunday, 21st September, when at Winnipeg, we went to the Protestant church, which was just like being in England. I could scarcely realize that I was so far from home. On Monday, the 22nd, we visited the industrial schools. All over the Dominion educa- tion is more or less free, with a system of teachers and teaching us perfect as can be devised. The equality and independence of character observable in the average Canadian, uppea s to have its beginning in these free schools. The scholars all looked clean and healthy, and full of promise for making good men and women. This same day, in com- pany with others, I was presented to Lieutenant-Governor Sduiltz and Mrs. Schultz, who expressed a desire to see Canada peopled by the English-speaking races. In the afternoon we drove' out west from Winniiteg. Here vegetables of all kinds — celery, parsnips, beets, onions, cauliflowers, potatoes — all looked fine, including some tall Indian corn, which apjieared as if touched with frost. One gentleman told me did not use manure, as it made weeds liniw. banquet given in li- nour invited guest to le In the evening I was an l' the Minister of Public il/n Willinm Scotson'a Rpport. 123 Works of the Dominion, and wa.s gratifif ,1 wiU. tl,,, onthusiastic harmony ?ed win, « P^Q ^"^'.' '^r^'' ^l P"^''" occasions in Canada, terrhina- ted with God Save the Queen" and "Auld Lan« Syne " On Wednesday I visited the district of Glenborough, going by ifarvHtintr • II }■ ■ ^""^ ^^■''^'^*^ «'-owing, and harvesting operations going on "i'<'Htion«: in all directions and in all stages, from cutting with self-binders to tlie steam threshing machine. Wheat ! wheat ! stacks ! slacks ! Everyone busy at this work ; and no preparations for rain, no stack sheets and no thatching being required, as there was no rain or sign of rain, but J^right, clear weather right along. Wheat succeeding wheat is Krown tor years together, with one ploughing to grow each crop. I went to visit some Scotch crofters, and all said they were glad they had come to J'*' .-try Am r^i WHKAT STACKS, MANITOBA. i :\raaitoba. They were on quarter-sections of 160 acres each ; now. or soon, would be owners of their own land and out of dobt-and their stock consisting of working bullocks, cattle, pigs, poultry, ic, tended to veritV what they said. There were about thirtj families settled in the locality, Having been, as I was led to believe, assisted by the British Govern- moat some two years ago to come out. From GlenborouLdi to Wa- wantsa we proceeded through a wheat-gro«ing country, and again we •saw stacks of wheat in great profusion, and threshing machines doing 1,.>00 bushels and upwards per day. Most of the land is here tr.ken up, all owning their farms, and being very happv in their wot.den-built Jiomes. A farmer complained that one iirm only put up all the corn elevators, and consequently had mostly their own price in takin- the wheat from the farmers. There are farmers about this district who f-t-'-utNe..pawa sufKered from sunnne f.osts, like some of the wheat-growing districts in Manitoba. 1 learned there that one farmer had had his stacks destroyed by tire dunn- he operation of threshing with a steam thresher. I was informed ^ was not insured against loss. I thought this a good district as I was being driven through. On L'nd October, at Portage la Prairie, I was dr "en b> Mr. Sorby some 1 , miles through a wheat-growing level plain te his farm, caled" The Hermitage." This farm of two sections, or 1,280 acres had 8/0 acres ot grain, some threshed, and all stacked. Mr. Sorby called himself a " wheat manufacturer," and said he had only two busy- months out of twelve-one to sow his land, as soon as the breaking uj e.fii b "■ ''^'^'.^'T'^"",' \'' '^^«'" "™'" ■'^-^i"- tlie other to cut his harvest and thresh, and then plough for next year's crop. Mr Sorby has six string-binders, which were in good repair, and neatly stowed away in a ^^■ooden shed ready for next wear's use. He pushes ahead get all his lan.l ploughed in the autumn for next year's crop with the help cvf hnvd teams. He says he has no difficulty in getting all ploughed before the winter sets in, when no ploughing Jan be done" the land being usually frozen to a depth of fmm 2 to 3 feet, and covered with fine snow, like frozen dew, dry and hard. When this period IS reach.d the Manivobans begin to use sleighs instead ;.f Avheeled vehic es Thi.. continues until spring, when the snow IS evaporated and absorbed, and as soon as the surface of the land i.s free from frost -'or 3 inches deep, the farmers begin to sow their wheat All with them is high {.ressure until this is completed. Haying little or no autumn-.sown wheat, this spring-sown gi^in is heir staple crop. Then follows the sowing of what little is -rown of Larley, oats, pease potatoes, roots, etc. Only little brea.lth of 'artificial grasses is sown Ihese farmers get their hay from prairie grass which grows on low, damp places, called sloughs or slews. This ^hay harvest IS done mostly before the grain is ready ; then all is hurrv until the grain is gathered. 1 feel I must here say that the av.M-age Britisher 125 I !l 126 Prince Allwrt. lUigina. Th* Aijrknltnml and ot/if>r R^tonran of Canada. or EMj.'lis|iriuvii ddos not uii(lcistiiri(l tln) Ciinatliaii winters. The thor- moiiietiT tV<'(|in'iitly Kf.inj; Wrlow /.(>m j^'ivcs hiui ii little terror, as thin very soldoiii takes place in Kn^land, ovoa in tlif most sovere winters. The atrnospliei-e in (!ana days. All along this drive, we came across cattl(; of \anous breeds belonging to big ranching companies who own some thousands of cattle, horses and sheep in this district CaJ-ary citizens are proud of their city, and have gr.^at hopes for its future! f T ?,•?""', '^'/i-'^'' October, at 2-;30 a.m., we left Calgary, arriving at J>anll tor breakfast. The Canadian Pacific Railway Hotel s.t Banif IS situated amid cliarming scenery, on the valley of the Bow River, with cascades, pine trees and mountains vieing with er-jh other in hei-ht and vastness There are natural h.,t sulj)hur water springs here, whidi are utilized as the best natural warm baths I ever used or saw V'!; u'.rr ^.'^'V""""' s^^'ic'T i« ^ Pl'icfi not to be forgotten, with its delightful winding valley and hillside .irives tlirough its National Park and ever-varied .cenery. We again joined our train, proceeding on tla-ough the far-famed, mighty, overawing Rocky Mountains, whose grand range of scenery, and the effect produced on the beholder, I will not attempt to describe. On and on we passed over marvellous wooden l)rldges^ am! at last along a winding gorge, through which the Fraser Kiver threads its <;ourse westward. After leaving Bantt we passed alon- this marvellous engineering feat, the Canadian Pacific Railway, for a distance of oOO nules, along mountain sides, over r. -nes and rushin- waters one endless panorama of wild and glorious scenery, until we arrived at Hope, the head of navigation on tlm Fraser River, which run.s into the lacihe. The climate and vegetation here savours of home. btiU on the Canadian Pacific Railway, we skirted the valley of th.- fraser River, until once more aloi.^a tidal stream the journey to New Westminster was accomplished, and we entered one of the most flour- isuiug seaports of BRITISH COLUMBIA. New WestminsteT has a population of 5,000, is well .situated on the north side of the Fraser River, and is one of the foremost towns in this province Here we found street-making and building actively going on. There are numerous canneries for preserving salmon, several 01 which wevisited,_and all were doing an enormous trade in the .season There a.^ many hue buildings, including the agricultural hall, in l^_ueen s i ark. Large saw-mills are a distinct feature. In these mills big logs are picked up from rafts in the river, passed through perfect machinery, and like well-regulated .straws, are cut into th.r re^mired dimensions for home and ..xp,>rt trade to China, Australia. &c. Re-^u- lar stea.m.rs from this port al.so ply south to Victoria. On W.Hlne.sdav loth October, we visited the agricultural lands bor.lering on the Fra.se,' River some of which are called delta lands, at Ladner's Landin.^ ^Zlut- \"f "?' '^"'-'^i^' ■^'■"'^''"" ''""'^ «'^« mangolds, and partl culaily hue white oats,, weighing 44 lbs. to the bushel, rye, an.l fruit Here we had rain, and it seemed very much like being in the marshy lands of Britain, with dykes to take the water into the river. On Mr Hutcluiis,.,. s truit tai'm. we saw young apple and other fruit trees nicely planted ma rich soil wit h good mangolds and potatoes growing between the rows of trees, all looking healthy and like proving a success. _ On lhur.sday we drove through a grand avenue cut out of the primeval forest, which is m all stages of >lecay and vigorous lif., with Mr. WiUlnm Smtmiis Rpfiort. 129 pines and cedars of immense size. It seemed to us woeful to .ee this hne timber bein- ^ut for fuel. On we went for miles throu.^ this evergreen torest, until we arrived at ■.^anco ver city, which is" a sea- port and the termmus of the railway, and cctainly one of the greatest marvels of growth in the civilized world. Here are some 15,00U people where in lb.s6 was a forest. It is finely situated on Burrard Inlet, has hne scenery of mountain and forest. Stanley Park (named after Lord .Stanley, the present Governor General of Canada, and presumptive . uZf ^t""TSv '' ''" "°*^''''' "''**"^'^'' ^^''' ^*« ^^'s pi"« '-^'^^1 ^^i'-^'- tiees. It is 1,000 acres m extent, and belongs to the city. There are extensive ^vhar^■es, warehouses, churches, hotels, lumber mills, fish-can- ning estaljhslmKMits and electric-lighted streets. There is k re^^ulur S'pL t1'^""f 'P' ''' ^'r^^' '^"P'"^' ^^'"^^ ''"^ Francisco, Alaska and Puget bound ports. There is an Indian village close by The little agricultural land here, as in most parts of Tiritish Columbia, is .,f good quality, and appears well suited for small farmers and hardeners who can manage spade work, and go in for fruit, dairy and poultry farming. There are not many stretches of prairie land like :\Ianitoba suitable for gram farmers, though roots and -rain both grow well in this climate and soil, as well as fruits. I did hear of some prairie land m what IS called the Okanagon valley, where there had been sent and used some 20 tons of .string this year to tie up the the grain grown in this said valley. I hear that new railway lines are to be built or are in course of con.struction, to connect the valley with the existing svs- tom. No doubt there are yet more such fertile belts of land, not much known, in this south-west portion of British Columbia, with its En^li^h climate. We visited Lulu Island, where good fruit and vegetables grow well m a rich soil. The whole island is flat ami not much above sea level. On Friday 17th October, we left Vancouver, on board the 88. Coalmming, Cutch to visit some collieries at Nanaimo. On our passage, three miles off Nanaimo, about 6 p.m., when it was dark and raining, a steam tug, called the "Mogul," came into collision with the "Cutch " damaging her bulwarks, and causing a little alarm on board. She soon however, proceeded on to Nanaimo, and we had the satisfaction of seeing how fast an engine of 150 horse power wound up coals, the pro- tluction of 1 20 men, in a mine 600 feet deep. The coals were brou-ht up regularly and fast (all machinery going nicely). Chinamen, M^th torchlights attached to their hats, were doing efficiently all the handling at the top of the shaft. The next morning, Saturday, we left Nanaimo by rail, through hills, valleys and mountains, mostly covered Avith tim- ber, until we neared Victoria, where farms and farm lands appear on sites Avhich evidently, like Ontario, had been cleared of timber. Victoria, the capital of Bi-itish Columbia, is situated on the south point of Vancouver Island, has a population of 15,000, is the most English city f.n the Pacific seaboard, and were it not for its straight wide streets, electric-lighted, electric cars running into the suburbs and China-town, with its Chinese Joss House, theatres, shops and Chinamen with their opium, we might well have imagined that we were at some naval port at home, climate and all included. I was driven about the suburbs, and our party were presented to Lieutenant-Governor Nelson We visit.'d the museum and other places of interest with the Mayor and other kind citizens. On Sunday I was driven a good many miles into the country. Her are forests with uncleared stumps in plenty some cleared farm land, with fruit in abundance, and grain all har- vested, leaving a clean stubble observal)le on this land. Mr. Bryant, a farmer, showed our party samples of his threshed wheat and barle- both of which appeared like good English grain. We saw more fruiV 130 The Ayricuharal and other liesources of Canada. and some grapes outsido, with a few hops, wliicli appeared to me, as in oher parts ot tins pi-ovince, well fitted foi- growing Iw small farme.'s Jike peasant proprietors. Here is good soil, liealthy climate, and g(.od wages, with room tor capital and labour. On .Alonday we were to hax e sailed to Vancouver city, but the steamer did not start this day, and we enjoyed a sample of a straiglit downpour of rain, whicli continued till 4 a.m. */',' 'J^Liesilay, the steamer departed for Vancouver, and landed P ■'•l- T; •, " '' '^"'"n^^'iced our retui'ii journey, by the Canadian rucitic Hallway, m our sleeper. Airived at New Wesminster, we got on board the '' Delaware," and sailed up to Mission on the Fraser J.ner, where abridge is in course of construction to form a conn.H'tion with Washington territory in the United States. We landed n.-ar t.uliwack where the Mayor provided "rigs." and drove us through teumas valley. Here were farms with abundance of fine apple trees ; tiR" higher plots benig marshy, prairie land, suitable for cattle grazin-. . J ae grass was not i;iaking tiie grade kind of stock very fat. On I uu-sday Mayor Kitclu-n again took us to see some grain, fruit, etc, hich had been exhibited at tlie agricultural grounds, all of which V ere good. The roadsides in this district were carpeted with wild w!ute clover (natural). We drove on througli forests and farms, arriving at an Indian village called Popcum, where there is a trlbutarv to the iraser, which is utilized for working the machinery of large umber mills Here we were paddled by Indians in their cam.es across lie down stream of the Fraser, landi,,. about two miles from the Government farm at Agassiz, where Mi. Sharp, the manager, was busy having some big trees split up by dynamite, to clear the way to nf P^-^i n , '"^r ' of experimenting in agriculture for the Province ot Lutish Columbui^ Here fruit and forest trees were planted on tiie c eared portions. The soil was clean and rich. Two miles from this piace we passed a nice farm, which showed good roots, clover, and some t^Mod young cattle There was and educated Englishman spreading n.anure out of a farm waggon. He smiled and looked content. At A^assiz, we again jouu.! our sleeping car, and once more passed over ho never-to-be-iorgotten Rockies. The glaciers and snow-topped nountains towered above us, whilst the innumerable rivulets were lidding us a bright adieu as they tumbled into the gorges l)elow. So enUcl t riday, m a sleeping car on the Canadian Pacific Railwav. On Saturday we passed through Calgary eastward. We halted a litt le at Medicine Hat, and then eastward still to Wolseley. Here our sleeper b. nig detached. Senator Perley soon procured rigs to convey us to see some farming ands. ^Ve called upon Mr. Fiiday, who had been ten . I ars 111 a wholesale liouse in London. He came 1 .ere seven years a-o lias some grain which was damaged by hailstorm, 10 milk cows "l4 u"nlf "f^'V",.} y°^ «^e"' This free life pleases him, and' he ^^;uld notgo back, though frost iiad damaged his grain to some extent. N. t also called upou Mr. Gibson, who left Ayrshire seven years ago. M,- has a homested having Iniilt his own house and bfiiKlings, is n„?te sa ished with the place, and is expecting to get homesteads fol- his two chm.' 1 V , ^"'^S"^^^ here vre called on Mr. Kinder, wlio was at cluuch, but Mrs. Kinder .said they liked the place well enougii, only Moos !l T\ '^'*' '","' ''■"^'"'■"'^- ^'^ ^^londay we arrived at ZZTvw ^'"^/"""S ^ loiig driNc with Mr. Neff, called upon about se^en dirterent farme,.s-wheat-growers-who were generally- satisfied. One, who came from Staffordshire se^-en years ago,"and was helpi,!: his neighbour to thresh, said he M-as ^uite s.atisiied with his £^ years experience, although frost had done damage to his wheat occa- Mr. William Scotson'n Report. 131 sionally and It wu.s pretty cold in winter. Mr. Neff, M.P.P., is himself a large tanner, growin.ij M-lieat on his two or three sections of land, most ot whicli I saw. Tliere were indications of frost having done suine damage about Moosomin, which is a gowing agricultural centre, with a population of 2,000 inhabitants, and has a mayor, schools liotels, and also stores of various kinds. We arrived at Winnipeg on Tuesday afternoon ; on Wednesday, we went on a branch railway to Stonewall, where large limestone <|uarries are being worked. We visited Mr. Jackson, who kindly took us over Ins farm in all its stages, from clearing the scrub or small unber to the land from which several crops of wheat had been taken. I.i« Ked life wheat in stacks was of good quality. He had cleared his i.uicl got his own house built thereon, and is a smart man of business, uad looked happy. ' I will here mention that when at Ilussell, I paid a hurried visit to one ot Dr. J^arnardo's homes and farm. The vegetables were very line, the buildings good, and a large dairy of cows 'is here kept, inrnates! gathered from the ranks of the London street arabs doing the work ^''^'le manages the dairy, where a steam engine is being used and good butter made. The wards in the home for inmates were clean and rumtortable, and all the officials were attentive and readv to give all nitormation asked by the delegates, during the short Visit to this institution. I was led to understand thac farmers, under a written agreement ot some kind, get the inmates of these homes to become urecl servants. Forms of this agreement can be had on application at tlic home. ^' From Winnipeg we went south into the State.s, visiting the bi^ lour mills on the Mississippi at Jlinneapolis, which are said to be the J^irgest in the world. Here I was told their best wheat came from iHanitoba. Wheat arrives loose on the railwav cars, from which it is elevated into the mills, coming out flour- the' foreman said "To feed tlie English. The machinery of this mill is mostly driven by water troni the river Mississippi. From here we visited the pretty city of bt. Pauls, with Its 14-story buildings and the Mississippi valley and waters at its feet. On Tuesday, 4th No^ ..niber, we left this city for Niagara. Who Return to can tlescribe these grand waterfalls, or write the music of their i'ollin<^ Ontario, t lunbling, dashing waters— once seen and heard, never to be forgotten ^ A^ e then left the United States of America at Niagara Falls, and le-entered Canada by rail, bound for Hamilton, which is a manufac- uring city in the Province of Ontario. We arrived in time to visit the JJritannia silver works the same afternoon. Our next visit was to J^rantford. W, were introduced to the mayor, etc., and att.nded a meeting of the Board of Trade, to discuss the question of increasing the boundary of the city of Brantford. The discussion was a -ood one, the several speakers showing much ability. ° ,,. .^'^ Wednesday moriung, accompanied by Mr. Blue, Deputy Official civUi- Minister of Agriculture for Ontario, aud others, we drove out to Bow ""^• J ark, a farm of about 1,000 acres, and managed by Mr. John Hope well known m English agricultural circles) for Messrs. Nelson, of ivlmburgh. There is here an excellent herd of Shorthorns in fine condition, with bone and hair showing vitality, a treat to see This is anicef.irm, alwut three miles from Brantford, and bounded by the (xrand lUv.^r on one side. The stock and crops on tlie farm showed good maniigement. At Brantford, we went through the factory of Harris A Co., makers of the " Osborne " reapers ;in(] rnnwer= wh-re some thousands are turneil out annually. Professor Bell jrives'distine- tion to this city as the inventor of the m. ep We left Brantford 132 ABTicnltin iMillt';,'-!- aiK piai'tiiMl wiirk. VI 1 its Abundiiiite fret' Ilium,'- steads. of The AgncultiirnJ ,nivhat I ascer- tained from Senator Prowse, of Prince Edward Island, from gentlemen I met in various parts of Canada, and from those of the delegates who were more t.)rtunate than myself, I belie^•e that these provinces are in many ways similar to Ontario, and that they offer very good openin.'s lo farmers and others witli capital. " In conclusion, I have to say, after travelling through the heart of Canada, from Quf bee to Victoria, a distance of some tliousands of milfts that L saw m Manitoba and the great North-West thousands of square uules of good prairie land yet untouched, and wailing for men and money to develop its worth and to win for themselves competence and Mr. William ScotaorCa Report. 13a rl.l- •. ^'S"'""" ''i'l"srto unknown; whilst thev find Z Can,„l „„. ,|„,te ^ English „s themselves. It is hard to realize tW X'tle faT:„Tr f^T"" ■""'='""'■" EnglanT.e^^Ti'rdo'n'T.! Enldisri:artef;„,:td"th:pe'„p? «'' '"- «-^'. "" '<^'>'^ ^oSe?f therein '„?', '," """', ''""''°' ""<"'"• '""""l'^ »f f»™in« l'3f h'i: atd^r:st:■^s^SsX'^l'„rre^ Etrw^sL'sranirtt-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ on^ J "^y^'^f/J that m order to assist and advise intending settler. and prevent them being imposed upon, the Canadian Government 1 ave Kn" ^T'' '\^^^ '^'^ '^^Ser towns and cities in CWrandal'o TbtSd Trr "^T "" .f ^«™-*-" «-t they can desire is o be obtamed Ihe Canadian railway companies, the Hudson's Eav Con srptrsthe^g: '•"' ^tt'^- ^^^^^ ^^^'^^^ti^ ^^rS^:L^^Z^:^^:-^ ^"' European agents. «*,,,■■;:- ,' 10 GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, OTTAWA (EAST BtOOK). THE REPORT OF MR. HENRY SIMMONS, Bearwood Farm, Wokingrham. Haviny! accoptod the iippoiiitniont iiiulei' Sir Charles Tupper as one of till' Eiiirlish delegates to visit and report on the Domiiiiun y -turn, the oni\ uncli, I h,ul hvn.« was l,urnt to deatli in his own house ^ve n. wTull lLt'r^'''''n''''''"^« journeyed witli n.e in the ship, Anival at t n..u staited to,<;eth.'r. Our instructions lu'lni,' to present ourselves ^^-l"'^'- :• ltu.t (ott''''^"''"' '' V" "''"• ^''- ^'-■'i"^. t1.e ilinister 0; Agrt n uncute 1; ?" ^^"^■^'•'""'^'^t a^ent, driving us about eight miles ound the country, passmg through the Indian ^•iliage of Lorette. The t Ik :; \1''^"^^' 'T':' ^" ■'^"^ ' '^""^-onts by peasant proprietors, and .'ell .rm ?> ^ !' T' '""' ^'^ ^'"''^ P*^"'' '^"'> ''"* l-^^> "ot so verv ordeHv 1 f'^ "'"' f ?""'"'- *" •^"•- '^'*''^«- The people appeared very orderly and well dressed, it beiiig Sunday ; but, as regards f-irmincr cT; ir Ztr1\ 'T' T'^''''^ ''' ^«"'-' -« -w buriltl of ife of th7/:l f : thet.efore perhaps, withhold an opinion. The view the town from the Citadel is very imposing. renudnini the'^,?li" ^,/^';';*.''"f ' '''''^''''^ ^here at seven o'clock, Mo„t,,.l.nd bes 3 t'^V '" , ^* *'f ^Vindsor Hotel-said to be one of the '*■' ^'^lits. best hotels in Canada or the States. In the early mornin-. we drove roun, Montreal, getting a grand view of the city (the arist and g andest in Canada) from Mount Eoyal, a most impLing sK^"h the St. Lawrence river, Victoria bridge, and rapids in the disUnce! PROVINCE or ONTARIO. o'clock'' ThVr.u-lw ''"''' '^fter breakfast, reaching the capital about one Ottawa, o Clock. Ihe railway passes through a poor agricultural district and On Z?^ ""ct "' '•"' ^ '^''y ^^'^"^^ ^^'^^^ '•^T'"^ "^-••'^ careful Irmr. On reaching Ottawa, the seat of the Dominion Government and con taining the houses of Parliament and departmental bu id .Vs (w are very fine structures), and the centre of the Ontario lunfer trade we presented ourselves to the Hon. Mr. Carling, and arran^d to journey with him by the night train to Toronto. In the mea rtime we had conveyances and drove out to see the Government central exneri A , . erbl- h'T"'.''^°"' *r- ""'^^^ f-» the city, the leadi g e of 'f ve" ^^i^""' o^teously iWed by' P.ofes^r^.Sl'^-l^^,,:^^.,;:-;^-^ S|™-^' and conducted over the whole establishmer t . This farm, comprSng 4oO acres of mixed .soils, was only started in the spring of 1887 it! c lief object being to carry out many useful experiment's in all kinds of farm wcrk about which reliable and positive information is most needed, including the best kinds of seed corn, both as regards vieM quality, and, what is of the utmost importance, ;arly matud to meet the drawback of the shortness of the sea.son and autumn frost it growing and testing of all kinds of grasses and fodder pknts witl a view to determ „e which kinds will a:;'iswer best in the rSpctive soils and varying climate of the Dominion. This is a subject of inuh difficulty, as, owing to the se^-ere winter, many of our finest .brasses fail, and timothy grass seems the one great favourite at pi'int' We 6aw, however, many of the finer gras,ses doing well in the vaiTous I! lOi i plots, 136 The Aijricultufcd and other Resources of Canada. and rye grass, lucerne, and sainfoin looked promising. The latter would be a most useful plant in the country if once acclimatized. Indian corn was being made into ensilage, producing 20 tons per acre. It was in an advanced stage of ripeness and corned, and when pas.sod through the chart-cutter and pressed into the silo, formed an excell'ut fodder for winter consumption. We also examined some good samples of wheat, barley and oats, just threshed out. The mangels, swedes, and various Grape culture, kinds of common turnips were all good. Grapes of many kinds, said to comprise 1.50 diiferent varieties, were growing in the open field, many of them fine fruit; but owing to the backward season and want of sun, scarcely ripe, although we ate many. The Canadian grapes have a peculiar flavour, rather thick skin, and glutenous inside; but the taste once acquired, you become very fond of them, and one commendable feature throughout Canada is, that the first thing placed before you on the lireakfast table is a dish of grapes and other fruits, and again after dinner. Many acres are planted with fruit trees, and a large belt of forest and ornamental trees and shrubs, obtained from all countries and climes, have been planted around the farm boundaries, serving the double purpose of shelter from cold winds, and also that of testing their growth and adaptation to the different provinces of the Dominion. The houses for the respective managers are excellent, also the buildings generally. The actual farm buildings are the most spacious, conveniently planned, and economically built erections of the kind I have seen in any country. The stock con-sisted of 12 good working horses and 5 distinct herds of cattle, of about 10 animals in each herd — namely, Shorthons, Polled Angus, Holstein, Ayrshire and Alderney — all selected chiefly from the Dominion, at a very moderate outlay, and, as I considered, with good judgment, many very good specimens of the breeds mentioned being secured. All the milk and butter produced is sold in Ottawa. Sheep auJ pigs are to be added ; but, at present, the arrangements in these departments are incomplete. The poultry yard is in itself a great institution, embracing all the best known breeds, and thoroughly understood and cared for by the very intelligent manager of that department. One very commendable practice is that of sending out to hundreds of farmers throughout the Dominion, small samples of ditrerent grain for them to .sow and test for themselves, al.so the receiving of any samples sent in by farmers for analysis or opinion thereon. Altogether, the whole management and arrangement, not forgetting the chemical department, struck us as good, and well calculated to disseminate most useful and valuable knowledge throughout the Dominion, at a compa- ratively small cost to the Government. We left Ottawa by the night mail for Toronto, reaching there early next morning. Having taken up our quarters at the Queen's hotel, we at once started for the great Toronto show and fair then being held, about two miles by rail out of the city, returning at night by one of the boats continually running down Lake Ontario to and from the show. Toronto is the seat of the Provincial Government, with a population of over 200,000 inhabitants, and with its important manufactories and fine buildings, is a city of which any country might be proud. The agricultural shows here differ from those in England, as they combine pleasure with business ; in fact, on seeing included a Buffalo Bill entertainment in all its entirety — swings, roundabouts, itc, (fee, and stalls of all kinds —it reminded one of our old English fairs ; at the same time, the show of stock, fruit, roots and cereals, and more particularly agricultural implements, was hardly second to anything to be seen at our leading English exhibitions. Tliis plan Toronto city and an agri- cultural fair. Mr. Henry Simmons'a Report. evidently pleases the masses, as the show lasts nearly a fortniirht and js crowded by visitors daily consequently the gate mifney mus t 'very hfcro^d o^Jf n'' ''''^'? ^'f""'' '' *'^« absence, notwithstanding allowS f^ r T-^ -T ^'-"'il^^nness, no intoxicating liquor bein« aHowed to bo sold ins.de the showyard. but every convenience 1! fhrtioTi c"'''"t'"r'' i ''' '^''^^^ '^"^ .-n-intoxicatng drink Ihioughout Canada,, tea and coffee are served with every meal which peop?e ' ""'""'' " " ^'•^'^^ ""^^^^^^ ^^' *he general sobriety Ifthe nnrl Ih! "^^"^ 'l^^'*? '" permanent buildings erected for the purpose afflk ^ ^'^ 'f '"'^^'. '^"'^ "^^y convenient, and the open^Snd aSherrhfi ■ ''""^ ^''; ''^1 Pleasure-seekers,' horses, cattfe. trS^ d °rnr^^' ?