^.\^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. 1.0 I.I I^|2j8 |2^ US lit lit 12.0 L25 il.4 III 1.6 V] / K^ ^ /;- t/^>s ^ moiograpnic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716)872-4303 I/. r^O CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Tachnical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notaa tachniquaa ot bibliographiquaa Tha Instituta haa attamptad to obtain tha boat originai copy avaiiabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographieaily uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction. or which may significantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara ehackad balow. 0Colourad covara/ Couvartura da coulaur r~| Covara damagad/ Couvartura andommagAa □ Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raataurAa at/ou palliculAa □ Covar titia mining/ La titra da couvartura manqua QColourad mapa/ Cartaa gAographiquaa mn coulaur Coiourad Ink (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) r~n Coiourad plataa and/or illuatrationa/ n n Planehaa at/ou illuatrationa an coulaur Bound with othar matarial/ RalM avac d'autraa documanta Tight binding may cauaa shadowa or diatortion along intarior margin/ Laraliura sarr^ paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la diatorakxi la kNig da la marga intAriaura Blank laavaa addad during raatoration may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar poaaibla. thaaa hava baan omittad from filming/ II sa paut qua cartainaa pagaa blanchas ajoutiaa lors d'una raatauratlon apparalyaant dana la taxta. mala, lorsqua cala 4tait poaaibla. caa pagaa n'ont paa *tifilm Tranaparanca Quality of prir Qualiti inAgala da I'impraaaion Includaa itupplamantary matarii Comprand du material supplAmantaira Only adition avaiiabia/ Saula Mition disponibia pn Pagaa raatorad and/or laminatad/ r~7| Pagaa diacolourad. stainad or foxad/ rn Pagaa datachad/ r~2 Showthrough/ F~| Quality of print variaa/ nn Includaa supplamantary matarial/ rn Only adition avaiiabia/ Tha poa of filH Orii ba{ tha aioi oth fira aioi ori B Pagaa wholly or partially obscurad by errata slips, tissuaa. ate. hava baan rafilmed to anaura tha baat poaaibla tmaga/ Laa pagaa totalamant ou partiallamant obscurcias par un faUillat d'srrata. una peiura. ate ont ttt filmiaa k nouvaau da fapon k obtanir la maillaura imaga poaaibla. Thfl aha TIN wh Mai diff anti bag righ raqi mat Thia itam is filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/ 10X icum ■ni • SI Til me a 14X u lau X ao reau BTion 18X mail ^ua G i-aea •oua 22X 26X »X ., .1^ • 12X 16X aox 24X 28X 32X ■■tim^wrif The copy fllm«d h«ra has b««n reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Library of the Public Archives of Cenada The images appearing here are the best quelity possibie considering the condition and legibility of tho original copy and in Iceeping with the filming contrect specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or ths bacic cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on thtt first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last rscorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^- (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol ▼ (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper levt hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: 1 2 3 L'exempiaire filmA fut reproduit grice A la g^nArositi da: La bibiiothique des Archives publiques du Canada Las images suiventee ont At* reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition at de la nettetA de i'exempleire f limA, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couvsrture en papier est imprimis sont filmis en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernlAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'iilustration, soit par Is second plat, salon le cas. Tous les eutres exempleires originaux sont filmis en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'iilustration et en terminant par la derniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparattra sur la derniire image de cheque microfiche, seion le cas: le symbols — »• signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols ▼ signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableeux, etc., peuvent itre filmis i des taux de riduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seui clichi, 11 est filmi i partir de Tangle supirieur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en bes, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 *;.■ ^■ mmm i^^vn>',':■ ii%'^ :m ■ ..':V The AgriqaituM Resources of Canaida j- Prlnce^ Edward Island ; Nova Scotia; New Brun^Wick; Quebec; Ontario; Manitoba; The North-West Territories; and British Columbia. y. ^ ^ ^-•^ V'-.... ,1^. t\, Pubiished by authority of the Qovernment of Oanftda (Department of Agriculture). ' 1 I »-i- 18 91. - 'A V>' .,U ■ii*aMH|HMiii**i*a«f ^^m ,A^ iJl^> <">' \' "n-xy^ , t •A^.. ■■'V \'-■ •■ .vc/.>\:(^...'-,. ^:,r,v -^ ■■'i'",";:^!^:;;-.v". ■?■:"'■'::, ..,., Y^;,;^ ■■.-)'. :^ 'f'Av^ "■■'■ ' ■. ' . -.1. ; > .■;■■*(■-■. -, - V '■'-.■,■, • '^- ■■■ ■ i ■ - .. .■■' ■'■ ">■,■■ ■ (^\'" . Can tinii to hy Urn (lie -^ North- iilitaine .Mi;iist( turt.hrr I uiled of tllliil to the (.€1 !(*( the far (if Si'Vr jiH'inbo no ]iii\ of i)w and Fr ;;i!' : I "" M:-':my I.MrOllTANT NOTICK. Canadian Immiguation Ahuani.kmknt.-. — In rnldi- tion to tilts fre.e f;;rant of IfiO jhtc.-< of tcrtiUs liiiul (it'tVreil li\ tlie Canadiaii (Joveriuui'iit to any male uihiit ul the 'ifii' of Is y(':us and oviT in Maiiitot);! aiul flic N(irth-VVe.''t Territories, ami to the land th;it ina\ l)i: olilained at a inoilerate ]irice in l'riti>h Colinnhia. the MinistiM' uf A^rieiilture is now authorised loofter. until tiirthi'r notiee, tlic fulli.)\\ inj^ honu.se'^ tovcitlers troni llm liiiled Kingdom taking up such land witiiiii six niuntlis of th(!irariival in thecotaitiy: Fifteen dollurs (ill Is. bd.) to the Lead of a family, .-evon dollars lifty cents (£1 lOs. lud. j for the wife and each adult nieinhur ot the family over twelve years of age, and a furlhiT -uin (if s»'ven f tlie foIlowjuM- Canadian (Government Agents :- Mr. .Kdui Hyke. l.j, Water Street, Idvcrjiool ; Mr. Thomas (irahame. 40, St. Enoch Square, (rl.i.seow : Mr. .Tohn W. Down. Bath IJridge, IJristol ; :^Ir. 'i'. (\mtiolly. "Northnmher- laiid House, Duhlin ; Mr. II. .Merrick. \'i' loria Chandjers. Victoria Street, I'.clfast. y\ ^M t^ (f? _ ; J q i: lam. swick ; •B., la. da 11.— B .1. h .1 u, • I, . I ■■■,.'; • f ' * ■ ■ . tj '.,vr I, ^:^;;. f: ' ■ii ;. .' 'V'' '"•r ,-'♦ f, m si i ' 1 ., '■ ;V •' 'r'.*** ,' ( • t '• . i ^ '< » 1 ' . / I 1*1-1 ' iJ^T"*; V- I' . • V,", ATE8 i; lam, iswick ; WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF Sir CHARLES TUPPER, Bart, G.C.M.G., CD., High Commissioner for Canada. >ia. fida II.— B i\~-\ '\ (f-?- / iq 1 1 -'* • , .ij ♦/ ( «;«^- ■i'v:,; N; ,.•.•1:*. ■, ,f ■IV *% V U' :#•■'•.'! •;■! "':^- K* >s ^-^!J it' ,■* ;;.k; ^:v ■,: l.> r, ' ■■■ t;.4j ■:■■ •,v'>| ■ " -C ' ■ o: ■ '-^ vl- , ■ ■ »-j. ■f' '.V ! ' .-.ri THE Prir ■'W'T- THE VISIT OF THE TENANT-FARMER DELEGATES TO CANADA IN 1890. THE REPORTS OF Mr. ARTHUR DANIEL, 172, Dereham Road, Norwich; Colonel FRANCIS FANE, Fulbeck Hall, Grantham; Mr. ROBERT PITT, Crickett Court, llminster; And Mr. HENRY SIMMONS, Bearwood Farm, Wokingham, ON The Agricultural Resources of Canada:— Prince Edward Island ; Nova Scotia ; New Brunswick ; Quebec; Ontario; Manitoba; North-West Territories; and British Columbia. Published by authority of the Government of Canada (Department of Agriculture). 1891. II.— B LrV^V Y: ■i, -Hi ♦■ .. f4 I m »•;■■ !•• ir (ii J ijv; % '-<) I'M ■»',*■ . J-fVI. ■ 00NTENT8. .1W " -j jtMMWaOM ••« tt* ••• •■• Mb. Abthur Daniki/b RerniiT ... COLOITBL FaKB'I RbPORT Mb. Robbbt Pitt's Rbport Mb. Hbhbt Simmons's Rrpobt ... rAOB 5 18 26 67 79 t LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ■'^K if ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ■ •• • •• Fabh Scbne in Manitoba — Thk Bebesfobd Stock Farm Fabliauxmt BriLDiNQB, Ottawa Flouohino at Samdibom's Fabh, Bbandok ... TiiBEsniNO AT Sandibon's Farm, Brandon ... Vancouver ... Farm Scene View op Qdedec ... Toronto A Farm-Hodbe in Manitoba {Drawn by Colund Fane) A Farm-Houbb in North-West Tebritorieb (Drawn by Citt of Victoria ... ... Ranch Scene, Albebta Shebbbookb, Eastern Townships Winnipeg ... Fabh Scene, Manhoha Harvesting at Sandibon's Faiim, Brandon Wheat Stacks, Manitoba Plouohino An Ontario Vinetabd at East Hamilton Experimental Farm, Ottawa A View in Stanley Park, Vavcohveb An Ontario Farm. . A Vmw in London, Ontario iMmoYBO Farm, Nova Scotia • • • ••• ••• •!• ••f ••• ••• ••• ••• t** ohinrl Fnnr) 4 13 10 17 19 25 26 28 05 88 41 43 53 CO CI C3 CG C7 78 81 97 100 101 104 TAOm 6 18 26 67 79 4 13 10 17 19 25 26 28 05 88 41 43 63 6G CI C3 CO C7 78 81 97 100 101 104 ^.1 U-> « V*' (;; * '- '-y fp *x f, .1 1^ 1^, M^ it 'J '.» I-^"' ,>\,i >■-; i> n ?■' i " ».'•'. fm ».;v' j: I yi{ ' *' ~, ■ •♦. 1 V PREFACE. Ijf August last the High Commissioner for Canada, by direction of the Minister of Agriculture, invited the following gentlemen, who are all connected with the agricultural industry in the different parts of the United Kingdom in which they reside, to visit the Dominion of Canada, to report upon its agricultural resources, and the advantages the country offers for the settlement of farmers and farm labourers, and the other classes for which there is a demand : — Mr. George Brown, Watten Mains, Caithness, Scotland ; Mr. Arthur Daniel, 172, Dereham Eoad, Norwich, Norfolk; Mr. Wm. Edwards, Euthin, "Wales ; Colonel Francis Fane, Fulbeck Hall, Grantham, Lincolnshire ; Mr. G. Hutchinson, Brougham Castle, Penrith, Cumberland; Mr. E. E. Murphy, The Kerries, Tralee, Ireland ; Mr. Eobert Pitt, Crickett Court, Hminster, Somerset ; Mr. Wm. Scotson, Eose Lane, Mossley Hill, near Jd^erpool, Lancashire ; Mr. H. Simmous, Bearwood Farm, Wokingham, Berkshire ; Mr. John Speir, Newton Farm, Newton, Glasgow, Scotland; Major Stevenson, Knockbrack, Goshaden, Londonderry, Ireland; Mr. J. T. Wood, The Court, Halewood, near Liverpool, Lancashire. The reports, if published together, would make rather a bulky volume, and it has been decided, therefore, to divide them into four parts, as under : — Part I. will contain the reports of Messrs. Edwards, Hutchinson, Scotson, and Wood ; Part II., the reports of Messrs. Daniel, Fane, Pitt, and Simmons ; Part III., the reports of Messrs. Brown and Speir, from Scotland ; and Part IV., Messrs. Murphy and Stevenson, from Ireland. Any or all of these volumes may be obtained, post free, by persons desiring to peruse them, on application to Sir Charles Tupper, Bart., G.C.M.G., C.B., High Commissioner for Canada, 17, Victoria Street, London, S.W.; or to any of the agents of the Canadian Government in the United Kingdom, whose names and addresses are as follows: — Mr. John Dyke, 15, Water Street, Liverpool ; Mr. Thomas Grahame, 40, St. Enoch Square, Glasgow J Mr. John W. Down, Bath Bridge, Bristol : Mr. H. Merrick, Victoria Chambers, Victoria Street, Belfast ; Mr. T. Connolly, Northumberland House, Dublin. Copies may also bo obtained from the steamship agents, who are to be found in every Tiilacre. 0* " •*'rA f*Y*m * »' vvw 6 37^ Agricultural Bucurcei of Canada, In addition to these reports, an official handbook of information is issued by the Dotminion Government, and approved by the Imperial Government, which may also be procured, post free, on application to any of the Government agencies. It contains particulars of a statistical and general nature about the country, its resources and trade ; the classes for which there is a demand in the Dominion, and which are confidently invited to settle in the country ; the prices of provisions and other necessaries ; the rates of wages that are paid ; and a more detailed description of the various provinces than can be given in the space at the disposal of the Tenant Farmers' Delegation. It is regretted that the delegates, except those from Ireland, were not able, owing to the limited time at their disposal, to pay a visit to the Maritime Provinces; but the pamphlet mentioned above, and others that are issued, supply full information in regard to those parts of the Dominion. The agents of the Government will be glad to supply any in- formation that may be desired as to the trade, industries, and varied resources of the Dominion ; and persons contemplating settlement in Canada are advised, as a preliminary step, to place themselves in com- munication with the nearest Government agent. In Canada the Government has agents at the principal points throughout the country. The following is a list : — Qdebeo Mr. L. Stavvobd, Lonise Embankment and Pdnt Levis, Quebec. Toronto Mr. J. A. Donaldson, Strachan Avenne, Toronto, Ontario. Ottawa Mr. W. J. Wills, Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario. Montreal Mr. J. J. Dalet, Commissioner's Street, Montreal, Province of Quebec. SuERBROOKB Mr Henrt a. Elkins, Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec. Kingston Mr. R. Macphkrson, William Street, Kingston, Ontario. Hamilton Mr. Joim Smith, Great Western By. Station, Hamilton, Ont. London Mr. A. G. Smttu, London, Ontario. Halifax Mr. E. M. Clat, Halifax, Nova Scotia. St. John Mr. S. Gardner, St. John, New Brunswick. Winnipeg Mr. TnoMAb Bennett, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Mr. J. E. Tetu, St. Boniface, Manitoba. Brandon Mr. A. J. Baker, Office at the Railway Station. Regina Mr. J. T. Stem SHORN. Calgary Mr. F. Z. C. Miquelon. Port Artiilr Mr. J. M McGovern. Victoria, B.C Mr. John Jessop. Vancouver, B.C Mn Morrison Sutherland. These officers will afford the fullest advice and protection. They should bo immediately applied to on arrival. All complaints should be addressed to them. They will also furnish information as to lands PrefoM, 7 open for settlement in their resp^ict' provinces and districts, farms for sale, demand for employment, mtes of wages, routes of travel, distances, expenses of conveyance, and on all other matters of interest to settlers, and will receive and forward letters and remittances for settlers, &c. The following are the land regulations prevailing in the different provinces of the Dominion : — Prince Edward Island. — ^The available uncultivated and vacant Government land is estimated at about 45,000 acres. These consist of forest lands of medium quality, the very best having, of course, been taken up by the tenants in the first instance, and their price averages about one dollar per acre. Parties desiring to settle upon them are allowed ten years to pay for their 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 nngranted Government lands, a considerable quantity of which is barren and almost totally unfit for cultivation ; but there is some lana in blocks of from 200 to 500 acres of really valuable land, and some of it the best in the province, and quite accessible, being very near present settlements. The price of Crown lands is $40 (£8 sterling) per 100 acres. New Brunswick. — Crown lands may be acquired as follows : — (!