^ ^ngus, and other breeds that would have been no tZZ—J^t'' ",^«y^i:fhowyard; and the horses included some yeiy usetul Shire and good Clydesdale specimens. The trottincr horse IS everything in Canada. These showed in great force and hf lence / tt. 1 m. high. The show of implements was better nnd certainly more extensive, than any I have^een ^ S^lanc eve v Srchrp" Thetuir'f^^/'f "'^f '^'^""' ^^^ ^" madr4htTn5 i.ui y cneap. Ihe fruit of all kinds was most extensive and of ^ood quality, more particularly grapes, pears, apples and plums ;aloa^Sne a .urtmont of roses and other flowers, roots, cereals, and ™s of a lundan;:'"l*'d*ff"' f"^" '"^ ^"""'^''^^'' ^^^ *« ^« sin fnTreat abundance, the different provinces and Govenment experimentaJ farnis vieing with each other to excel-altogether foimin^ a vTst and most interesting exhibition. Dogs are numerous and fine in Canada and a very good show of these animals was included. We spent two days doing the round of the show, and could well have extended our us^iHn;r "^f' ^n ^'^'^'-^ ""d °<^hers. from whom we obtainea u.etul information; but not to waste time, it was arranged fo the of ZJ' "'^r,'^'^d/«- •:^11 arrived at Toronto, to start onfhe even ng of the second day for Winnipeg, from which point we hoped to start on our actual North-West tour. Accordingly, Ve all left on Wednesday evening in a most comfortable saloon "and Pullman sleeph^f car provided tor our special use by the Grand Trunk and Canadfan Pac fie Ralway Companies, on the rather long and tedious journeTl y PorJ tn^Z^^ ^^^"'"P«=' ^^'^' «f «0'"e 1.200 miles, reLhing wXnipeg on Saturday evening about five o'clock. This journey, for the most Serout o7t^T''^"^'^"'^ '=^"^*'-^ °^ forests';*" la£s, bu entirely out of court for any purposes of agriculture. Mineral^ are now being worked on some parts of the line, and should more be found as in a probability wil be the case, a scattered population n:,w sS up , but at presejit the long ride through apparently deserted forests" all more or ess destroyed from time to'time by fire^vi?hout aeednt so much as a bird of any kind, makes one glad when, ks you near ^^ mpeg, passing Rat Portage, and one or two other apparency more tln-mng and pretty places, you begin to feel once moreen theXiHzed T nt/^ '^'''•*'" *!"' •'''"'"^^' ^' '''^ '^''""J 0"'- ^^y 1-ound the margin of Lake Superior, at a spot rather ominously called the " Jaws of Kh " that the accident occurred to our engine and tender, from rumih^t into a large mass of stone that had fallen on to the track from trhli^ts ST.nn? ft""^''^^ '''''^'''^ ^" '^«^'""- more serious than giving us all a good shaking as we sat at breakfast, and sendin... v.b. en^in» ard two cars off the line; the line itself being also torn up, causin| a delay 137 138 Tlo' Af/riiiiffuraf mnf nffn'r Rfsniiirrit nf Cnvotht. of soiiin hours het'orc a sUrt otmld be a>,'ain iinulc. Mad tlio acoidpiit hayipciH'd a few yards fartlicr on, (lie wliolt- train nii^'lit liavo j^'oii.' down a [)i'cci|iic(^ ; in that (^^(i I am afraid tlic dflc;,'atfs' nussion would have oonio to an alirupt conrhiMion. However, " All's well that ends well," On loiifr niKht and day Journeys by train, breakfast, luncheon, and dinner ears are attached at diti'erent stations to the trains, and ruiif. .diall the passen,i.'ers are sei\c(l, then lea\c at tiie next station. City of Win- nipeg. Piihlic pfluoa- tioii. ■ «% ^^H V ^H «.- ■ . il PHOVINCK OK MANITOBA. ' >n reaching; Winnipe;;, we were very cordially received by tho UKMubers of Pai'lianient and citizens j;enerally, and took up our ((uarlers, to remain over Sunday, at tlie Clarendon hotel. Winnipej,' is a flourishing' city of .souu^ L'T, 000 inhabitants, and favoured by its situation, as re;,'ar(ls I'ailway and water counnuiucation, must go on increasi'ii,', although Just now auttering from over-snecidation at the time the Canadian I'acilic Railway was tirst opened. 1 1 contains many very tine pui)lic buildings, churches, schools and private houses; at the same tiuHf, many, wooden houses are to be seen, giving at first sight a somewhat mixed impression, but this feeling huives you as you become better ac(|uainted with the ca]ial»iiities of the jiiiice and its people. We •Nvere made honorary mendiers, for the time being, of theMaintobaClub, a most enjoyable and well-conducted establishment, and invited on IVbinday evening to take part in u dinner given to Sir Hector Langevin, tht! Minister of Tublic Works of Canada. The health of the dele- gates was projiosed, and we had to return thanks in due course. About 2oO dined, and altogether a very Jolly evening was spent. We drove out on Sunday afternoon, after attending church, some six miles, crossing the J^'d Hiver by the ferry, returiung on the other side, and crossing by the suspension l)ri(lge, which s(M'ves alike; for railway and passenger trallic. Tiie roads \\■^'\■^' \ery bad, owing to the late rains; and the land, although \ery rich in quality, was very badly farmed, according to the standard of British cultivation. IVluch of the land round Winnijieg is oj)en |)rairie, in the hands of .speculator.s, and not being fenced can be fed and used by any one. A large quantity of good land in the Selkirk district, some 18 miles distant, is open to innnigrants. On ilonday morning, we went over several large wai'ehouses, inspected the provision market, called on and had audience with the Govei-nor of the Province of Manitoba, and afterwards visited the schools. The schools are entirely free, ami open to and used alike by all clas,ses of society. The teachers, both male and female, appeared very etlicient. The Government do not pay, as in England, l)y results, but 7*), 70, or GO per cent of their salary, according to the class of certificate the teachers hold. A good system of drill, to call in or dismiss the various classes, or should an outbreak of tire occur, is practised by the children. The scho(d buildings are good, and the sanitary and ventilation ai-rangements excellent. Winnipeg contains in all ten schools, 500 children and upward,-: attending each. The children we saw had a particularly intelligent and s+-ong, healthy appearance, very clean in pei'son, and well clressed. Tliese remarks apply generally throughout the whole Dominion, the scliool system wherever you go being all good alike, and churches and chapels in every district. No one contemplating emigration need have any misgivings on either of these matters, as they will find the arrangements good and in their own liands. In the afternoon we drove out in an opposite direction to that taken on Sunday, to "Silver Heighis," about six miles, a very nice c rosi,l,.ne.. H.ul farm belond.iR to Sir Dunahl Sniitl,, an.l wore receivod y In. st..war.l S.r Do, l h.\u'^ away, Tlu-y l.a.l al»out ;500 acres of H.al.y la.Ml and ,,a„t...l •'10 acrosofit witl. wheat twh year, lie was tuiH u, .several tunes, l,.,t .houM .lo son., more, us it only onMlu.e,! weeds ll.e same staten:ent has hern often made to us sinee ui oth..- • Iistnets and it ...rta.nly F.as ,,u/zle,l the deh-gates a Rood deal when. UnauvA tuult with the farnu-rs for hurnin« the straw,\is is so mm": 'l">'«' hrou;rH,ut xMan.toha, we were met with this answer, ami have no .een able to ...mvin... th,Mn a.^^inst t he praetiee ; as, howev.-r, n.ixed ' " .',"."" """■" ■7."""'''''' "■'•'^ '^'" ""• ''""^^^ •"^ discontinued. We .— heen toi.l, men wdl remove a l.uildin« rather than clean out the West Hi^hlaml c.ttth. and a few liMehads. all runnin;; tuifether al out 10 hea.!, eon.pnsed the .stock on the farm, e.xcept hor.ses and a tew shee,, shut in a yard. The steward said he had only !»U acres nf l.o..r-IookmK i.ran.e pasture, and it was not nearly ,.nou;,d\ to carry the above herd ; he wanted nearly ten acres to a Least to ,1.7 well. A small !;ni;p;:r" """""^ "" ''■'•' '■• "• "'"'"^^^ «'•""-' -^ ^ use./flrZr'"''" ^""'"'^ n Winuipeff, we pa.ssed some Kood land I'ointH of in- used tor warden purposes, wll cultivated, and very prr.ductive We "■'••«"'♦'•'". un«ul,en hey could fr,.t it, and hij^hly valued it, the re.sult bein.' i.ne v,.«etables and potatoes oi" j^ood ,,uality and ,|uantity. Some ve >' nice private resulences on the banks of the Assiniboine Hiver a rac ed "ur no^.ce m the d.stance. The n.ana^erof the Manitoba penit"2^ IS 0, old n.e he had held tlie appointment 20 year.s, and durin,/that urn h.u only km.wn five convicts c.nvicled a .second time' after leaving, the prison. On leaving, he was allowed to ^dve hem a suit, .fcl,.thcs and ,£2 in n.oney, and -..nerally heard of thei do in' well hy ktters from the convicts themselves. lie told me that a Ithou^. he hoped to retire in a few years, he shoul.l end his .h^s in Can u.u, as he ov.hI the country and people. On Tuesday mornimr we t^ook lea^•e ,.t \V mnipeg, accompanied l.y Mr. Scarth, tlu- meinS tor U mnipe- and journeyed on through u hirge tract of us,.ful open wheat" whi 'l/"n "\ "'"'^''" !'f^ '""' m^^^^u^^ to lune good crops of o of .ft r'' \^7 ''"'■''"'^' '^'"' ^'"•"■^''i"S, an.l we„saw .several ot.s of cattle m the dis ance as we passed. Our first stop was at Oain.n, quite a new settlement, inconsequence of a branch line ))ein- made to it from the junction, the old town of Carman beini,^ a shor" dusbxnce away. A ready, an inn, several stores of ^ arious kinds, and m elev. u,r to receive the corn which was being sent in constant y by the neighbouring tanners, are built, an.l the place looks thriving A man had just shot a large white crane, rather larger than our common heron, hundreds of which he said infested the cornfiel.ls during harvest time. Ihey are good eating. After a stay of 40 minutes, we resumed our journey back to the junction, and so on to Glenb^ro', passi'm' through a useful prairie country with some good corn at intervals, and plenty of wood and water-a great consideration to setth-rs \t the various stations on our road, hearing of our coming, the farmers brou-ht specimens of gram, roots, .tc, for our inspection, and one entluisiastic .nan brought a Shorthorn calf of his own breeding, salf e ' „ v eight months old and weighing 940 lbs. live weight! It was relllv a very v.-c. br-^.l caif, of good shape, colour, and .piality. We remained 140 Th« Af/ricuUural awl other lieaourccA of Canmla. Progi'ess ( if thu Hi^'liliiii eroftor sittli inentH, nn- iloiil)tc(.| sue Rich as:i'iiul- fUl'lll liiiuls. IViisiieroin set tiers. at (ilonhoro' for tho iii^r|,t, in/il.in« an emly wtiirt iirxt iiimiiing in conv.-yancus, (liv■is. Mr. Scarth undertook on behalf of the Government to carry out the arrangements made for .settling these crotters, I believe. We passed on through a very useful, open country by Barnett Lake, and so <.,. to Pelican Lake, getti • a tine view of the beautiful scenery all round as far as the eye could reVh, and had a Ion" talk with a young farmer, busy stacking wheat. His former occupation was in a Liverpool merchant's ofHce. He is married, and his two sisters, who came out to Canada with him, have both since married well to neighbouring settlers. A young man, an English clergyman's son, was helping him on the stack. All appeared happy and contented, enjoyed the freedom of the life, and, as they put it, being their own "IX)S.S. " We again started over the prairie, occasionally calling on a settler a-^ we passed, and driving through some good liay country down to Lelmont, a station on the Canadian Pacific Railway. Here we halted for tea, and then on by moonlight over the prairie, watering our horses on the way at an Icelanders' settlement (these are said to make some ot the very best settlers, being thrifty and industrious), and so back, alter a run of over 50 miles, to Glenboro.' Some of our party carried guns, iuid biigged prairie chicken, ducks, and teal during the day's ride, all of which are very plentiful in this district. The followin.^ morning we left Glenboro' in four rigs, or spring waggons of the c.)untry, our destinations being Plum Creek, And thence by rail to hJrandon. Ihe land for some miles was very rich, well farmed and caused many of us to wish we had a thousand acres of su,;h .-soU in hngland. The first man we .spoke to was very bu.sy. like the Mr. Ihnry Slinmon»'» Hfjmrt. L..,,,' '^.'^ '":""■'"■"'":'' '" '''•"■"'"^"'i'- ; »'« famed lOO acres ^•l.,.f '. . . >'*'*' ■*'^ i>UHh«'ls j)».r acre, am , iud.'iii.' t'loiii bu tr rw '^""^-"' >'-•'• i^.'""i thn :.ti..Miuir:;v.. u I .,n«l.t t,.,.t_l,..r quart er.s..,.ti„„ ..f land, built a k...„| Iu.u.s,. u„d puMn..s...H and with tl.0 assistance of his sons and dai.Kl.u.rH vh, ^; m,:' .;;:wi '"I't^- '^;' "^^'' '"^'' '•"""^'•>- '^'"' '""-'■- "-< •-• .- n cTL 1 r *'"'"""« '' half-section (;}l.'0 acres), with a very roken up, e^fht Cilars an acre, and was c>v..iy year ..ayini: for more i^la^ in 1 " *'";", ^';:"t'""7' »"'• ^vay through .....d landtall wcl tirin.d and m lar^.^ hold.n«s ; here we ww a (loci< of about :.'()) South- iiaa to >aid thrni by night from wolves. We Imltcd at a new raUwiv t ::^ m-::;v 7' *'"■"'? r'"'^-^^*" ^'^^ '•'^■'"- ^--- -"-^ ^i-^-; :; ^ v!.r ^ ^ '*"'^' ''''^ the Station and village all built within the last J tar. • On resuming our journey we crossed the river, and imssed throu-di a long stretch of praine, not of such g..od .,ualitv as thit we ha.l lef an 1 mostly unbroken, held by speculators. Hadgersand gophers (1 ttle animals between our rat and squirrel) abound, the badgers mak ' holes in the trail very dangerous for the horses' legs : but i, is curiou^ to notice how very carefully these endurable little .^^^untrv horses avoid stepping into thein. Evening found us at Plum Creek, after a drive of 5G miles. We calculated that during our drive, looking some two miles in each direction we had seen something like ;J,000,00() bushels 5 jlT "1 •''''^i ^' ""^''^"^ '' ''^''' hailstorm had crosse.l one district early m the season, and the wheat injured by it was just bein- cut ver\ short and green, and not of much value. Tt is a rare occun-ence in Canada, and no such thing as a hail insurance office exists. Plum Creek is a very pretty place on the Souris river and a large quantity of good land is available for corn-growing ; but here the spec ilators have been largely at work, and much of theTand is in their hands, for which they now ask from eight to ten dollars an acre. W^e left by train, arriving at IJrandon for. the night. Friday mornin^ we went, accompanied by Mr. Daly, M.P., and many of the leadin- men in Brandon to visit a large farm occupied by a Mr. Sandison! from Scotland, whose land was some of the richest ami his management ot It, from a mere corn-raising point of view, the most businesslike we have seen in Canada. From his own statement, verified by others about seven years ago he began this farm with borrowed capital. He is to-day undoubtedly a man of very considerable means, say from seven to ten thousand pounds. The system is one of continuous cropping, and this year, after six previous corn crops, he complains he grows too much straw, all of which he burns out of his way immediately after harvest. He has 1,550 acres of Fife wheat (the most favourite wheat produced in Canada), which he expects will yield from 35 to 40 bushels, of 60 lbs. the bushel, per acre; and from the way it came down the spouts of two threshing machines then at work in the fields being at the rate of 3 bushels every minute each machine, and the appearance"**' -ni-.-- .i • , , 141 '^- I; ('. I. if I !IIH crop, rate, reach the 35 bushels per acre, and : will probably, at any most of it of good quality, ana 142 The AgricnUnral and other Resources of Canada. If 'VI Milling' indus try. no coniplfiint of (lairuige by frost. Of oats he has 550 acres, all after six years' previous eoi'ii crops, and lie estimates the yield at from eight to ten quartei's, of 34 lbs. the bushel, per acre. The black Tartars are really a \ei'y fine crop. He took an adjoining section of G40 acres last year for three years, at a rent^il of half a dollar per acre per annum. It is all ready for planting with wheat next season, well cleared, and will only recjuire breaking down with the harrows in the spring of ISitl, to produce, after drilling, a fine crop of wheat. The only stock on the farm is 18 {)airs of horses, working sulky pkjughs on which the ploughmen ride ; and we noticed twelve binders standing in the home- stead awaiting winter .|uarters. Wild geese, ducks, and other game are }ili'aliful on the farm, and produce good sport. On our homcnvard journey we called at the Brandon experimental farm, where luncheon was i)rovided for our party. The same system IS carrietl out here as at Ottawa, and the buildings and management are on the same conimc^ndable principle, and under good painstaking managers. In the afternoon we drove over the country on the east side cf JJrandoii, calling on oui' way through the city to see a stud of Shire and thorougli-])rwl hoi'scs, imported from England. We thought them only .second rate, and fear the English .sellers take quite enough money, without, at the saine time, taking care that the article sold is good. A\ I' iiad a drive of some ten miles out, taking a circle home again through a great country of land available for innnigrants, and a good deal of it already taken up, at from !?5 to $12 an acre. This country is said to be subject to drought, but as a whole, we think It well worthy the attention of intending settlers. A considerable quantity of land for many miles beyond Brandon is available and of good ''"'i On the I\ronday and Tuesday following, we dn.ve through the country m my friend's waggon and pair of horses, T paying others to • carry on his harvest work in his stea.l, time being valuable just at th season. A\ e yus.ted first Ins sister, who has latety left England, f leading a huly s life, hunting in the .season, to marry a former ac.uaint- ance, a young man, son of a d.-rgyman, also in Dorsetshire, who has ••^20 acres of and near I found him, l.u ing but a small quantity o an.l broken for corn this year, gone to assist a neighbour with his m..est, and the wife left at home with one little English servant -dH to milk the C..WS, water the h,^rses, feed the pigs, .tc.', .V-e. The ho^ise was simj.ly built tor a granary, but re-arranged in haste for a temi.ora.^v house, and a better dinner, better cooked, or in more comfortable quart^^rs, I do not desire than this lady, without any notice, got r.-ady On the following day we visited another friend, also farmin- ;ioo acres, who had married a Canadian la.ly. Here we ha.l go.,,! f^uv In the greatest comfort, which at once convinced me that Canada withr.ut a wite is a poor place indeed. My earnest advice to a settler i« " (Jet at once a good wife, and you will have then little to desire." ' 143 k nil Hi A fertile dis triot. The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. nv^r. "^"""^ ?^ ^^^ ^^^^ '''*' ^''^^*^^ '"^ny f^™s, on all of which the owners were busy stacking wheat, and we had to hear tales of much of It being more or less frosted, causing disappointment. I fear, howexer, that this largely arises from the advantages of early seeding and better taiming not being thoroughly appreciated ; but I am glad to say that LnoJnnf r^S ^°^ *''* ^'^ '^'■^^'""^ *he damage was less"^than anticipated. The old tale was told from former bankers' clerks, sailors, riiZ'^fT'' f^!~".^^^, ^^^« *« »-°"gh it, and meet with man; re^ ei ses, but prefer farming here with it all, to our original occupations. " You wonder sometimes, thinking can they really mean what they say, but as you become better acquainted with the country vou understand and believe To prove that this kind of life in no way tends to lower a mans natural tastes and instincts, my friend said to me in the midst of a dense forest, where we had lost our trail, and had just managed Unt Z '''''°'"''' ^'u ^'''''' °^"'' ^'^"^ ^'''-' *'-^^« ^hi«h had fallen verv m?! '^""T' Y""^^ P^''?"^ "' *^" ^^h>^«' " I d« ™i^^«. Mr. Simmons, very much indeed, my music and literature " nlpnf?.'f '' '-^^^ery useful part of the country, with good shooting, p enty of wood and water, and land that will produce for some years' ZrohZf^ '7Pf "^ 2/-*^ t^,^"^^^'^ «* wheat per acre which can be dosa on Tn!/'""" t \^^ T ^'''- ^^^ ^^^^^ left me at Minne- Wel^«J ^^ "'^^*' ''^''' ^ ^^^^^ J^i'^^d the other delegates on Wednesday morning, going on to Neepawa, our next stop. is onp nf ^.r*""? ^"1'*''' word meaning plenty-is well named, as this IS one of the most productive districts we have struck. In 1882 only inhabitant^ Tf', ' iT"" :^ '' '''^^''' ^ P'-^^y *«^^" of «««"« 600 Slat tl o.?\nT^ ^u^^'' '^'''' P^^* ^^^ ^ ^^«P' ™h 1«^"^' ^^^ bears wheat from 25 to 40 bushels per acre for many successive years. One farmer told us his crop on 173 acres yielded 26 bushels per aero this season and his oats and some barley turned out remunetative. Last year he was offered for h s wheat in the autumn $1.15, and sold in the spring for 9o cents only. This district leads away to the Riding Mountains, where a big fire was raging. Much good hay land is hereabouts, and altogether it is a good ''country anTthe people are p'XTh P ^' "»"'' ;7-'°^r^ ^"' '''' -'^ ^^^^^ next mCntg : frnot S o "?' ^^^ ""^t settlement of some 3,000 people, and a gi^nd tact of corn-producmg land, reaching away for many mii;s on alf sides ot the towm Here our party divided, taking different sections of the country Four arge ..orn elevators and exte^'nsive mills are here and It IS quite a sight to witness the constant flow of waggons bringing in wheat, and returning with all speed to the various threshing mfS at work in every direction as far as the eye can reach. It S said at least one million bushels of wheat are received here each season We drove out with a Mr. Sorby to see his farm, 17 miles distant and passed through a large breadth of country, in 4hich wheat has bten grown on the bulk of it, ten, fifteen, and evin twenty yelrssucoesiveTy On asking why the crops generally appeared to have been only mS rate his year, we were told the season had been unfavourable ; but Zr^T^'Tr '^■^' *'''"* *'^" '^"'^ ^^^'^^d exhausted, and that some course of mixed farming nmst be followed if the crops are to keep up s ctTon'sTl's^oli' i"^/- 'r'f ^™'^'"*^^ '''''' ^ '^--' bought't^S sections (1,280 acres; of unbroken prairie, and half a section of hay Inly He'hfd 8.0''""' ''/'^l'"^ !"•" ""•«• ^*"« >« '"« -cond crop only. He had 830 acres of wheat, 23 bushels per acre, allowing for shed corn, owing to not being able to cut in time, and some frosted wheat ; and 50 acres of oats, 56 bushels per acre. He intends g o Ig 1,200 acres of wheat and 80 of oats next year, and increasing wf Mr. Henry Simmons's Report. reaping machines to ten, in order to cut all in about one week. He has two good houses, good buildings, and what we had hardly seen in Canada before, a large shed for implements : but he and his family Jive m Portage la P.vune. His system is to keep few n.en and horses on the farm, benig able to hire any quantity of both in the busy time : only during the winter having a foren.an and one other man to pay. He only visits his farm once a fortnight, except during the busy seasons ot spring planting, haymaking, harvesting, and autumn ploughing-this S'T/r^n ''^ ™"'''^'^' *"™"^ ^''« ""^1^'1« of AP"1 He said he .; W tt ^ ^""^'i *•*" "" "'''''' *° P'°"gh *«»• ^1-' 5 (7s.) per acre, and the work was being well done. He purposes growing wheat suc- cessively for four years, and then planting timothy grass and stocking, tLL ^^!'^t«'\o^'"8 "^'"g ^'-I'lted in this country is a consideration, llus is, without doubt, the easiest system of farming we have seen X^^r^l^'l "'" '°' '''' ""''' ''^ y^-'^'- ''^^ q"-t-n arises WilHt Sn ^f^'" the present owner cares little about, leaving those who soorfinro. rttf 1 ";*• 1 ^y «P--" - that the' prairie formers will soon find out that the land will repay better and more careful farming than It now m many cases receives. The land now, including build- ings is worth about .^50 an acre; much of it would grow Cley. and this will, no doubt, be resorted to, as a change of crop ^ 1 ^ ^f^P^^"",'" "^'"8 straw, for which they pay 8 shillings per mntfn n.r*- ^'t'Tn'' ^^'^ '^'' ^^^*™t' --d the compan/ hrve mills in other parts of Canada. This would appear a rising industry m a country where straw is not valued as a manure. We left Portagi on Ihursday evening, arriving at Indian Head on Friday morning, and having breakfasted at the Commercial hotel, went at once ove^' the menfoTM mT""'"'^ ^^'"™' ^^^™^ ^'^ ^ere under the manage- ment of Mr. Mackay exactly on the same lines as those already described at Ottawa and Brandon, and certainly with equal credit to him as regards TriL n .'? ""^ u^**^"" ^"^'^*y' ^^t the climate more backward. Here an excellent lunch was prepared for our party, and great hospitality shown to us by Mr. and Mrs. Mackay. ^ ■" * P y consi^L^^oTsfoOoitf t'l"' T'-l^-'de known Bell Farm, formerly The BeU ^n^i 1 q nnn ' , '^'' ^",* '"'* P''°'''"» ''^ ^^'^'^^ss, the land was sold, f^nn. some 13,000 acres being purchased by the then manager, Major Bell and the remainder by a colonization society under Lord Brassey. A to M ^r^ 1?T °^-™'' ''''^ ^.""^ ^''"''^g «"' ^« ''O"!^ "«t do justice stle 5hi« f n ™"'^' t^' "nfoi-tunately for him, we entered on the deothis holding on which all his wheat was badly frosted, much t!i^ ^"^^""'"i ''"^ ^'•"'T ^"'^ "'^ttle feeding on it ; and the other cut green and made -nto stacks for fodder. The storm was so heavy that we turned back, and did not see his finer and better wheats, of Vhich Jnd 900^'?'"' H*^V°^^«V^"^"^ ^°P^^ "^^*^ y^'-^'- to g'W 3,000 acres and 200 acres of oats. We saw at his house, which with the buildings was lemarkably good, some good samples of the corn grown this season. Ihe Colonization Society's farm comprises 60 sections of 640 acres Wn. A "' T-""' ""^y '*^'*^'* ''' ^^^y ^''^■'^t, little work has been done £ \ forV''l r, I "" "^'^^g^t' house, buildings and cottages. The dea IS for English labourers to be assisted to emigrate, work on the uZ Zh r'"' '""'* *''''' 'I"'." •'^^^o'-ding to ability on portions of the evL t ' T?^"!?:'*' ^"°g ^^tended in easy instalments over answe / W ^' '''" ^' nteresting to see how this experiment Sh rhn; f.r-"^ «onie good English Shire horses, and noticed 500 Shorthorn cati.le in one field. This neighbourhood is not equal to that ^ve had just left, and as we rejoined our car at three o'clock in the 145 I 146 The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. iifternoon and travelled towaixk Regina, we passed through prairie land of rather poor quality, little wood upon it, and very few settlers. The cost of producing a crop of wheat from sowing to the delivery into the elevator is estimated throughout Manitoba at from 28s. to 30s. an acre. j'.'* From Regius t<> Princo Albert THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES. We reached liegina, hut made no stay there this time, going on a 250 miles journey by train to Prince Albert, ariiving there on Sunday morning after a somewhat uninteresting travel through a Hat prairie country of poor quality and lacking wood and water, but it is said to be better than it looks. A tire was burning for many miles as we passed on over the puiirie, the railway track, stations, and the few liouses to be seen being protected from the tire by what are called fire- guards. This is about six. or eight furrows plouglied along each side of the rail and around the houses, which prevents the lire crossing. Tlie efiect of the fire gives a \'ery desolate, bleak, barren appearance to the country. At the various stations very large heaps of buffalo bones, collected oti" the prairie by Indians, and sent, I am told, to England, are to be seen, and the Indians themselves, with horses and quaint shaped carts, camping very like the old English gipsy a short distance away on the rising ground. A few herds of cattle, flocks of wild geese, ducks, an occasional wolf or fox, startled by our train (the .second only, I belie\e, that has passed up this newly-laid line), completed the picture. Prince Albert contains about 900 inhabitants, and is very pleasantly situated on the river Saskatchewan, the surrounding scenery being very beautiful, and there are some very good houses on the high ground, with the police barracks and nunnery on the hilltop. We were taken in carriages for a circuitous drive through the country of .So miles, calling at various farms and inspecting the grain. Some of the wheat was frosted, probably owing to late sowing, but the barley was of good quality. So far as we could judge, this district is more calculated for ranching than corn-growing at present, having no market ; but the line now open, and should eventually the contemplated line from the Northern Pacific be made, it would grow rapidly into an important settlement. We heard of much good corn land and fine hay country in the opposite direction to the one we took, and the whole is well shell ered, with wood and water, and aflbrds good shooting and sport of all kinds. I fancy this part of the country must wait a few years till more accessible districts are taken up . We left on Monday morning on our return journey, calling at Duck Lake, and driving out through a wide extent of prairie, with apparently little stock on it. A considerable t»ade in furs and skins is carried on here. Our next stoppage was at Saskatoon, to see some very fine samples of corn and specimens of roots. Oats were particularly fine, and here it was that a radish was given us, weighing 9 lbs., of good quality and flavour. We then continued our wav, reaching Regina on Tuesday morning in a downfall of rain. Reginaj^ tlie capital of the North-W^est Territories, contains about 2,000 people, and was started ten years since; it boasts of little beauty as to situation, being flat, and surrounr a by boundless prairie. It is rightly named "Queen City of the Plains. It is a growing city, with several good hotels, churches, banks, and other public buildings, but owing to the heavy rain, the streets were in a wretched condition. We could see little of the country, the weathei- being so bad, but attended an agricultural exhibition going on in tlie city. Unfortunately the cattle did not arrive agh prairie ew settlers, he delivery 28s. to 30a. on Sunday flat prairie t is said to liles as we nd the few called fire- i^ each side •e crossing, pearance to ffalo bones, England, and (juaint rt distance wild geese, the second ipleted the nd is very irrounding houses on lie hilltop, he country dn. Some tlie barley ict is more having no itemplated ily into an nd line hay the whole ooting and (fait a few calling at airie, with and skins 3 see some articularly ing 9 lbs., , reaching tlie capital , and was tion, being 3d "Queen lod hotels, the heavy ee little of Efricultural not arrive Mr. Henry Simmons's Repm-t. until after we left, but we saw quite a displ.-^y of excellent corn, grasses, and roots from the Indian Head experimental farm, and also others grown by farmei's m tiie neigliiwurhood. including butter, cheese, wines pickles, bread, harness, and many other useful things ; also needle- work, fancy articles, writing, maps, and work done l)v children. A special exhibition of the productions from the Indilin reserve, in- cluding most of the things above mentioned, particularly interested us, and we thought the wheat the l)est in the whole show. We met many farmers, among them a Berkshireman and a Lincolnshire man ; all reported favourably of their position and prospects. We were enter- tained at a grand dinner in the evening by the l(>ading citizens, and atterwards re]oined our railway car, starting during' the night for Calgary. We have noticed throughout Canada mares with foals are worked as before, both for driving and farm purposes, the foals running by the suie of the dam ; this, coui)le(l with the climate, may account in .some mea.sui-e for the powers of endurance the Canadian horses pos.sess. In iingland our hard n>ads would make this impiucticable. On our long ride to Calgary of some thousand miles— chiefly through a wide expanse of prairie land, much of it of somewhat barren appearance, with here and there settlers' houses and occasional herds of cattle and horses, several large lakes, but not a tree to be seen— we met several fellow-travellers, who gave us much useful 1 n^!r!!