•) Free grantl of 100 acres, by settlers over 18 years of age, on the condition of improving the land to the extent of £i in three months ; building a house 16 ft. by 20 ft., and cultivating two acres within one year ; and continuous residence and cultivation of 10 acres within three years. (2.) One hundred acres are given to any settler over 18 years of age who pays £4 in cash, or does work on the public roads, &c., equal to £2 per annum for three years. Within two years a house 16 ft. by 20 ft must be built, and 2 acres of land cleared. Continuous residence for three yean from date of entry, and 10 acres cultivated in that time, is also required. (3.) Single applications may be made for not more than 200 acres of Crown lands without conditions of settlement. These are put up to public auction at an upset price of 4s. 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 following manner : — One-fifth of the purchase-money is required to be paid the day of the sale, and the remainder in four eqnal 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 (15d. to 2s. 6^d. stg.). The purchaser is required to take possession of the land sold within six months of the date of the sale, and to occupy it within two years. He must clear, in the course of ten years, ten acres for every hundred held by him, and erect a habitable house of the dimensions of at least 16 ft. by 20 ft The letters patent are issued free of charge. The parts of the Province of Quebec now inviting colonisation are the Lake St. John district ; the valleys of the Sagnenay, St. Maurice, and the Ottawa Rivers; the Eastern Townships; the Lower St> Lawrence ; and Qaa]i6. Ontario. — Any head of a family, whether male or female, having children under 18 years of age, can obtain a grant of 200 acres ; and a single man over 18 years of age, or a married man having no children under 18 residing with him, '.•■•■; 'I '■■■X h^': h' r <■ Kl ■il ^^■■. J:''t ■9 I . I •*.» ■ , Urn v.,;.- M mi ^« mi t: i,' t m •II '*L "31. 1 :'.•'••? #' ■• -, The Agricultural Betources of Canada. i4i*> I..:-:*' •J - it cnn obtain a grant of 100 acres. This land is mostly covered with forest, and is bituate in the northern and north- western parts of the province. Such a person may also purchase an additional 100 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 Bainy River district, to the west of Lake Superior, consisting of well-watered uncleared land, free grants are made ' of 160 acres to a head of a family having children under 18 years of age residing with him (or her); and 120 acres to a single man over 18, or to a married man not having children under 18 residing with him; each person obtaining a free grant to have the privilege of purchasing 40 acres additional, at the rate of one dollar per acre, payable in four annual instalments. Manitoba and North-West Territories. — Free grants of one quarter-section (160 acres) of surveyed agricultural land may be obtained by any person who is the sole head of a family, or by any male who has attained the age of 18 years, on application to the local agent of Dominion lands, and on payment of an office fee of $10. At the time of making entry the homesteader must declare under which of the three following provisions he elects to hold his land, and on making applica- tion for patent mast prove that he has fulfilled the conditions named therein :— 1 By making entry and within six months thereafter erecting a habitable house and commencing actual residence upon the land, and continuing to reside upon it for at least six months in each year for the three next succeeding years, and doing reasonable cultivation duties during that period. 2. By making entry for the land, cultivating it for three successive years, so that at the end of that period not less than 40 acres be under cultivation ; residing for at least six months in each year during that time within a radius of two miles of the homestead ; and erecting a house upon the homestead and residing in it for three months next preceding the application for patent. 3. By making entry, and within six months from the date thereof commencing the cultivation of the homestead ; breaking and preparing for crop within the first year not less than five acres ; cropping the said five acres, and breaking and preparing for crop not less than 10 acres in addition, and erecting a habitable house thereon before the expiration of the second year, and thereafter residing therein and cultivating the land for at least six months of each of the three years next prior to the date of the application for patent. Persons making entry for homesteads on or after September 1st in tmy year are allowed until June Ist following to perfect their entries by going into actual residence. The only charge for a homestead of 160 acres is the entrance fee of $ 10. In certain cases forfeited pre-emptions and cancelled homesteads are available for homesteads, but slightly additional fees are demanded from the settlers in each case, and when abandoned pre-emptions are taken up they are required to perform specified conditions of settlement. Full information can be obtained from the local agents. In the event of a homesteader desiring to secure his patent within a shorter period than the three or five years, as the case may be, he will be permitted to purchase his homesteau at the Government price at the time, on furnishing proof that he has resided on the land for at least 12 months subsequent to date of entry, and has cultivated 80 acres thereof. The following diagram shows the manner in which the country is surveyed. It represents a township— that is, a tract of land six miles square, containing "Preface. 9 36 sections of one mile square each. These sections are subdivided into qnarter- sectionsof 160 acres each. TOWNSHIP DIAOBUI. * 640 AcilEfl. N. •^M ...81... ...30... ...k.. ...83... ...84... ...86... ...88... Seliool ...29... IiUidi ...28... ...27... H.B. ...26... Luiill ...25... w. ...19... ...20... ...21... ..22... .. 23... ...24... ...13... ...17... ...16... ...16... ...14... ...IS... ...V... ...6... H.n. ... o ... Lands ...9... ...10... Seliool ...11... Lands ...12... ...6... ...4... ...3... ...2... ...i... K. The right of pre-emption has ceased to exist, having been altogether discon- tinned after 1st January, 1890. Information respecting timber, mineral, coal, grazing and hay lands, may be obtained from any of the land agents. Homesteaders in the first year of settle* ment are entitled to free permits to cut a specified quantity of timber for their own use only, upon payment of an office fee of 25 cents. It must be distinctly understood that the land regulations are subject to varia* tion from time to time. Settlers should take care to obtain from the land agent, when making their entry, an explanation of the actual regulations in force at ihat time, and the clause of the Act under which the entry is made endorsed upon the receipt, so that no question or difficulty may then or thereafter arise. List of Dominion Land Agenta in Manitoba and North- West Territories, Name of Agent A. H. Whitcher . W. M.Hilliard . W. G. Pentland . W. H. Hiam .. . John Flesher W. H. Stevenson. John McTaggart . C. E. Phipps... . E. Brokovski... . Amos Rowe ... . P. V. Gauvrean . E. G. Kirby ... . T. B. FerKuson . E. F. Stephenson. Thos. Anderson . Name of District n r. n OU! John McTaggart .. Winnipeg Little Saskatchewan Birtle Souris Turtle Mountain ... Qu'Appelle Prince Albert Coteau Battleford Calgary Edmonton Lethbridge Touchwood Winnipeg Edmonton Prince Albert Agency. -3 a o Q r I a S N Poet Office Address ot Agent Winnipeg, Manitoba. Minnedosa, „ Birtle, ,, Brandon, „ Deloraine, ,, Regina, Assiniboia, N.W.T. Pr. Albert, Saskatchewan, ,, Cannington, Assiniboia, ,, Battleford, Saskatchewan, ,, Calgary, Alberta, Edmonton, ,, Lethbridge, ,, Saltcoats, Assiniboia, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Edmonton, Alberta, N.W.T. I^Al/fiafMTF A 1Ka«^a Pr. Albert, Saskatchewan, „ ■Vi -\ .. . * »■ J?' mm 't.V u m .■n St-'. >f m: »!• '-- j , ,11' .■^Vrro'S •/; 1 'is *h l^ m '.•.■■* ,l ^•a1 #> ■ '. 10 The Agncultural Besmrces of Canada. r)*" Liitiih Columbia. — In this province any British subject who is the head of a family, a widow, or a single man over 18 years, may, by paying a fee of 8s. 4d., ai-quirc the right, from the Provincial Government, to not more than 320 acres of Crown lands north and east of the Cascades, and 1 GO acres elsewhere. The price is 4s. 2d. an acre, jjayuble by four annual instalments. The conditions arc— (1) personal residence of the settler, or his family or agent; (2) improvements to be made of the value of 10s. Gd, an acre. Lands from 100 to G40 acres may also be bought at 10s. Gd. an acre, without conditions of residence or improvements. The Esquimau and Nanaimo Kailway Syndicate have not yet fully arranged ,the terms upon which they wall dispose of their unoccupied lands. They own about 1,500,000 acres, but they are much broken up by rock and mountains. The land belonging to the Dominion Government beginsnear the sea-board, runs through the New Westminster district, and up the Fraser valley to Lytton ; thence it runs up the Thompson River vnlley, past Kamloops and through Eagle Pass, across the northern part of Kootenay district to the eastern frontier of British Columbia. The country is laid out in townships in the same way as in Manitoba and the North- West Territories. The quarter-sections may be pur- chased at a price now fixed at $2.60 (10s.) per acre, subject to change by Order in Council. They may be " homestcaded " by settlers who intend to reside on them. A registration fee of $ 10 (^£2) is charged at the time of application. Six months is allowed in which to take possession, and at the end of three years, on proof of residence and cultivation, he acquires a patent on payment of $1 per acre for the land. If preferred, the homesteader can hold his land for the first two years after entry by cultivating from eight to fifteen acres (the former if the land is timbered, and the latter if it is not so encumbered"). During the three years next thereafter he must reside upon it as well as cultivate it. Homestead grants of IGO acres (price %\ per acre) can also be obtained for the culture of fruit. In case of illness, or of necessary absence from the homestead during the three years, addi- tional time will be granted to the settler to conform to the Government regulations. These conditions apply to sigricultural lands. The Dominion Laud Agent for British Columbia is Mr. H. B. W. Aikman, New Westminster. In addition to the free-grant lands available in Manitoba and the Korth-West Territories, several companies have large blocks of land which they offer for disposal at reasonable rates, from $2.50 up to SIO per acre. Among others, the Canadian Pacific Eailway Company (Land Commissioner, Mr. L. A. Hamilton, Winnipeg) has about 14 millions of acres ; and the Hudson Bay Company (Land Commissioner, Mr. Lawson, Winnipeg) has also a considerable area. The same remark applies to the Canada North- West Land Company (Land Commissioner, Mr. W. B. Scarth, M.P., Winnipeg) and the Manitoba and North- Western Eailway Company (Land Commissioner, Mr. A. F. Eden. Winnipeg) ; and there ai'e several other companies. The Alberta Coal and Eailway Company also own nearly a million acres of land in the District of Alberta. The prices of these lands vary according to position, but in most cases the terms of purchase are easy, and arranged in annual instalments, spread over a number of years. Prtfau. 11 tn all the provinces improved farms may be purchased at reasonable prices — that is, farms on which buildings have been erected and a portion of the land cultivated. The following are the average prices in the different provinces, the prices being regulated by the position of the farms, the nature and extent of the buildings, and contiguity to towns and railways: — Prince Edward Island, from ^64 to £7 per acre; Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Quebec, from £2 to ilO ; Ontario, from £2 to £20 ; Manitoba and the North-West Territories, from £1 to £10 ; and British Columbia, from £2 to £15. These farms become vacant for the reasons which are explained with accui'acy in many of the accompanying reports. They are most suitable for persons possessed of some means, who desire more of the social surroundings than can be obtained in those parts of the various provinces in which Government lands are still available for occupation and settlement. Canada has already assumed an important position as an agricultural country, and the value of its exports of such products alone now nearly reaches S40,000,000 annually, in addition to the immense quantity required for home consumption. The principal items of farm and dairy produce exported in 1889 — the latest returns available — were: Horned cattle, «5,708,126; horses, »2,170,722; sheep, 181,263,125; butter, f8331,968; cheese, «8,915,684; eggs, $1,851,503; flour, 8646,068; green fruit, $1,604,203; barley, $6,464,589; pease, Sl,449,417 ; wheat, $471,121 ; potatoes, $287,763. In many respects 1889 was not a favourable year, and if other years were taken, the exports, particularly of food-stuffs, would be considerably larger than those given above. Be*' Ides the articles specially enumerated, a con- siderable export trade was done in bacon and hams, beef, lard, mutton, pork, poultry, and other meats, as well as in beans, Indian corn, oats, malt, oatmeal, floiur-meal, bran, and tomatoes. The chief importers of Canadian produce at the present time are Great Britain and the United States, but an endeavour is being made, and so far with success, to extend the trade with the mother country, and to open up new markets in other parts of the world. The products of the fisheries, the mines, and the forests are also exported to a large annual value; and the manufacturing industry is a most important and increasing one, especially in the eastern provinces, and includes almost every article that can be mentioned. * In many of the reports mention is made of the money system, and the weights and measures, obtaining in the Dominion. The dollar, which is, roughly speaking, of the value of 4s. 2d., contains 100 cents, equal to jjd. each. The following are the coins in use : — Copper, 1 cent; V.I »l» % !f . «■■■: ... :^^:--J '■■'- i '^m: I'-W "if v^m 1.^; IV .» i '•'.^ „-*-a '■»(i":l^ lli i :^. mm i> ■■:■): «*■ -ki IH ^i -*■ .V 'fill ■I 12 The Af/t'iculluml Resources of Canada. i fiilver, 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents, and 60 cents. Paper money is alfeo much in use, and is redeemable at any time at its par value. Tha following are the standard weights oE a bushel o£ the various pro- ducts: — Wheat, 60 lbs.; Indian corn, 56 lbs.; rye, 56 lbs.; pease, 60 lbs. ; barley (six-rowed), 48 lbs. ; malt, 36 lbs. ; oats, 34 lbs. ; beans, 60 lbs.; potatoes and other vegetables, 60 lbs. The hundredweight and ton are fixed by statute at 100 lbs. and 2,000 lbs. respectively. It is not necessary to extend this preface, or to summarise tlio various reports ; they must be allowed to speak for themselves. They deal with Canada as it was seen by practical agriculturists, and refer not only to its advantages, but tb its disadvantages, for no country is without the latter in some shape or form. It may safely be said, however, that Canada has fewer drawbacks than many other parts of the world ; and this is borne out by the favourable opinions that are generally expressed by the delegation. Those who read the reports of the farmers who visited Canada in 1879 and 1880, will realise that immense progress has been made since that time — when the vast region west of Winnipeg was only accessible by railway for a short distance, and direct communication with Eastern Canada, through British territory, was not complete. The Canadian Government, in inviting the delegation, wished to place before the public, information of a reliable and independent character as to the prospects the Dominion offers for the settlement of persons desiring to engage in agricultural pursuits, and it is believed that its efforts will be as much appreciated now as they were ten years ago. In Great Britain and Ireland the area of available land is limited, and there is a large and ever-increasing population ; while at the same time Canada has only a population of about 5,000,000, and hundreds of millions of acres of the most fertile land in the world, simply waiting for population to cultivate it, capable of yielding in abundance all the products of a temperate climate for the good of mankind. It only remains to be said that any persons, of the classes to whom Canada presents so many opportunities, who decide to remove their homes to the Dominion, will receive a warm welcome in any part of the countiy, and will at once realise that they are not strangers in a strange land, but among fellow British subjects, with the same language, customs, and loyalty to the Sovereign, that are the characteristics of the old country. |>JV_ /J THE REPORT OF MR. ARTHUR DANIEL, 172, Dereham Road, Norwich. Havikg been chosen by Sir C. Tupper as one of the farmer delegates to visit Canada for the purpose of ascertaining the resources of the country and its suitability for emigrants, I have to report that 1 left Liverpool on the 28th of August, in the Allan steamship " Circassian," and arrived in Montreal on the 8th of September. As this Report will doubtless be read by many who have no idea of the extent of the Dominion of Canada, I will briefly describe the extent of our journey. From Montreal we travelled to Ottawa and Toronto, where we were met by Mr. Q. H. Campbell, who acted as pilot for the remainder of the journey. Having had a special railway car placed at our service, our pilot gave the word of command, " All aboard," and we started for the Great North-West. After having travelled some 700 miles, and when near Thunder Bay — remarkable for its grand scenery — we experienced one of the many slight railway accidents so often heard of in the New World ; but luckily for us, it proved to be comparatively harmless, for, with the exception of the engine leaving the track, and the five hours' delay, no one in the train suffered further inconvenience than having one's breakfast emptied into one's lap. Then we proceeded on our way to Winnipeg, Carman, Glenborough, Souris, Brandon, Bapid City, Minnedosa, Saltcoats, Portage-la-Prairie, Regina, Prince Albert, Calgary, Banff, New Westminster, Vancouver, and Victoria. Thence we retraced our steps to Old England, where I arrived on the 22nd of November, having travelled 16,000 miles by water and rail, and 1,000 by road. I'ARLUMBKT BL'ILUIKOS, OTTAWA. ITT •• ml> ' 1 ^'iw- *» » r ■?' . t f ♦.. 'ft .;' k\^ 1 ■ • •1 % V ,• ;»; _ •*» 1 ' '•. i' • < .'f'- *r* t,' v < • , »>»* . V ' ,_ '} ft > 1 '. * , « :i i «« 1 « "1''^: ' 1 :» "'H i. > "^ » ," r s .1. ♦ 1 -/ L t vp«. ^ rh.,^^ 1 .... ^ i < ^ ^1 li 1 >; J ♦ 1 r 1 »< .» '■■H K\ • >: '-r ,v^' y 5 "'*! !> 14 ♦" i,l • yiF 1 t •' 1 ) *• •' ;4i ^ * .r' ii >/' •:1 ,' , t ,\.' .> r- » ' * k , ^ ' '•> t J > * , i. rl ■• » Ll k » ■^\ . t i T .' 1^ ' '^ ♦ 1 A f[ , V\'^ *' *: ■!i 14 The AgncuUurul lieiionrcea of Canada. l" " 1 '. ";ll Oeneral Detcription of Places Visited. — Upon arriving at Ottawa, we were shown over the Parliament Houses, a very fine block of build- ings standing upon rising ground, and commanding u grand view of tiio city and river, with its immense water power, from which 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 several 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, splines, and shingles (roofing material) — a process which only occupi's a few minutes. AVe next visited the Experimental Farm near Ottawa, where we saw some very fine samples of both wheat and oats, especially of tho latter. I was informed they averaged about 55 bushels per acre. We also saw some good pieces of mangolds, swedes, and carrots. The stock on this farm was fairly good. We next proceeded to Toronto, where the annual Industrial Exhibition was being held. This is, in fact, an agricultural show in the best sense of the term, in combination with au 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-trotting and high- jumping horses. One trotter went a mile in 2 minutes 25 seconds, 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, very good, and would not "have disgraced any showyard in England. Some very useful Clydesdales and Shire horses 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 saw two imported hackney stallions — " Young Nobleman," by "D'Oyley's Confidence," and "Norfolk 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 especially good. There was likewise a very fine collection of grains and fruit from Ontario. We next proceeded to the Ontario Agiicultural College, at Guelph (supported by the Provincial Government), where we met Professor Eoberts, who showed us over the College and farm. Here we saw some good cattle, especially a Hereford bull, which was purchased 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 £21 per year, a.nd S3 per week for board. They do most of the work on the farm, for which they ai'e 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 taucht the scientific, as well as the practical, pa'^t of farmmsr; altogether the College affords an example which might well be followed in this country. We next went to Moreton Lodge — Mr. Stone's — and saw his herd of Herefords — a good lot ; as also were Mr. Thos. McCrae's Mr, Arthur Damel'H lie^jun, ,%, Galloways, on the adjoining farm. Taking a short journey into the county oC York, I observed that most of the land through which I passed, as well as that around Guelph, was not as well farmed as wo lire accustomed to see in Norfolk, and would be all the better for under- draining. At all the places I visited in Ontario I found the same kind of farming. Wheat and oats are their chief crops, and in many cases th(>y seem to rather neglect raising stock. It is only right to say, however, that large quantities of cattle and sheep are exported from Ontario, as well as cheese. A large portion of the farms, on which cattle were not kept to any extent, showed signs of over-cropping. A groat many of the farms were at the time of our visit in the* market, owing to many of the farmers with growing families desiring to go to the North- West, where their capital would enable them to establish the'r families in a more satisfactory manner. This land, from what I could learn, was in many instances heavily mortgaged, and the pric(;8 asked for it almost as high as for land in England. My observation was that those farmers who went in for stock-raising were much the better off. I visited Oakville and Hamilton, large fruit-growing districts, the chief produce of which are apples, pears, and grapes ; but only in a few cases did I find these small farms well cultivated. At the Hon. John Dryden's well-cultivated farm at Brooklin, we saw a good lot of Shorthorns. This farm is a striking contrast to the greater part of the surrounding country, which is not so well farmed as it might be. We next took train to Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba. It contains a population of 28,000, and at one time made great strides ; but it has not recently continued at the same rate of progress, owing to the "boom" which took place in the years 1881-83. Most of the lands around for several miles are held by speculators, and when the " boom burst," the land was left on their hands, and is likely so ta remain for some time to come at the price asked for it, owing to the quantity of free land available. The result of this speculation has been to cause an amount of stagnation, with a consequent arrest of the development of the surrounding neighbourhood. Winnipeg has some fine buildings, including the City Hall, Post Office, churches, schools, several large hotels, and banks. It also boasts of a weekly market, where all kinds of meat, fowls, dairy produce, and vegetables are sold, the prices being — Beef, from 6d. to 7|d. per lb. ; fowls, 2s. 6d. to 2s. 9d. per pair ; butter, 7d. per lb. Fruit here is very dear, owing to the heavy rail carriage, for it all has to come either from British Columbia or Ontario. Travelling on to Carman and Glenborough, we passed through a good district of land, the greater part of it occupied, so that veiy little was left for free homesteads. At Carman we went over a grain elevator, or general granary, where the farmers from the surrounding country were delivering their wheat. We stayed at Glenborough one day, driving out to Craigilca and Belmont, Ifwhere we found the land very good for mixed farming, having a good supply of water. We visited some of the new settlers, amongst whom were several crofters, and almost all of them expressed themselves well satisfied with their lot and with the country. From all appearances they were doing well. Driving thence to Scurfs, wa \ J -A •}•' 4.: .-. i I > ■'.: ■> '■ f ':>. ».>*-■ fell k-'jl^^h ■f, •'.(M.'rr-'-*. "..?*''"• ■ ■ Vi'»t. v. n .. I-. ;,^. !>'!<■ :l 16 The igrictiUural Ilaoxrca of Canada, found that most of the lanu ' Ix^en takt'ii up by nuttlers, who wero all doing well. Here for the first time 1 now a gm)d l)and of about ^t)^ •heep, the b-t lot 1 had seen in Canada, except a 1. w pure-brods in Ontario. 'I corn was chiefly out in " stook," and looked a very good crop, yielding good (samples of both wheat and outH. Here we saw a few pieces that ' »d been touched by a frost in August. At ISouris a large quantity of the 1: 'id is held by u company, v lio are willing to sell at from $10 to $20 per ucre. i» 'w^iiH rLOCOBINa AT ■AHOISON'a PAEM, BRINDOM. 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, and a lumber mil' 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 the holding of a very successful Scotchman, farming 1,900 acres, 1,200 of which were in grain, froui which he expected to get an average of 22 busheid of wheat and PO of oats per acre. He stated that five years since ho was not woi ' '\ 50 cents, that his best friends were those that lent him money at 8 per cent., and that he would not now take ^£6,000 for his holding. He had two threshers runr'ng, on wheat, at the rate of two bushels in 43 seconds. From the nir Mne it was carted straight to the elevator, where a charge of twt otiu.,. i-o'c busiliel is made for cleaning and storintj. No stock except horses wa • k )v^ nn this farm, which took 37 to work it. The system adopted on lh?.T /a/m is that of tv/n grain crops in succession, g fallow. Under t'lis procesb almost all the land is pre- 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 be sown as early as possible, in order to enable the crop to reach a and one Ion pared Mr. Arthur DanieVt HeporK 17 cert .in utago of maturity to witliNtantl possible Irosts in AuguJn this farm; all tho straw and stubblo are burnt, bocauso tho cliiLat*^ being ao dry, there THRBiUINa AT lAMDUON'S FABM, BBAAOOH. 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 of two-rowed barley — 80 good that I fear there have been few like them produced in England this year. But from the situation of this farm 1 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 sec med to have been taken up, and well farmed. At the foot of the hills is a good country for mixed farming. A dri ;f 25 miles through a good corn country brought us to Eapid 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 Langenburg, and called upon several farmers who had been out only from two to four years. Most of them emigrated with vory 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 coin. He commenced by borrowing jG200 at 8 per cent., all of which he had paid off, so that he had become completely master of the situation. Another who had been out three years had 160 acres— 60 acres of grain— eight head of cattle, and two II.- 'f*. ■ I » ." f «■ HI ''.' •■•,:t' ■.« ■■':^:\ ,■-•■<• 4ii '*•■' '''■.( ./ Mil 18 TIte Ai^i'tcuUural Resources of Canada, ^^ .-■1 » ■*■ .