^'^*^°''' "^'^"^ ^" Piifticular, a Mr. Stone, manager of eleven farms of 10,000 acres each, much of it being land we were then passing through acquired by Sir John Lister Kaye, and sold bv him to the CanadCm Coal, Agricultural and Colonization Company. Mr. Stone's experience was that, owing to the frequent droughts, he should in future look rather to hor.se and cattle ranching than corn-growing, only raising corn surticient for his own use and requirements. He had suffered this season from frost to the wheat and hot winds in July, which had damaged the oat crop, of which we saw 300 acres being cut for fodder He had grown 25 bushels of wheat per acre. He had 400 mares, and imported Shii'e and thoroughbred stallions, and endeavoured to keep them out all winter on the prairie, sometimes without any hay beino- given them. He also had 2.3,000 merino ewes, crossed with Cheviot" Shropshire and Leicester rams, which seemed to me must lead to a mixed medley of mongrel sheep, unless the pure strains are imported. Lwes cost 14s. each, and he sold lambs at lis. each. He clipped this season 50 tons of wool, wliich .sold at 7id. per lb. unwashed. Foot- rot IS unknown. The sheep have to be housed at night all the winter against the wolves, 500 of these animals being killed annually One shepherd attends 2,000 sheep. This housing is a drawback to profit- able sheep-farming. He had in all 700 horses and over 7,000 cattle of the Shorthorn and Polled Angus breeds on the respective farms and ranches. He prefers the Berkshire bre.3fl of pigs to Yorkshire or any other breed yet tried. Water can be got at about 60 feet, and the wells are worked by windmills. General Gi'ant was another gentleman who, with his son, was seeing the country west. His son was settled at Griswold, 25'miles from Brandon ; had lived two years with a farmer, then homesteaded a half-section ; had since taken up another half-section and additional hay land ; and having now a partner in a young Englishman, they had added a livery stable business, and appeared to be doing well. The General returned with us on the " Parisian " to England, pleased and del'dited with his .son's success and Caniifla senerallv. We arrived on Thursday morning, 9th October, at Calgary, the capital of the important district of Alberta. It is a tliri\ ing town of 147 I I 5! ft.: M 148 The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. about r),000 people, situate at tlie Junction of the Bow and Elbow rivers, coinniandinj; j,'iand views of the Rocky Mountains. We were received at the Alberta hotel by the mayor and others, and at once started for a long ridi." to see the country, and called at a large farm held by a gentleman who with his brother combines this with land in British Columbia, and a large business as butchers. We saw grazing on the prairie ft, herd of 120 bullocks of mixed breeds ready for slaugh- tei', and they appeared to be doing well. We also saw a small flock of Merino sheep. Not nmch corn is grown, excepting oats and barley for home consumption. Threshing was then going on with a horse-power machine worked by 12. horses, a novel sight to us. The yield was satisfactory, being about 56 busliels per acre. After luncheon we returned to Calgary by another route, through a good ranching country, fording the rivers, and calling at a woollen manufactory, where we saw good rugs and blankets produced from the wool grown in the district. The following morning it was arranged to divide our party, some staying to do the agricultural show being held in Calgary, while six of us left at eight o'clock in a four-horse rig for a two days' tour through the fine ranching district stretching out towards the foot of the Rockies. We passed over more than 100 miles of country, seeing several noted horse and cattle ranches, and returned to Calgary the following day, much pleased with the enormous resources of this vast Alberta province, generally. Without doubt, opened up as it now is by the Canadian Pacific Railway and other lines in formation to the Edmon- ton, Lethbridge, and other districts containing an untold area of land suitable for corn-growing, dairying and grazing purposes, tosrether with an abundance of timber, coal and valuable minerals, this will fast become one of the great centres of Canadian trade and prosperity. We left for Banft during the night, arriving there on Sunday morning, where we spent a quiet day, getting our fill of this our first actual view of the. Rockies and visiting the sulphur spring baths. The scenery is simply magnificent, and as we journeyed on at day break on Monday morning for our next stopping-place. New Westminster, the views that met our eyes on every side and at every point filled us with awe and admiration. To attempt a description of the ride through the Rockies would fill a volume, and must be made to be thoroughly understood. I can only say we occapied a place in the observation car the greater part of the time, and, although the whole journey strikes you as possessing more than the ordinary elements of danger, you become entranced with the nobleness of the everlasting hills, and almost regret finding yourself once more in the open country beyond. PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. We reached New Westminster on Tuesday afternoon. It is situated very prettily on the Fraser river, contains about 7,000 people, and from the building and improvements now going on, is evidently thriving, and every effort is being made to increase the trade and add to the growing importance of the town. The lumber mills here are extensive, and well repaid us for avisit; also the various salmon canneries on the Frfiser. This has become an enormous industry, Messrs. Ewing's establishuient alone working 400 hands in the factory and an ecjual number fishing, and turned out this season 25,000 cases of forty-eight 1-lb. tins of salmon in each case. The season lasts from about the 10th of July to the end of August. The Fraser river abounds in salmon ; but throughout British Columbia, salmon will not rise to a fly; they are all ^fr. Henry Himtnoms Report. netted. We tiwk a sto;nnl)oat to Ln^lner's Landing, some few niilck. downtlie Fraser, and l.ad a short drive into the rich delta district, llus IS an immense tract of land said a tVnv years since to be worth only a dollar an acre, and is now, by drainaf,'e, selling at |!50 an acre. It is said to produce 3 tons of timothy jr,,iss, 6 to 7 quarters ..f wheat, and fronj 10 to 15 (,uarters of oat.^ per acre, and the samples we saw wtTe of very fine (piality. Fruit trees, vegetables, and roots of all kinds simply revel in the rich alluvial soil. The following,' Thursday morning we started by road for Vancouver, a distance of U miles, through a forest of timber j)assing belief for multitude and size, many of the Douglas pines being 2.50 feet high and measuring from 25 to 50 feet in circumference. Fire here, as every- where else, had ravaged much of it, the whole being in a primeval state, and apparently of little value, as it costs more to clear the land than the timber is worth. This is splendid land cleared of timber, but the labour is appalling. Vancouver is and must become a very important city, from its situation commanding the Pacific trade and commerce, it IS only ot four years' growth, and already contains 1.5,000 people. Some very fine hotels, chun-hes, houses, and large shops are in course of erection, but even here the speculator has gone in advance of the demand, and finds he has to wait awhile to realize the large prices paid for the land around. Lulu Island, distant about ten miles, was visited by us in the afternoon. This ride was through forest as before described, and from Its nearness to Vancouver, clearing is going dh. Lulu Island is another tract of lich land of some 25,000 to 30,000 acres in extent. Like the delta, after drainage, it is lich and most productive and sells for good prices according to situation. The country struck us as somewhat uninviting, and requiring better railways and other means of acce.ss before it can be fully developed. The climate through- out Lntish Columbia is a good deal like that of England, only not so changeable. "\\ e left Vancouver on Friday evening by boat, calling for the night at Nanaimo, and seeing the coal mines there (output daily 1,800 tons; price at pit's mouth, 16s. a ton); then on next morning to Vancouver Island, to Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia. Ihe mayor and corporation received us on arrival, and after takin^' up our quarters at the Driard hotel, were driven round the city and public park, calling on Lieutenant-CJovernor Nelson, a very genial, intelligent man, in our round, and visiting the public buildincs and museum of the natural productions of the province; afterwards a dinner \yas given in our honour and a most enjoyable evening spent. On Sunday we drove out into the country, calling at various farms on our way. The quantity of fruit hanging on the trees, chiefly apples and pears, struck us as very wonderful ; the trees were literally broken down with the weight of fruit, and little or no demand for it, hardly wort^li the expense of gathering. Frost had spoilt some of the back- ward grapes and plums. On Monday, being unable to leave the island owing to an accident to the boat, we rode out about four miles bv the electric cars to Esquimalt, and saw the large dry docks and other places of interst there. This island seems more adapted for small occupations ; vegetables and poultry, with milk and butter, are always wanted, and command good prices. Butter is 2s. a pound, egfs 2(1. each, milk ,5d. a gallon, and fowls 4s. each just now. The land is rich, but much of it heavily timbered. A^ictoria contains about 25,000 people, and the houses and buildings are good; the appearance of the whole city tlonutes wealth and comfort, and is altogether worthy of being the capital. 11 '49 ii p\\ Forest trees. '■{ ! 150 The Ayricnhnml and other BeaoHrces of Canada. We left Monday evening for Vuiicouvor, ami, rojoiiiing our rail- way car, coinintMicocl our homeward journey, visiting by boat from ^.,•w Westminster down the Fraser, the Sunias valley, a large district ot some 20,000 acres of land available for grazing and corn-growing ; tlio lower lands an' alluvial deposits of many feet in depth, and of great richness. Here we saw an extraordinary croj) of apples in all quarters, and the land was being cleared of the timber on (ho higher lands and settlements made. We saw here .some very good farm buildings, and good Shorthorn cattle and some well-bred young horses in the pastures. We remained tlus niglit at Chilliwack, and then drove through more of the low lauds, crossing the liver near the Government experimental farm at Agassiz ; this had not long been started, and the day being wek, after witnessing the systtMii employed to remove the roots of trees, »t(;., in clearing, we took our railway car, and bid adieu to British Columbia. We could not for want of time visit the Okanagon and Similk- .•imeen valleys, a district not yet opened up by railway, but said to be 300,000 acres of the finest land for mixed farming in Canada. Much of it is already settled, but large quantities are still owned by speculators waiting for their time. We were told that last season 1 -JO tons of twine, for the machines to bind the corn with, was used in this district alone. Our next stay was for one hour at Medicme Hat, to see the North-Western Territories hospital, erected by Mr. Niblock, a fine building well arranged, and the comfort and cleanliness of the immates, 17 in number, cared for in every way. Two wards were furnished by tiie Duke and Duclie.ss of Coimaught, and are named after them respectively. On Sunday morning we reached Wolseley, a small town of about 200 people, and, under the guidance of Mr. Senator Periey, we drove in difterent directions through the surrounding country, visiting the settlers as we passed. The good wives of Wolseley were much dis"'- tui-bed by our taking their husbands out on the Sunday morning, but we made a compromise, and all went to cliurch in the evening. There is a very large tract of land here awaiting settlement, and can be bought cheap. The land is much of it of good quality, but lies exposed and more fit for ranching. Others of our party reported more favourably of the district they saw, and thought it favourable for mixed farming. The Qu'Appelle valley, formeriy the bed of the river, is very pretty and productive. About 50 German settlers, with their families, had just reached here from Dunmore, near Medicine Hat, where the seaso!i had proved too dry for them, and they had exchanged for land near Wolseley. From here we went on to Moosomin, a town of about eight years' standing and 800 people, and one that will continue to increase and improve. I should recommend, from all we saw in a long drive through it, this district to the notice of settlers for mixed farming; the land is of good quality, easily cleared, with plenty of wood and water, and to be had in large or small quantities, at a leasonable cost. We saw some good crops of wheat, but little damage done by frost, and the yield was reported good. We went over the schools, and in the evening were entertained by the mayor and corporation and other friends at a dinner. We left the following morning, making our way to Winnipeg, and thence by a short run into the States by the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway, returning by Niagara, into the Province of KPiiiarks on '^ ' ■ ' • • ■ ■ - — iudustiies. *if- ^iue, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and a Mr. Hobson, of Observations on tlio return journey. n ^tirn to On- tario. Ontario, being taken in hand at Hamilton (45,000 inhabitants) by Mr. Blue, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and a Mr. Hobson, of Masborougli. Niagara, like the Rockies, must be seen to be thoroughly ^f)^. Jtenry Si>nmona'n Report. appreciated. I will only now say, after four hours' caroful viowins?, I was charmed with the whole scene, and on leaving rcy;retted that |>ossibly it was for ever. After visiting an electro-plate manufactory and other places of note, we took train for Brantford, where we remained the night. During the evening we attended a meeting of the Board of Trade, and wen; introduced to many of the leading men, afterwards going home with the president for a short interview and light refreshment. Starting early the next morning, we went out about three miles to see the Bow Park. farm, occupied by Messrs. Nelson, consisting of 1,000 acres of \ery' productive land, well and highly farmed on the mixed system of husbandry. Here, owing to the milder climate, autumn-sown wheat is practised and was looking very pi'oud, and a better plant of young grass seeds I have seldom seen in any country. The buildings are ample and very extensive, and the heitl of Shorthorns is second to none in Canada ; in fact, they would compete favourably with many of our best English herds. Unfor- tunately the manger, Mr. Howe, was from home, acting as judge at the Chicago horse show, where we had previously met him. A parti- cularly good lot of young heifers, now being served by a young bull of prime quality bred on the farm, look like maintaining the prestige of the herd. The autumn-sown wheat this year yielded 32 bushels per acre. On our return journey we visited the Mohawk church, where Captain Joseph Brant was buried, and afterwards .saw a very handsome monument erected to his memory in Brantford. He was an Indian chief, very loyal to the English Crown at the time of the American Rebellion. He died in 1807. After seeing .several agricultural and other manufactories in Brantford and visiting the house of refuge and an asylum for the blind a few miles out, our party divided, I and one other delegate going on with Mr. Hobson to Paris (5,000 inhabitants), passing through a country of )nixed farming very like the many parts of England, good houses and homesteads, and land fenced in, fairly well farmed. We vfere told much of it could be bought at from £10 to £15 an acre. Ifll /in 'i.i I, I ii i' . Hi AS ONIARIO I'AUir. 162 Till' Affvirultninl nml nilu,- h'-ximrri's of Caiiiiiln. 1 S ■li rwcrity-fivf Imslicis of wliciil jut juic was nlmut llic ii\ciji;;i' yield tliJH smson. We oalhid (in one or two farmers, and all ^ave a tuvuurable report of thn distiii-t. We left Piiris for Woodstoi-k (O.nOO inhabitants), rcat'liing there al)Out 7 oVNick in the evenin),'. The followinj,' inornin),', we drove through a fairly yood country, nmking our first stop at Mr. (Jrcen's, of Ennerick, a Welsh gentleman. He has a very nice house and giM.d premises, with well timbered park like irrounds mid entrance dri\»'. rurchased by Mr. (Jreen eigiit years since at $">") an acre, he now would sell with all improvements at $75 an acre (XIT)). He has two daughters and three sons, and, although quite ladies and gentlemen, they appear to do most of the work, and I have seldom had a better lunch or more comfoitiibly served. Mr. (Jro-n has a small herd of pure-bied Shorthorns, a nice Hock of Shropshire sheep, a few go(Kl Shire-bred horses, and .some pedigree pigs. The Yoikshire j'igs, .said to be of Mr. Sanders Spencer's breed, do little credit to thoir breeder. We next visited a neighbouring farm, owned by .Mr. l»:mahIson, of about 400 acres, with gcKKl hou.se and buildings ; a very nice herd of pure-bred Shorthorns, with a good bull in service, and a good flock of Shropshire sheep. Mr. Donaldson has three sons who have left Ontaiio for the West, purchasing WIO acres each in .Manitoba, in the Brandon district, and they are doing well. His reason for this is that young men can start, cheaper in Manitoba than in an old province like Ontario. We »-eturneil to AVoodstock, going on by train to I^ondon for the night, where a Mr. J. (rib.son, of Delawaie, joined us. London is a nice town of some ;5."),000 inhabitants. We left in the early morning to drive out to Mr. (Jibson's farm at Delaware, about 18 miles by the route we t(M>k, passing through a fairly good country with good fences, houses and buildings. Tn majiy places the old original log hut could be seen standing at the rear of the new, sultstantial, well-built, brick residence. All the houses had A Ttww nc LOHPOK, oirriRio. (Ricbmnnd Street, looking south.) gardens and trees planted around, giving them a home-like and English appearance. Some of the land looked light and sandy, but tlie wheat all showed what we should call at this season, gay. Mr. Gibson's is a well-built, good-looking house, approached through well-planted anil kept greunds, with good buildings, and about 300 acres of productive J/'-, llennt S'iniinonn'ti Jie/iort. 103 •aaci, far...o,i uu tl... E,.j^lish system ehiollv. !(,. has h l.enl of nun. two Ti..f"^. '"'''"'"' ''*^''" '"«v"'y county in Kn-land save ll kl t"iL.Tl '''■■'' ' u- '"'^ Pl'"^.^u"tly situa.,..l villa-., on the I si /t m . . , ' ';• ^-^ ' '■''"'•'""' ^'y '^"•''''•''' '•""*J "> r^ondon, taken J" ; •^"."W ''«''"'. l'""o,I I.y,),,. .vst of our party, who l.a.l U s oil St'r^r"' •"•'''''•'• ^'^"^ •^"^ unfortun^Uel ""^-a 'a U stock-getter Kxperuuenis are carried out in .-rossinL/the various .mis and in all the Shorthorn sire produced the best r.^^ul s Some ah Iv wJn ^u'':' •" ''V^'"' f"-'^'"'^ "«■ -1-' l-ked"i^ r: pay7^ ^UIl^ well. All sheep are housed in the winter. The qualiiv of f wheat grown was niferior. This college is conducted on ve-y sound practical and economical principles, ami every encoura^enu^n ^s Xen the ta in for w uch payment is made according to ability • and ifc i, .ossib e to,- hard-working young men to clear the fe. o J^O m d by thetne:^ Tl^'^S'T'^''" '^ Igement '' '^'''"" ^' '"""^'' ""^' ^'"'^^y ^^ -» "i^'-u'^ We now made our way back to Toronto, from thence to Ottawa u v r. 31iniste of Agriculture, the mayor and corporation, and on th.^ mor w cook our leave and journeyed onto Montreal, t rom tl ence ext day to Quel>ec, embarking on the good ship " Parisian " for En^l nd Having thus briefly described our long travels throu-^h thl vast and interesting country of Canada, I will Ind my report by a suSma,^ of the conclus ons I have arrived at as to tlie^ap^a' lit es S aJ emigration point of view, of the whole country generally! prepared toto T^ **? T'^'T "" ""•g''^"*^^ ^'^ t^^^^' ""less they are Advice and nil ? 1\«'*^','"\'' f'>''a time, at any rate, forget the luxuries of life directions to in England, they had far better remain at home. This at fii n Iv "'.t«'>di"S im- tliioughout our travels, no matter liow unfavourable the surroundings appeared we never hearchiian or woman regret their coniin "to Ca 2 or wish to return to England, other than on a visit to see filends The hrst year IS often trying, but afterwards they become accuSmedto mo.t. part fairly prosperous. ^Ve met several settlers who had -one home .atter a short stay disgusted, but rinding no place in theoldcoun : <\l 164 /'//»• .Iffi'li'iifhitnl niid n/h^r RfMovrr^H of Cnnn>ln. try had returnwl iiml vmto doing wt'll. Vt'iy lit I It* ciinipliunt wai luadn to us about the climate ; no one denien its In-ing cold in tho win- ter, but tho attnoKphere is clear, dry and bracing, and so different to our variable, moist B)nglish climate, that most people prefer it. Tlie seasons, both summer and winter, can be calculiifed on as to their res- pective duration, and consetpiently every care and provision made. The sunnner, iastiriK only from about tho middle of April to the end of Uctoljer, is a time of bustle and constant strain from tho time the crops are put in until they are harvested ; then follows winter, during which to a great extent lalKJur is suspended, and an immense amount of good- fellowsliip and enjoyment goes on throughout the country. I wt»uld advise intending emigrants to go out and obtain work, which can easily be got in summer, and to look around l)eforo deciding as to their future. I say it to all, " If you are doing fairly well at home, there remain ; but if you happen to be one of the vei-y many for whom no place here seems open, or from some cause or other have missed their mark or l)een met liy misfortune, then take my word for it, a home can be found in Canada. " The industrious labourer, skilled or otherwise, can always find remunerative employment. The gardener or .small dairyman would have no difficulty in British Columbia. The man with only XlOO would find homesteads ready to be entered on in many parts of Manitoba and other parts hereinbefore described ; and the man with larger means can find there also any quantity of land, either for corn-growing or ranching, that with industry and gixxl management will soon make him happy and independent. It may be that many a good man will .say, " I should not mind a rough lite myself, but could not subject my wife and children to it." To such a cme I would say — assuming that he has a fair amount of money — " Take a good section of land, and leave for awhile your family in the nearest town till .some of the rough work is done." 1 found men doing 'his at 10 and lo miles distance from the town with success. But arter all, the rough life, as it is called, has its own peculiar charm, anrl I saw mothers and daughters who had lived in the greatest luxury in England, perfectly contented in their log hut, while a better house •was building, with no domestic help whatever V>eyond their own family. Another plan, and to many emigrants with capital at command I would very strongly recommend it, would be to go into the Province of Ontario, which embraces an area of 182,000 square miles — much of it very productive land — and seek out one of the many desirable farms constantly to be bought at from £10 to £20 an acre, with good houses, buildings and fences, and land all under cultivation, and where every comfort of life can be obtained and enjoyed just as easily and more economically than in England. The Ontario farmers prefer sell- ing their holdings and sending their families, if not going themselves, to the rougher life of the far west ; and these, from their experience of earlier years, make good settlers — so making openings in many parts of Ontario for the class of emigrants described above. In England, although from sheer necessity a change is taking place in this respect, laborious manual field labour has been regarded as a degradation ; in Canadn it is really a passport to society. Where- soever we went, the hard-working well-to-do .settler (and the two thin :,'s are usually found to follow each other) was received by every Canadian, no matter what his own position in life wfis, as a brother, to whom they were ever ready to give honour and respect. The same remarks apply equally to the wives and children. To the capitalist. Canada offers great advantages, and large ))er- contages can be obtained on good .security. The only men not wanted ■ 'si ^fr. fh.niy SiinmonHM Hcfmi-t. \n Cunada are the diMsoluto and idle; any ....I, .,„ «,.uin^. ,l„.rc v. ill r r""«''r'' ^''" "•""^••y- Another ol,j..ctionable cIhmk in that of ZL *f • " w'th any amount of numey at command, who eeftt ,i.?V'''"rV""'''""*^''>"' town, lone thoir capital, and ho country before money was Bupplied them from home civili v"hnL?T. I""-^' I ?'" truthfully say I never m.-t with n.ore r«,L^' !'"fP'*"/'^y' '""1 ^inAn^^H than [ did th.-ouKhout Cana.la at eve.y point anr fr,.m every cl,u,8 of her people, to all of whon. I shall feel over deeply uidebted. To the various railway and steamship companies who so generously studied our comfort and convenience, my thanks are gladly rendered, and especially to the Ifon. Mr. Carlini ^uril '\r''"r' tP.i^'/' ""''''' •'''"' "^^ '^'-getting our friend and corner, Mr Lampbell, for attentions and considerations throughout our long and somewhat eventful journey that time can never effii.e. af 1 T \ 'T^r^' '''*^°"«'' "'^^"'■'^"y glad to make for home my family will settle there, I cannot altogether help cherishing the Idea that at some future time T may make a second visit May the visit of the delegates prove of mutual advantage to both count.ies, by causing reliable information to be mmle known and Canada better understood; then, I feel sure, a fair share of our sur- plus population wdl go out, to «m! in that vast, but thinly populated country, happiness and prosperity. ^ 155 1 ''I THE REPORT OF MR. JOHN SPEIR, Newton Farm, Newton. Glasgrow. Lino of trav followed in Ciinadu. ij I had tliP honour of being appointed to represent the south of Scotland as one of the farmer dele.y;ate.s invited by the Canadian (Jov- ernment to visit tiie Dominion to report on its agricultural I'esourcea, anil, leaving (Uasgow on 20th August, I sailed from Liverpool the i"l following day in one of the Allan line steamer.^. After a rather rough passage I landed at Quebec, and, having had a look round it, proceeded to Ottawa to see the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. John Carling). Here I found T was the first to arrive, and while I waited on the others, I twice visited the Government experimental 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 Ontaiio Govern- ment 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 Railway to North Bay, and thence by the Cana- dian Pacific Railway to Winnipeg. From Winnipeg excursions were made both north and south along the Red River ; then the South Western Railway was followed to Carman, which is a branch terminus, and to Glenboro', whei'e the railway Just now ends. From 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 Rapid City, and from it by rail to Minnedosa, then up the Matiitoija and North Western Railway to Saltcoats, the present terminus. Around Saltcoats we had two days' driving, O' ;> south and the other north, and on the latter day we visited the most of tlie families composing the crofter settlement there. Leaving Saltcoats we went down the railway to Binscarth, then north on a branch line to Russell, which is the present terminus. Here we visited Dr. Barnardo's home for boys, retraced our steps to Binscarth, visited the stock-lireeding farm of the Scottish Ontario Land Company there, then passed on to Birtle, saw the agricultural show i)eing held tliat day, iiad 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 Praii'ie, whi're anotlier day was spent seeing the district and people. H(n"e we again joined the Canadian Pacific Railway, which was followed to Indian Head, where we examined the Dominion Govern- ment experimental farm, the Bell farm and the Brassey farm. Leaving Ti)dia!i ITead, we went on to Regina, wheie a short stay was made, and thence by a new branch liise just finished we passed on to Prince Albert. Having had a day's driving round Prince Allu^i't, we again returned to Regina. where an exliibitioriof roots, vegetables, ike, was being held, and whiih wv \ isitoi!. The day following a move was made westwa-'d to iSIi>di(ine Hat, where a short stop was made to visit a s how of roots, grains, itc, which was being held there. Still westward, an^^'ther short stop was miide at Crane Lake, to view a large breeding stud of horf.es belonging lo the Canadiaii Agricultural Com- pany ; after wliicii a halt was not n.ade till Calgary was reached. ^fr. John Speir's licport. ^nTc ^^'°">? *'"■"'' ^T """^'^ '^P^'^t ^''^'t'^S ^^"If". horse, and sheep ranches, mixed tarms, and an exhibition of cattFe, hor«es, sheep ..rain Ic t he ?nd"ofT^"'V'^' \^^;^'^ "^ "^"*^ -^^ *" ^«" Westminster, whi-S IS the end of a «liort branch hne, 18 miles from the terminus „f the radway on the Pacific coast. From here a short sail was taken up e fhTrairr; ""•^""" '^^ ^^^^^^ ^^'^^'^^ during which sevend S the salmon canneries were visited. From the landing I drove over to a^7sS7' T.-"^^' ""' ^'i"'' and vegetable farn.r one stock farm" c osS the F ^'' '^" ^■^^- I^^t""""g f ro^ Boundary bay, I l\7h£ht r"" "'""". 'V'''°^ '^"'^'•S"' ^'^d handsome passenger S nH /^v ^^'"''^''■^' to Stevenson, from which I drove across lSIu . ' v^n^ l ] '^Y^'V'^^'' ^^^1.^ ^ J^'"^^ the rest of the company. After io nL. ^ I<'«1^ round Vancouver and its vicinity, we took steameJ Uie mt o "theV ^'^^°"^'^;;'«lf "d. Here I visited and descended one of T3r A ^TT^^" ^""'"^ Con.pany, and then took rail to Victoria. Vrt,..r f? ^-'alf were spent in and around the district north oi thence n^!^!-l T V ^^'';!?*"''"«l P'''' ^^^mer to Vancouver, and from uo ,Tve,? ' f '7 ^ '"•^^•""-^^■'•- Here we joined the regular up-.iver steamer which conveyed us to Sumass, from which we'drove aiTe' nl "'.'"iT' ^""7 t^P-^P-™. -here we entered InSi ra w^; V''' 5^^"''' ""1^^^' '^'^ the river to opposite Agas.iz .aihvay station, where we landed, and after hurriedly visiting the Dominion Governm.nt experimental farm there, again joined the eastward-bouiid trail. On the way back to Winnipeg, some of he party dropped ort at Ca gary, R.gina and Brandon, and I went off ami assedaday around \\oiseley, and another at Mooson .in, where I visited a number of the Lady Cathcart crofters; after which I went on to Winmp.^.. From there I returned round the south side of the Onri-r f .1 ' ^y'"'^«'^P«h«and Chicago, to Port Huron, entering Untduo at the south-west corner. From this I went to London Whence north, vid Clinton, Blythe and Wingham, to Kincardine. North of ivincardine I spent a portion of one day, and then drove south about 1- miles, and trom there on to Wingham, Palmerston, Guelph an.l ioronto, where 1 again joined the other delegates. The following dav was spent driving through the country about 12 or 15 miles norUi of Ioronto wliere. anu.ng others, we visited Mr. Russell's excellent stock ot tehorthonis and Cly.lesdales. From Toronto we went to Ottawa, an. 1 then on to Montreal, trom which I drove out to see the very good stock, ot Ayrshires belonging to Messrs. Brown and Drummond. The following day we went by rail to Quebec, where we joined the Allan hne streamer " Parisian," and, after a fairly go..id passage of nine days, arrived at Liverpool on L>'nd November, and I got home rather late 157 IIIR' PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. Much of the land of the Province of Quebec is rather disappoint- ^'- ng, a large extent of it being thin and poor, and, where deep Z^h, '■ ' 11 many cases it is very damp, the whr^'e province evidently behig much in need o under-draining. Round Ottawa and Montreal there are many good tarms, but the bulk of the land even there is shallow the rock 1,1 inany cases Ij'ing quite close to the surface. Market- gatrUming and fruit cultivatum are cnrried on to a conside.