■ it - 1 \i.. working oxen. Another, who had 160 acres, went out without any money. His corn crop was worth ;6200. He had also 16 head of cattle, M'orth £Q each. A fourth, with 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, five cows, two oxen, and four sheep. An Irishman who landed with 75 cents, but had borrowed XlOO from the company, had 160 acres — 50 acres with wheat — 27 head of cattle, and was free from all liabilities. A Norfolk man — Mr. Knotts, from Watton— with three small children, who had been out two and a half yean, borrowed jSIOO from the company, and had now got 27 acres of wheat and oats, and 11 acres more broken for next year, two working oxen, four cows, five steers, sow and pigs, four big pigs, and 160 head of poultiT. When asked if he could meet his payments, he replied that he could be free from debt next year. This man stated that anyone coming out to this part of Canada could be worth X300 in three years, even if he bad to borrow the money to make a start. All these people said they liked the country, and did not mind the winters, as the cold did not affect the children. , * -^ We next visited Kr. Kennerton's new ranch of 9,000 acres, on which were 67 head of caljtle and 40 horses, and a house and buildings which had cost X1,000. This ranch joins Langenburg Station. Around Saltcoats we called on a great number of farmers, most of whom have been out three years, and have got homesteads of 160 acres each, of which about 25 were planted with grain, while they had an average of eight head of cattle each. The greater part of them commenced with but little capital, and had to borrow. All expressed themselves satisfied with their lot. We visited Dr. Barnardo's Home at Bussell. It occupies an elevated position. There were 60 boys at the time of our visit in the Home. Several had been placed out with farmers, and only in two or three instance^ had they come back to the Home. A large herd of cows and cattle and a band of sheep are kept at the Home, where the boys do most of the work. There is also a creamery attached to the Home, where the hoys are taught to make butter. This appears to be a good and well-conducted institution. At the Binscarth Farm, which belongs to one of the Scotch land companies, we were shown a fine lot of Shorthorns. Everything here seemed to be well done. At Birtle we experienced the result of the prohibitory Liquor Law, for we could get nothing to drink but green tea, sour milk, and water that could not be called good. Here I met several young men from the old country, who did not appear very con- tented with their lot ; although, on the other hand, I met many who were. At Portage-la-Prairie we struck a good tract of land, but it had the appearance of being over-cropped. Most of the people here are doing well. Thence we went to Indian Head, where is situated the famous Bell ii'arm, which, like most other great speculations in farming and ranching, appears to be a failure, though from what cause it is difficult to say. We were told by some that it is owing to mismanagement, and Mr. ArtJiur BanieVs Rej)oH. 19 ) acres, on from \rhat I saw I quite believe that a great deal may be attributed to this cause. Moreover, we heard of absurd things being practised on one of these large farms further west, such as buying 40 new water-carts for the purpose of watering the crops when the sun was 90 degrees in the shade. It is said that the season in 1889 being dry, this was tried as an experiment. We here obtained information that the chief of tho land adjoining the railway from Virden to Broadview is held by speculators. This will prove a serious drawback to settle- ment ; for, like Winnipeg, these places are at a standstill, as the new settlers are obliged to take up land a long way from the rail. But this will right itself, as all this unsold land is subject to taxation. At Begina we saw some very fine specimens of roots and potatoes, which were good all through the North- West. From Eegina to Calgary the land appears to be of the same character. Prince Albert, to which the rail had been only just opened, is destined to become a rising place. On our way to Calgary we passed through, at Rush Lake, tiie 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 Colonisa- tion Company." These farms — ten in number — consist of 10,000 acres each, and are situated at intervals of 80 miles between Hush Lake and Calvary. At the latter place we obtained further experience of horse, cattle, and sheep ranching — an occupation which, except in a few iustances, does not appear to have been so far very remunerative. We next visited British Columbia, staying a day at BanfF. in TAKCOCTEk, II.-<3 2 ^A? s r^: c f^ ft" m • I ' ; » \1 .V, n II H .tf «>i ?\ \ ,1 •«' 20 Tlie Agncultural Besottrees of Canada, m^ 11' til 'ii pi''- ■ ■ il I" '■'! the Kockies, wLeuce ve proceeded to New Westminster, where there are large salmon and fruit canning establishments. The land about here is good, but very heavily timbered. Vancouver, though only five years old, is a gi'and city, the most promising place in British Columbia, and will eventually do a large shipping trade with Aus- tralia, 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-tars. Victoria, the end of our journey West, is beauti- fully situated on rising ground, has several fine buildings, and has the character of being the most English-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 immigrants. Boils and Productvons. — The soils of the old provinces vary from a light to a heavy loam ; but the light, sandy loam predominates. The chief crops are wheat, barley, oats, peas, and maize. Of late years, peas have been 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 maqy farmers have fallen back on peas. Tlie land, tor the most part, was not, in my opinion, as well cultivated as it might have been, with advantage to the owners, or as we are accustomed to at home; each man trying to cultivate more than he could manage without help, which is rather difficult to hire. The farmer 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 large 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 seedsinen in England, the quality has been very much improved of late. I saw some very good samples of oats weighing 42 lbs. to the bushel, grown at the 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 has all been sold to American brewers. The average yield is about 24 bushels per acre, and it is worth 2s. 9d. per bushel, giving £S 6s. as the worth of an acre. Experiments are now going on all over the country in growing a variety of barley suited to the English market, and it seems likely to be a success. In most districts we saw large quantities of fruit under culture, comprising apples, pearif, and grapes — the latter coming to perfection trained on Mr. Arthur DunUVa liej)ort. 21 } we are wire extended on posts in the open field. These crops appear to be very remunerative. The 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 fine, and of good quality. Wheat is the chief crop, and averages, at a low estimate, from 18 to 20 bushels ])er 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. 6d. per bushel of 34 lbs., which 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. Yankee traders send a lot of their cheeses to Canada for shipment, so that they may get the benefit of the reputation of the Canadian products. 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 superior to those of the States. The prairie district is one vast tract of level grass country, destitute of timber, and without fruit trees ; but many of our small fruits are indigenous to the soil, and experiments are being made to introduce varieties of apples and pears and general trees that will suit the climate. The climate and soil of British Columbia very much resemble the climate and soil of England. Large tracts of land lying in the different valleys of the Eraser Eiver are very fertile, capable of growing large crops of grain, hay, fruit, and vegetables of all descrip- tions. In one of these valleys (Okanagan) we were told that 25 tons of binding twine had been consumed this year. This, on an average of 4 lbs. to the acre, would represent 12,500 acres of corn, which at 20 bushels per acre gives 250,000 bushels. Calculating this at 3s. 4d. per bushel, the total value of the corn grown in that valley would bo .£41,666. Fruit also appears to be very largely grown in British Columbia, Mhich has also an immense wealth in timber and fish, in all of which a large export trade is done. The timber is in some places of very large dimensions. We measured several trunks which f^'irthed from 25 to 40 feet ; one even girthed 52 feet. - Inside this tree, w hich had been recently hollowed out by burning, we found a seat 12 feet long, placed there for the convenience of the public. AVe estimated that one acre of this timber, which is burnt down to clear the land, would, in England, be worth from .£4,000 to £5,000. Stnt^Ji'. — Til JiflHition to nnm-frmMvinor. a. In.riro niinTititv nf stnnlr i« r»iapH 111 the Dominion, not only upon small farms, but upon large ranches, especially in the North- West. In the older provinces there are several lots of pure-bred cattle, sheep, and j)igs, which find ready markets, not 1 ( h h^ .• i< ^V it^t"' > 4. /*L* I\ » I by ■' . r I.' ^ TA« Agricultaral Resources of Canada, only at home, but in the States and the North- West. The introduction of pure-bred cattle, with judicious crossing, has very much improved the native breeds, which are large-boned animals, and well adapted for working, especially on the prairie, where, it is said, they break the land better than norses. We saw, ia the course of our travels through the Wett, very striking instaiicea 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 31iorthorns at the Binscarth Farm, at Euasell, Manitoba. This herd is sure to do a great deal of good, as it is located in the midst of a large tract qf land well suited for mixed farming. On all tHe small prairie farms, where stock has been raised, the owners speak very highly of the prairie grass, stating that they can raise for $o a thr ee-y ear-old st^er which will fetch S35. But cattle-raising in the North-West falls under two headings — those raised on large ranches, and those raised by small farmers, who house them during the winter, feeding them ojx hay, straw, and in some cases a few roots. This kind of farming pays very well, and the farmers who adopt this course are much better Qif than those who keep to corn- growing only. We met several lota of ci?,ttle on their way to England, some of them having been collected by dealers from small farmers, while some had been brought from the ranches. Cattle-raising on the ranches is quite different to cattle^-raising on f^rms. The ranches each comprise many thousands of acres, and on them the cattle q,re allowed to roam at pleasure without any shelter during the severe winters, consequently the loss is now and then very great, in spme instances exceeding 25 per cent. This, on the whole, so far has nqt been a pay- ing business, as we heard of several failures; and in only one case (that of a company) did we hear of a dividend being paid on the capital expended. It ia only right to say thi»t the people at work engaged in the business have liad 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 have been sent to our markets, and this trade will no doubt develop. With proper attention to shelter and winttir feed there is no reason why the ranches should not i|,nswer. Sheep-Branching is not carried on so extensively, but in no one instance did I hear that sheep-ranching is profitable, while I he^rd of no end of failures. Canada is not a country where sheep-raising can be carried on to any large extent, owing to the breeders being obliged to house them during the long winter. X notice, however, that for many years past the average number of sheep exported has exceeded 300,000. In 16 years, 6,000,000 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 ranch we visited there were several imported stallions, and 330 mares from Ireland. The imported mares — even those from Ontario — did not breed well for the first few years. This naturally entailed a great loss of time, and outlay of capital. In my opinion, with impqrted stallions, and good native mares, a useful general purpose horse can be bred, sure to meet with a gaod demand in the marltet. Mr. Arthur DanieVa Eejiort. 23 Jients, Taxes, and Labour. — Eents in the old provinces vary froip 123. per acre to 30s., including taxes, which are very light. Most of th6 farmers, however, own their own land. The rents and taxes in Manitoba are nominal, almost every man farming his own land. But labour is rather aoftrce, and as a rule commands good wages ; for instance, masons or bricklayers get from (82^ to $3 per day ; carpenters, from S2 to $2i ; while the common labourer gets from $1 j to 382 per day. This is the general pay. The food ranges about the same as here. Clothing, if made from imported cloth, is dearer than it is at home ; if made from Canadian cloth, it is about the same price as here, but not so good in quality. House rent is ahao dearer. Eduinniion. — ^One would think that in so young a country education would be much neglected, but this is not the case. The system carried out in Canada far surpasses our own, and, moreover, is entirely free. CmdusioiM. — What, it may be asked, are the general and broad impressions left upon me by my visit to Canada? First of all, I would reply there is the impression of a vast territory, capable of yielding boundless mineral and agricultural wealth, if capital and labour can be brought to bear upon it, and railway communication is extended to bring the products within reach of the teeming population of the over- grown Old World. One is strongly struck with the conviction that there is in Canada a wide field open to all who are willing to avail themselves of the opportunity offered — whether it is the farm labourer possessing nothing more than his pair of hands, after his passage out has been paid for him, or the capitalist with several thousands of pounds to invest. Both can readily find employment — the one for his labour, the other for his cash — in this vast territory, extenfling some 3,000 miles from east to west, and 1,500 from north to south. Of course the emigrant who has capital will have the better chance, though we were frequently told — and we found many instances of it — that a man accustomed to work the land often does succeed without having the advantage of possessing any money of his own with which to commence operations. Instances are numerous in which men brought up on the land have gone to Canada with only a few pounds in their pockets (just enough to support them till they can settle down), have taken a free homestead with borrowed money at 8 per cent., and have paid off their liability in three or four years, so that they " owed not any man." Eeraember that such a settler, or farmer, has no rent to pay, and no tithe-rent charge to hand over to the parson ; while the taxes are nominal — only a few dollars per annum. A farmer's son who has a few hundred pounds, and does not mind work, and a somewhat rough life, can without doubt turn them to good advantage and profit by farming in the North-West. With ^300 he could well work 160 acres of land, which he would get as a free grant ; and if he should be able to extend his area of labour, he could buy the adjoining 160 acres at a few dollars per acre. He would, however, find the 160 acres sufficient with, say, ^£300 capital. Then, again, a man with a capital of from ^S 1,000 to ^2,000 would find Canada a country in which it could be profitably employed in agriculture. In the improved farm district of the older provinces land is not to be puvclinsed at less than from fiS40 to SlOO per acre, so that i3 .'