-able extent a few Hides outside of Montreal, the l,„lk of whid, is done bv the l^rench Canadians, and, although as a rule the farming of the province IS not up to the standard of British ideas, still that around Mont e^ I I and geii- ippeai- 158 The Afp'lc}iltnral and other Resources of Canada. does credit to those engaged in it. Of the flat or good land of Quebec, little is now carrying timljer, hut recently cleared fields, with th& blackened stumps still standing, are occasionally met with. These show very vividly the labour which the first settlers must have spent in dealing their farms. VIKW OF qCKBEC CITY. » PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. CTnless 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 indiflerent. At and near Guelpli, the land becomes fairly good again, and from there south by Hamilton, Niagara, east by London, and north througli 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. !■: PROVINCE OF :\rANITOBA. 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 Red river to the Rocky Mountains, appears to have been at comparatively recent times the bed of an immense lake. The greater pai-t of this vast area, which must be travelled over to be realized, is underlain by deep beds of a greyish-white clay, on the top of which are from 9 to '1\ inches 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 tlie repeated and long-continued burning rtf the prairie grass. These prairies have for generations been annually devastated by fire, and from the continued accumulation of ash, Jio one need Vje 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 a'-e 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 which sells in Britain higher than that of any otlier country. Unless in the north, the land as a rule is generally flat, with very few interruptions in t!ie way of wa^er-courses or hills, so that plough I' Afi'. John Speir's Rpport, 159 furrows .nay often be run for mile after mile without any interruption, lo an old country farmer this seems incredible, and he cannot under- stand how the ram and melted snow are carried off without rivers. In Manitoba the ramfall is very light, and the air isteo dry that the greater portion of it is sucked up by the soil and air, arid very little of It indeed passes off by the few rivers which the country contains. wpfnflT T. v""^^^\^' "r^" '°"'"- «•• ^^"«^ky, 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 farther nor h and at a considerably higher altitude, the summed is not so long, and autumn frosts are said to be more frequent. THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES. This territory extends from near Moosomin to the iunction of the a • ^ • Bow and South Saskatchewan rivers, and goes about L far no^th ' .? •'"'"'°"- the Canadian Pacihc Railway as the United States boundary is south of It West of Indian Head the depth of black soil becomes less, until about Regina it is only from 4 to 6 inches thick, with a lich clay soil under Northward from Regina 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 Regina for some distance the land IS much the same as it is around the capital; but as the western boundary is approached it is not so good, and wheat-growincr on an extensive scale becomes more risky. '^ This territory is the one north of Assiniboia. It is the same Ra.kat.l,e- width as tholatter and extends as far north as settlement has yet wan.''"" gone. Ihe Saskatchewan river runs across it from west to east and forms an excellent waterway for several months of the year from Lake VV innipeg westwards, and on which ply several steamers of consider- able size From the south of the territory to Prince Albert the.-e are vast stretches of excellent land, generally well watered, and most of it with sufficient timber for fuel und 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 being generally well watered and sheltered, appears more .siuted by nature for mixed farming than grain-growing. North of Prince Albert littk has been done in the way of settlement, but all along the banks of the river from Prince Albert to Edmonton in Alberta, a considerable area of land has been taken up ' • :. ''^I ^^T country between Assiniboia and Saskatchewan on the one Alberta, side and the Rocky 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 clav through which the rivers have cut deep and wide tracks. Cah'arv' the capita], lies in one of these valleys, 150 to 200 feet or more below the level of the surrounding country. The soil of Alberta is ncit 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 be as good a general fai-ming country as any of the others, and probably better than some of them. PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. All the land between the Rocky Mountains on the east, and the Pacific ocean on the west, and north of the United States boundary. 160 The Aijrknltaral and othnv h'l-Koiurei^ of Canada. Quebec and (Jntai'io. Rainfall. Muiiitiilni ai the Xditli- Wt-st Teiri- tcn-ie3. is comprised in the Province of British Columbia. Very much of it is mountainous, but along the river valleys and at the mouth of the Fraser river, and between the vast mountain chains, there arc 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 sumo formation as the prairie lands of Manitoba, while 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 mnith of the Fraser are about 30 or 40 miles wide, and triangular in shape. The level of the land is only a very little above that of the sea, and up to (juite a recent date it was turned to little account other than to graze cattle on or to cut hay from. Now, however, the.se lands are being dyked and drained, similarly to the reclaimed lands of Holland, and they are likely soon to be, if they are not already, the most valuable agricultural lands in the Dominion. Over all the province, trees appear to grow with astonishing luxuriance, and everywhere immense specimens are to be found, wliile others of more moderate proportions clothe the mountains from the sea level to ricar the snow line. Cmmate. 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 outside. The ,i\erage rainfall for (jvcr 20 years is about 25 inches, varying from slightly under 20 to over 40 inches ; and while the minimum winter temperature is beldom below 12° F. below zero, the maximum summer temperature is seldom over '^T 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 < )ntario is 82-2, and in Quebec is 95"5. ' In the main, the climate of all the North- West may be considered as alike, although, in minor particulars, some districts often differ nmch from each otlier. In Manitoba and the North-West Territories, elevation above the sea and distance north does not always indicate a l(jwer summer temperature, or a more severe winter, as is commonly supposed; for at Winnipeg, which is 73.3 feet above sea level, and 135 feet above Lake Superior, the winter cold is, if anything, more intense than further west, near the Rock Mountains, where the land is from ."1,000 feet to 4,000 above sea level. In the wheat belt of Manitoba, with a difTerence of elevation of about 1,000 feet from the one side to tlie other, the wuiter rniuimum 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 viini- vuini winter temperature runs from — 20° to — 23° F. The minimum temperatures recorded during winter at Calgary and Banff are thus often 10° F. warmer than at Winnipeg, although the former is 3,388 feet and the latter 4,.0OO feet above sea level, while Winnipeg is only 733 above sea level. Even at Edmonton, which is nearly 200 miles ^^'^ '''^^"'^'•''l 'ov^"« i" ■}"'.'^'.V^ 83-r F. ManitoLa. ...::; \ 8S'9° F teiupenitures for the same months, town's, 161 The III < nil follows : -^ ami jears is -,,, . . -Miinitoba --.,,o ,,' ')' .'f'^ — 210°F. Assnuboia ._ .^.jo j, follols!^"'"" ^'^"'P--^"- ^O'- the sa„,e tJwns, ;m;:tl!i an.l years are as Allieita Assinil)()iu ....'* Manitoba Maxinnnn, rii((tn aiirl 111 ill irii II III tern- lierature at ij, (iifferetu IJoints. I .")•.■>' F. too F. ■2r V. le gieater, tor past experience m other countries appears to show that the presence or absence of timber will materially inJrea.e , r,- 'l the rainfa of a country, all other things remainLg th' lame Whe i er or not cultivation will have the same dfect no one kior and as I opportunity is now afforded of finding exactly whaT'the cHma c cone itions are, I am inclined to belie^■e that it would 1^ for t e be ntores s of the country, if the number of meteorolooieal statio is wei doubled or trebled, as a few years hence the inf^-rmati may be d^^sired, and it may then be impossible to get it. The 4l ole^n^tr , ments necessary would be a self-registering LninuJl^^^Z thermometer- and ram-gauge, and the keeping of the re^^ister of i^, might easily be done by any person of 'ordinary intelli- ence This duy might well be entrusted to the police or railway agSts in eh d st^ct, both being persons likely always to be on du^- The riint 11 of Manitoba for an average of I^ years is about ]fi inches Ind t e average number of wet days 57 per annum ' t.^Jj'l "■''""'' "^ V"' "'ermometer between the summer and winter n- , temp..aturc is much less „. British Columbia than in any other ^^uZ "^^i^&l vmibia. 162 The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. Can;i(la a ht-allliy ciiiin try. Govftrninent exiKiiiiientuI farms. Prices of l:ui in Ontario. 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 I)laces where a record has been kept, varies very much in one place from another, as is usually the case in any country where there are low plains and high mountains. At Victoria, the capital, the average rainfall for eight yeai's has been fully 27 inches, which has fallen ou an average on 84 days, principally during the autunni, winter and spring months. At New Westminster, the average rainfall for 12 years is 5S'5 inches, with an average of about 150 wet days. The thermometer rarely falls below zero, tlie winters being comparatively mild and short, while the maximum summer temperature scarcely ever exceeds 90' F In the matter of health, few countries compare so favourably as Canada, the deatii-i-ate l)eing 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. 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 aftairs, long before our Government had anything of the kind. In connection with the Department of Agri- culture, the Donuuion Government have experimental farms at Ottawa, Nappan, Brandon, Indian Head and Agassiz, while the Provincial Govern- ment of Ontario maintain one themsehes 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 pro- duce. Wliat 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 tlie future farmers of Canada. At the Dominion experimental farms, new plants are tested and propagated, methods of cultivation are tried, breeds of animals for milk, meat, or wool are continually having their good or bad points demonstrated, \vhile fruits, vegetables, grasses, itc, are subjected to every test that can be thought of. Animal and plant diseases also 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. 1 In Ontario, farms in ordinary cultivation and full working order can always be purchased in ai\y district at almost any time, for Cana- dians 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, ifec, and any figures given must be looked on as only approx- imative. In the agricultural statistics published by the Government, tlie average for Ontario for six years is as follows : — i Land anil huililings. , Iniplonu'nts, &0. Stock . . Total £ 8. - IH 9 1 (1. per aero, (i " " £9 7 6 Mr. John Simr's Ref^H. fromlT'l'; i"o°,!? "■"" °' "^"'"T ' '"""■I '""d "''"nging hands .» Slv c'oulJ u, ,f °' ""' .^orth-f est, whe,,, each men.ber of th, n Z " dlfJ , , r"=' ~"" r* '»» '^^"Pi'-I «l»u in Ontario. iS bin ;;aci,ed * '° '"^ ""'"*"' "" ■">' "■« I""""' P™"' haa yet j,f r^ii '" *•'" ■?'-»""■ , ^'' «i^- 1. M^itot^ V ttr:^^^^^ of t e radway,, un.mproved land can bo bought at from £\Vh toil S A^Ltf ,Ztfo7 S" "t '"^ugh A^iniboia. SayathfwS , .,. . j' ' . - ''■>"'' t™ be purchased at from us. to S.'is oer to clear land than the same land will sell for afterbeLrelerd ^'"'''''"• SScoSiaT'^"^*'^ clearing of the land'^nSo^Urof ofSodlandwfeh ''' but, fortuimtely, there are vast stretches o the Prase, n^^^^ *^"":! "° f''"''''^' ^^^ ^^^^'^ l'^'^^^ ^^ the mouths kl baSs Tl ev'Tow^ ^"' "^"''^ ",1 "'"" "^^" ^^^ ^ll"-^'^! l-"ds along us oanks. Ihey however, generally require dykin<^ ditchina and clrannng before being suitable for cultivation, all of whicl add mate "twee^ T , "' T f *'" ^"'^^'- ^"'" ^''-^^^ -"d the d strict Mng etween Ladners Landing and the United States boundary belon- to his c ass; and recently farms have been changin- hands in the e localities at from £12 to £15 per acre, which, inCne cases ncluded very few improvements. Near Victoria, farms par alHleared c^^ be readily bought at from £6 to £10 per acre, but for good land aU cleared and near the cky, £20 per acre will have to be paTd ' In Manitol)a, the North-West Territories, and in British Columbia a small percentage of land is leased. On the' east side of the RoSdS' .ore particularly in the wheat districts, the usual custom Ts o do so nwL I.. ■'^<^*^' .getting as his share one-half or any agreed on portion of the crop, the tenant doing all the labour. This manner o^ AMieie the amount can be accurately ascertained, but is quite unsuited at leas without great modification, for any of the systemrof J.nS generally practised. On the Fraser riverl found f mredt.m 3 some fruit rened at 30s per acre, but such rents are very u common the ^^randftor^p";''*'"'''"™ buildings all over ganaci;. Som l)o.„eBtic ti.e Atlantic to the Pacific, are as a rule, built of wood, there bein- a l-uildinffs. ew here and there of brick and stone. In Ontario, the dwelHn..! Louses are generally very artistically built and neatly painter leJ are very comfortable, and usually are larger in propoi^ion to th'e S of the farm than the same class of houses in Britain, aT] are £.11 by stoves or l.ot-water pipes, wood being the fuel in gen'e^-al use, many 163 1G4 I'liv Aijririiltnrnl niul other Ilnsourci's o/' Canada. Drainage of farm lands. farms still havinp as much wood on tlioni as ke<^p the farm in fencing und fuel. On tlio oidinary fiiiin the usual outhouses are comprised in an immense barn, with cow :uul horse stables under, extra buildings for other purposes beinj,' rath<'r scanc. The barn is now generally built of stone to the level of the barn tl(K)r, and, if the ground permits of it, the building is half sunk as a protection against cohl. The barn proper is constructed of wctod, is usually a very high building, and in it is stored the whole season's crop of giain Jind hay. From the level of the ground a roadway is built to the l)arn entrance, so as, to permit of driving the loaded waggons right into the barn. If turnips or man- golds are grown, a root-house or cellar must be provided for them, as, owing to the severity of the winter, they cannot be stored f)utside, as is done in Britain. In IVIanitoba or the North-West Territories it is very lare 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 ditt'erent ways ; if boards are plentiful, they are of sawn timber ; if l;irge trees are easily got, they are built of logs, and if only small ones can \)i\ 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, 3 feet or so in thickness, the whole being roofed in the usual way. Horse stables are tithei" 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 f(jr that purpose. It is only on rare occa- sions that any building is put up for implements, waggons or machines, the usual custom being to let these lie about exposed to the weather. Farm dwelling-houses are occasionally now being built of stone, V)ut as yet their nund)er is very small. 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 bai'b wire is only occasionally seen. Live fences are almost unknown, as none of the fencing plants of Britain can stand the Ontario winters. A suit- able 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 ose, while some put plain and others "harb wire on the stobs and a rail on the top. ]Mucli of the West is, however, as yet quite unfenced, but this class of work is progressing rapidly. Most of the liind 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 labi'i'- and want of money. In the dry climate of Ontario such thorough draining as is coiumon in Britain is not necessary, and it is even very questionable if it would pay if done in anything like a thorough manner ; still, I think drains should be put in all along the lower and dampfer places of each field. In Manitoba and the North-West Territoi'ies, 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 AVinnipeg 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 I'xcellent hmd if only drained, but which is rendered comparatively useless through the presence of surface water, and yet there is ample fall from it to either the Assiniboine or Red river. What appears to Mr. .John ifpeir's Report. 165 be wanting there just n<.w is the formation of the whoh' country into a dramage k.ard, in order that open canals, as deep as the levels will pennit of, may be dug along one or both sides of tl... ,ond 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 untd it is done ; the Government should therefore int.uire into the matter in order to see how the present stat It seems strange to me that the mole plough has never been brought into service here, as the land being flat and entirely composed of Slit, 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 c an quite easily bo laid in the track at the same time as it is bein. The soil would then work w.-ll, and it-the land "h rto'otu" '"iv"'^''" '""' "r ^"" ''^'^ '"^ io- of seeSVould t iikejy to occur Ihis is a system of cultivation wh. h the exuer, stall ia!o'" Tk ^n^r.""'^ J"^-'^ Head u.ight do well to t.y on a small scale as the land being left undisturbed in sprin.- mi-ht retain ^ts^s^tock ot mo,sture better than where spring culLatlo.' ha! t^ "^ little w"ortT 'V'^K*/*'""' ""*">''" ^"'^ ^"^ y""''' th'-'-^ ^'^^ very .ni J^ . , '" ^*''^"*'' '*'*-''' '""^ ^'"' harv.fst, unless wher. new ^ nd had to be broken up. To meet the dilUculty of a prels o Jork exl au Z rT "^ '^' ^'i""' '^"^ ''^ "'•d^'- to raise the fert lit7of Sen iXkll^irr/f summer ploughing, calle.l /aUo.in,,\Z Dttn introduce 1, which at letust provides sufficient employment between eed-time and harvest for the farm-hands when they an not engS n lay-making. It has b... found that in the most of cases ^SSTcrS o land under wheat, which has been sun.mer-fallowe.l one year outTf crop while It the same tune there is a saving of 100 acres of seed besides the labour of seeding and harvesting." This land's pbu 'hed fsZifto'iftin Vlf ""7^' "^' '" '^^ S^'^*^'-''^*^^ "f cases n'tCg^rse •s done to It tdl the seed is sown the following spring. If the soU con ains a large amount of seed weeds, and m,'»e ^rtTcula ly if the enough to seed about harvest time, in which case it will be necessary to give the land a second ploughing before harvest begins If htw^ ever, the weerls do not get strong enough to seed, they do little orTo bar™, as the frost kills them all off during winter. The open m^ ur, o? the pranies for the growth of wheat is reducing the area of both faU and spring wheat not only in Britain, but in Ontario whSe oats appear to be on the increase, and also pease 167 12J PL-' (t.N-c; .\T S.4NDIS0N'S FAliM, UliANDO.V. M« Th« Agricultnrnl and other Rescnirces of Canada. Pluughiii),'. i1' Seeding. In tho older provincea ploughing is conducte*! in much tho same manner as in Britain, and Hcutoh plouglm are very common at tlm pl<)Ughing matchf.s in Ontario, although, as with us, theHe ploughH art* being loss UHed for civeryday work. On the prairies and wheat IxjIih double or single sulkies (or riding ploughs) are ir\ very common us.-, but for superior work I dnd tho best men prefer the single walking plough. The breaking up of the prairie is done early in June, when tho 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 2k inches thick. When ploughwl so thin the hot sun \ery .soon kills all the vegetation, whereas if done thicker, such is not the case. Any time (luring the autuum this land is ro-ploughcd, the furrows running the same way as before, as, although the vegeta- tion is now dead, the sod is so tough that the coulter cannot cut it. This work is culled backsetting, and should be done an inch or an inch and a-liaif 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 tho North- West ploughing is done very sliallow, seldom over 6 inches deep, and in the present state of tho fertility of these lands, it has been found to be the best plan. If the land were deeper ploughed, it is generally conceded that tho 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 ibout as much is lost through late and irregular ripening and occiisional detcfrioration by frost, as is gained by conservation of the moisture. Like ni;iny other farming operations, 110 lixed rule can be laid down, as the depth, moisture, fertility, and likely date of ripening must 1h- so con.sidered as to give each its duo share, otherwise disappointment is sure to follow. Some emigiation agents 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 expres- sion, such statements are gi'oss exaggerations, for althougli ploughing can be, and is, done more carelessly than in Britain, stillgood plouglP- ing everywhere gives a better return than where indifferently done.'^ In several of the wheat-growing districts fanners ai'e to be met with who have large fannvS and no stock otlicr tlian a driving-horse. These nu-n let the ploughing, seeding, and har\e>ting at so much per acre for each and all, to their smaller neighbours around, and, judging 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 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 along the top of each row of seed. The machine is called a press seetler, and, besides doing the ordinary seed- ing, 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 firmly 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 tak« plaoe .nfter harrowing, because then .Vf. John SjMir'n R^/uirt. tl.o Ios« on ir V aut mn . <^"n«';lorahlo area nmy bo so late that through t LlS;)?, Ifr/' "'■ ''T "^ ''''"^•' '"^^ °" *ho surface, unoccupied arc. of new land uau.l^ ^t tl.c eS it „ W„. tt'. *""' .uc.io„ . 4ttri,.^: Toiis's x;:tte s^^t^t.":; I from L stZ'ar'"'l"'"'^r"''^ '^ ""^b'« *^ clrawLy nuSr/en 1«9 170 J. ■■X .it Threshing. Straw- burn- ing. The average crop of grain, all over. The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. and in British Columbia, the grain is usually stacked in the field. If cattle are kept, it is hauled to near the house, so that it 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 wets any- thing, 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. Many farmers thresh their whole crop from the stook, the grain being hard enough at that date to store in elevators a'i>- number of feet deep. The threshing machines in many respects a e very like our own, but their drums, instead of having corrugattJ beaters like ours, have short pegs an inch and a,-half to two inclies 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 them in ears first, in the same way as the slow speed peg drums of Scotland are fed ; but, unlike the latter, 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 use are very much the same as clover-seed is distributed in throughout Britain. The feeder is supplied with sheaves from both sides, two waggons being emptied at once. When threshing from the field, six waggons, each with a pair of horses, are generally used. These machines usually put through from 1,200 bushels to 2,000 bushels per day, and I am told that 2,500 bushels is occasionally done. That is three to five times as much as can be done with our cron. and were it not for their very short sheaves (almost a sheaf of cars) and the brittle nature of their straw, it would be impossible for them to do so. All the threshing is done by the bushel, and fru'n 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, out 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, aiid with it steam appeared to be, very easily kept up. Straw, when fed in small but continous quantities, appears to give a very fierce heat, and to my mind the quantity used was very small indeed. After the grain and machinery have all left the field, the whole i? set fire to, 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 p.gainst him for any damage which may be caused by his care- lessness. Where a long stubble is left and afterwards burned, the land is often sown the following spring without ever being ploughed. In such oases, the land is simply well harrowed with a pair of heavy harrows, but oftener with the disc harrow, the seed being afterwards put in with the drill. ^ The average amount of grain whijh 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 elsewhere. T have carefully gone over the col- Mr. John Speirs Report. lected 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. • -/'■?™**^e estimates made by me of the yields of the various crops on oo K ' ^7°"^^* ^® '"^'^'^^'^ *° P^^''^ *he wheat average at about -U or 11 bushels per acre. This year many crops were very much more, some 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 yields of several farms in ordinary cultivation, tUo .armers having sent me such themselves, without any previous arrangement, and these run from 30 to 32 bushels for wheat. On the other hand, when the averages of Ontario or Manitoba are compared wi.h the puohshed averages of several of the wheat-growing States of the United States, it will be found that they compare very favourably tor these States are generally from 2 to 4 bushels an acre less than even untario. The averages of all the provinces arc very much less than they mignt 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 tromthat 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 weight being from 34 to 35 lbs per bushel. The Government have, however, for several years been testing samples of oats at the different experimental 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 prosppT'ons. In British Columbia oatd 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 Britisli Columbia IS very good. I having there measured and weighed tliem myself at 44^ lbs. per imperial bushel. • A j" ^° ^''^^^ "^^ 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 years, the four and six-rowed barleys were the only varieties grown, the bulk of which went to the L' ,ited States for brewing purposes. Four years ago, however, the Government, through Professor Saunders, of the Ottawa experimental farm, commenced to make some tests with British varieties, with a view to getting a better malting barley than was then in general use. Since then every spring small parcels of seed have been largely distributed at cost price 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 the British varieties with more or less success, and samples of Canadian barley, grown from English seed, sent to tha late Brewery Exhibition in London, were very favourably reported on. 171 172 Mixed fanii ing. Dairy farm- ing. The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. Pease are very largely grown in all the oklor pro\'inces, and every- where appear to do well, the average for Ontario being about 20 bushels per acre. In no country and on no soil can the continuous growth of one plant without manure be carried on without the crop becoming lessen- ed 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 wlio 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 otlier ; a comparatively sma;i supply of labour is necessary, yet that supply is always capable of putting in and getting off 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 ejisy 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 lai'ge wheat farms of these districts are not turning out the paying concerns many at one time supposed them to be. Throughout Canada very few farms are devoted entirely to dairy purposes, yet the majority of the farmers of the 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 the 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 ; but where such a provi- sion was not made, the cans in most cases were lowered into the well, where, during the hottest time of the year, the cream kept quite sweet till the creamery cart came round. In Ontario, for a number of yeans, 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 farmers delivering the milk, supplying all requisite utensils, and carting away Mr. John Speir's Ri-ptyrt. elurhTL"'''K *1^« »'^'^«'- P'-ovides all necos.sary labour, rennet rotation do the hauHnfr tr, fKo f ^ . , * "'^"^ farmers in to the si/e of t l^r lirW ^l^c^'-y-two, three, or four, according Spen ef^i" divTdT '°'^^«' ^^^^ . ^otal proceeds after deducting bv eTch Th ° K * "''"^ ^^'''^ ^'^ proportion ta the milk supplied the mak ng of ch^Tln^Can tl™ "^^^"'' f" ^' ""'^ "'^" '^"^'^'^ ^^^ might be gSir "' " *'" '^^* "*'"'' '^^ infinitesimal and the gain counties' Iff" ol^^ ^'""^ *^" ^'^'- J^'^^''^'^^^- the southern and western counties oi Ontario, and most of the land of British • ,mh,n J= admirably adapted for the growth ,:,f fruit, r "^Te Ha.ailSn and Niagara districts vines, peaches, and tomatoes do weU outs deand a^-e cultivated over vast areas. The vines r ,. usually trained to trellises the peaches as standard trees, while th. to- .toesU. grown ver/m^^^^^^^^ 'tZ^:^^:Z^ ?T^1' ^^y-^ ^-^ appIefdTweTrr": There the nht, ; f V ' Col"™bia tl. . growth is simply marvellous. 1 here the plum and cherry, and more particularly the apple do remark ably well, occasional samples of the latter being grown up to U lbs "rrvTbev^oCth ^'" ^" ^^^^ '^'Tr'^''' '' '-^^ whic"h^Le%rees carry is beyond the comprehension of the average Britisher and reauiros to be seen to be believed; in fact, the trees in many inst^Ace^ appTlrS Inl.! K ' .^ '"^ ^^^ ''^^'' ^"*"''*^ '* ^PP^a'-^ 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 provmce. Presently, the local demand equals the productiof of the province ; but, unless the population incrkses at a^phenomenal rite TeSiT aTd 7 «'",^°"«*^-§ «^-' *he supply will ver^ soon exceed tt: 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 bein-.^ cut l^n split by dynamite, and burned where they lie becaufe they Ire of no value to haul away. In some cases the tree roots are dug out, in ..hers blown out by dynamite, or by both, while in many thev are left to rot, truit trees being at once planted between them. Tree loots take on an average about 8s. each to take them out in British Columbia, tlie roots being generally large and the wages hia],. Hdps also do very well in British Columbia, and in the near future >t seems probable that a profitable trade may be begun in these, as they are tound to do and pay well in the neighbouring State of Washingtori, whe.e they have been grnwn for a good many years. The costly carHac^e 173 k Fruit funning. 