•♦ 'A r if'.- .,'v '-;•' r-.»v ^1 '-i •VI 24 rA« ^^n'«4i •^ :| ^ .'-it '■1' ■ * ' . 1 ;f; • " ,; .' ,,*' 'A'.*",', •■ y. ■n "''Hi '; 1' '»' "'^i - .^' :^i; ■:!' . .i.''. i.',,4 :(i^*t ■ ill hi'-: ni t^'-' ||ii :ii»- ms The Agricultural Hcsourcet of Canada. SL V*J°°J.!''-°^*'' '°^ "^'^ * children', day, when all the children of the district aasemble, and amuse and show themaelres There »« *l80 a large buildinc filled with stalls containing all the beat work of the dwtnct. TOROKTO. On the 12th, I visited the Exhibition. The day was so unfortunate (I had to wade through a sea of mud and water) that I could not see much, and all outdoor amusements, judging, &c., were stopped. It is lucky it is not a thrta days' affair, like our exhibitions; it goes on for thirteen days. As soon as I got on the ground, I went to the Central Committee Booms, where I was most kindly received by the vice-president, Captain McMaster, Mr. Eidout, and others. I afterwards visited the machinery, but saw nothing very new — all implements much lighter than ours. One good plan I remarked, viz.: most of the small machines were worked, for the purpose of exhibition, by either electric or steam power, I don't know which. It explained them much better than we do. I saw a good arrangement for loading sacks out of iv winnowing machine, a potato digger, and a very light drill, all made of English steel. It was almost impossible to see the horses; but I saw a fair Clydesdale stallion — " Nelson," by " Another Day." His stock was very good. I visited t'ue market, and Lad interestiug conversation with butchers and others. The sliow of fruit and vegjetables, except melons and apples, was poor. This is a very bad year for peaches, but there Colonel Fan^i JReport, §9 were numbers in tho market, all from the neighbourhood of Niagara. No salad lettuco can be grown ut this time of the year, but they get it in spring and autumn. The meat looked to me poor and thin ; mutton indifferent — mostly filled lamb (really young mutton now). Veal seemed good. The following prices were given to me by a friendly butcher as prices he paid :— ■ . > ,- « Beef — Live weight , Dead ,, Leg of Mutton (sold retnil) Fowls (indifferen':) Turkeys, at Chric tmas 4 rents >m 2d. 7 „ -iSM. .. It „ - 7d. 3s. a couple. 12 cents («d.) a lb. Very little what we should call I'resh pork used — I mean porkets such as 1 should kill for house use, of about 70 lbs. a pig, dead weight. I tasted the butter, all of which seemed sweet and •• smell-less," but very salt. Prices were — 16 cents (8d.) a lb., 18 cents (9d.) a lb., and 20 cents (lOd.) n lb. The latter was " creamery " butter from the best factories. Cheese, 9| cents (5d.) a lb.; skimmed mDk, 6 cents (3d.). The first cheese seemed good and firm, and not too strong — I Rhould say better than the ordinary cheese we get in village shops in England. I visited the Fair on several days. It lasted from the 8th to the 20th September. It was well attended always, and one day there were 70,000 people present. There were few police about, and all the people were well dressed and most orderly. During che last week the Exhibition gradually developed, and the show became most excellent. The show of cattle, sheep, and pigs, was most excellent, and would do credit to any exhibition. There were entries in horses, sheep, cattle, and pigs. There was a most excellent dog show in a new building that had cost SS,000. I was told that the dog show arrangements were superior to anything on this continent. Then there was a children's day, when tho children showed off their drill, Ac. In one building was an excellent display of honey. In another an excellent display of the products from Manitoba. The oats were particularly fine ; peas likewise. Wheat almost all of one kind — Red Fife, spring wheat. A^'ery clean and dry, but small in grain. There was a shed also of products from Vancouver. I had not time to examine them very critically. The thinnest skinned oats I examined were some Black " Etamps." I saw some excellent oats also, shown by a farmer — Mr. Eennie, near Brighton, Ontario. Most of the com was grown from seed sent out to farmers by those excellent institutions, the Government Experimental Farms. There were some good Clydesdales shown. The fees for a horse called "Keuilworth" were $10; another horse's fees, $13 and $14. These fees are not paid till the following year, in March or so. The breeding stock of general purposes horses did not impress me; but the line tliey went on was good, namely, to give prizes for the best groups of stock by one horse. One mare (" Lucy Lightfoot ") and foal would have done c^dit in any ring. ii"Ul If'- w ^^.|j.} r If '^' 30 The Agrictillui'ul Resimrcfs of Canada. ..^' /•I # I thought tho arruugumeuta for judging weru indiileraut and piiK/.ling, iiH other horses and pooplo were iu uud out o£ tho Vttciouo gruuDfl that were Iwing judged while judging wm going on. Tltis siiould be corrected. The committee of tho Show, headed by Cupt. MoMavter, were most unremitting in their attention to tho dolegutcH, and wo saw ever/thinj; in tho mortt comfortable way. \V(» can never forget their kindn(>H» and hospitality to us. It was most fortunate that we wore at Toronto at tho time of the Show, as it gave us such an excellent opportunity of seeing the capabilities of this country. During the last day we were at Toronto the fruit and flowers were exhibited. This is the worst year for fruit for many years, but there was an excellent display of beautifully coloured peaches, nii immense number of pears, apples, plums, pumpkins, melons, and grapes grown out of doors. The flowers were fine in colour, but the arrangements of the cut flowers poor ; crowding them together seemed of more importance than elegance. The beauty of tho asters, dahlias, balsams, Ac., showed, however, what can be done if the land is properly cultivated. I forgot to mention that I saw two famous horses at tlic Show. One jumped 6 ft. 8 in., and his owner backed him to clear 7 ft., as he had done in the States. He will do this one day at tho Show. Ho was a very good-looking light-weight hunter, belonging to Messrs. Moorhouse & Pepper. On one of the days we vere at Toronto we visited the Agricul- tural College at Guelpb, about 50 miles from Toronto. We were even longer than usual doing this journey, taking 4^ hours by rail. This gave us a very short time to see the institution and its neighbourhood. This is vacation time, so we did not see the young men, of whom there are about 100; but we saw their dormitories, &c. An excellent school ttf dairying is attached to the College, also veterinary lectures are given, and real practical work is done by the pupils. The fees are very small, and can in large part be recovered by pupils working exti'a hours on the farm. We were most hospitably entertained by Profes«or Shaw, the superintendent, who explained all the arrangements to us. There was a large silo, in which Indip •\ corn, cut in the cob, is put. It looked grand feeding stuff. I measured some of the Indian corn standing in the fields; it measured above 8 ft. It grows 18 to 20 tons to the acre. We went to a large creamery attached to the farm, and were explained the working by so intelligent a gentleman that I longed to have him in Lincolnshire. They take in cream or milk from the neighbouring farms. Each sample is tested in a simple way, and the cream is paid for according to its butter-producing qualities. 1 gathered the following facts, but I may not be quite correct, as it is impoesiblo to get a cleor understanding when one goes about in half- dozens, as we did on this occasion :~9 to 10 lbs. of milk to a gallon: 5 lbs. of cream to 1 lb. of butter. Measurements are all made hj the pouQ^. On our journey to Guelph we passed some of tho best land we bad seen in the country, with many young horses in the fields, but few ' iiii' Colonel Fonr*t lieport. 81 sheop. Country near Miltou pietly. The autumn wheat was well up in 8omd field* an we went to G uelph. We had a short time to H|>arH at Guulnh, so we drovo to two neighbouring (arms, belonging to two exoelleut farmers, but could (i('o thom only in a hurried woy. hw was tho property of Mr. Stone, who owned some 300 Herefordi^, and farmed 900 acres of land. They wore of a remarkably fine bi*ecd, and had been in his possessiun many yi'ani. He used to get large priceH for them at hin euleN, but their Millie has much diminished oflate. He is t<» have a sah) of IHO next luuiith. J lis neighbour was a Mr. McCrae, u noble-looking old Scotchman, whu cume out here with nothing 30 or 40 years ago. He owna the bedt breed of Galloways in thia country. Had some very good Clydesdale luares, and had grown 80 brihels of oats to the acre. His land was excellently farmed, with plenty of manure. The stubble nhowed what had been on the land. His only daughter milked the only cow they kept for their own use. One son worked on the farm, and another hved in Guelph. He had done well, and all upon a 100-acre farm, 1 believe. I understood, however, that he had another small farm else- where. He kept two farm labourers. He paid them highly — ^36 and i3n, and board, a year. On Monday, the 15th, we started — a large party — to go to somo oi; the public schools of Toronto. They are carried on much on the Name lines as our board flchools, and money seems as freely spent. Tho education is free, with the exception of some slight payment for books ; nud I am bound to say I never spoke to anyone of any class who is not perfectly satisfied with the working of them. The systems of ventila- tion, &c., are excellent, and the board and teachers most anxious to carry on matters well. The teachers are principally ladies, w ho receive pay on a graduated scale, varying from £60 to ^140 a year. Each child oosts the State about ^2 5». a year. The children are kept at school much later in life than ours. I attended one of the classes mani^ed by one of the teachers — Mias Sams — who seemed to have complete control over her pupils, one or two of whom were 17. She said the attendance was about 90 per cent, of those on the bookn. In the kindergarten class, which I also attended, the percentage was higher. The schools open with the reading of the Bible, and prayer ; but beyond this there is no religious instruction. The teaching of sewing is merely nominal, and voluntary. A small quantity of physical drill is taught. What I saw was poor in quality and quantity, and could do little towards setting up the children. They work from 9 to 4, with very little interval ; of course the little ones have much less. I was delighted with the manners and teaching of the ladies in all the classes. The boys all stood up, saluted, and said, "Good morning," when u visitor appeared. No motion was made by the girls. They were all remarkably neatly dressed, and there was no evidence of poverty in any one child. The schools are examined by an inspector (not Government), and a report made on each; but there is no payment by result, and no .■w ' 4 '•^■ '< ■K:'^. •'-I 32 The Agricultural Eesource* of Canada. extra criunming '* -T ■ ■ V : i •' •- ;,^| for examinations in order to get a grant, as with us. I mention tlie common scliools, but there are numerous high, veterinary, and other schools where the fees are almost nominal, and where excellent education is given. Denominational schools are sanctioned, and a share of taxation given to them. They have their own inspectors. I must now take leave of Toronto for a time. It is impossible to thank the people of that thriving city sufficiently for all their kindness and hospitality and attention to us delegates from Great Britain. I left Toronto on the morning of the 17th September by train for Owen Sound, on Greorgian Bay of Lake Huron. We passed through a pretty country, and at one or two nlaces the farming seemed good. 1 saw only few sheep, and not many cattle. Some of the oats were uncut. At Owen Sound I embarked at 4.30 on board a splendid steam- boat — the "Athabasca" — and moved out into the bay at once. "No vessels in sight, and only three or four gulls. We passed a grand lot of islands and points about 12 o'clock — among them a well-known one, Thunder Point — and passed into Thunder Bay, arriving at Port Arthur, a town on the west side of Thunder Bay, in Lake Superior, about 1.30 p.m. on 19th September. We arrived at Winnipeg about 4.30 on the 20th September, after a comfortable journey. The dining arrangements were most excellent — in fact, better than in the hotels. There is some little beginning of prairie about 20 miles from Winnipeg. A great deal of wheat and oats still uncarried ; good deal of hay also uncarried. Land was much liku our Lincolnshire Pens in colour. In the afternoon, three of us drove out into the country, and visited Sir D. Smith's farm, where we saw some splendid pedigree beasts, and some American bison — almost the last that are left in Canada, though I believe there are a few tame herds in the States. There was a banquet that evening, to which all the delegates were invited. After spending three days in looking round Winnipeg and the surrounding district, we left there at 12 o'clock on the 23rd September, in our own " car," for Carman ; went a short journey by a branch line ; returned to Carman, and on to Glenboro'. We passed some charming country, with slight hills, and saw no end of prairie hens and ducks. Some of the land was swampy, but it was most of it occupied, and near Treherne the land was good. Saw one French settlement and church. Asked a schoolmaster at Treherne about attendance ; said 60 to 100. Thtre are no police in this district. Plenty of schools. No local option, but think it will be in force next year. Saw Mr. Berry, a Leicester man, now a butcher. Has 350 acres ; doing very well. Began with nothing. Was told of Mr. Purvis, a Gainsboro' man — an excellent farmer — doing well. There are a good many English about this station and Holland. Sept. 24. — Slept at Glenboro', a nice little village. The party dis- persed in the morning, some to visit crofters, others Icelanderb ; and a French delegate and I went to visit a French settlement at St. Aiphonse. Colontl Fanii Report. 