174 TVic Agricultural and other Rpsourres of Canojla. to the British market need be no difiiculty in tlie way of cultivating , hops, as tlieir value per pound is so much greater than ordinary farm produce, that if they can be grown successfully they are aim ^t sure to be grown to profit. Cattle ranch- Alberta more than any of the other territories is given up to "'*'■ cattle ranching. That part of the province south of Calgarj is prin- cipally devoted to cattle and horses, McLeod being the centre of the ranching industry. Although the greater part of Alberta may i-^- said to be devoted to ranching, still, ranching is not all confined to Alberts, 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 ger" 'ally leased from the Government at a rental of one penny per acre, the Government com- pelling the owners to keej) 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 ranches 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 '•epoi'ted death-rate of any ranche, as nearly ail are much higher than they are generally said or admitted to be. The cattle receive very little attei.tion in the way of herding, being simply allowed to roam jver 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 Register is kept, and in this book 1.5 entered the mark or brand of each ranche. People are beginning to advocate better provision being made for wintering the cattle, but on the large ranches little has as yet been done. From enquiries made it appears quite evident that the cattle can get oi\ fairly well in an average winter without any provision being made for them, but every few years one comes on more severe thantherest, when the losses through ooldand starvationare very severe. If suitable lands all over the ranches where the grass grows long w^ere 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 plan is adopted on the Scottish Highland sheep farms, and I see no reason why one somewliat the same should not be adopted on these ranches, as, according to all accounts, a single severe wintercauses losses equal to the cost of storing hay for many winters. It may be noted here, as the experience of many persons in the luncliing business, that hornless cattle, such as GalloAvays or Angus, are preferable to horn ones for standing tlw. cold. Several of the.se men told me that they had seen hi>rnles.s cattle quietly eating their fodder o chewing the cud, on an exceessiv-ely cold day, when horned ones were .shaking their heads, and turning them to the side with pain in *he horns, owing to their being wholly or partially frozen. It is also said that their horns occasionally drop down or altogether oif owing to iiaving been frozen, which is at least one good j)lea for the introduction of these breeds. As both have a distinctive black colour^ and are well known to be very impressive as sires, the introduction of a few bulls wo'.id very soon grade up *,he 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 .ows. Mr. John Speir'fi Rpport. be delivered aTftm £12 toil3^" t k r^-"""" ^.''""^'^ P'-^'^^bly on the ranche. nnTtit ^^ ^^^ ' ^^ ^^^ch pnces, if the winter losses on cne ranches and the autumn ones on the ocean could be reduced to ;"ot;bl^one"u:t^^^'^' ^^^ ?"^'"^^« -^^^^ be maS'rtr; Le exDo^^^^^ ^■■^"■1« ^vhich have tirneTfuture „ 1 ^T^ '"""^^ ^™" ^^^^ec and Ontario ; still in the ranches Th/.ir?^ ^'^''' P^-^P^^^ion will likely come from on «?^ • ! ^^^^^^ ^''''^^ '■^PP^'^^s to be one which is likelv to ".. i-u,oo4 head during the past eleven months. During that time them n t,...?*? e^Po^t of COWS from Canada to Scotland appears to me to bo r, leb:int"G:odT"^'.P""'"''^ '"^"^^'^^ '^""'^ at the ;re^elr ume De done. Good cows, showing some breeding, and apparentlv of ^•om £15 to'/oo T '^''' '^'"f ^^^^ ^"»W presently sell here a nom ±10 to £20, leaving a good margin for profit. Cows near the calving, to come with safety, would require more spa^ , on board shp than bullocks, but I .hink I have allowed enough margn for that when becau e the fre^h/ ^ .T^' T '" '^""'' ^"''^ '^' ^est should be sent, tl^tot" 1 Alup f nd^r^^ other charges may amount to about one-half of tne total value, and they will he the same whether or not a valinhip anima is sent. Cows t. calve from November to February mil S On tir;. ^""^"t ''""T"'' ""y *™^ d"""g the summ^monthT manner a'thecStlTl'' ''"'^'^tr '''f''' ^'^^ ^^h in the same Konse ranch. manner as the cattle are on the cattle ranches. The mares and voun^ infT- stock are allowed to run out all the year, and little, if anything aiWf to be done to provide them with either food or shelter n^k levere winter. Many of the ranchers and farmers have supplied themtlves wi h pui.-bred stock of the different favourite breeds^ as aTu fe th^ bulk of the mares are of the usual Canadian stamp. Clydesdale and Shires of moderate quality and medium si.e appear to le most n favour, but in spite of all the importations which have arlveT com- parati^vely little impression has been made on the general stock l;f the the Jln'ts^oTif ''"' ^'T ''' P/'' f ^^ ^'"^ '^PP^^'-^ *° be well suited to tlie %s.ints ot the country, and as long as breeding is carried on simplv to supply the wants of Canada, little or no increa^se of size or ^eiSX jri" I ' 1^"' '^'' t^ fPP''^'"-^ t« be near at hand when horse.s S b« exported on a scale almost similar to what cattle presently are nn f s.,oh IS to be done, they must be bred of a size and quality itLely to .ease the purchasers. These purchasers are likely tole the Sfsh that the sooner Canadians get at least a portion of their stock ^'1 fo'r themsdT""'"'' *^" ^"*"^ P"^'^^"^^" ''^^ ''''''' '' -i" b' Owing to the light weight of the average Canadian mare the heaviest class of Clydesdale .nd Shire stallion. L not wanLnnd till 176 176 The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. Sheep ranch- ing. not pay to import, unless in very exceptional cases. The service fees which can be obtained in Canada are so much less than in Britain, that a good horse of any of these breeds will do better at home than abroad. All the North-West Territories appear to be admirably adapted for the rearing of horses of every kind, and I think a good market already exists in Britain for the heaviest class of draught and carriage geldings. A sjnall 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 proper class of horses, which, however, there is not. The breeding of heavy carriage horses appears to be the class easiest and quickest arrived at, if the existing Canadian mare is to bo worked on, as by using the heaviest obtainable class of thoroughbred or Clevi'land bay stallions, and carefully selecting the mares, the desired arfcicle 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 only have cost a mere trifle more to produce it. This class of horse has been in great demand in Britain for years, and 7.;i 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 '..he. prairies, and no further attention paid to them, in the belief that they 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. 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 n&^ lands being opened up in the North-West, so that matters may not be so bad as at first sight they actually appear. A great part of western Assiniboia, northern Alberta and Sas- katchewan 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 Shropshire ram. The ewes cost on the ground from L'^s. to 18s. each, and are easily obtained. The rams are general!} imported from Britain or brought from Ontario, and in either case they are very rostly On these plains, sheep require much more attention than either cattle or horses, which, owing to the scarcity of labour, is one of the leasons so few people have entered into the business. Wolves and foxes are still comparatively plentiful, so that a shepherd must always lit! in attendance on the flock, otherwise heavy loss might occur at any m Mr. John Speira Report. moment One man can easily attend to from 1,500 to 2,000 sheep, and tor 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 flock-masters are now providing their shepherds with a deerhound. The collie is of very little use for catchin- the wolves, although when caught it readily manages to kill them: &o 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 Pt every suitable opportunity. If such cannot be procured naturally from spring, streams or lakes, then weUs must be sunk. In summer tim.3 the shepherd carries a tent and supply of food with him, and at night he gatliers 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 othei-wise, and very seldom make an attack, and it they do, they are almost sure to be killed. In winter the shee.) 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 ot land near the sheep house, which has purposely been left rouL'li for winter use. The grass of these regions is much more valu^le as tcK.d during winter than similar grass with us, because in the North- west the blades of grass are, practically speaking, killed by drought in early autumn, just when they are at their best. The consequence is, that these blades contain their full proportion of nutriment, throucrh being stopped m 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. Intact if the reports of those resident in these districts are to be believed— and, judging from the many sources from which I heard them 1 am inclined to do so— it appears that these prairie gra^sse.s are almost a& valuable tor 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 sheep houses are built with turf sides, and of a size correspond- ing to the flock kept. The roof is composed of poles laid flat on main 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 ot the snoY , no wet ever comes through the flat roof The height of the roof should only be enough to permit of easily cleanin per week. In Ontario the averag'' workingman spends much uiup- on liouse rent than is done by the same class in Britain. In the old country it is generally estimattd that moat 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 tli" North-West Territories the ordinary labour- er's wage varies accordii r to locality and season even more than in Ontario. It may, howevti , be said to rui, from Gs. to 10s. per day ; and as showing how scarce labour is there during the busy season, 1 may mention I found a farmer in Brandon, which is not far west, oflbring 21s. per day to all who would work for him during the stack- ing period. Ordinary farm servants told me in this district they could keep themselves and small families and save from £30 to £35 a year besides. At railway wofk all over Manitoba the companies were paying from 7s. to 10s. per day ; while on the new portion of the Manitoba and North- Western Railway that company wore 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 fully higher than anywhere else in Canada, and masons at the time of my visit were getting as high as 21 s. per day. Miners at Lethbridge, in Assiniboia, were getting 8s. 10 12s. per day ; while at Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, they were getting 10s. to 13s. per day. Female domestic servants are in great daniand everywhere. In Ontario the average wage may be said to run 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 Vancouver and Victoria domestic servants are particularly scarce, and if experienced and trustworthy can oommai 1 almost their own terms. It may also be mentioned that west of Vinnipeg no smaller coin than the 5-cent piece (2W.) 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. Extra facilities are given all over Canada for effecting loans, not on land, but on stock and implements, so that where these are judiciously used they can often be turned to great axivantage by the steady and industrious man who has little capital. All mortgages have to be registered, and for a small sum anyone loaning money can find whether or not any other mortgages are on the property. Ordin- ary debts, or even promissory notes, have no claim against a farmer's homestead, and ho 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 Mr. John Si Hr', Report. '" ; ' por cent, but tf'u '■''"'"'•y loans. Tho fudhties 181 \\ •••'i.t and ov»r m quite common for |"M-ty i„ (,,,,,,;■;;,„■';;■— «; ven for ....tgaKin^ all kinl .? 'Hvenotdonc.,,,.r«|.unntL.i;ool r/'"^'-*""" ^'■''y "'"«»' if Ihoy ^•^o , that Cana.lia„ far.u^Ms « T 1. "^ '''''• '' ''^ '■'■■ ""Ju"i'ted '"'d thm, ^« ,j,,^,,^,,., J ; «t I Jh-s ,,,Mtmot debt very re.uJily, ««'t n,l of. My idea is ,lat ih r ^^'^ ""'"■" ""^^''^ '"^'"rr. than «a«eH...athertiHH/.n;. ';'Lt"ir''T"* -^'"'"^1 '" '•"'•'^' '-'" population - «. be ...aintained ' '"'P^^ '^"^ ^'"^«"t<' ' nirul ,r^ «»owtall of A/anitoba an" he No tt W; 77 '" ''" ""'•^'^'' '•"» dlffiiult t., .et. Undoubtedly verv liH . \I V ' ""'"' '^''*^'' ^«« ^^i^ •-treamH or rivers, the soil In I H.!? V T*^'" '""« ^^ the land bJ ■'ihutaithough^spH;:'^;:!'.?^^^^^^^^ "»any „f the lak.s L unsuit,Ib^\ "'Ji^'^^LP'^"*^"^"'' ""^^ the water in exceptional h. find a (listricWi si. f,V P"''P'«*'«. still it i« very l« found by well-sinki,;; Tt i/niat fn^J^'^i n'""^ "'^*«'- '--"* 't .8 usually found between V^uidJo S i ^ ' "'''.' *''« P'"'''^^« cases where double that distanc has had tl /^''P' >* )'"■'•«• '^''^ "^^ obtain, d, Owing to the subso 1 of fl '""'' ^^'*"''' ^^^^^ ^^a. land^ r deep cluy \ ,Tnotu?\ T"^?' I"^'"* «^ tJ'« Prairie times duhoult to^n.^itZl«h 17^'""^ "' *'"* "'^^- '« ^^'"^ ^"•avel at different depths, whe e it'S."'' ''""i^''"^' **''" ^^^s of without coming in contac witii one o t ,e eT.H ' **"'' '^ ^«" '« «"^- tound 1 have known ,. fanner to sink h' f '" ""* ^'^*^'- '« «ver -ound his house, and still find no water JJ "'' t' "" ^"'•'^ ^^^*^ ^««P. great distance, he found a nlentrfnl ' ^ ' " ^''^ ^""'^h one at no am.ther instance, a /arnier saifk 70 w"^^T ""' ^'' ^''' '^'^P- 1° after which he pit down 1 T 'ch bore t^ m f ""^''t^ '^"^ -'^*-' rose and filled the well to withL 5 feet of t hi f' ''^"'^ *^'« ^^te; In both these case., r... „.„! *''*' **"i'face. w-e struck, and Xo^g f hetLrbris^f f 1"'^ «^' ^^'^"^ ^ ^--1 slight difficulty has been experTenSnl."' '"'*^'^*'^^ '" ^^ich to be comparatively rare, affar as mi nf "!■'"''*"'' "*'" «"«h appear special inquiry at almost every falTr^on^^*T"^"^"*' ^"^ ^ ^^de to this matter. ^ ""^'^ ""^ ^^om I called, with reference extended*, wlrtlrL^rySlt^Sl '^ V ^''^^^ "^ -^-n- Van:ouverare both supplied wTth a neve^f^^^^ good. Victoril and ;-e. quite close at ha^ and ^'^oZS^:^^S!lJZ^:^ of water carriage at a very low rate tZ"""^ ""u'^ ^^^^ «"«^i"g wood is very scarce in some cTistrict. and of' ^^^h-^««^' ^--eveit .I-or instance, in Portage la Prairie wh^.i "'^T''' '^ '^'''^ «o«tly. instanceof the other district a cord J T^ "^^ ^^^"^'^ ^« * ^aL past year at 33s. for poplar a^d Z UoTf "^^^^"\°g during the IS a quantity 8 feet Ion- 4 feet Zi !, V ^^ "i"- ^ ^O'-d of wood cifE into 4-feet lengthrancMf tt' ^ ^f-"' '^''^- ^he trees are 6 inches in dianieteifin m^suriZZ^'^'F'' ^'^'^ P'^^^^^ ^^om 4 to the ground 2 feet apart?andTfeet\ith Z^' IT '^''^^^ ^'^ ^"^'^^ into m 8 feet from the first ones tnd the w^ 5'" ^^e other two are driven the first and second pair o?s £ untiUhe s- '^ '^ ^^"^ '" ^''"''" up to the top. Along most of Sie rive, L ^^^ ^"^T" '^^"^ ^^ ^^^^ wood to supply preset dem:Ltirbeltrt1""'T' ^""^"^^^ 13 -^ louna, Out as rhe country IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I m Mi It: Ui u 112 Him 2.5 |2.2 1.8 1.25 (.4 J4 ^ 6" — ► V] 7 ■c^ >(^ ^*!^ <^ #^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^ «%•» '^' wmm ) ^ #%-• 182 Tlie Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. I settles up it will become scarcer. Happily, however, coal mines are being opened in the south of Manitoba wliicb will supply the whole of that province at a moderate charge. In the south-east of Alberta, the Lethbridge mines, belonging to the Alberta Coal and Railway Com- pany, are in full working order, and are connected wiih the main Cana- dian Pacific Railway by a branch line. This coal is of excellent quality, and will be quite sufficient for the supply of the whole North- West for many years to come. Near the base of ihe Rockies several good beeds of coal crop out in the various places, some of which are already being worked in a small way, while others are in contempla- tion. In British Columbia there is sufficient wood to serve for fuel for generations, and at Nanaimo there are eight or nine shafts worked by three companies, where several thousand tons of excellent coal are put out daily. This coal is sold at 12s. 6d. to 13s. per ton at the pits, and is used principally for ocean steamers, the Canadian Pacific Rail way, and the San Francisco market. Tdo pdblio In the prairie districts, in each township there are two sections, school system, jq^^g jj jj^^^j 29, which are called school sections. These are sold as soon as the district becomes fairly settled up, and the proceeds go io a general fund for educational purposes. In some districts where the population is very thin, and the up-keep of the schools is proportion- ately heavy, a small extra charge has to be made for their mainten- ance, but in most localities education is to all intents and purposes free. Wherever b or 10 children of school 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 testify to the sufficiency of the accommodation and excellehce of the education which was being imparted, in even very remote districts. In Canada there are no tithes and no State church, unless in the Province of Quebec, where the Roman Catholics alone pay tithes, all others being exempted, yet churches are very plentiful and well attended, each worshipping according to the dictates of his or her own conscience. In even the sparsely-peopled districts of the North-West several churches are found in every small town, Ontario alone last year sending to their assistance £10,000. Presbyterians and Methodists appear to be in greatest numbers, Episcopalians and Roman Catholics coming next, LiKiiil Uxes. The direct taxes of Canada are very light, enough being derived largely from the duty levied on imported goods, to keep up the Govern- ment, the cost of which is comparatively light, seeing no standing army and navy have to be provided for. Each township appoints its own road managers and levies its own road rate, so 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 population. Ongins of The Province of Quebec is peopled principally by French Cana- thf people. dians, three-fourths, if not more, of the whole population being 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 extraction, the other nationalities being very small indeed, while a very great number o£ the names of men and places are familiar old country ones. In Manitobti and the North-West, several of the newer settlements have drawn almost half of their population from Ontario, the remainder bting made up of English, Scotch, Irish, Scandinavians, French Cana- dians, itc. Around Winnipeg, on the east side of the Red River, the Church sup- port. Mr. John Speir's Report. prow X?r"' ^T ^^"'■^ ^"-'^^ ^^'^^^y- ^''^ ^^ «ther parts of the fC The BriS anrr' -"dements almost entirely JompoL of iuaior-tv\v.!.f fK Canadians are, of course, so much in the ^ZTt^X'SlX^^ ^ ^'"^ '?. '"'"^ ^«'«--' -1- ^" th selves and mltv n^ I '' ""^^ ^''^ ^'^ ^^"^^^ ^^ bodies by them- Canada. ' ^*''^' nationahues submerged under that of Defects of the Country. D^L? wSSs alfn n ^ ^', ^'■'^*"'*^ ^^^^b'^'^k the country has i'lymg winas also ooasionallv como nn in t„^„ u- i "^ . mchl'Li^J'"" "'^.'-'W?:'' 'f Manitoba ha, averaged about 16 c^^^X 't^ToiStCAiJ: r'^'^ °' ^'^'"^ ««>-- Haraid' 1887 ^fooA' MfedicineHat. Calgary, 'o"' 1920 osq in.oo lass lo n.1 " 19 .12 J°°° 16-23 11-40 17.5, 18S9 4-1,5 8-64 ii-^ 1890 9-60 .. 1IT2 ;. i^-S Jf 'the'irif °^ ^" *'"'t P^^r- ''' 1«^<^' ^« calculated from the return. on LnTf nT„ ! ^,/^«f*' '^'id as such occasionally comes ^"*«°"'fr«'»^ on then, It often materially deteriorates it. I have found «^,-Pnf compa^m, t.ie opinions of all after I hfd hiiS'^^oneW^^ 183 f\ * ;f !i 184 The Agricultural atul other Resources of Canada. now and again, and seeding, appeared to me that those whom I had noted as being the best farmers had little dread of, or had never lost much by August frosts, while the inexperienced and slovenly fanners were losing every The safeguards to adopt, appear to be early ploughing the use of ecily ripening varieties of grain — more particularly for the last sowings — and more mixed farming, so as to decrease the area sown, and 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 said anyone can be a farmer there. , Smudge tires (smoke fires), made by setting damp straw op. 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 keepii'g 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 si ch 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 less fog. Those who have lx>en successful in keeping off frost ty this iaeans, 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 preven- ting 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 does not rot. From information derived from several millers of undoubted expe- rience and respectability, I am informed that wheat damaged ^y 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 1886, 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 followmg results : — No. 1, iit (( .> " J{ " 4 " ,') •' U " 7 " S " !) " 10 " II " VI the end of eight days, .showed 48 per cent growth. 58 II .1 I. PJ2 " " 30 .. 50 .1 11 II iJO 'I " " " .w " 60 52 11 11 i> ^o i> 5li 60 Average " " " 55 " " The following note is also appended : — Frozen wheat is not reliable for seed, even though germinating a fair per cent, as its growth in the field is of a more or leas weakly nature. .? Mr. John Speir's Report. 180 and S: t" ruCt'ltSHer-r i ''^ «?- P--- o^ Manitoba Absence o. depressing on the spirits of In v ^^'''^' "" ^^^ ^^^^^r^^, and very ,^"« "halter o. vafue of timber beS'S^lTnotthX^^^^^^^ "'^^^^^"^ ^'^ ^^'"""^ try planted with narrow belt of fimL ^°»btthat were the coun- the prevailing winds Tn sho t tn M ' T"'°# ^"""^'^ ^'''^ ^""""^^ «f apart along the main fnes o rJh^ ' '"'^ ^* ^'"'^ '^^ ^^^« ^'^^^^^^^^ who now turn a«av SZl2h"^''^u''^ '^*'"^^ *^^ ^'^^^^^ "P ^^th it great difficultiesrin ^he waT att ^^^"' ^'' ^^^ouUies, even very opportunities ar; ,w oftS ZT '''""^l"^ """^ '"'^^ ** P'-°P««'^'' but never be obtained aftefthe coun^v'b! '"'^' ^^'^^'"f cally, which may The gains from such wouldlSr^e a ^^H ™"'' ^''^^l^^ghly settled' milder climate, and increa e rafnfril f ^/ ^P''^^^^ appearance, a immigration. More parttTlar^ fS H "^ ?''\'^ '"P?'^' ^'"^ ^'^'Ser outsides, very -reat carP Z, u^ ^ ^''* plantations and for the of suitable t.L';':f«LTd^dimr\t^vhi?TH•"' ''^ ^'^'^ ^^^^^"«" at the Dominion Government 11,^1 ' '*''7,^i*^^' the experience gained Indian Head would beTr; ^aLZ""*'^^ '^'"^ "' ^^'^"^'^^ ^^ at i^^r:*::^tii;:Sjf7td^^^^^^ and as settlement progresses it is ^1 2^"'* /' ^'"'^ "^" understood, unlikely to again cLsor/rterird^X^ ' ^^ ''^^ ^"' '^ don^sf-LrSttiis^i:^-.^:^^' -;^-r^^^ *^^^-— :^s ofX:sTo!^r -{to'^b:^;.cS:tt;:-7t complaints to'mTe reSlnftheT'^To tttl'l ^"^ ^^^^, '^^^"^ troublesome, more nartrcnlnrlS . <• • ,"'^ ^^''^ '^''e also very marshes, as kTiirc^S "Lfth: " ^^^/^^^^ity ^^ 'onds or • localities it is customary to S^ve a a Ld Z'^'^T"' ^''''t' ^" ^^ese smudge fire in the centL, It whU the" atfcfe T' '"'^ " ^'"'^'^"^'^ the cows in milk This tivTi^ IT -lu i """^ '^"''^"' particularly' burn slowly and caus^smot.^h cl^TstrTd^iSK^^^^^^^ ^^^"^' '"^' ^"' vte Sfutr:^ r d" ^^* Srtf ufitrnttr:.^-^^^^^^^ people ^ho^^ntr se^dTo': ro;ttTlrt"'^^^*^°? *^ '^ ^^ ^^-- soon anyone can accommoclate WmseTf to thp >, is wonderful how As the country also gets Sm- .Z^TI ^^ ',^''"-^^ cn-cumstances. of life- and occ^a^fs JSeh ,'C ^^^^^^7^^^ "^'^ drift into ways Every country L some d;::'^;^^ ' n/ 1 keSla°:"T^^''"'"f""- other is too drv a thirrl tnr. v,^f i Jscotlaud, is too wet, an- ,t rid S 'ti!" , °°"''' '""* aniiiia, very much roseml.lino-fh..,- i , , " ^"''^"' " " ™"ll «£ the pJn>r„fTe K^fet"? • T' "'■"=''.'°>>?Mt« the whole oh„„„el. ve,,. „„,„h «„^U„g "thole iCfeTd t' """[l"' "^ Srain when thev can eet it ■ ami wl,™ti„ til pnncipall.v on ..re ve,;y plenti^nl-tlt, olis:'!" iXlert^tl^^rrl"'" .™ then, natural eneu.ie, ; and an the open prSTke, ^hem dt" 1* i J). H ^ r m '". |''i 1^^^ 186 The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. 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 eivcping further and further westward. Who Should go to Canada. The class of persons principally wanted in Canada are farmers of all classes, fa.-m servants, domestic servants, and a few artizans; all others are for the present unlikely to be any more successful there than here. Farmers who are up in years should not go for their own benefit, l)ut it is desirable that they should do so for that of then- families, 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 once begin business. If they have some money and would prefer Manitoba or any of the country west, they may either purchase improved farms, buy unbroken lands, or go further back and take up a free homestead, according to their inclinations and means. The men likely to be most successful 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 consid- erable 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 work- ing order and free of debt. Farm servants with a fe.v nounds by them —more than will take themselves and their families ou c 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 immensely improve their position. All whc are able to pay for good lands near a railway, I ' ■ would advise to do so, rather than go farther back and gev 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 Territories, or go^'into cattle, horse, or sheep breeding in Alberta, if that is more to his tastes ; or, if he prefers a milder winter, he may goon to British Dolumbia, where he may engage in general farming, stock-raising, dairy- ing, or fruit culture, as suits his tastes and experience. Canadr is so large and so varied in character, that there is almost no one the farming way who is desirous of emigrating but will find some place suited to his tastes and experience. Conclusion. 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 cattle, 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 way. Such a course will in the end be much more profitable and pleasant tlian 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. THE REPORT OF MAJOR STEVENSON, Knockbrack, Qoshaden, Londonderry. tiv^ f A "u"' *? \T"''' ^^^^' ^*^^"g been appointed representa- tive for the northern half of Ireland on the commission empowered to investigate and report on the resources of the Dominion of Canada. I !rin V ^^e-5th. September from Belfast Lough, on the Royal mail steamship "Sai-nm," of the Dominion line. Captain Gibson Recorded ZLZI f''^ '" ^^' ^°^"' '^''' ^ "^'S^' '"-'^« ^y««lf conversant xvith the system pursued, m every detail, on board the vessels of the uff tK^" ; "*"' 'T ^ *™^ °" ^^^ P^^^'^g^ «"fc' ^^^^ the round w th the captain, or other officers of the ship, visiting the intermediate and steerage quarters. I am glad to be able to bea? testimony to the uniform courtesy and attention shown to all on board, without distinc- tion of class, by the officials of the company. The intermediate SS ■ ean -^'tirfn ^^''''■'..'""^'"''^r'' ^"" ^en^lated, and scrupulously clean , the food of excellent quality, varied and well-cooked ; neatness ITiZtZ Tl "°''^''P^^"«f throughout. We had on board 58 saloon, fnf«J^!^ . ^ """"^ ^*"^ '^^''^^^ passengers. The majority of ou^ mtermediate and st.erage passengers, and a few of our saloon passen- JIV-T ?' ^^''''^^^ ^""^ ^^' ^^' ^«^*- I did not hear a^sinde complaint from anyone on board, and I frequently asked among the teerage passengers if they had any complaints. I was invariabi; told that everything .vas done for their comfort that could possibly be k3;r, J r' J ? «"ff«f djr«m sea-sickness spoke of the*^ exceeding forfhl 'v';k '''r^'^"^ ''^'^''"^ ^^ providing little delicaci J Wl! ft f il ""^T^' '".^^ *' "^^ ^'•^^^'•^^ the great Atlantic, and with the facilities and comforts accorded, no one need hesitate to cross 10 Canada on account of the sea voyage. I landed at Quebec on the 15th of September, having had a most 1'atem.I «•» en,,oyable passage out. The majority of our passengers^vent on to V^Sd" Montreal After landing, the immigrant will tind his interests carefully '"""'^"•'*"^« looked after by the officials of the Dominion Cxovernment. NecessarV arrangements are made for the comfort and protection of female immi- grants ; and these remarks apply not only to the port of arrival, but to all places of any importance throughout the Dominion. Wherever the immigrant may direxit his, or her, course throughout the broad Do- minion, they will find the eye of the paternal government upon them, and their mterests carefully protected and preserved. I noted wiS pleasure the sleeping arrangements on the colonists' cars, and it is hard to conceive in what way more could be done to render travelling easy and, as far as possible, comfortable. ' THE DOMINION OF CANADA. It will be interesting to those I represent to have a brief outline of the Dominion, and, for their information, I give a few details here that may aid them in considering what is to follow. The Dominion of Canada includes all the land lying nort;h of the United States, with the exception of Alaska, Newfoundland and part) of Labrador! On the north this immense territory is bounded by the Arctic ocean ; on the east by Baffin's bay, Davis strait, Labrador and the North Atlantic i:j ill M i k ^ 188 ^i Qaographioal position and extent of Can adk. % - Govemmwn t, Hocial condi- tions and pub lie propreM. ^^ jM " 1 :. 1|; 1 Thfi Agricidturai and other Resources of Canada. cK'ean ; on the south by the United States ; and on the west by Alaska and the North Pacific ocean. The Dominion has an area of almost 3,500,000 square miles, with a population of about 5,000,000. There is no State church, and all christian forms of worship may be said to exist — religious toleration being extended to all, from the churchman to the "heathen Chinee." The government is in the hands of the people — executive authority vested in the Queen, and exercised in her name by a Governor General, aided by a Privy Council ; and legis- lative, vested in tho Parliament composed of the Senate and the House of Commons. Each of the provinces has its own Lieutenant Governor and a local Parliament. The military system may be des- cribed ac voluntary. Besides a small Imperial garrison at Halifax, there is an active militia of almost 40,000 strong. The educational sy.stemleaves'nothingto be desired. There is alarge number of high-class colleges, possessing world-wide reputation ; hundreds of private and high schools, and thousands of public and elementary schools. The railway system in Canada is being rapidly developed ; hundreds, almost thousand.^, of miles of railways are being laid down annually. The Atlantic and the Pacific are now united by a band of steel — the Cana- dian Pacific Railway, one of the largest undertakings of its kind ; a well-managed corporation and the greatest civilizer of the age. In addition to the Canadian Pacific Railway there are several other extensive railway systems — notably the Grand Trunk of Canada, the Intercolonial, and the Manitoba and North-Western Railways, all of which lines are managed in the interests of the community. The postal system, together with telegraph and telephone arrangements, has received great attention, and no settlement, however small, can be said to be out of communication with the world. Leaving Quebec, I proceeded to Ottawa, and thence to Toronto, that I might visit the exhibition before proceeding west. I will iaerely deal with the agricultural exhibition held at Toronto^ which contained exhibits from all parts of the Dominion, in this place, as I will refer to the city of Toronto later on, when speaking of the Pro- vince of Ontario. As far as possible thr'ughout this report, I confine myself to my notes made on the spot, at the time or immediately after- wards, but, of course, to bring it within reasonable limit.'?, they are much abridged, numerous interesting facts being left out, and only a few typical examples and illustrations being used, to show the develop- ment and resources of the several provinces. I was much pleased with the exhibition ; it was one of the finest I have ever attended, and more extensive than I could have imagined possible. The exhibits of garden and farm produce were excellent and varied. I saw pumpkins from Manitoba of great size, and fine melons, turnips, potatoes and mangolds. As for cabbages, I never saw better grown anywhere. The exhibit in grapes, both purple and green, was very fine; and the grain, both threshed and in the ear, were very fine samples. I was somewhat disappointed in the show of hors..3 ; nevertheless, they were very serviceable, but the Shorthorns and Polled Angus were a good lot. I have rarely seen finer cattle, and they would do credit to the mother country. Sheep and pigs were well up to the mark, and the show of poultry was very creditable. There was a Wild West show, which attracted no small amount of attention, and added considerably to the variety and entertainment of the exhibitioji. One of the most striking features of the exhibition was the implement department ; here, lightness and strength were admirably combined, and it would not be possible to get together such an exhibit of agricultural machinery in this country. a I h P cl ir w lie institu- tion*. Major Stevenson's Bejiort. In thTSiK ^ considerably cheaper than in f.he United Kingdom Ivtietyoi anCt"n"'; "^^'^T-^^. embroidery, crewelLs, a^S the sSl chndJpn P*^'"*^^^"^ *« *h« «^"tler sex was to be seen ; even and;tt.,tXr:dr^^^^^^^ in rn£w!^r!' f -^ ' ^^^ ^^onii'iion of Canada was not, far behind us i«ma"rce' ^^"""« ^ "^*«"^' development and the comfo;t o? the PROVINCE OP MANITOBA, wells The.,m]Tvr •. u .^"-^^""^^ readily obtained by sinkincr with a gentWn from ScotltS who Sw "nt^w °°"™''""'''° a city of only a few years' growth, now the capital ofTe pSce S Manitoba, and with a population of about ^30,000 inhab Ss j;i»=j;trlj-srtd^^ track between Winnipeg and the Ro°kv MolLfn^ ^^"^^^, «"'V^ *^^ pamphlet., and all inf^r'mation respe'^Ig^^^^^^^^^^ carle wT^^' any of the company's agents, free 'of oosfat aU potfalong t S" On Sunday, the 21st September, I drove out to Mr Edfn? ffi, residence is situated on the bank of the Assiniboine, and s £ all respects Ihe land in the vicinity of Winnipeg is exceedincrly rich and hp«r heavy crops of grain and roots. ' 6n Monday f visSe done o^The intelligent looking. EducaSr^Xtlf ^t evl" Soltols' where necessary, being i^ man. instances supplied free of St. ' 18f .)ul»- pub- m 1»0 I ObMrvatintiH •n farmB (xt- ■onally iii- ■paoted. The Agririt/tiiraJ and othdr R/utourcea of Canada. At the Dominion land offices 1 saw o. number of samples of all descriptions of agricultural produce from the several portions of the pHjvince. The roots, j^rain, vegetable 3, flux seed, and some samples of hops, were exceptionally good. T visited the tity markets and inspected the beef, mutton, poultry, and vegetables ofl'ered there ; all were of good quality and sold at reasonable n- -es. I v/cnt over the premises of Messrs. Gait, wholesale traders ; their establishment is certainly quite a wonder — extensive and completa. J compared prices with those at home, and I find that most necessaries of life compare favourably, and many are cheaper. I drove out to Sir Donald Smith's })lace, " Silver Heights" ; it is very nicely situated, and the land bur- rounding it is very good. We were shown his herd of West Highland cattle, Hereforda, and buffalo. On our way out we passed some excel- lent fields of potatoes, and also saw large quantities of good cabbage and beet ; celery seems to do particularly well. I waited on His Grace the Roman Catholic Archbishop of the Province of Manitoba, and had a long conversation with him. He spoke warmly in favour of the province as a field for Irish emigration, and referred to the rapid pro- gress that is being made ; and instanced that when he fii-st visited Winnipeg it took him 43 days to travel from Quebec, while it can now be done in three days. I visited the nunnery and was taken through the schools, which are certainly very nice and well conducted. I had the pleasure of being introduced to the mother superior and several of the sisters, was taken over the premises, and left much pleased with all I saw. When at Winnipeg I had an opportunity accorded me of enjoying a wolf hunt — I may say in passing, that the prairie wolf is not a dangerous animal. In Manitoba, as well as in other provinces of the Dominion, there are several packs of hounds ; the sport is excellent, and those who enjoy the hound and saddle can still indulge their taste even on the prairies of Manitoba. In Winnipeg there are two breweries, both of which are doing well ; and with the excellent hops which can readily be grown in the southern portion of the province, this industry, I doubt not, will prove capable of great development, and provide a large field for labour in the future. On Saturday, the 1st November, 1890, I drove to Oakdale farm, situated 15 miles south of Winnipeg, on the west bank of the Red River. We passed through the French settlement of St. Norbert ; the land all the way out is of deep, rich, vegetable loam. The country is interesting, and fairly well timbered. After passing St. Norbert, one gets into a very nice wheat and grazing district, timber and rolling lands. Here there are thousands of acres available at prices from $4 to $6 per acre, in many cases with houses on the lands. Oakdale farm contains 400 acres, and is managed on the share system, i. e., the owner finds all capital and .the manager works the place ; on grain and farm produce they halve the profits, and on stock the manager gets one-third. Mr. Davidson,^ the manager, informed me that grain-growing has been chiefly followed n,s yet, but that they purpose to pursue mixed farming, for which the lands seem well adapted. This year 140 acres were under grain — 75 of wheat, 45 of oats, and 20 of barley, The yield all round will be good, and no injury was done by frost. Wheat, he calculated, would produce nearly 30 bushels per acre, oats 50, and barley about 35. Roots do very well, and there is a good supply of water all through the neighbourhood. Mr. Davidson moved west from the Province of Ontario, where he farmed previously. He seems well satisfied with results, and both he, his wife, and their children stated that thay suffered no inconvenience from the winter cold. Spring ploughing, IS of Major ^'tevennoiiH Report, [ 9 ) he stated, did as well as autumn plouf,'hin)(. A part of the crop sown last spring had heen thn-Hhod when I was there. It j^raded No. 1 hard, sold for 85 cwts per bu.shol, and he cxiiected it to yield .30 bushels per acre. There is a cheese factory in the nei-hhourhood which giv<..s satisfaction to tho fanners ; it was only recently erected, and it is expected that next year it will develop considerably. I drove to and visited the Indian industnal school at St. Paul's. Here I was pleased with all I saw ; there are at present 58 children in the school, which 18 a new institution, about 31 of these b<'in« girls, and all are bright, intelligent, and happy Kwking. There are 380 acres attached to the school. The boys are educated and receive technical training in agricul- ture, gardening, and various trades; the girls are similarly trained to suitable avocations. The land in this district is also of excellent quality and I was informed by a lady whose farm I visited that she had recently been offered $50 per acre. This farm contains about 100 acres and has excellent housing on it ; it is al)out five miles from Winnipeg. On Friday, 23rd September, I left Winnipeg for Glenboro', stop- Immigrant pmg tor a short time at the interesting little village of Carman • this crofters from line of rail has only recently been laid down, and the village and dis- !;l',?nifa'2?'^'' trictis asyet very infantile. Here I saw the formation of a new Scotland town which, doubtless, in the near future will become a place of some inaportance. Carman is the centre of an excellent wheat-growin" district, and is situated on a little creek called the "Boyne." A few stations from Glenboro' we were shown a calf eight months old wei-h- ing 950 lbs.; certainly very practical evidence of what the counti7 "an do. Glenboro' is a growing township, and is the centre of a very rich grass and wheat district. The town has already made considerable progress and wears a contented, prosperous air. I drove thi'ou.'h the district south-west of Glenboro', through Stockton, and on to Pelican Lake, visiting several crofter and .other settlements on my way, the land throughout being of prime quality, bearing excellent natural grass, and, where cultivated, heavy crops. Near Hilton station, on the Northern Pacific Railway, I found some crofters from the island of Harris, who came out in the summer of 1888. There are 12 families from that island settled there, and 18 from the Lewis, who are settled on the other side of Pelican Lake. Donald McKenzie, a good, hardy specimen of a Harris crofter, stated :~Each family be4n with one yoke of oxen and one cow with calf. Each head of a family received 1 60 acres of land. The first summer they succeeded in making ready about 8 acres for wheat the following year. This season they average about 40 acres under crop, and hope for a yield of wheat of about 20 bushels per acre. The McKenzies, of whom there are two families, expressed themselves as more than satisfied with the country and grateful to the Government for what had been done for them! They expected to have 70 acres under wheat next year. They have worked together since they came out, assisting one another. Their cattle have done very well, and they expect very soon to have a nice httle stock about them. They have pigs and poultry, and are able to sell butter and eggs. They experience no inconvenience from the climate, either in winter or summer, and they would not return to Scotland. They have a very good school for their children, and there is a Presbyterian church near, where they can attend service every Sunday. Roderick McKay states that he likes the country well. It is grand for potatoes, oats and wheat. He has a wife and six of a family. He is well pleased with the school ; ystem. He has 1 1 head of cattle, including his oxen, twc pigs, and a lot of poultry. Donald i'' 191 The Agricultural and otli^r RMourcea of Canada. 01*7 of Bran- 6ca\ and its •nrroundinfr Unds. ■ , 1" i m «-, . I Stewart, from Harris, ru^ar Kort AuKu.stus, statwl he woa in the service of Tjord Dunmord. Flo eiime out in 1888. MrH. Stewart says they did not at first iii<(« tho country a hit ; it was so loiioly and no neigh- hours to speak to. Hho now iiko.s it well. She has four children — two hoys and two /^irls. The girls [ saw ; the hoys were in the wheat- fields at a distance. When asked if they woulil like to go hack to "honnio Scotland," they replied thoy liked Canada hotter. Mrs. Stewart says their hojws for the future (ire good. They have this season more than 70 acres under wheat, some jMjtatoe.s, and a very nice stock. They iiavo eight cows with calf for next spring (six now giving milk). She showed nie rux very nice calves, fully up to theaveragt! in Irelancl. She roars pig.s, and had just sold a litter at $l.r)0 each, wiion a month old. She did not consid(!r the winter so had, and had not worn more clothes than she did at home. She iaughe^l heartily when she told mo that Donald had a spot of frosthite on his nose, hut that it in no way injured his cajmcity. She .sold her eggs for 10 cents per dozen, hut in autumn and winter got as much as 18 for them ; for butter she got from 12 J to 18 cents per Ih. I dug some potatoes in the Held and never .saw tiner. Those cases are typical of the crofters as I found them. I visited a large number, and everywhere hoard the .same Btory— prosperity, peace, content. This I consider very satisfactory, as the crofters, by eafly training i>,nd lack of agricultural experience, are by no means the best calculated to make good settlers on prairie farms. Leaving the crofter settlement, I drove acrobs the prairie to Burnett's lake. Here we halted. The natural grass here is nutritious very cattle and horses do remarkably well and are most prolific, beaiing young at a very early age, cattle as young as IX, horses 2^. In general the \\ ater supply is from wells, the water good, and obtained at a depth of from 20 to 50 feet. On the shores of the Pelican lake I visited the farm of a young Englishman named Houghton, from near Birkenhead, Lancashire. He told me he had been for a time in Parr's bank, "Warrington, but did not cai-e foi- oflSce life ; he came here five years ago, and owns three quarter- sections, or 480 acres. He recently bought a farm of two quarter-sections for his brother, and is well pleased with the country, although he had some bad luck, liis first crop being destroyed by a prairie fire, together with his house, barn, and .some of his stock ; he married about 16 months since, and of course would not change places with anyone. Leaving Glenboro', I struck across tlie plains in a north-westerly direction ; here the country is well settled, and as far as the eye could reach there is wheat '. wheat ! ! wheat ! ! ! In some places the wheat had been cut and stood in stooks ; in other places it was in stack. Everywhere, howe\er, it gives proofs of the exceeding fertility of the soil, and the prosperity of the settler. We drove to Souris by way of Wawanesa ; the country throughout is well adapted for settlement, and a few years hence I have no doubt this district will be found thickly peopled, having large and prosperous towns and busy manufactories. On the way from (rlenboro' to Brandon I interviewed many farmers, with always the same result : I found them prosperous, contented and happy. Arriving in Brandon I found it a prosperous little city, with a population of 5,000, the capital of the western district of Manitoba. Brandon is the largest grain market in Manitoba, and the distributing market for an extensive and well-settled country ; the town is beauti- fully situated on high ground, and although only six years old has well laid-down streets, and very substantial buildings. There are fine grain elevators, a flour mill, and a powerful saw mill. I was surprised at the superiority of the machinery in use, and noted with pleasure 16 Major Stev*iHMou'n Rf/tort, tliat niout of tho inuclun.-iy whn CarmdiiuMiiiul.'. Hmndon, frf.m itn gco^'raphioul sitimtio!!, must l«.,<.iii.. u phun of v.-iy c.msidfmble iuipoit uno., m .1 f«w y.wiis. I it,.,l tl.,- farm .,f Mr. Serimental farm I drove through some of the wheat-growing districts. Amongst other place.s I visited was the farm of th'eiy weu nere , they can either home- stead, or, It they desire, purchase a quarter-section with a house a.u' stable on It, get to work there, and homestead or prrcLe for th^ • receive excellent wages and are well treated. The winter is lone, anrl "wttchedir? n W "?r^'^"^ ^^^'^^^ «^ th^ at" i is no wretchedly cold, but rather "pleasant and bracing." The winter IS enjoyed by all the young people ; I had an experience of 3?° below zero (it is only rarely that such a temperatureT co Ld but It caused me no inconveniunce. lecoiueu;, out THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES. Beyond the Province of Manitoba, nearer the setting sun extend, .he region known as the North-West Territories. Much tha^ I have SlllftoThfT *'r"^' ""'T'^ r'' P^«^'"^«-^^ ^' Manlt^t, a';^ equally to the Territories. Out of this vast territory, in 1882 the SsTiZfa SaTkTT'"' ''Zf '""^ P'-^^^'^'^^^^ dis'tric"s, named Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Athabasca. This territory :sTmalli^l?9oTor "'" ^^' "P^^^'"^^' ^^^^^ ^ P^'P"''^^-' by m1*ifZ'T."~J*'' ^''t ?"^''' •'^ '^^ "-^^^^^''d '•""t^ visited by me lu the Territories -I inspected the schools. The children Tod .l';T , ^'' '^T /=' ' '''' ^^^'•'^g^ attendance i very good a though several of the children come a distance of five miles. I drove out and visited the farm of Mr. Gilliman who came out from county Cork, Ireland, in 1883 : he homelteSed Tnd pre-empted. He 'las had the experience of six yearl' "crops; an 197 iiii rivil divi- MOllS. Srliool ail'i farm. 198 The AffHailturcd and other liesoiircrs of Canada. Vcreage pro- duction of oroiis. expressed himself as more than wl'11 j)loasocl with tlio country ; he pursues mixed farming ; his grain has never been injured by fiost, so as to oH'uct the price; he cunsithirs 18 busliols a fair average yield of wheat ; oats yield from 40 to 50 bushels, and sometimes GO per acre ; ho uses all his straw for fonige. This year he milked 12 cows, and hopes to milk IS next season. A cheese factory is being promoted in this neighbourhood on the co-operative pi'inciple ; 300 cows have been already (Mitered ; each cow yiekling a certain (juautity of milk will rejiiosent a share. The cheese season will extend from JMay to October, and it is hoped that thesystemwill greatly benefit the farmer. Referring to the local fairs or shows, Mr. Gilliman said they did nmch good, not only from an agricultural point of view, but from an industrial stand- point ; at recent shows several prizes fell to the active and industrious fingers of Mrs. Gilliman for Irish lace and fancy work. He has 31 head of cattle, 10 horses, 30 sheep; he keeps no pigs ; he prefers Shropshire sh(!ep, but Southdown do equally well on these lands. Mrs. Gilliman stated that she likes the country well ; it is very healthy ; they have ii\'o children, the pictures of health, and they do not know what it is to be ill. I got several very tine specimens of native Hax from the prairie ; the fibre of this flax is rich, but is rather coarse in nature. I have no doubt but that cultivated tlax from lliga, Dutch or English seed would b(! productive of fibre of fine quality and large yield. I was given a nest of the golden oriol, made entirely of the fibre from the wild flax, the bird proving, beyond contradiction, the tibre-pi'oducing qualities of the soil and climate. Some of the land within a mile or two of the railway in this district, as in sor^e other places in Manitoba and the Territories, is held by speculators. The prices asked are not un- reasonable, but they retard progress, and are at the present time cumberers of the ground. The lands in the vicinity of Moosomin are good and well adapted for mixed farming. Wolseley is a neat little village in the district of Assiniboia ; the land is rolling and level prairie, bearing a good close grass, and is well adaj)te(l for mixed farming ; there is an abundance of good hay readily obtain- able. In this neighbourhood there is a considerable quantity of land for homesteading. The water supply is drawn from wells, and there is a good supply, as a rule, readily obtainable. There is an abundant supply of timber for fuel and fencing purposes. Mixed farming is, as a rule, pursued. Wheat produces from 17 to 35 bushels per acre ; the average this season might bo taken as 25 bushels. Much of this season's wheat shows symptoms of frosting. Oats do well, pro- ducing from 40 to 80 bushels per acre. Potatoes are grown for home cons.umption only, and produce from 300 to 400 bushels per acre. Cattle of all descriptions do well, and contagious disease is unknown. I visited the Fleming settlement. There is a large number of families of this name here. They came direct from Ontario, that they might find a greater field for the settlement of their children. They were originally North of Ireland people. James Fleming stated that he came from Ontario in 1881, almost without capital. He homeste.aded and pre-empted. He believes this place better than Ontario, for mixed farming and cattle raising. Old countrymen, especially English and Scotch, stick too closely to their old ideas. He recommends mixed farming as most profitable. He has now 21 head of horned cattle, six horses and some pigs. This season they milked seven cows , next season they hoped to have 11. Cattle do remarkably well. The winters, while severe, are pleasant, and they would almost as soon have the winter season as the summer. I called on a large number of settlers in this neighbourhood. Mr. James Fleming is fairly Major Stevenson's Report. reprosotativeof those T saw. All woro contontod. At Indian J[oa,l lytf Sz^'^'T-''^ '"•"''■,;-rinee Albert ,..i Sun.Iay, r,th ()et 1 e Tl « Unvn..«tuate.ion the l,anl< of the Saskatchew.^; (or Swlf ! un.dn^ 'c . t-'v t was ^" -l T""" ;:"l'"'-'''^"«'' '"«!. eoMsillerin,. that until i(x, nt.y It was JOO mdes from the nearest rail connnunieation it is snr pns.ngthatitshouhl l.uo developed as it has don^ The town cm ' tan>s about 1 000 inhai)itants, and the distriet ab, ut 4 000 Tn e ncMghbourOod of Prince All.rt there is abundan,"f ^^^^^h t^l^" litve . I I 'T'" IT','". •" "'^"'S''^'^''' *'"'• •-^■••-' I'undrednues bctNuen i<.d„,onton and Lake Winnipeg, the only break bein-^ at (JruuS liai.Kls, near Us n.outh The country'is undukting, bear ng exe • l^U grass we 1 wooded and adn.irably adapted for mixed fanr";^ a^ catt ., ra s.ng 1 have b.^en given to understand that coal and iron exist in abundance in tho immediate vicinity of IViM.'e A b "t th« own contains several saw n.iUs, a good Hour i^.ill, and now t la t ht nxd commun.ca Uon, it ,s, [ believe, destined to g, rapidly ah d- (1,1 makes excellent bricks. 1 was shown some loots which were of excel- lent quality ami O..0 tu.-nip I weighe.l, .sealed 18 lbs. I visaed tho district o ]Juck Lake which is about 50 miles south of Prince Abet Hogina the ca],ital of the North- West Ten-itories, contains a 1!. population of about 2,800; tho residence of the LieutenirGo™ IS hero, and also the lieadqua,-ters of the North-West Mounted ^ fee The land is of .ood quality, level prai.ue, and practically ready for the plough ; he chstrict about Hegina does not appear to uS much f,-om early rosts, and is well adapted for lh,.it-.ro sW mixed fanning and cattle raising. The district is well de e ving of the favourable consideration of inten.ling en.igrants f.-om Trehind I visiteu the agncultura] exhibition ; the exl,rbits were u, if' .nfy good, particularly the exhibit of school children's work, map.s" w 't / A'c ; there was also an exhibit of ladies' needle and fancy work". in the fine arts section, some of the paintings in oil and wate^--col^rs we.-e ve,-y creditable. Between llegina and Calgary, much of tl 1 ", tlnough which tl.o line runs is of a poor natu%, containing, dka and much of tho water is, I am ini'onned, .saline. At Medicine Hat f V. u'ri.ultu was Uken charge of by a North .f Ti-^land n,an, and visked he ^i" -^ 1- ''" cultural exhibition. The,-e M-as . .ry creditable show of roots an 1 feet in crcum erenco. I saw a ve.y nice sample of hop.s. There are several ccjal mines in the vicinity, and the river is navigable for steam boat.s.^^lN'aLural gas is also found in this region. Calgary has a popu- 199 Kina. 5 t 200 The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. From Calgary to Fort MoLuod. lation of 3,500 ; it is the most important town between Brandon and Vancouver. It is charmingly situated on a liill-girt plateau, over- looked by the Rockies. It is the centre of trade of the great ranching country, and the chief source of s ipply for the mining districts in the mountains beyond. The town is well built, and har a very substantial air. I drove out on the McLeod trail, and from the table-lands I got a magnificent view, — Calgary in the foreground, and the snow-clad peaks of the Rockies in the distance. The country is rolling, and covered with a close, rich pasture. On what is known as the old Government farm I saw a numl)er of fine cattle. In returning, I fol- lowed the Fish Creel- trail until it struck the McLood trail. I hiid an opportunity of visiting the fii'st woollen mills established in tlie district, and I procured some very creditable samples of the goods produced. I visited what is known as High River horse ranche, situated some 42 miles south of Calgary. On this ranche they have about 900 horses ; 225 mares foaled ; they lost ten foals and three mares from various causes ; four stud horses are kept (they usually keep five), but one died last autumn. "J"'! is ranche seems well adapted for the raising of horses ; no shelter or hay as a rule is used, and the foals run on mares until self-weaned. No cattle are raised on this ranche. About 800 tons of hay are stored in case of emergency. When here, I learned from Sir Lister Kaye's manager, that flax is grown on the Manaka farm, about 40 n)i!es east of Calgary, for fibre ; it grows about 2 ft. 6 in. long, and is moderately tine. I visited what is known as the Quorn ranche ; on this ranche both cattle and horses are raised, and I was very much pleased with the quality and condition of both. I saw some -"'ery fine Shorthorn and Polled cattle ; they keep 12 stud horses, 4 of which are imported English thorough breds, the remainder good coaching horses. This ranche is well Wi.terod, and there is very fair stabling ana housing on it. Physical aspects. The lumber trade. THE PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA is that portion of the Dominion which looks out on the Pacific Ocean> and is the only British territory on the western or Pacific Ocean side of the North American continent. Area, 341,805 square miles; population about 90,000. This province is rich in minerals ; probably there is no country on the world's surface of similar extent containing greater variety of, and equal mineral wealth. Nor are the agricultural resources of the province by any means so limited as many would suppose. There is a great extent of rich \ alloy and river deposit land capable of producing almost anything. The climate of British Columbia is genial, and corresponds closely with that of the best portions of the British Isles. Passing through the caiions in tlie Rockies, a glorious scene unfolds before one : nature is discovered in all her grandeur, and one experiences a sense of awe and a feeling of man's insignilicance. New Westminster was the first town of any importance in the province visited by me ; it is beautifully situated on the Fraser river, and has a poj)ulatio)i of soihe 6,000. The town has many handsome buildings, and is tiie headquarters of the salmon canning industry. It has also large saw mills. The city is situated some 17 miles from the Gulf of Georgia, and vessels of the largest size can lie at the quays. I visited a large lumber mill, and there measured a log 74 inches acrobS the face, and 30 feet in length. Here, as elsewhere, the machinery is all Canadjan-made, and logs are frequently handled squaring 36 inchts 60 feet long. One log was turned out for a special purpose 115 feet long and 54 inches square. Their chief market for timber is Australia, ' IsllOlU'M. Major Stevenson's Report. India and the east coast of South America. The homo market i, rapidly lucreas.ng, and is the best market they possess i vSd thn exlubition build ngs, which are nicely situated, and the buildh Is verv commodious. Above the town 1 saw a portion of the fore t^^couSJ foe so"r?v tTTeet/h' '" "'"•l-""'^ ''^'^ ^ '''•''' ^^ "^ -ulj nS b" lou sorry to see such magnihcont timber removed. I visited one of v the several large salmon and fruit canneries ; the output s enormous t.T I vKit:dTe ""'r^'Tir '' '^""'■^^^^' l^y this^importartindi; : uy. 1 visited the salmon hatcheries, where about 7 000 000 vouna ::LTri:tX;'t ?? ''''"^.^' *^''® ^"^''^««'^ e'^te"^^ from Apulto f ro ra^ « 30 tn^/^; ' '"''f^ containing 48 tins each. Chinamen Ln tiom f. to $45 per month, white labour from |40 to $100 There m, woollen mills which were established some three years a^o • sh^ce IZn %}''''''' ^""/^'^^ 'l''^: '^"^^P"*' '^"^ they are now^aboutfodoTbe again. The promotion of the company was aided by a subsidy from Wth^Xald """"?'' °' %l''^' -^"^ ^ ''^' ^™«-t was ;r^ided bythe.ity and corporation. They make some twenty varieties of ! yet' "ken'b?' "T' ''^T'^'^^^} blankets. All Jieir output i as yet taken by one firm. I visited what is known as the Delta situated a little way down the river. Here we saw magnificent land rhe vahie of this land, which is chiefly either farmed or he d by speci lators IS high, from $100 to $200 per acre being asked. All fruits do 1!JT' T'^^'l^ '"'^S''^'"^' ^'^« "•"'» yi«l'^-g enormous crcl I drove from New \\ estminster to Vancouver. The road passed through the weiramrhl \" "riS'^" 'l''''' '^ great fo'rest fires."n^a„eouv.r the weird and blackened skeletons of giar* trees stood naked and '''■>• '•'^pi'^ Cradian'p TV^' '"•^"'■.^- V— uver, the terminus of the ^" '"■ l;?d If 000 ? ;-Mi^'/^; '°"'^^"' ^ population ot between 15,000 M v\n T ," ^ll l^^^ '^' ''^^ ^'^^ '''^^''^ ^ith a dense forest. From May to July of that year its progress was most rapid, but in July a hre spreading from the surrounding forest, swept away every house but one in the place. The situation h perfect as regards picture oue^ iiess natural drainage harbour facilities, and comm'ercial advant S . 11 ere are extensive wharves, warehouses, numerous hotels, churches schools, &o Many of its buildings are of cut stone, brick, ami ™ te and some of its private residences would do credit to a dty of Tcen- unpl?"S !■ 1 ''": '""?'•" ''" "'" ''"^^- ''''''' '^ -' excellent wler sTLn ^ V f r"«'^'P 'Tr'' P'y *« '^"^l f'-o'" Chinaand Japan, San Francisco Yokohama, and Hong Kong, and many other import East'^^rthe ^v^r^'T '°^ *^^P°•'^-* '' ^^""'^^^ °- th« route to' the t^ie future T^. ' ''"I '' "^'^.V"'^ '" ?'