33 On this jcurnej we saw a good deal of wheat that had been quite spoilt by a hailstorm in the spring, and was left uncut. We drove back on a lovely evening. I killed two prairie hens out of the carriage, and as we approached Glenboro' thousands of ducks passed over our heads from the cornfields. It must be a grand country for flight shooting. I saw on the road, at Cypress Eiver, Mr. Mawby, a son of Mr. Mawby, of Bourne. He is doing well on an excellent farm. We saw this day near Cypress Eiver some splendid land and crops. I was delighted with this part of the country, as were the other delegates. They found both crofters and Icelanders most contented. Some of our people had capital shooting at ducks on the road. A French Canadian barber drove us to-day. To show what wages are earned in this country, he told us he could get about S3 or $4 five days in the week, and $10 (£2) on Saturdays. I asked him what he did with all this money, and he said, " Spend it." He paid $4 (16s.) a week for his board, and had to hire his shop. We saw to-day, as we did constantly, the foals running by the carriages with their mothers. They go 8 or 10 miles a day without difficulty. I think this must give them the good action they have ; and they certainly look wonderfully well, never being deprived of their milk. Left Glenboro' on 2oth September, in four carriages, for Plum Creek (late Souris), about 57 miles. Passed through a grand country the whole way to a village called Wawanesa (late Souris City). Thousands of acres of wheat, stacked, and being carted ; stacks, two and two, scattered all over the country. Stopped to talk to two excellent English farmers — Mr. Watson, who 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 acre. On this road we saw some fine crops of millet, which seems very suitable for forage. After dinner at Wawanesa, we started, crossing the Souris Eiver, and drove 27 miles to Plum Creek (late Souris), arriving there at 7.30 p.m. Land all taken up, but much unbroken. Eolling prairie. Few cattle. Good deal of wheat spoilt by hail. Our hor^s had brought us 60 miles this day, and seemed as fresh as possible at the end. Plum Ci-eek ia a thriving place, and apparently a very pretty one ; but it Wits dark, and we started directly after supper in a special train for Brandon, which we reached in one and a half hours, at 10.30 p.m., 25th September. Ascertained following information respecting land values, taxes, yield of crops, prices, &c. : — Cultivated prairie, at S5 an acre ; uncul- tivated prairie, at $4 an acre. Taxes, &c., on 160 acres, from $14 to S16 a year = to 8 or 9 mills on a dollar ; no tax on buildings on farms ; no n.— » '}'. W • * r- 1 '> ^^i 1 ♦ J • " »■ t. »■■■ »* i ' ' '- 'k\ > 'Ml \ » ( •" -V • i 34 T7ie Agrimltxirdl Rcsmirces of Canada, m><, tax on personalty, Buch as horses, cattle, implements, &c., unless they exceed $500 in value ; no one can be assessed above 2 cents in the dollar (od. in £) without a special Act. The above varies in different districts; North- West Territories taxes are lighter than Manitoba. Price this year for best vv^heat, 80 cents a bushel; average of year, probably 70 cents a bushel ; average yield of province, 23| bushels an acre; yield of last four years — 1887, 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 S8 (348.) 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 expoited ; 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 with- out 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^ a day. He has 33 teams of horses (66 horses), and three teams of driving horses. A team 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-past 6 to half- past 11; rest, 2 hours; half -past 1 to half-paso 6; total, 10 hours. He does not find it answer to do longer hours. He threshes all his grain from the stooks, and leaves the straw in. Can thresh 31 2| quarters (2,500 bushels) in a day ! but straw is very short and much broken ; it is used to fii-e 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 Sandison probably about 5 per cent. The men get $35 a month, and board. I saw some splendid black oats grown on the farm, about 80 or 90 bushels to acre (?), they said. I admired a stable well guarded with 3 feet of sods — almost the first of the kind I had st.en in the country. Mr. Sandison and his wife live in the most tumble-down old ehanty, 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 admirable 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, ind the grasses hung round the barn, we saw the various experimental 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 had seen in Canada, and well worthy of the attention of English jnaltsters. In the afternoon, most of our party drove to some other farms, but I went to a blacksmith, 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.) fo" a remove. ColoHti Fane*s Report, 35 At a butcher's, beef, 12| cents a lb. (beef in winter, by carcass, 6 cents a lb.) ; lamb, 16 cents a lb. Journeyman got $30 a month and board. A lady who buys a deal of beef says that she only pays 10 cents (5d.) for all kinds of beef. Before we left Brandon, in the morning, on the 27th September, we hurriedly examined a splendid flour mill, which could grind 1,000 bushels of wheat in a day with 200 horse-power. Charged li cents per bushel 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. We left Brandon amidst the cheers of the public, to which we gave a hearty response, and drove 22 miles to Eapid City. The country was undulatirig and pretty, but more suited to grazing than grain. We, however, saw some grand crops of wheat, one of which extended as far as the eye could sec. We saw good-looking cattle in large numbers. At Eapid City we were entertained by the Mayor and Corporation at the hotel, and then took special train to Minnedosa. There we joined the main line of the Manitoba and North- Western Eailway, and wound through a pretty undulating and W3ll-settled country along the Little Saskatchewan to Birtle, arriving there at 7 on the 27th. iiifSSsift, A PARM-UOUSa IH HAKITOIA. {Drawn hy Colons Fant.) 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, U.— D 2 ♦ ■, •:f :*v-ii k,--M-.:.. .' t ■* '■^ '.*->*C.;- !'!' .' •■ 1- '*• ■ .":'l^l f:.iv;-n'' 86 The Agricultural Resource* of Canada, • :' 1 xt ■ ' »';! ' . if a mile from the station. Before doing so, we were entertained at supper at tiie station by the railway company. The rest of my party 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 ofE, 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 Bev. C. 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. He had gone back to the Home to superintend work there. His name was Fisher. Drove to see Lewarton, a man who came with a large family from I'ulbeck to this country about three years ago. He seemed to be doing well, and the elder boys 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 Torkshireinan, who came to this country with a fine lot of boys two years ago. Doing well on a small piece or garden near Birtle. Children all well dressed. One son lives on a qxiarter-section (160 acres). Came to this country with £100. Built small house — two rooms above, two below — for £10. Paid $110 for oxen, $24 for plough, $20 for entrance to homestead and pre-emption. Earned one and a half dollars a day at first 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 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 Eussell, one and a half niiles from Barnardo'a Institution for London lads. Here there is a large farm, with upwards of 55 cows in milk, a creamery, good garden, good farm buildings, &c. The boys seemed of all ages from 13 to 20, some of low cast of countenance ; but the matron said ehe had no difficulty with them. Splendid vegetables in the garden. Gi>od water. Measured some vegetables in garden. Turnip radish, 14 in. cir- Colonel Fames Report, 37 cumference; lohg radish, 2 ft. 2 in. long; swede, 2 ft. 4 in. circum- ference ; drumhead cabbage, 3 ft. 7 in. circumference, solid heart ; cauliflower, 3 ft. 1 in. circuinference of flower. Met here Colonel Bolton, whom I had known in the 100th, 27 years ago, He is 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 Land Company. They farm 4,000 acres, and have a total of 19,000 acres which they can acquire, I believe. Here we saw some splendid pedigree Shorthorns, many of them worthy of the best show in England. 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, S35 (£7) each. There are 80 head of pedigree Shorthorns on the farm, and 14 sheep. Land suffers from frost. Cattle allowed to run without 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 exhibition of horses, cattle, bread, butter, cheese, vegetables, onions, beetroot, &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 tte 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, 1 S89. Bought half-section 4 miles fr iva. Birtle ; has 70 acres in crop. Five boys, aged 14 down- wards; t iree girls — young. Drilled wheat 16th April ; cut wheat 10th August. Doing well. A yjung Scotchman also gave his experiences in the clearest way. ITe 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 English Church clergyman. We all started east together, and I went on to Portage-la-Prairie, where I changed on to the C. P. K. We saw quantities of cattle, and very pretty country from Minnedosa Neepawa, Gladstone, &c., 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 seemwd a busy town, with good shops, and electric light. There was nothing particularly interesting to see between Portage and Moosomin, but all the land seemed pretty well taken up. I arrived at Moosomin at ll.iJO at night, aud was met at the ^^1^ ^% .■.;< »' I. y'l , I ■S.^:': X ^'^.^;: iV. ■ ^ ■'■ ■• 'I . v...'-i| J-' " '<: ■ mi*':-- % -I ■;'''. I»1 ■■■ '■■'.'.', *' 88 fhe Agricullurat Retcurce* of Canada, station 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 and valuable information. Oct. 2. — Drove out to Pipestone Creek to visit a farm belonging to Mr. Manners. Spent the day with him, and returned to Moosomin at night. iii*> •», i •■••i PS ■ l FAtUl-HOtJSB IN tHB NORTH-^TEST TBBRITORIEa, {Drawn lyy Colonel Fane.) On road passed a man named Middleton. Has 320 acros, 62 broken. Hopes to get 1,000 bushels. Will keep his straw. Has one team of bullocke, cow and calf. "Was with "W. H. Smith & Co. Came out with nine children, and ill ,000; is perfectly satisfied, and iees tk good prospect for self and children. Has been out six years. Had 4 good pliace in England, but no prospect for children, as in this eountry. During our drive passed the houses of the following settlers :•— Middleton — Had been n book-fitflU man. Another man — Tea trader in China. ,, ,, Market gardener. ,, ,, Grocer. Civil engineer, Groohi. Banker's clerk. On returning to Moosomin, we found that the train, which should have arrived at 11.15 p.m., was two hours late. Mr. McNaughton ittflisted en sitting up with me till half-past one in the morning, and 1. 2. 8. 4. «. 6. 7. 11 ■.. Colonel Fane't Report. 39 helped to take ray luggage to tne station. Our car came in the train. I only lay down for two or three hours. Oct. 3. — I reached Grenfell at about 3 in the morning, where 1 was met by the Rev. F. Baker, the clergyj-'in of the district, who was very kind to me. There were a great many people in the village for the agricultural show that was going on. I have never seen so many English in one place before ; many wiell-dressed young English gentlemen : they brought in horses, sheep, and cattle to the show. The roots, Ac, were shown in the Town Hall, which has been built for the purpose, though the inhabitants of the village do not amount to above 200 persons. 1 saw a good thoroughbred stalliop — " Oorneille," by "McGregor;" a fiiit-rate shire stallion — *' Prince 8th " —out of Keeval's stud ; several teams of horses, ponies, &c. ; and a good thoroughbred yearling bull Shorthorn, belonging to Mr. Rowley. The sheep were a poor show. Small ponies stand the cold best. Teams of big horses, S350 to $450 ; these are not turned out in winter. The best teams of ponies could be bought at $120 to SI 50 the pair ; they were generally accompanied by their foals. They and young stock got no hay or oats, and were out all the winter, but looked very well. There was an excellent exhibit from the new Experimental Farm at Indian Head. The black oats, lucerne, and clover were very good ; but the best exhibits of wheat and peas were from the Indian Reservation, a few miles from here. Products of Indian Head Farm : — Spring rye good, sown July 7, cut September 1 ; red clover wintered well ; lucerne wintered well, 18 inches of root; Scotch tartarian oats, 60 bushels to acre — very good. Land : 8 inches of black loam, clay underneath. The show would have been better had they not had a hailstorm on 8th June last. This beihg the North- West Territoiy, no liquor is allowed to be sold without a permit. Persons requiring two gallons of vrine or whisky must pay a tinllar to Government. No innkoeper 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 flourishing. I collected from un old settler the names of some of the old country settlers 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 mfire Englishmen in tbe radius, whose names I could not gather. They have u second church at "Weed Hill, a cricket club, and a pack of hounds. At Regina, where 1 arrived at 5.30 a.m. on October 6th, Colonel Ilerchmer, the Chief Commissioner of tbe North-West Mounted Police, came to fetch me. The barracks are excellent, with every comfort for the men, and the Commissioner's house the nicest and best-kept honse I have seen since leaving Toronto. I spent the day with Colonel Herchmer; looked {•^^M <■'-' • it , ;i4 > ; » ■.■;■' 4§ ■ V ■ i\ >yl '.»' fi f.. ^ ■ V. • I'M I-, A tt :''« -■V. ^% ^■'^ ■■■■■ ■ :e 40 The At/ricuUural Ilesources of Canada. .r. .