^^"Py ^" ^"^P"'-^''^"* P^^i^i^n in the future The country south towards the Fraser has fine farms and IS splendidly adapted for fruit-growing; trout and salmon abound and the deep-sea fishing resources are illimitable. The timber in the Stanley P.irk gives one an idea of what the soil and climate, " given time " can lo tT Th^rr^ "n /T' ^ ^"^"f"'^^ P^'^^' -hieh girthe'almos" bO teet The park is well laid out and possesses many natural advant^ a^es which, when utilized will make it one of the finest pleasure the world. Vancouver is lighted with electric light, and 201 grounds in ft 202 The Affricultural and other Resources of Canada. W H^ j! Coal milling. Vaticf>\ivor iHland. i( possesses an electric street car system. There is a large demand for male and female labour at a very high rate of remuneration. At present almost all unskilled labour and domestic work is performed by Chinamen. I proceeded from Vancouver to Nanaimo. This is a mining town, wearing a prosporous air. I visited the mines and descended a sh.ift 630 feet deep. Tlu^ output of coal from the three mines worked by the company is from 1,500 to 2,000 tons per day. The condition of the miners is ijood ; white miners earn from $70 to $150 per month, and Chinamen si? 1.25 i)er day. Not many Chinamen are employed in the mines. The majority of the miners own their own houses. Victori.i, the capital of British Columbia, contains a population of some 20,000, and is charmingly situated at the southern extremity of Vancouver Island. It looks westward, towards the Pacific. The climate may be said to be that of the south of England " improved," and the town is English in its characteristics. Besides the Government offices, the city has many fiiie public and private buildings, among them a large and well-appointed opera house. The city has many large commercial houses. A railway extends 70 miles north-easterly to Nanaimo. Steamships depart every few days for San Francisco, where connections are made for the Sandwich Islands, Australia, southern California, and other places. The city is well-built, well-lighted — perhaps the best lighted city in the Dominion — and has an electric tram service. I drove out in a northerly direction, about 12 miles, to a place called Newton Hill. The country through which I drove was very beautiful, with splendid timber, and here and there a little clearing and a farm house. There are fruit gardens attached to each house, and the crop of fruit and vegetables raised is marvellous. Some pheasants have been turned loose in these woods, and are increasing rapidly. I next visited the district of Chilliwack, on the Eraser river. Here I was surprised at the extent of available land for agriculture. These lands, as well as all the low level lands on either batik of the Eraser, are of excellent quality, and will produce crops of almost any description. At this place I saw an admirable exhibit of fruit, especially apples and peaches. I drove from there to Popcum, a distance of 14 miles, chiefly through a low-lying, flat, marshy district , the land is wet but rich, and when drained will become most valuable. Erom Popcum I crossed to Agassiz, where I visited the Government experimental farm. This farm was established some three years ago ; it is situated at the foot of high hills, by which it is almost surrounded ; the soil is varied, and it is well adapted to fulfil the objects for which designed. The Province of British Columbia offers many advantages to those desirous to seek a new country. The capitalist can find ample scope for safe and remunerative investment, yielding a large return, and the manufacturer an ample field for his ability, and a local market. And the labourer will readily find employment at wages which, if he lives prudently, will, in a few years, ensure independence. Unless possessed of considerable capital, it is not the place for the agriculturist, as lands are relatively dear ; a farm might, however, be rented at a reasonable rate, or worked on the share system. THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO. Extent aiil has an area of about 182,000 square miles, and a population exceeding population. 2,000,000. This province is rich in agricultural lands, of excellent quality, has an abundant supply of timber, and vast mineral resources. Il Majm- Stevenson's Report. 203 a^TlI P«t'-,'^1«»'" /« obtained in immense quantities. Its rivera and kkes are well supplied with fish, and its f orestl with game. To ™ I isacitl W^'"™'^ Government, has a popula^on of IsioOO: It is a city that any country might well l,e proud of. It is growing olffl O^'tn^'^-''^ xnwealth and manufactures, ^t is beautiful!; sTuI ef sre^ lakvf w ; "f ^^"^^"^''^ ^'''''' <^«™niunication with the other Thfcitvt. "^'/"^ 7''^' ''"^ ^'- ^'^^^•'•'^'^^^ "^^'- ^-^^tward. descent wS!;'' ^^'"'"'^ ''^ ■^^",*^^'^^' «*" ^"S^^^^, Irish or Scotch ofwS. tV , ""'^'""'"'''-"''"^^ centres in the province, all h mo t JnS" prosperous and interesting. Good agricultural lands, Cost of agri- T; If ! '7^ ^" Purc.l'ased at from $40 to $70 per acre ; those -lt>"airnd.. " 00 . /"f ^J!^^''"''''^ '^''.^'''^' command as high a price as $80 to a on „'^""-''' ^'"^1^' '^f '^ '•"le, are comfortable and serviceable. Tax- ation, as everywhere tliroughout ti.e Dominion, is very licdit • and numor,,u.s farmers b,n-ne down by rents and taxes' in EngCd, iVel d and Scotland, would hnd things much easier in Ontario ; but Capital is . excelleni''and?'llT'?'^"r^ ?""'«' ''^ ^"^^P^" ^he buildings are A.ricltural exceJlent, and well adapted to the requirements of the establishment ; '■"We. the young agriculturist is taught practical and theoretical farming In iv^inH/v ''T'^'Vr^^^^'^''"''^^ ^^'''^^'^ «5 students, the great n .i,)onty of whom belong to the Province of Ontario ; several are from T "es^^i;;'-",''' 1 "'' I^^niinion, and some 13 from' the old countrj! Ihoestabhsliment IS maintained by the provincial Government; $20 ?or toZd Twn f ^!r* ^T ^"*f "" ^"' ^'''> ^"d a moderate sum Wnlfl^^l V°'.f^''''^^rr°*^^"'' P»-"^-"^«es or the old country. Ag. icultural land in the neighbourhood of Guelph sells for from $50 to -^cSU per acre, and can be rented for from $2 to $5, this of course ncludmg houses and buildings. The country in the vicinity of Guelph s picturesque, undulating, and well wooded. There is a large num- tern?. nf t, '''l '''^:" ''"r ^""'^^^ ^^^*"^^' ^^^ all spoke in the^highe" t terms of the locality. I visited Brantford and drove througli the district, going round by Cookstown and thence to Guilford. This is a LnSaf 1 ?'''';r"^ Tl^ ^'^'^P*'^ ^°' °^^ ^""'^^^y P«»Pl« possessed of capital, land, with good houses and stables, sells for from $50 to $100 ne^r-lfpl''!'''''^ Grimsby, which is a fruit-growing centre ; grapes, apples. Cultivation of peaches, pears, plums and small fruit are grown. Strawben-ies are Pr.,.. and very productive, yielding from 2,000 to 3,000 quarts per acre The """'' ^''""'• principal grape grown is the Concord; Niagaras are also 'lar-ely ^own ; these varieties produce large crops, from 3 to 6 tons per acre Wine IS made, but not in any considerable quantity ; it is, however, Jikely to develop into an important industry. I visited Niagara, and was mud, impressed by the grandeur of the falls. Fruit is largely grown in this district also. A company for the production of wine has recently been promoted here. I was informed by one of the shareholders that in one day, within a radius of fi^•e miles, 300 tons of grapes were purchased sulhcient for the season's manufacture; they look for an outpiit of from 80,000 to 100,000 gallons per .season. The wine is o^ wholesale'^"'' ^ ''' '' ''''" ^"^ ^""^"^ ""^ ^''''" ^^ ''''''*'' ^^ ^^ P^'' gallon, nt t.V,?"''T' *^'*'AT*?J.^^*^^^°°"'^ion, is most picturesquely situated Tl.e capital of * II •J""--".'^" '"•* *'*^s liideau and the Ottawa rivers. The Chaudiere "le Dominion, lalls, which interrupt the navigation of the Ottawa river, afford water h * 204 4 Oovernment o\|K)riinc'nt.il farm. Manufac- tories. 77i« Ayricultural and other Resources of Canada. power for a number of saw mills and other manufactories. The city stands on high ground, overlooking a w ide valley, and contains the stately Government buildings, and many other tine buildings, Iwth l)ublic and private. Ottawa has a population of about 40,000. 1 visited the works of Messrs. Eddy & Co., which, while situated in Hull, on the (Quebec side of the Ottawa river, may be said to bo in the suburbs of Ottawa. They are lunibci' merchants, match manufacturers, pulp makers, and manufacturers of sa.shes, tubs, buckets, Ac. Their works are most exten.sive, and during the summer months give employme.it to upwards of 4,000 hands. I visited the experimental farm ; there T met Professor Saunders, and was greatly interested in all he told me ub()>it the farm and the system pursued there. This farm was purchased in 188G by the Uovornment, and in the spring of 1887 operations began ; it consisted of a number of small lots, some of which were partially cleared, others not at all. There are 4G0 acres in the farm, all of which is now brought under cultivation. The farm is well adapted for experimental purposes, containing as it does a variety of soils. The buildings are excellent, and the experimental plots are well arranged. The .system of sending farmers 3-lb. samples of selected grain for seed puposes is admirable, and must be attended by the best possible results. The experiments in comiection with forestry are most interesting, and every effort is being made to collect reliable informa- tion, llespecting the better classes of fruits, I noticed with great interest the system followed to test the germinating properties of grain ; and farmers in localities where the grain may have been injured by frost, or rain during harvest, are asked by the Goveriiment to submit samples to be tested before being sown. There is a small ,-ntock of v(>ry nice cattle, and an excellent collection of poultry. The expenmcnts tried in connection with the several varieties of grasses is very interesting, and will prove of great benefit in securing the grasses best adapted to the vai'ied climate and soils of the Dominion. IVEen to work and develop the agricultural and mineral resoui::es are the kind of immigrants wanted in Ontario. Agriculturists, from the fact that agriculture is the leading industry, stand in the first place. But as well as wanting men to clear the forest and reclaim the soil, there are always openings for really good mechanics and skilled artizans. Ontario is a manufacturing country : the leading industries are imple- ment manufactories, cotton factories, woollen factories, and, indeed, every branch of industry that goes to make a country self-reliant. The I'ate of wages is much higher than can be had in the United Kingdom, and the cost of living is very little greater. Extent, po|j>i- lation and leading indus- tries. THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC lias an area of 189,000 square miles, and a population of about 1,.500,- 000. The inhabitants of the British islands and France will both find themselves at home there, both languages being spoken. The soil of a large portion of this great province is very fertile, and capable of jiroducing almost any crop which can be grown in the temperate zone. Tomatoes grow in profusion and ripen, as do also many varieties of grapes. It is rich in minerals— gold, silver, copper, iron, plumbago, kc. — and has immense deposits of phosphate of lime. Its fisheries are of immense extent. I visited the Buckingham district, near Ottawa, and proceeded up the Lievre river by boat to the phosphate mines. I yvas much surprised at the wealth of phosphate, mica and plumbago in this district, as shown by the mines already developed. Here will be found a large and profitable Held for both capital and labour. Miljnr Sti'fi'iisiiii's /i'.y»)/7. 2o:» bv ihlTT^' "'" ''•'''"^■1^3' "^' CanmlH, is situatod on an islam] fomod City of an.i great n,;nu..ti.-!;^:;:;;;Cli.Jt,;lLtol^™^^ and «rau. ,.i,,vat..r,s, public buidin^s, i-^ulson ^ .^^ Ss ; ' l;; I.otols. I v,s.t<.d tbo Canmliau Hui.b.r CoM.panyrworks i T $0 000"lTur'' f 'l '' '""'^ "^'''f''''^'"'- '•---« 'volfkJy from. ^,^'^^^^^^ ^t),uuu, with a daily output of from 8 000 tn adCt ,L\ i i • in aranufuctuiiii>< (^oinpiiny. Thoy run li2 BCte of cards, make twfcds of all sorts, and j,'oneraI clothing, sliawls, rugs, Ac, Ac. When fully occupied, the coiiipaiiy lunploys from nfiO to COO handfi. Thrir outjiut is valued at fniin .S(10(),()()0 to .''"I^^^'^'"''''^ "f '^'500 hands, thus havinjr in his employment over 2,000 n.en and won.on. The i.re nises are 1 ghted by tt "n, ?: 'r,^''""'; ^''™P'"y-« comfortalL and content d and the teniae hamls ,n the cotton mills particularly bright healthy and TrStt itT^ •'" *'" -;H-. '^^'-•c'^ Has been eVocted l^ Z Le n Sad ,u d .V v"'p\''^'°"""' "'■«''^"' '""' *''^' pastor and or^-udst un in o 1^ /• ^•^'?' '"'^ ""' '""'^'^ as a collection bein/taken sc^.ools an 't7.e r ^ ''"'"^. '''" aover.nnent buildings, the Normal Ta L 1 iVrr"^'''*./'*''"'^ ^'"™- ^ ■^'•^''^^ ''"'^> °^ 'Attention lasDeen paid, both by the Government and by private breeders to ^rrSV"'""!'? •'?'"^"^ '"it^ P'--^^"^^^- This flaS been atteliS with wit tho e ' T " ''"T '^ ?"^' Brunswick will con.paro favourably witi, those of any country. I cannot, however, say the same with [mp'overne!;:. '"■""' "^"^'^ "' ''" P^^^'"^^' "^ wlnch'there Is room "or Fiom Fredericton T proceeded to Woodstock. The land ulonr. the radway and on the banks of the St. John river is, where cleaml of good quality and fertile ; there is a considerable extent of tin.ber land The country in the vicinity of Woodstock is undulating and nicely wooded, the houses and farm buildings substantial, and the condition of t^ie people pmsperous and contented. Woodstock contains a popu- lation of about 4,000, and has several industries. T visited the foundry and machine manufactory of a Mr. Connell ; 50 hands were employed. 307 I i n modi st everything from a stoam engine d e. J drove into the agricultural districts surrounding the ►vn to a garden rake town. 208 A good field for immi- grants. Geographical Hitujition and Ip.ading pro- ductions. Forest lands and shipping tonnage. Agriculture. The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. From Woodstock I proceeded to Kent, on the St. John river, a prosperous and excecdijigly picturesque village — the country rolling, wooded, and intersected by the Chickatyhock river, which is said to be a good trout st.eam. I drove out about eight miles to the village of Glasville ; the road is through a charming country, v^'ooded — the *:imber being chiefly spruce and maple, with a varie^^y of hard woods. At Glasville I found an iuterosting Scotch settlement, some 29 years in existence. About 50 families came out originally — there are now in the settlement about 160 families, and a population of 1,500. From Glasville I drove to Johnville, another prosperous settlement. AVhile Glasville is Scotch and Pi csbyterian, and was settled by a Presbyterian minister, Johnville is Irish, Roman Catholic, and was settled by a Catholic father. The settlements date from about the same time, and alwut the same number or families settled in each. Johnville has now aljout 1G5 families and 1,600 inhabitants. New Brunswick offers many advantages to the immigrant : it is oasy of access ; lands are good and cheap ; there is an abundant field for labour ; life there can be lived much under old country conditions ; • and there is a wide field for the settlement of a family as they come forward. THE PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA is a peninsula ; it is connected on the north-west with New Brunswick by an isthmus some 14 miles across, and separated from Prince Edward Islanrl on the north, by Northumberland Straits. It contains some 21,000 square miles, and has a population of about 460,000. There is no finer scenery to be found on the continent of America than in many parts of Nova Scotia. The climate of the province is well suited to the European constitution, and the temperature is more equable than in any other portion of the Dominion, save British Columbia. The climate varies in the different parts of the country. In Annapolis valley the spring opens about two or three weeks earlier than in Halifax, and the weather is drier, clearer, and more exempt from fog. The soil in many of the agricultural districts is ve.y ricii, and the fruit produced from the Oi'chards of Annapolis and other districts brings the highest prices in the British markets ; the live stock in the province is good, anu shows that attention has been bestowed on tl.is important depart- ment of agriculture. The fisheries of 1m ova Scotia are celeiirated. It is perhaps in minerals that this province excels — the mineral resources of Nova Scotia have but to be developed to make it one of the wealthiest portions of the world. The resources in connection with manufactures are very great : unlimited water-power, inexhaustible supplies of coal and iron, an advantageous geographical situation. . As a consequence, there are numerous prosperous manufactories. Great tracts of forest land exist in the province, producing millions of feet of pine, spruce, hemlock, fir, &c. T .is province is a sportsman's paradise ; there is excellent hunting, shooting, and fishing in every county. Nova Scotia owns mo.-e shipping, in proportion to population, than ary other country, and her vessels are to be found all over the world. The exports consist of fish, coal and other minerals, lumber, and general produce. The first point in the province I visited was Amherst. This town lias a population of some 7,000, and possesses several industries. A boot and shoe factory gives employment to sonie 200 hands, and there is a large iron foundry, and several minor industries. The town is very prosperous looking. Mixed farming is pursued by the agriculturists in the neighbourhood, and a great quantity of hay is grown on wliat are Major Stevenson's Report. river, deposit land^aImo7 flvl . /, ^^^ '"P^™"" '^"^iity-deep propertied, and l:ibH^trLstS^ r'T'^'f ?':°'"^'"^ new ship railway, and wa°s dltlthy^T^tt. \T''' ^'^ llie works are well forwarrl n^A ,v • i 1/ f^*^'^^""'^. i-ne engineer. opened before the autumn' o7 189l" 'Se " * '"' '^' ^'"^ ^"^^ ^« farm at Nappan conta^S 300 acres S) .^'"T- 'l!'''^ experimental remainder under timber tI;./' . "^^"'-"^ *'''« '^^ble, the in 1887. The bu Win's ere ted' W T ^0"'^"'"^ ^^ '^^ Governlnent the soil is of several varieties and tell „.? ^T/^T"* ^''^ ^'"^^ 8°°^ ; I was shown fine samX S ^.^^^'"^tPu'^ ^'^^^"'•ed. of great benefit to S^LSSoTttl p'roZe"'^ '^"" ^^" ^'^^^^ ThecllySau'kTl'/S^^^^^^^ O-ernment, is situated on a bay. Education provincil ParliaStuSlS t^^^^^^^ :::^rr^h;s,^^^ij::tr£;;f ^^^ ^ I drove through fruit-g?owiM?"rio„s „V ,L a'' ''°°'>""^'"y dinner, pereaux valleys. Between hS „„2 T™ '^°"'''^'", "" a group of Canada and the Prol^e of SSitXTE^lS" S ::i^^'"''"'^ ^ ^' °^ ''"'" ""''■ ing industries carried on in Ottawa nnd Tn/f' *'" .''^"""■'^ manutactur- on the opposite bank orthrrivercomW^^^ ^^''T '°"" "^ ^^"" centre of trade and coniinl.r n v . r^^-'"^' *'"^' ^» important Hamilton, a m^iXtrt^w f r4.'^000 inhaf-^^' l" ?"'r ^^^'•'' ■•50,000, Brantford with 1.^)00 and O ;^e?pl/tr ,f Tl V/'e "/ "'*' se-ssmg distinct evidences of , owth which arr If ' ' T"' '"■no i:, ,„i,'r '^ *■ "" "^'""'"^ ""'"V f^ilinies are every brancli of liiisba,,,!,, 1,^' I' ""P'nn'ent* nnd trials i„ pul„.ta, „„„„„„y by U... r,ep,„„c„,P;,, AgSitu^'ltro:;;:^ 214 The Aijricnltnrnl anJ other Ri'XDurce.i* of Cnnarfa. A Govern- inont that cai'M for set- tlors. J'irain.lu'\iit-ri- mout.il t\ii'in-i Benefit of ex- I)eri mental tests. rcliiihlo. To no other country in the world can an Englishman oniisjrato and tind the same deep interest taken by the (Jovernmont in the wfl- f.ue of aettlers ; indeed, it is difficult to conceive that anything moic could be done to render them greater assistance. The establishment of the remaining Government farms, and the selection of the sites at iirandon for Manitoba, Indian Head for the North-West Territories, and at Agassiz foi British Columbia, each of which T visited, reflect the highest credit on all concerned ; whilst tiie intelligent support Pro- fessor Saunders receives in the secoinling of his endeavours by the respective managers of those farms, leaves nothing to be desired. I njuch regret I had not an opportunity of visiting the farm at Nappan, Nova Scotia, established for the maritime provinces. That in Canada, and especially in some districts, there are serious drawbacks— chiefly climatic — to be combatted. no one can deny. It is then of tlie utmost importance that an exact knowledge of the varieties of grains, fruits, fodder, i)lants, vegetables and trees suitable for eacli locality should be gained, and this and othei' information relative to stock, (fee, is what is sought to be obtained and disseminated from these establishments. Not the least agreeable feature connected with my visit to the central farm was the entire absence of red-tape and oliicialisni. To mention all the branches working advantageously in the farmers' interest would occupy too much space. It may, however, be well to enumerate a few. Grain and seeds of all kinds are tested free of cost to the sender (and post free also), for germination and vitality. Experiments are made with all varieties of wheats and other cereals, and with grasses and fruits, to test their relative productive qualities and period of early rijiening. Seed and plant distribution is largely made, when it has once been established beyond doubt tiiat any variety of grain or fruit is certain to prove useful to the recipients ; and as an instance of what is being accomplished, T was informed that 12,000 samples, chiefly wheat, oats and barley, had been distributed gratis during the past season. Tests of over 70 varieties of spring wheat, 100 of fall wheat, 80 of oats, 20 of rye, 50 of barley, as well as 50 of Indian corn, for productiveness and earliuess of ripening, have been made in one year ; whilst the experiments with fertilizers and in hybridizing grains (especially wheat), must result in a permanent benefit to the Dominion which is incalculable. The growth of sugar- beets, and all kinds of roots and vegetables, claim a share of the professor's attention. In 1889, 251 varieties of potatoes alone were grown side by side under similar conditions, whilst 237 new varieties were raised from hybridized seeds. Orchards containing 300 kinds of hardy apples, pears, plums, cherries, itc, are being tried ; the vine- yard contains 127 varieties of outdoor grapes ; and small fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberi'ies, ifec, are receiving careful and intelligent study. The planting of the wide prairies, especially around the farm steadings, with shelter belts of forest and other trees, is a matter of first consideration, and, therefore, it is a satisfaction to the settler to know that he will, in the near future, be able to obtain from the Agricultural Department all the information he requires in this important branch. Poulti'y are kept in pure breeds and first crosses for ascertaining their relative hardiness and their merits as egg producers, and as table fowls ; and the whole of the Dominion to which civilization has extended being admirably adapted to this industry, renders this a work of great utility. The immense interest to the stock-raiser in every part of the colony, attaching to the satisfactory laying down of grass lands, and to the growth of foddor plants, is fully recognized ; and the experimental Mr. ./. T. U'ooiln Jii'jiort, 215 ibirllrt'."'"' ^•''"" r"''"'"'* ""^'^'' t'i'^l v^'ill. in another year, enable satisfactory advice to bo ^Mven to the public. 1 n.ay staK thai .ium corn grown for ensilage has been n.ore successful ; a C. o "o tons per acre was beuig cut and chatled durin^r the perio. of nv v sit bi-ee fn u '''''^'V >"'"^-P'"'W properties of the respective ^u"tZ''TvV"'"'^:^''''^f'''^' >'"'''^ experience is pubiiJhed in depaXnts '" ^'^""^'-"•«' •'"'^ '^^ *"'« respective heads of the Senfr''"'"? "'"'.' I'' "^'?".^' representing a portion only of Den-utZ t . 7 "T '"7^ ''^'''^ uccon.plished.The Chen.ical i^epatnient IS a(hiural)ly conducted by Mr. F T Shutt MA Vf'M F H s c ""f rt' '^7', 'r rf '«'''^' '^^^''^- '^ >'• Ja^^Ki'td;^; parts o?■'fh;T^ •' l*'"^'-"' Hobertson is engaged visiti,.g al relaf^vf f ^'V'"'"',^"- «l>'"ute.l, an.! e wCich must soon becon,.- very „.uch more in.portant than i.^ at present realized that citv was'?/"" ^^7'^.\l'f'- '^t Toronto being open at this time, Th. ....t .„- that uty was the ,,ext visited; an.l two very interesting days were """• f'"'' ' spent in an exam nnt, n.w^*: fl.,. ..„l.;i.:x .c i "^ . >^. V ^'■"' "nmnfo spentinan exanunationof the exhibits of horses, ..atMc^nphMne ts^ fiuits, vegetables, farm produce, &,.,>, very y.leasing featu -e of the LSm vT-"'-f"'T,7'^^''''"''-^ clisplayVby thc^ inhabital.ts o^ Manitoba, Assiniboia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, liritish Colun.bia and ducts of their respective districts. The exhibits were well arran-U and in charge o trustworthy otKcials ^-usually f.umers-who we"^ at all times ready to give information and anssver enquiries Phminff mottoes across the front of each provincial display, su is "We ovf A berta, he home of our adoption," prepared me in some measu n^XhZ afterwaivs ^ .s.tmg then,, fo,- the general contentment of the peo le and or their enthusiasm when insisting that their own particS locality was the best m the whole of Canada. H ..^Ik-T'"^ ^t T ''I'l'T^ impossible task to attempt to do justice to the exhibition. T shou cl, however, like to place on record my impressions regardmg the marvellous variety and perfection of the^xil^llently- grown fruits, roots and vegetables. Allowing for the fact that none but the very best specimens find their way to an exhibition of this description, many ot the entries were of exceptional merit, and showed clearly what can b.. accomplished with a Canadian soil and climate by men well versed m the practice of the various branches of horticulture and tanning. Ihe innumerable varieties and extent of the show of out-door grapes, mostly grown in southern Ontario, was a great surprise, ail beu.g well ripened and tine fruits. Apples, pears, plums, peaches out-door) damsons and cherries were al.ki excellent whils si.mller ruits, such as red, white and black currants, raspberries and straw- The"Sn1 ""'; "' r''T ^'"^ "i^;'^' *^^^'"^^^ '^ thdr vigorous growths. The display of roots and vegetables was equally praiscnvorthy Lon-r red, globe, and tankard mangolds, swedes, cabbages, cauliflowers, pota" toes, carrots, parsnips, sugar-beets, capsicums and tomatoes, formin- a collection which would have done credit to a tirst-elass show il England The exhil,it of honey would have delighted the heart of a British bee-keeper in its quantity and excellence. The agricultural implement and machinery departn.ent was a verv extensive one and an examination ,n d.etail show.d el.arly how far ahead of ours in perfection and cheapness these necessary appliances are. The samples Toronto. 116 The Affficiiltaral aii'l otlirr h'eaonrens of Canada. pll OU8 A model atook Coinfditable farms. A rich vi district. of firain were i;()i);l, tii'ld jxni.sc liciiii,' in every instance <.ff niarv size, i{Uiiiity iiiul rulniii'. It is my iuteutioii to deal subsequently with cattle and horse- niising a.s practised in Canada, and therefore 1 conclude with the remark, that such is the great interest taken by the whole community in agri- culture and all appertaining thereto, that the secretary for the show was able to report that during the week 3U0,000 persons had passed the turnstiles, paying $C)!),0UO, or approximately £14,000 for admission Aftei- an inspection of the land in the neighbourhood of Hamilton, and paying a huiiied visit to the silver-plate works in operation there, we pioceededto Brantford, and drove to the celebrated Bow Park farm of 1,000 acres. Here were evidences of good management in the tilling of the excellent land ; the clover roots were probably the best it was my privilege to inspect during the tour, and an examination of the magnificent herd of yhorthornsshowetlat a glance the suitability of soil and climate to a cattle-raising and dairy industry. The lot of 35 pedi- gi-ee heifers — two years of age- in one Held I shall long remember, and the bidls and older cows were a grand lot. The whole of the district visited around Brantford is suitable for mixed farming, lending itself to dairy work, in addition to the productions of corn, by reason of the compai-atively easy cultivation of succulent grasses for pasture. Counties Brant, Oxford, and Elgin were travelled through by the Grand Trunk Railway, a halt being made at St. Thomas, whence a drive of 18 miles in a southerly direction brought us to the township of Yarmouth, in which the Quaker valley is situated ; we returned by Union village to St. Thomas. Th(^ land passed during this long drive was of all qualities, and managed by good and indifferent farmers. Wherever efficient maiuigement prevailed the crops were full and the land clean ; indeed, a very considerable quantity of the area was farmed on English lines, and stood out in great contrast to the adjoining lands of similar quality, on which a lesser amount of energy and care had been bestowed. The neighbourhood of Ridgetown, next visited, has been settled since about 1802. The farans here vary, some being evidently very productive, and othei's — ^especially west of Morpeth, on our way to Blenheim — show a want of expentliturein draining, whilst many of the houses and buildings had been allowed to run to decay : in fact, there were evidences of poverty extending over a considerable area. Undoub- tedly, the best farming and farm management it was my lot to see in the Province of Ontario was south and west of Blenheim. Excellent farmhouses and buildings have long been erected, the land is exceed- ingly fertile and the cultivation good, and the farmers are well-to-do and contented. The orchards of apples and peaches, with here and there a vineyai'd, were in healthy bearing condition ; and tield after field of fall wheat was better than any I ever remember seeing over a similar extent of ground, and added very much to the pleasure of a drive of 52 miles. The French beans, which are grown very extensively here as field crop, had been well harvested and profitable. Windsor was our next stopping place, and we drove the ice to Sandwich, a vine-growing district. After visiting the first vineyard planted in the township by Mr. Tournier, in 1872, we passed on to those of Mayor Girardot and his son. In this locality there are GOO acres, principally " Concords," for wine-making ; and the industry and pluck of the natives may be gauged, when it is borne in mind that almost the whole of these are on land which 10 to 12 years ago was a dense forest : whilst the fruitfulness of the vines may be imagined by the fact that the growers can realize a good profit after seiliag their Mr. J. T. Wood's Roport. 'f 21T ^^^X^^^ ;;;'. f '• • ^f ^••'- -■« --^% P'-^ted G feet per acre if well Zekecl "' " ^"' '"'' '"'•^' ""^ '^" additional £3U farmers' sZTr^ofl--^°r *^''^ education and training of )«?« of agri- n.'^JT AT.,'^"^ «*''«r« >'^. agriculture. The college is sitna,...l at ^^^ P,„^i u J • "•^■■cio III agncuicu S^rwr^S'tr^'^^t- ■ ^'--^'^"kL.d^of-^n;!.;!^: accurate reSlnfl^- *''^ , P"?^^" "i turn attend, and they keep the S^yxZZluV ^''^;''''^}:'''^'''^^ they do LslttSif'112,'";; "'•''/"-y --^^ °f the fara,and re^ei.. snpnf Jn fk ^'^ P'^'^c^c'il carpentry, whilst a moiety of their time is succSstui .t Jlf * 1 .™'"'"5":'' !'y "II »blB statt- of professors j m,d Sunflue,^- „",,'"?, "'"' '"""""<"' »°n<.t fail to have a bene 8n«li.ated i..favom^of the „,,,!, ff "''o ""■!'t'»ni'lly "sht, and are of thf Kw of O^ttloTwilf ^ -f ■%•'"'■ "^"'^ °" «*h- P-'^-- C'""-- ende ; tl e ^t dlv "" "' ""' ^T" , '^'"^ '''"^^^^'^ '^^ ^1^ atmosphe e ^™p:;ti:;i/ixro:.a^n; zis at'^L^3^ ^£|: ^ii^e!tr-^-,-'^::;th„sr:57r;:rz5 hnmM f '^H young men, who have enjoved considerable comforts'ai u • r • ounaiiiys, down to &Z ner acre for thnao 218 y/f Affrii'iiltiD'al (luil other Jtfunnrcf.a of Ctniafln. Fr«« liiiuia. Miii'TikK }'ii|">l!