^ ■■Ht^ft ^- ■ » ■".' '' •',■• . ony or victoftii. The surroundings of Victoria are beautiful, with endless bayi, hills, and rocks, covered with vegetation and splendid Douglas pines and other timber. Wherever there was any cultivated ground, the crop seemed good on it, there being at least 6 or 7 inches of good soil on the top of clay. The wheat I saw was very fine (white autumn wheat); oats also good; but what astonjshed me most was the pro- fusion of fruit. On the 11th I called on Sir J. Trutch. His garden seemed to grow everything in profusion. Thick hedge of privet, roaes, broom. .- ■ i > ■ ■ -. , - ^ .■ ■. ■ • . -;,"«■ ■'I ■•■%;• I- ■•^ y, .i». -■f >.-:,, '0 •l ' ''I If It;'*,";; 42 TTit AgrxcniXiwaX Ruourcf of Canada, large violets, cherriee, potatoen, apricoti, honeysuckle, pears, plums, hollies, Soe, The treev were absolutelj loadcxl with fruit ; indeed, I have never in my life seen such crops. The difficulty with all these things, however^ is to find a market for them. Sir J. Trutch drove me some miles in the country. It surprised me to see several times in our drive, pheasants fly from the cultivated land into the patches of wood. 1^at;> ^s^re imported here a few years ago, and have thriven wonderfully. They must bo difficult to kill, as the covers are very thick with heather, willow, broom, Ac., and long grass, and various kinds of pines. Everyone seems to have a gun, but we saw frequent notices to sportsmen not to trespass. An attempt is made to preserve. Oct. 13. — Left Victoria for Vancouver at 4 in the morning. We reached the town of Vancouver at 10, and had three hours there. This town has made gigantic strides in four years, and promises to be a most important place. The Canadian Pacific Bailway have not only built a splendid hotel there, but are now building an opera house ! The town has electric light, electric tramway, &c. The latter goes a fearful pace : one is surprised there are not accidents ; but children, dogs, &c., seem to take care of themselves in these countries. I had some interesting talk at an estate office. The manager told me that in spite of the great works going on here, the taxes are at most $3^ in $1,000. I left Vancouver at 1 once more for my long journey east. I very much regretted I had not more time on the west side of the Rockies, as though there is no great quantity of agricultural land, at Kamloo^/3 and other valleys there is some very fine land, in a mild climate. Aftet fit&ying a day al Banff, and visiting the Devirs Lake, I left tor Calgary, arriving there at 2.30 ia.m. on the l6th Octc^r. Colonel Kerch mer, who is in command of the poUc6 depdt here, had kindly arranged to drive me in a four-horse police team acroif v ..'• fil 1 V III r'-'- ' i it. •r'l (>-.A i? ■ f'- :• .■fi, '.«y. ■'.'1 ff ;■ v ' ' '-A 44 : i Th4 Agricultural Buourcet of Canada, . * • «• * 4' \V' '-t ••'•lit' After a delightful Tisit, we left at 10 o'clock, and drove 17 milef to the Little Bow River (or Cattle Company's) Kanch. This is managed bj Mr. Cochrane, a Leicestershire man. He, a cousin, and Mr. Graham are owners of the ranch, which consists of about 60,000 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 for the winter to another ranch, near the mountains. The proprietors go to England. Mr. Cochrane estimates the value of capital in the ranch at $55,000; expenses, S3,000 a year; receipts from sales, $4,000. No interest has yet been paid on capital. The weather all day was delightful — quite warm till 6 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 I parted with my kind friend Colonel Herchmer, who went back to Calgary, about 60 miles. I cannot say how good and useful he had been to me, as without him I should not havenseen half the ranches and their kind owners. The Oxley Banch is a large one — some 250,000 acres — owned by a company ; Lord Lathom, Mr. Staveley Hill, and Mr. G. Baird are the principal share-owners. I am told they have only 6,000 head of cattle, but I think they must have more, as they have just rounded up 1,500 or so of steers to send to Montreal. I could not gather that they ever earn a dividend. ' ' I started with the team at 9.16, and drove parallel to the Porcu- pine Hills for some hours. We were principally on the Oxley Kanch, but also passed several small ranches, owned mainly by Canadians, who, I heard, were doing well. At about 1.30 we crossed what must be a very nasty passage at times — the Old Man's Eiver — and 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. MoUison, who farmed about five miles from here. He came to see me this morning (Oct. 20th). I found him a shrewd, clever Scotchman. He had only been here two or three years, but was doing well. He was one year with the Lister Kfijo's farms, but he is now farming on his own account. He owns 320 acres. Can grow good vegetables (he showed specimens), and keeps milk cows and horses. Next year he hopes to try irrigation. He was ijuite satisfied that this part of Canada would be a success. j Oct. 20. — Colonel Macleod, Mr. Peters, and I started in a four- borse team from barracks at Macleod at 10. and drove 32 miles to the celebrated Cochrane Ranch, owned by Mr. Cochrane, a gentleman well known in Lower Canada as a breeder of Shortliorns, &c. J)he country was uninteresting for the first 20 miles, and the prairie poor, but as we approached the ranch it improved. We were gradually nearing the mountains (S.W.) the whole journey. There are about 200,000 acres in the ranch, which runs up in undulating plains, towards the Suykiea, and, in fact, up their lower spurs, where is the best grass. They h've about 12,000 head of cattle and 100 hurseq. Many of the best cattle are llereforda. They have sent 1,000 head to Colonel Fanit Report. 4iS Eiifjland thin month in charge o! the second brother. The first lut Hold at XI 7 each at Liverpool. They have about 2,000 oalves this year. They lose a considerable number by wolves. They gp'y all the heifers they do not want, and have been very successful with them. The average of 600 steers sent last year to Montreal was 1,450 lbs., live weight. One they tried for themselves weighed 1,0-ii lbs., dressed. Mr. Cochrane considers that a beast loses 200 lbs. in trautiit from here to Liverpool ; cost of carriage as above, £6 to £7. He considers that 60 to 40 will represent the proportion of good meat and offal respectively, but he could nut say that these weights had been properly tested with cattle fed only on the prairie. Mr. Cochrane considered that Herefords did better than anything else on the ranch. The company has paid a good dividend this year. In the sfterroon, we went several miles to look at cattle, all of which were as fat as possible. We left Mr. Cochrane's hospitable house at 8 a.m., Oct. 21st. and drove 11 miles to " Standoff," where a, new police station was being built for the Government by officers and men of the police force, under the directions of Mr. Peters, my companion, who is Government clerk of tho works. He tells me that the police can build these places quite as well and much cheaper than if done by contract. It can well be imagined what excellent practice this is for the police, who generally after a few years retire from the force and make first-rate settlers. We passed a good many small ranches, and then travelled for miles through the Blood Indian Reserve. At one place we came upon the oificer in charge of the Reserve, who turned out to be a Mr. Pocklington, son of a well-known lawyer at Boston. He has been 17 years in this country, and, like mar uti. r Government officials, began as a constable in the police f ( < . 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 tv'o very nasty rivers, which are not pleasant now, and most dangerous at certain seasons, I arrived at Lethbridge, after some 200 miles of delightful driving over the pt-airies, and seeing many small, besides several very large, ranches in the most agreeable way, and with plea^^ant companions. Pincher Creek and Macleod have many Ehglish ranchmen in the neighbourhood. Lethbridge is the neadquarters of the coal district, and busy work is bemg done here. The town is the neatest Western town I have seen, though only of a few years' growth. The houses of the miners are princi- pally built by the Gait Company, who own the mines and railway. I was mt^t here by young Mr. Gait, the son of Sir A. T. Gait, whom I recollect seeing in England. I went into one of the miner's houses. He was civil, as usual, and asked me to sit down while answering questions. He was getting first- rate pay — some 84 a day, and only paid SI a month for his house of two rooms. Oct. 22. — We passed through a grand district, particularly between Virden and Brandon, and some 20 miles beyond Portage-la-Frairie. At .». • ' k1 -M •'\^ ii> ■s': *• ( 4. ••> CI ii U Wp * ^'J 1 . 1 ft'-: n -i, • V fl • . - 91 l <' vx •' ,- ' ■ i iK' '\ y'^^l' ,' - -fi i, .••'V ' '• ■"'i ' t.*-' •■. « . » ■*! ■ ■;-■' •■'!.• '■>-:>^ vr, ■ :■:*» . .• ■ * ^■>' .. 'V,. . ' ■.' IS* ■,■.«#■ • ;• *:„ ■ m ,.») ' -m v' '■•((I v':W:>:'l " :*■ * '. 48 TTu Agricultural Resource* of Canada. one station there were three elevators. There were farm-houses the whole way, and a nice sprinkling of cattle. A good deal of fall ploughing had been done; but there was still a good deial of com standing in tho stook. Unusually wet weather has interfered lately with the harvest. I did not see many cattle. Nearer to Winnipeg we came to poorer land, with a good many cattle j 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 wheels and boots like india-rubber when half dry. "We passed A. "Willsou's late farm about 14 miles before we got to Winnipeg at 4.30 in the af ternooo. Before leaving 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 Enghind, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Komau Catholic churches. The hotel-keeper of the hotel I am staying at here (Winnipeg), and the proprietor of the principal hotel at Eegina, were talking to me to-day. The former said he paid $15 a month to his women, the latter $25 ! When I said governesses were not better paid, the Kegina 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. Left Winnipeg at 10.45 a.m., Oct. 25th ; travelled due south. The land 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. Oct. 29. — Arrived at London, Ontario, at 11.30 p.m. I knew no one in London, but 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 ; and in the afternoon Mr. Weld, editor of Farmer'* Advoeatey drove me 13 miles to see the town water works and pleasure grounds, aud 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 been at school at Broughton. He received me most kindly, and showed me all about his farm. The fall wheat both here and on the road to the Belvoir Earm looked most promising. The cultivation was evidently most excellent, and the land very good. This was altoofether the beat farm I have seen in the country. Mr. Gibson had a splendid Durham bull — •* 8th Duke of Leicester " — a flock of 60 pure-bred Downs, about 70 pure-bred Shorthorns, 40 or 50 pedigree Berkshires, and 100 beautiful Colonel Fane's Report. turkeys. His house was a most comfortable one, and his wife (a' Canadian) gave us a kindly welcome. Mr. Gibson began with nothing, but has now this farm, worth many thousands of dollars. He says he can get good men at SI | a day, and sometimes less. He grew 42 bushels of wheat to the acre on part of his fiirm this year. Bold it all for seed at $1| a busheli He sells a good many pedigree animals, going over to England for them at times, as well as breeding. His Indian corn was first-rate. He feeds his animals in winter upon cut Indiau corn (with the cobs), mixed with bran and turnips. He gives very little artificial food. His sheep are all under cover in the winter, and his beasts are all well housed ; the young ones being shut in loose boxes in pairs while feeding. The farm is both well watered and well timbered, and was altogether a most desirable-looking place both in looks and soil. The village of Delaware, close by, with its pretty church, among the trees, made an attractive and most rural picture. In driving to the Belvoir Farm we passed the water works of London, which are tastefully laid out with walks, Ac. This place is much resorted to in ' e summer, and the view from the observatory was most beautiful, s . »ving the winding of the river Thames below, and miles of woods, with good-looking farm-houses scattered about. Oct. 30. — Mr. Hodgens, a gentleman whose acquaintance I made yesterday, came at 9 o'clock to drive me out to his farmS; stables, &c. He breeds extensively, besides buying young animals, from his own stock horses. He has several Cleveland and pure-bred stallions, and 60 or 70 brood mares. He deals a good deal with Withers, the horse dealer in Oxford Street, London ; and he is now about to sliip about 25 horses to England. Many of them are intended for the English carriage-horse market. I saw some remarkably good ones among them, most of them 16 hands high, with good action. They are all broken to harness on the farm, and I saw a very fine pair, three years old, leading manure, that looked like maV'ng ^200. He breeds also largely for the American trotting market, besides having several thoroughbreds which have been successful Queen's platers. The stamp of horse I saw at Mr. Hodgens's was far superior to any- thing I had yet seen in Canada, and showed wnat can be done by judicious breeding. Mr. Hodgens is quite satisfied with ♦^^he results, as far as balance-sheet is concerned, and has proved that mui'e profit is to be made by horses than Shorthorns, particularly when foals or yearlings are bought from neighbouring farmers. Mr. Hodgens tells me that an immense number of foals are bred in this district, 20 stallions standing at one station alone. He almost always breeds from his three-year-olds, Mr, Hodgens tells me that many good farms about here, with fair houses on them, can be bought at from $30 to $40 an acre. He has rented some land himself at about $2 an acre. There are apple orchards attached to most of the farms; this year they have been a failure, but some years they export a great number. The country is thickly settled, and would no doubt be a desirable one to live in, as labour is much cheaper than further west. The town of London is handsomely laid out, and the agricultural HI B ■;■ Wm^- '■■. \ i mB: '^Mi a ' * ij':fi';; : J ^m--.--\ € ■^-.' 1 '^^ 1 *:'^ ^^ :*k'': V ■■■' 4 vi-"; I ■ 'J 1. -i f: ■ • V ^ ^- ■ • >, .7*i '.^> %^. ' ;f 'g ■>< ,A.:.'-- I »-^ '.: m ■ 1 , • i .^vfi •3 '*>*il' 5 >:' ■ I. :^J«I£■|| >■'* '-. I; m\ ',; 5/-. ' ^-»' • jf A m^i '-. * '• ' ■iiV^:-'*^ , :» . ■ ■■' ^J*"'"-:',: ■*..'. ' " i 1 ," 1 » •■ .l^'T'.''» ' • i"' ..-^ •■, X, .