>'i<'n. Wheat isg. gl'OW- Ai'i'as Miiiler fo reals. Tlio freo jfmnt lands of Ontario are in the noithein portions of the province, and are mostly in woodetl di.strict», and such as I should advisf Knglishmen to leave to the future youth of Canada to clear. It may be stated, that at Sudbury and other places on the north side of Lake Superior, valuable mines of nickel, copper, and other minerals have been discovered, and are now being successfully worked. THE PROVINCE OF MANITOIJA (•.0,r,20 SQUARE MILES. In giving my views of the present and probable future in Mani' toba, it is essential that Winnipeg, which is now, and probably will ever be, the principal city of the great North-West, should claim a few remarks. It has a resident population of (0 nit 27,000 peoi)ie, and can claim a rajiidity of growth which is astounding, as 20 years ago the then village contained only 215 persons. The city charter was secured in 1874, with a population of 3,000; in 187(5 there were 6,500; in 1880,8,000; whilst 1889 .saw 25,000 persons resident within the town limits. If an examination is made of the causes of this phenomenal extension, it will be found that there are numerous reasons why AVinnippg has so prospered. Situated as it is at the jiniction of the Red and Assinihoino rivers, and almost in the middle of the con- tinent, it is within easy rcacii of the most extensive wheat-growing area in the Dominion, the timber district of Lake of the Woods, and the mineral deposits of the province. It is already a gre.it railway centre, through which all the passenger and goods tratlic from the east and west passes. The spirit of the inhabitants is exhibited in the perfection of their public works, buildings, and manufactories, on which a large amount of capital has been, and is beintr expended ; and it may truly be called a city of great enterprise, where tradesmen, and workmen who are not afraid to handle their tools, may prosper, and bring up and educate their children in surroundings which cai\not fail to have a beneficial effect on their after lives. Energy and capital are both required here, if the new settler intends to reap a maximum and innnediate benefit; though tradesmen and labourers who have started with only their health, constitution, and stout hearts, have i-eadily earned and saved money, which has enabled them to purchase and stock land, or take up homesteads, where they indulge in the freest and most independent life it is possible to conceive ; and many of whom, whilst engaged in agriculture, manage in the season between seed-time and harvest to secure work at excellent wages in the cities and towns, and so easily obtain a position and competence very few could hope to acquire in this country. Manitoba is at present a wheat-growing — -indeed, I had almost said a wheat-manufacturing — province, as the large majority of its farmers depend for their profits almost exclusively on this grain, for the growth of which the rich black loam of its prairies is admirably adapted. AVheat can be cultivated with a minimum of labour, a matter of great importance when the scarcity of farm-hands in almost every district is considered, and it is a product easily saleable iind readily transported. It is estimated that thei-e were in the province about 800,000 acres of wheat under crop in 1890, 250,000 acres of oats, and 70,000 acres of barley. So far, therefore, as present profit is concerned, the exclusive growth of cereals may be considered satisfactory. If an owner of land, however, looks to the future for a successful career in Manitoba or elsewhere in the west as an agriculturist, the time must come — indeed, in some districts the signs are not now wanting when the exclusive Mi: J. T. \Voo,Ch Rrport. 219 cultivation of gni-ti witliout manure will so in.povdriHh even the li.hpst laiula, that a systoin of mixe.l fjiiiniii- must of necosNify ho purHucd It iH, tlion very satisfactory for in<, to bo ahio to roconl tJiat fh.i iijn.paratiyoly fow of the hirgo farmerB, who, in thoir wiwL.n. hav.. adopted mixed husbaiulry, claim that, whilst they are inaintainin« th, and who are not afraid of the small amount of hardship entailed in this pioneer work. The Hudson's liay Company, the Canadian Pacific, and theManitoba an( North Western Railway companies, and the several coU.nization OV1/I loi.i^I ^^w-t v-,..^»-^C»„ e* . . , . . , ^ M •extent. and land companies, are owners of most extensive and desirabli . A ' - ...W.J./ v^^vv>l*01Tty «*IIV1 ilt-.-MI (tUif: properties, and are only too willing ^o give information to intending settlers, and to accept reasonable prices, and, if necessary, deferred payments. A great deal has haen from tiim- to time written respecting the (.'li.naw climate of Manitoba, and I certainly should prefer to have had a winter's experience, that I might with greater confidence give expression to my views. I did, however, at each point touched, endeavour to procure the best information from English and Scotch residents ; and I am perfectly convinced that there is not a more invigorating and healthful climate in any country. There was an universal testimony to the extreme degree of cold as registered by the thermometer, but over and over again was it pointed out, that the extreme dryness and clearness of the atmosphere rendered the sharu b racing winter weather endurable, 2:20 ludividiial ax auipli'.s of sue CCS- I'll! Mit- tlHI'H. TIk' Aijririiltnml ami other ReHmtrcrs of Cmni f.r. and ovon oiijoyal)lf. Uosidetits \nutiHt thorns..! ves tV. mi tlio c.ikl l)V wunn clothing— os|)«oially for driving -and plenty of f'uol, s.. tlii"t womrn and ohildron pass the winters withotit discomfort. G drawl ure the occaMional Mtornis, Mi/zards, and suuinier frosLs, which ar»' soinc- timos of a character sufficiently suvere to injure vegetation, e.s|M'.iailv in those districts where there in a inininiuni of siieiter. AHcivilizniiun extends, and the planting of helts of i.-aplo and other trees on the wide prairie becomes universal, there must he very considerahle diminution of the inconvenience n,)w telt from these causes. It is impo.s,sil)le to imagine a people more sanguine of their success, and the futun^ of their country, than are the Manitohans. All inter- viewed, of whatever nationalty, were unanimous in declaring their preference for Manitoba over Quebec, Ontario, England, Ireland vSeotland, (Jermany, or whatever country they happened to hail from, and were eipiully emphatic in their disinclination to return, except to visit friends and relatives ; whilst they are robust, independent, and happy. It would be easy to give many instances of exceptional individual success achieved ; it will ho le.s.s misleading, however, if 1 give a few taken at random from my note-book, which may be accepted as repre- sentative of the g.Mieial body. Vi.siting the crofter settlement south of Glenboro' and near the Pelican Lake, Donald Stewart was interviewed. St(;wart was one of the crofters sent out under Government ausiiices in 188S. He has worked steadily and well, increasing the area of prairie broken each year, until, at the time of our visit he had GO acres under crop, from 50 of which he expectotl a yield of 2,000 bushels of wheat. His oats (10 acres) were good ; he had 20 head of horned stock (includ- ing two teams of working oxen, and eight in-calf cow«), besides pigs and poultry. His potatoes were fine. He possessed a self-binding reaper, a waggon, plough, harrows, and other necessary implements, and being the owner of his 160 acres, has every reason, as Mrs. Stewart remarked, to "bless the day we came out." After visiting Roderick McKay,' another crofter who had also been successful, but in a lesser degree, I halted on the borders of Pelican Lake to interview the son of aliiver- pool merchant, who was educated and intended for a commercial career, but who elected four years ago to try his chances in agriculture. He has married and settled, and expressed himself as more than satisfied he did not go into an office or bank, as was originally intended, and where he could not have led the free and independent life he is now doing on his own farm of 320 acres in a beautiful locality. His crops, which he was busy harvesting, were very good ; and he informed me that his brother was fa.ming the adjoining 320 acres, and that two sisters who had come out on a visit to him had married Scotch farmers on the north side of Glenboro', who were also prospering. A most intertfsting half- hour was spent with Mr. John I'.arnet Watson, of Kindar House, Stockton, Glenboro', a native of Northallerton, Yorkshire, who, prior to leaving England four years since, was a gamekeeper in that county. Mr. Watson says, that, on arriving out, he had five cents (2id.) in his pocket, but, being willing to work, was soon able to save inoney, and ultimately purchased his present holding of 1 60 acres for £50. At that time, 80 acres had been broken but had run to weeds ; now, out of the total, there are 130 acres in wheat and 10 in oats, all very full crops • he has 17 head of horned stock, a pair of large working oxen, and a comfortable home and good living. Mr. Watson states " the winters are not so bad, and the dry climate suits me ; there are about three or four days each year when you can't go .ahov.t during high winds or but as th . Lr. . n ^w T r""^ "'""'' \" ^'^"^''•""' »■'"'" '^ -'^i' "h«-t. with his .Jces / . "" '""'• '^"•' "" '"' '•" "^'"'•■•"■Iv pleas... earlier " HvW^L^Zu 7 •7'."-"-7/-«K'-"fc that he 'Mi.l „,Vt cultivated /uulSv^t'fT'^ r",'. i'^ '""•''^''" "» ^''"^ p,vvi.,ully the price h.^:^;l;:,,:;;;;•;:;;;;;:;;;•'•''••'<' '■- '^<'van..eci .. ^l. tim.^ in u K..o< i St w ,7 f ■• • ""^V^'"-'"-. «''<'WH what is pos.sihi.. and luuhw' , 1 t '""■'■ " '""•""«'''y ""i«tor of his work, West, hiri,.\i sHt'L a s :. ' r 1' Jr'I' ''^'^•"'•'"•' ""^"''^'J the North he wu, in ; , , ,^ «<'>-v't>. ut Carhony, and saving ,„on,.y unlil fortu'nu.. w ::/3:,7i;;" ';;'"^1^ -«t>oM (320 acres), and hoin, ""til in |S!)() La-' 0(0^^^^^^^ ?• '"".'"'''"'^ '^"""Hlly to his ar.-u, <>i which hu,l , u V arn,^lT'*'V''r''^ cultivation, the purchase pric- luucli cmlil lu III,, woiidcf,,! .1 P '1 '^ tlO.OOO, siviiig ,|„M,,. ,„ clear li™,l ,,.'"„"""."" '"I ■■""I «n.l cliiimt., a, to ],h M,iv,.,i;;,!*';,tSi """ "- """■""•■ '«'™"'"«- -" with t"r:;:^;;;;,t!;:rft':,r''l i™"-^-""™ >'«"w»y, . ...et ami.iin. thes.^t he (ieh s wl "?''"' ""J"-^ '•Pr"''t"nities of ex- «omc of the host .'owi siehnon^^ and 'l ""'"'" '"'■' "^ ^'''''''^^'''' low:-On.> .aulinowo ' f. n , ' »"''i«"'-""f''its are as fol- f..vnco of tw;;;'!'™-.,!!^^^:::' nf t ■.r-,:j:;,^r^-";?:; he.u-t; turnip ra.lishes (quite solid^^H in 4^^ an U -^ circumference; Ion* radishes '> ft o ;„ "' TV i t, •' '^ . ^^ "^- >^ 4t in ■inrl 7in ;" i "" '"'^ ^ ^*- '^^ '"• i» length, and L!?: } ' "'• '■' cn-cumterence respeclivelv ; whil.f the parsnin" l"itrtt<><-s, X-c, were equally fine. ' ' '"' pa'smp^, 221 MxtlllMJVH faiiiiiii);. 'Iiowtli I if I'lxHs ami vegftabloH. m w ir,f; i '^''•' The A(/r!('iiJfii Id/ ,000 s(iuar(^ miles. Saskatchewan " II l,()(Xt Alberta •' U)().(.)00 Athabasca " 122,000 " Total 4:51,000 square miles. Many of the examples T have already given would apply to those portions of cite Territories which are contiguous to the Manitoban western boundary, and notably to the district abutting on the Manitoba and North-Western Kailway lying between Binscarth and Yorktoii. Two days spent in visiting crofters and farmers resident in holdings of 160 acres each, in the vicinity of Saltcoats, proved that once again we were avnongst a people who considered they were farming some of Loans to aid the best lands in Canada. Certainly there appeared to be no lack settlers to q{ assistance forthcoming to give these men a start in the world. The crofters had, like those near Pelican Lake, in Manitoba, been settled by the English (Tovernment ; whilst many of the farmers in the neighbourhood had availed themselves of the advances which the railway company are willing to make to Englishmen or others of good cliaracter, to enable uhem to start comfortably on these free grant lands. The company's advances vary from £40 to £100, they charging interest on the amount ol)tained, and titking as security a lien or mortgage on the property. The loans are not mnde in cash, but the settler is allowed to purchase his outfit subject to their approval, when they then pay for the articles so purchased. The above arrangement applies to any of the company's free grant lands, whether in Manitoba or Assiniboia. AVhilst we were at Saltcoats, an agent, acting on behalf of a number of Mennonites farming in Dakota, took up 30 quarter-sections of land (160 acres each), in readiness for their removal during the ensuing spring ; the gentleman in question having travelled over a very large extent of country, and finally settled on that district as the one best suited to their requirements. This i? one of many evidences of emigration from the United States to Canada. To describe in detail the remainder of the huge territories of Assiniboia and Saskatchewan would occupy too much space. 1 may say, however, that I hold the opinion, that Englishmen may settle and succeed in many districts, and iiotably in this vicinity of the Saskatche- watt and other rivers which How through this portion of the Dominion. Prince Albert, for instance, is a rising town at tho confluence of the north and south branches of the Saskatchewan river, where tho prairie land is undulati tig, well sheltered, and watered, and the clnnate good, and where mixed fanning may be successfully conducted. On ]\Ir. McNiven's farm at Kirkpatrick, near Prince Albert, T examined probably the best sample of two-rowed barley T saw in Canada ; whilst his " Prize Prolific Oats " were also heavy and good. The feed of both these gi-ains had oiiginally been sent from the experimental farm at Ottawa. Roots ,ind vegetables also grow to perfection here. .'//•. ./. T. \\;„„i\ n,p„rt. 223 Hm. ..ai, : St ,i T" *"'■ ""'""■'•"" ^" Saskatoo,. station. agrir,,ltural pHKluo^ f . /' ^•'''^^ /''^d'tahlo oxhibition ..f and «rai„ tVo,,, kCuIi'u^ ''"' •'P*'"'^l e^''''>'t of gnusscs the cabbages Zi^hL ^^Z 'Z 7ff^ ""'"'"^ °' T^'^' ^''''^^ already dea \ h^ T hel ' rV" "'^•''' I'"'''^^"^ "^ ^'^« I^^^-ini"" »x>u„darv/a , end sn^cia f^^. 'i*''"^ • '^'''^'' ^^''^f'' its west,.,,, scenery of tbn mn<.> toothills of the far-famed range possesses vide .ate., in abtrnrf"? nltd bett^'^^ '' ''' "'"""^^^^- ^- also suitable for grain iow;..^^^^^^^ „ " T^^^''^"*'^ ^:'''"'" ^^at it is corn and roots can be nlTT- T ''«ubt a certain quantity ,,f dairying however re^^ n" ''l ^V'T''\ '°^'^"*'^«- l'--^''ching;n.l t.. nL'- ■ Colund.ia, and that as Te 1„ If '' *^' ^'f ''^'^ ''''''■''' '^ l^''itish ''-'- dities Alberta ^fuHv eannLr . ' "'T''"^' ""^' ^'^^^'^ ^'^ ««""""- British col„nrbiL^u:::;L;It' 5;',;^^^^^^^^ its bacon, GO per cent of its flnnf .a ''^' ''^ P'^'" *^^"' "^ rs R,'.port. ™ce ™ric, considcably, the ol°»t™f v: | *: ,t 'itl' E mountam ranges being subject to »a™ days and Jd „°ight a^,l=riZd!'arssir:rS:;^^^ i^!l!i!^!!!!!l!lZ^'*^°" ^^intaing excellent prices 22S OITV OF VICTORIA. The city of Victoria is beautifully situated on a lovelv harbonr r.„ the south-east coast of the island, and here the va lulof relfe tat would appear to be a decidedly improving one. There is an eW^-i tramway running to Esquiinalt, and"^ the city is lighted by eLtH i s^ vl A?f- ''' ?bstantia], and the people thLughW En' sh t style and feehng. A railway connects Victoria with Naniamo vh,Vh i« at present the seat of the coal-minin- industry of thlnl Here and at Wellington about 2,500 niei^ find eSloyment 'the oS" put being approximately 550,000 tons per annum of Xch 50^ 000 is Ttt F;:ircist^Ai,'r i"".rr ^^^ ^^^ bestc^ai ot^S «„nJ, / ? ^"'''■' °^ ''^''•^y '^"^ half-hardy fruits flourish r T K?' P^""'' f'r^^'^ nectarines, grapes, quinces, anTapSs • ':"Sred Sth7' 7'% t -*-T^--y exteSoiTthe city and bnS ' S, . r^ "^ ''^ ^"'^^'"•'^ ''"^"^^ ^^^ increased by leaps and bounds Electnc lighting, electrical trams, gas and water woX rf:rt etiT v"'"^ *'^ "'^^^^"^^ ''^^^^ "- China Id TJ^ la Tuiiy de- eloped, Vancouver must become Vaii- couver. great shipping port 2-'G The Agricultural and other Ufsatirce-i i>f Canada. The magnificent growths of fir trees and cedars in the vicinity of the town render farming practically impossible ; the day is near, how- ever, when these giants of the forest will be turned to account, and a lumber industiy of an extensive character furtiier developed. As instances of the grandeur of the specimens of conifers to be found, I may state that trees of remarkable straightness and quality were measured 54 feet, 35 feet, 3G feet, and 39 feet in circumference at 4 feet above the ground level. Kew Wt'st- minster. I Rich valleys. VANX'OUVER. New Westminster is a rising town of probably 8,000 inhabitants, and owing to its situation on the bank of the Fraser river (about 16 miles from its mouth), it is within easy communication by steamboat and road with the best agricultui-al lands in the coast districts of the province. I may at once say that in my judgment I have never seen better land for all-round farming and gardening purposes than the rich black soils of Lulu Island and other delta lands of the Fraser. There are probably 50,000 acres of these strong and rich alluvial deposits which, five or six years ago, could have been purchased for 4s. or 5s. an acre. Such, however, is the opinion of the present owners, that £15 to £20 an acre now is asked ; and, when its comparative proximity to the rapidly increasing cities is considered, in conjunction with its capability to produce the heaviest crops obtainable in any country, its present price must still be reasonable. There is nothing this land and climate will not produce which now goes to make up the £250,000 worth of farm and garden produce annually imported into British Columbia. The lands of the Chilliwack district are also very fertile, but further removed from the town populations ; they are, however, desirable localities for fruit and dairy industries. Th» Okanagan and other valleys possess 300,000 acres of land suitable for arable farming, and probably 1,500,000 acres more or less suitable for grazing. I was not able to visit this neighbourhood, but from the products exhibited, and the information obtainable, it is clear tliat this is a productive country. I have beside me while T write several well-grown and well-ripened ears of Tndinn coin I'aised there; -l/y-. ./. 7'. IVond's /trj>,))f. ««.. valley, w hi" , i, I;" tZ '""^'^''tae w«, sent mto Ok,u,.- is very lamely conduct, r/nV ' ' *' ■'^'^'"'""-^•'^"•uii;- industry 5,000 wurk^nmivoSn^S"-" "'yP'"^'"^"^ ^^^^''^ tl'« reason to •shops and foundrTes at wo k T I T T ^'"''''^' ^"^ ""^''^'"^« Railway runs into the towrr and H ^'f ' "** ^''" ^'^'^'^^^'^" ^""fi^ terminus also • so th U iTl? *" ^'''■*'''''" P^^^i^c Raik^ay has a with ahnost rv'o .y pa t oUhe Xf '"'p' "/'? /'' ^'^^'^ ^" ''« ^^ ^ouch wages here. ^ ^ "" ^'°^^- ^'•^"^' J'^l>"urers are paid high TJie mineral rc.>;'iiii-ees of RritisK ^|-^I■ i • wealth, and the .^old coal sHv,^ . Columbia constitute its greatest widely distributed ' ' '""PP""' "■°"' '^"^ -^^her minerals are GrENKUALLY. north, and which colrs^d nioo "^ *\^ f^^^^f ^''^-v-an river in the road-the latter neStSini^Sf . " by steamer, rail, and to thoroughly exrminrianZitut.!!"'' °^ "'"' ^'^^^ '"^'•^«' ^" "^'de'- from the railLy- tl nits y t 1'?:^,","*^^' '^^ ^'''^^^^'^ Canadian Goveniment l^.!lT ^ • '''""''' ^^'^^^ *he object the that I shoiZ Ze „v ^--Z^^^ and also warning to 1 L* ^ho L,nTr f ^"'^'•"^"dations, and words of report. ' ''«'"? '"t^rested in emigration, may read my some^tlm;tir\S'*^"'H^''**'''.^"'""""" ^o^ernment have for rossesiriortlllt^tXtr' '''I f T' /^^-"t^g- the countr; emigrants froirttTnited K n.I'' ""^^T"'^ "■ P™?^'" ^^are of the standing the general accuL^ 2 r-^ f*"""^ conceiving, that, notwith- provinces wldch Las been Lhlil f ^'^™^^*'5'" '''^^^^^ '« the various ■sanction, it milrLsibl v ^b„ I .^^'^'^ *!°^" **^ *^°'« ^''th their emigration lief tu,e^wSL ^^f P"'''''^ ^''''^^ ^^^' omdal "lination to nv'te Zre enf^^ f ^.^^Pf^" ^ hence the deter- Ireland, and W le C n^^^^^^ Scotland, future of their vast terr to. v S ^ condition and probable spread i.fo..,.ronl7.[r;fClyteZ7"''^'^^^ the tir" l3 undelSr^ot'T '\"'l' the great responsibilitv of but equally to t'e p^l "f ^iVand^ H ^' «— "-^t of Canada, and it is therefore wTth .in .» " ^ ' "^ /"^ ''^'' ''''""ty in particular ; iHirdships to ?Sfe bv sAh^^^^^^ • "\1 '^^ *''^ ^^'^^'•^' '^^^ef in the great result ofmish^din" if L SlTelv"- """ T'^T '=°""*'-^' ^^^ ^'- by those whose anx etv if-^ t '"^o'-'-^ct, information supplied emi.n.tioiMo ti rhn^.n X ^^''^^^'^ the constant flow of the tide of _.-i!ui. r.ne land ot the Stars and Stripes. 227 1 2-28 The Agricultural and other Rp.nourci'R of Cuiuida, .Misre])re8en' tiilioiis cor- rected. Patriotic Gov- crnnient. \'\n- a considerable period the Ainericans have been able, with a modicum of truth, to point to the fact that Canadians had given up their homes and crossed the border. It should be remembered, how- ever, that when this emigration occurred Canada had no lands to offer to her sons, except uncleared forests, as Manitoba and the North- West Territories had not been acquired, whilst the prairie lands of the western States were available and in process of being opened up for settlement. Again, the excellence of education in Canada for a long time has been such that her people have received a superior training to that obtainable in America ; it is not surprising, therefore, that Canadians were at a premium. This movement has now been stopped : indeed, many of those who left and adopted agricultural pursuits are return'ng sadder but wiser men ; and we f.*- -^any points r.et American farmers, acting on behalf of their fellow "itates, examining into the agricultural capabilities of Canada, ) . >f their settlement in the colony, and that this tide, which has a,' .dy commenced to flow — especially from Dakota — will continue, I have no reason to doubt. Amongst the many advantages Canada offers to the emigrant, the following may be enumerated : — The Dominion Government is composed of men of the highest integrity and honour, whose sole aim and work are exercised for the good of the community at large, and who are keenly alive to anything which will tend in the smallest degree to improve the proud position the colony at present occupies. The provincial Governments, and even those of the municipalities, are equally free from suspicion, and would compare most favourably with similar institutions at home ; and this is the more pleasing when it is remembered that frequently, and especially in the recently settled districts, the class of men obt.ainable are not always of the social status we in England are accustomed to olpct. The educational system of the Dominion is exceedingly good, enabling children to obtain a grounding which is not excelled in any older country, and at ijuite a minimum of inconvenience to the children, . and cost to the parents. The school teachers ari> capable, and the school districts so arranged, even in the sparsely populated areas, that no habitation is more than three miles from the school-house. The taxes are very light, and those raised are spent entirely in the municipality producing them, on necessary road and works, and for educational and other purposes. There is an absolute safety of life and property, and crime generally is quite, you may say, unknown, as instanced by the absence of even a single prisoner, at the time of our visit, in the district gaol at Brandon, in Manitoba. There is no class distinction as in England, and especially is this so in Manitoba and the Territories, whilst political and religious freedom are universal. There are ;io paupers or beggars, and consequently an expensive poor-law system is not required. The invigorating climate, the educational advantages, which are highly valued, and the intelligent interest taken by all classes in everything appertaining to Federal and Local Govern- ment, combine to produce the vigorous spirit of independence and con- tentment met with throughout the length and breadth of the land. Finally, it may be pointed out as worthy of the intending emigrant's jiifs uiulf^i the consideration, that, if lie finally selects Canada for his future home, Rntish flag. ^^ ^^,jjj ^^ welcomed there by a people of kindred sympathies, who live under the protection of the British flag, and enjoy the right to acquire and hold real estate without being called upon, as in many parts of the Ignited States, to renounce hi.' birthright, and swear allegiance to the Pre.sident, and his willingness to take up arms especially against Her Public iduca tion for the younj?. Taxes. An even dis- tiil)ution of domestic com- fort. Kindred peo- Mr. J. T. WtrnPs R,vpwL S29 Majesty the Queen, which also mean., in the majority of instances against those svho are most dear to him in his old home '"'"'"''^'' cause dissatisfied with their lot here, are contemplating a new start in ^"".ing. if °^^-^ ^"''*' 'f ."'^ ^""^ ^''^* ^^^'•^ i« no royal road to making money and be successful, without labour, in Canadaf there is, however! SLrTf '' rt^' "'^derstanding agricultural operations whether as farmers or labourers, are not afraid in the early part of work 'Tl'r'/'' the country to undergo a certain amour.t'of hard Z f 1 \ T°' S''"^'''' °^^''' ^ «"« <^<^'^ '•^"'J successful future : but to those who have been accustomed to a life of comfort and refine- ment, and who do not care to devote their entire energies to the pursuit ot their occupations, I would say by all means stay at home. PossiWe reipS ^'"^f f'^"*^ ^T^^'^ do well to obtain all the information Vast extent of possible respecting the various parts of the Dominion, for when it is Canada. [s fiO.Tonn ^'"-f ^^ /' "''"''y ^^ ^^^g^ ^^ *he whole of Europe, and 18 600,000 square miles larger than the United States, leaving out Alaska, It will be seen how easy it is for a man who would make a most certain success m one province, to make an utter failure in I yfl u 1 ^ selection of the district to which he immigrates, regard should be had to his training, and his capacity to engage in an; one of the multifarious branches of the work of the garden or farm ; and to those who have the opportunity before leaving England, I would say, make yourselves thoroughly comersant with the best known methods ot butter and cheese-making, for assuredly there is a great future in many parts of the Dominion for a dairy industry, and it is almost unnecessary for me to point to the advantages gained by those who, producing the best articles, command the highest prices and the readiest cl,. }a '"^- •'"'^Sment, it is undesirable that either a farmer or labourer How tobetrin should emigrate and immediately purchase or take up land. The ^'"'^ '° '^^'"• prominent and successful men in Canada are those who have not been impatient, and many of whom, whilst earning good wages as labourers, acquired a local knowledge of the greatest import, and at the same time saved money to purchase their subsequent holdings. With regard to carpenters, joiners, bricklayers, masons, blacksmiths, and other tradesmen emigrating, I should advise in every instance that they obtain from the nearest agent of the Canadian Government, infor- mation as to the precise points to which they should proceed, the rate ot wages at the time being paid, and the cost of the necessaries of life • there are many openings for skilful men, but by following this advice disappointment may very frequently be avoided. There is room in Canada, and good wages, for domestic servants ot ail kinds ; but ladies who obtain their living by teaching music anguages, or other accomplishments, should not go out unless they have previously obtained appointments. This applies also to cl' ks male and female, whose past lives have been spent in offices There are very few openings for professional men. Capital is required almost everywhere, and many openings are thus Room for available tor the employment of money, wnich at the present time sfc^ure invest- brmgs such a poor return in England. Excellent freehold securities '"™''*- and 7 per cent and 8 per cent interest, are obtainable in Manitoba and 6 per cent and 7 per cent for similar securities in British Columbia ; and a still better return can be ensured by those who assist m extending the numerous manufacturing industries. I look on Vancouver island and the mainland west of the Rocky Mountains as the portion of the Dominion having the greatest manufacturing 16 =■ I 230 The IndianH in Cauada. The Agricultural and other Resources of Canada. futur'i, by reason of its geographical position and great wealth of minerals ; and where the manufactories centre, there will the best prices for agricultural produce be obtained. British Columbia is, undoubtedly, a province with a grand destiny. I have been frequently questioned since my return on the subject of the Indians resident in the Dominion, and it may therefore be useful information to intending emigrants to know that tlie wise policy of the Government in originally settling the Indians on some of the best land— and through the Indian department and its agents, clothing, and, where necessary, providing them with food, teaching them in schools, and instructing them in the cultivation of their reserves, and generally in pursuing an honest policy of civilization, as opposed to a policy of extermination— has borne good fruit, and I do not fear in the future any such risings as those we hear of at the present time in the United States. Indians in Canada are now frequently employed as farm labourers, fishermen, and in other branches of work, and are contented. The wild animals of the Dominion, too, are sometimes alarmingly spoken of, but extermination has been carried on to such an extent that residents who are fond of sport regret that the gradual settling of the country hiis deprived them of their pleasure. There are still, however, deer and moose in some districts, and prairie chickens, ducks, geese, and other wild io wis in abundance. Emigrants have therefore nothing to fear ; indeed, it will surprise me much if there is not a very considerable exodus from the United States to Canada, where, as I have intimated, security of life and property is equal to that prevailing in England. The last week in March is the best time for arriving in thfe countiy. In conclusion, I desire to bear testimony to the kindly consideration T received from Canadians generally in the course of my investigations, without which it would have been difficult to have accomplished my task. I also desire to thank the officials of the Canadian Pacific, Grand Trunk, and the Manitoba and North- Western Railway companies, for their generous assistance at all times rendered ; and especially are my thanks due to the Hon. John Carling, Minister of Agriculture, and also to the Senators, Members of Parliament, and other Official gentle- men, through whose districts I travelled, and who at all times were ready to supply me with necessary introductions, and generally to assist in making my visit profitable and instructive.