-. '»■* '.' i0^\ ::WM ^kl L 'i '■?;• T 'Sil J,>! '•■' f"*»-.'.- -^M te :■; ■v:t 1^ 1 *■ • ■ ■'.*<; 'if '■ "■■ -'^^M '* '• ;. . Ji. ■ ' '\ 4*"l!H ■i^ \ ,^i ■'■i^\ ■■ 'H .ff ■>■ '■ ' '* *':'i-l ';'• f**-kB I'f^i.'vIM •*'' .'^i ^^^J>tM i\ -^^ ''^H ■:i'i ■;>i ^1 ' i* l-.f, r •m ^■" ?:^- 1 p^'A ^ ■' 1 *. «■ |:; 1 '■■■'!'' Ik' ' * r^i^ ■■■ ..1*1, ■'^^< I; .'^^il' ■»■ .r: |,:illl- .'V J lil.'r /■ r, ''»►■'■'•• •i; , The Agricultural Resources of Canada. buildings, park, &c., the best I have seen in the country. The whole of the ground round London is undulating and well timbered. 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, &c. Cheese fetches 10| cents per lb. ; last year, 8| to 9 cents. In the afternoon, I inspected the flour mill, elevator, &c., of Mr. Eich. Mr. Eich is a Lincolnshire man, but came to this country about S5 years ago. He came with nothing, and is now a prosperous man. A man called Linnell came to see me in the evening. Has been here 10 years ; wishes he had come earlier. Is doing well ; gets $1^ a day. His boy of 15 gets $1. Has his own house in a village some miles oflt, with one acre of ground, but lets it, as he is living here at present. - Pays $7 a month for his present house. Pays nothing for his children's schooling, but $2 a year for books. Can get good beef at 4 cents per lb.. Says masons get (S2| a day; carpenters, $2 a day. Linnell's mother and brother live at Great Gonerby, Lincolnshire. He himself was confirmed at Fulbeck. Came three times to the hotel to-day, determined to find me. He had been at least in eight or nine different trades before he settled to his present one. : « Oct. 30. — I left London at 12 at night, and in half an hour reached the small town of Ingersoll. During the evening was asked by a gentle- man named Podmore to come and see the large shipping establishment for cheese, bacon, &c., of Messrs. Grant & Co. to-morrow morning. Oct. 31. — ^Visited the establishment of Grant & Co. They do an extensive business in shipping bacon to England. They kill about 30,000 hogs a year, averaging about 16 stone apiece. The bacon is cut 60 as to suit different markets; that of Bristol being different from Liverpool ; and they, again, vary in fancy with other places. The bacon is either singed or scalded, according to fancy of market. The bacon is all kept in iced cellars, and is ready for shipment 25 or 30 days after killing. All refuse is used. The blood, &c., makes an excellent fertiliser when dried by a certain process, and sells at $25 a ton ; the grease is pressed out aihd made into lard for home use; other parts are made into sausages and pork pies. Messrs. Grant are also large exporters of cheese. About 150,000 boxes will go to England this year, each cheese averaging about 65 lbs. I tasted several, which were most excellent, some resembling Cheddar, and others Cheshire. All the best cheeses go to England. Thei-e are an immense number of cheese factories in this neighbour- hood, all worked pretty much on the same plan. The cheeses are kept in large iced cellars till ready for shipment. They are brought in from the factories between the months of June and November. The temperature of the ice cellars requires to be most regular, otherwia© they would not keep. I tasted some a year old, which had not the slightest appearance of mould. %■ ocnerwiae Colonel Fane's Report, 4» Nov. 1. — Left IngersoU at 6.30 a.m. "Went through Hamilton, &c., to Niagara Falls. Beautiful view of Hamilton from Dundas. Very little whtai land. Weil timbered ; good orchards ; great many young peach trees; very fevi^ cattle; large vineyards; and pretty flowing rivers. Altogether the prettiest country I have seen. The station at Hamilton is much the neatest I have seen on this continent. At Grimsby the orchards seemed very large, and the land very good, though wet. It probably looks worse than usual just now, as they have had constant rain for some weeks in the- ; parts. At Thorold I took a carriage, and drove across eight milef ^ Niagara Falls. I 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, as peaches have been a failure, and apples a bad crop this year. Grapes have been very plentiful, but only fetched 2| cents a lb. I passed a factory for making t' into wine. The country must be lovely in summer. Nov. 3. — Went .-. tj the market this morning to look at the meat, &c. Vegetables not so good as in Manitoba. Beef poor ; some good lamb, or, rather, young mutton: dressed, 60 lbs. apiece. Best cuts of beef, 124 cents per lb. Spoke to an old Devonshire butcher, who has been here 35 years (from Bideford). 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 power over their children in this country ; they soon lose their influence over them. Went with Mr. Hendry to see his horses. Mr. Hendry is the Pickford of Canada, and has here and in other 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 country-bred mares by Shire, Clydesdale, or Suffolk Punches. He does not like Percherons. I saw some splendid teams. All are weighed, and matched, principally by weight, and some were 17*3 in height. The weight of two of them was 1,770 lbs. and 1,790 lbs. An ordinary pair would cost S400. They ca'^ pull 9 tons on wheels, 11 tons on sledges. All wheel-making, cart- making, shoeing, &c., done on the premises. Shoeing averages S2 a horse per month. Mr. Hendry, jun., considers that the tallest horses have the greatest power of moving a heavy load. Mr. Hendry drove me out to his farm, about six miles from Hamilton, to see his thorou:ghbred stock. His farm was a lovely one, composed of hills, valleys, timber, and having several small streams ruunine throusrh it. He had three thorouehbred stallions, one of them a great beauty—" Strathspey," by «' Glenelg," out of '" La Polka " ("Glenelg" was by "Citadel"), He had 64 animals on this farm, many of the thoroughbreds showing great substance. He has several II.-B .'Jt 4M ,?! , " < r V ■■4 « 'i. ,1..' . V' * 't A' V t ,t t 4i \ * i 60 ^'^ ■ V . "^ r m o, ' a f^l-' '•,;- fl > ,, "•' ' M ■' <«■. ■ *'* .'I' ■ ' W -■' . i , " '»."'■ •"11 L :• I • ■ . Il * ■ ^ !] IJ'm,:^- 2/ie Agricultural liesources of Canada, horses in training, ^nd we saw some o£ his yearlings gallop on his private course. He showed me some splendid mares. The clover eddish on this farm showed an excellent plant. After spending some hours there, Mr. Hendry drove me to his charming residence overlooking the town, where I was received at luncheon by his family in the kindest way. In afternoon, drovij with Mr. Smith, Dominion Immigration Agent. Went to Mr. Barnes's, who has a large vinery, orchard, &c. Has 9 acres of apples — none sold this year; some pears — sold $100; 20 acres of vines — sold 55 tons at 2jJ cents a lb. = £27 an acre ; no pigs ; one cow; no peaches. Expense of garden, $900 a year. Gives his head man ($300 a year, with house, and ground for vegetables; ordinary labourer, $1^ a day. Drove all round the bay, and across a new cut to the harbour, to Mr. Fothergill's farm, with Mr. Smith. This is one of the most substttntial houses I have seen in Canada. Good rooms and kitchens, and splendid cellars, full of potatoes, apples, «&;c. He is a most cheery and hard-working man. His wife and daughter were milking when we arrived, and he was about to do the same. '.. Mr. Fothergill has some good stock, also about 40 cows. He sends the milk to Toronto. This farm has 240 acres, and three miles off he has another farm of 250 acres. He came out here from Northumberland 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 ; oats, 40 bushels to acre. He has often had 80 or 90 bushels of oats to acre, and 40 of barley. Mr. Fothergill prefers Clydesdales to Shires for this country, Pays his labourers 75 rents a day, ordinary work ; a81"50 at harvest cime. Mr. Fothergill says you can rent good land at $4 to $5 an acre about here. Land on Middle Road (the best near Hamilton) is worth from S80 to S8100 an acre. Got home at 8 p.m. Eoads abominable. Some Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire men came to see me in the evening. One — a tailor named Thorpe, from Nottingham — seemed a very intelligent man. He is quite satisfied, though his wife is a little home-sick. They have been here three years. Gets good wages ; but house rent and conls are dear. Complains, like me, of the meat. Hours, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with an hour for dinner. Almost all piece-work. Nov. 5. — Meant to go on to Toronto to-day ; but heard that there was to be a ploughing match in the neigbourhood, so determined to rtay to see it. Asked Mr. Smith, one of the best farmers in the neighbourhood, about his yield this year. Only got 20 bushels of wheat and barley to the acr«. Never uses cake or artificial manure ; considers turning over the sod of clover sufficient manure. Some top-dress the wheat after it appears above ground. Complains, much as we no in England, that the sons now want "rigs" (carriages), and the girls organs; and that times are not good in consequence. ft;. Colonel Fane's Report, ^ m i"1' "Went on to Toronto in the evening. Stayed with Mr. Bridgemau Simpson. Nov. 6. — Went to Barrie, ahout 50 miles. Land good in parts, but no very good-looking farms. Farms can be bought about here for about $40 an acre, with house, &c. Saw Barrand, tailor, from Eulbeck. Went to his house ; saw hia 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 firb. 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 S4| a month house rent ; has five rooms, all on ground floor, with back- yard for chickens, &c. Pays for beef 12| cents per lb. ; bread, 11 cents for 4-lb. loaf (but loaf does not weigh 4 lbs.) ; butter, 18 cents per lb. ; coals, S6 per ton ; wood, $3| a cord (lasts a month in winter). Has now got his own furniture paid for, and is beginning to look up again. Saw also at Barrie a young 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 uow been admitted as partner in the business. Lives with his partner, and pays $10 a month for board. Have 30 acres, 20 acres of which are strawberries. Have hothouses, &c., and sell plants in the spring. Nov. 7. — ^Left Toronto, at 9, with Mr. Wade, a gentleman connected with the Agricultiutil Department of the province, and two of my fellow- delegates (the first I had seen since the 1st of October), for Whitby, about 30 miles. We passed some good land near Whitby, and some excellent cart-horses (Clydesdales). We drove to the farm of Mr. Dryden, who is Minister of Agriculture for the province. He enter- tained us at luncheon, and afterv/ards showed us some most superior Shorthorns and several young bulls in prime condition; also some excellent Shropshire ram lambs, and a Clydesdale mare with the best foal I have seen in the country. Mr. Dryden's father was one of the earlier importers of stock in this country, and his son 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 farm. What we saw seemed well cultivated. We got back to Toronto at 6.30 p.m. Dr. Barnardo has a Home in Toronto, which I visited to-day ; it seemed admirably managed. There were no boys, however, in the house at the present moment. About 300 come out e\ ery year ; they are all applied for long before they come, and there are now 30 or 40 applications from farmers on the books. Ages, from 12 to 16. Agreements in print are made with farmers, who keep them till they are 18, unless they separate by mutual consent. Almost all become farmers ; no town applications are entertained. About 5 per cent, only returned for misconduct, &c. Farmers agree to pay $100 at the cud of their service ; no great fliiiiculty 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 II.— E 2 'iB*.' ■♦■'.,■■ •l I *.^ I't'. *, ! 1 i ,i t .' A- i ^■:i M * «j . ' • '•il s 52 Thfi Agrieultural Retoureet of Canada. :'i ; h^i '■•^'*fl ',W - .,\f . M.^« An i: Vi. /: '1 ■ *» -J '!««•, one, and only slight faults found. The boys are .iced in a district of about 160 miles north to south and 80 east to west. A good many of them liftve money in the Savings Bank to begin with when they are IS ; they are not lost sight of, after that even, if possible. The boys come out in batches early in the spring, and go on to July ; it is not advisable that they should r ^me out later. Some farmers complain that they are slow ; but of course they have all to learn. The superintendent thinks that about $3| a montlx would be the average earnings of a boy ; of course he is found board, washing, and mending by the farmer. Nov.8. — Left Toronto at 9.15 at night, and got to Montreal atSa.in. on the 9th. Bain and sleet all day. In the evening met General Grant, who has a son who took up a section of 160 acres near Griswold, in Manitoba ; has now, with a young man named Lawder, from Australia, 640 acres more, seven miles from Griswold ; ] 50 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 and foal, and five 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. They are now running a livery stable also, and consider themselves worth £2,000. When all the land is paid for, which will be in about a year, they are about as successful a pair of young "gentlemen farmers" as I have heard of. Mr. Lawder had four years' experience of bush life in Australia. Mr. Grant came out at 17. Nov. 10. — Left Monti'eal at 8 a.m. for the Easteini Townships. Country round St. Hilaire, St. Hyacinthe, &c., occupied by Prenvjh. Long, narrow fields; plenty of poor-looking stock in the fields; enormous churches and convents everywhere, and many tidy houses. Towards Eichmond the country became very pretty, with numerous fine rivers and wooded hills. It was principally a grazing country. The farm-houses much occupied by people from Eui'ope, and some very neatly kept. Passed some large copper mines. Met Mr. Beevor — a Nottinghamshire man — employed on the railway. Saw some good Herefords, and also a few good-looking colts. At about 12.30 reached Hillhurst, a station near where Mr. Cochrane has his famous farm. It is needless for me to write about Mr. Cochrane and his farm, stock, «fec. His name is known all over Europe as a most successful breeder, and I believe he has obtained for his cattle as large a price as anyone in Europe. I believe his great fancy at one time was Shorthorns, but at present he breeds black Polled Angus cattle, Herefords, trotting horses, and Yorkshire pigs. His yards, stables, &c., are very complete. In his business at this farm he is principally assisted by his eldest son, leaving his large ranch west to the care of his two younger sons. He farms here about 1,000 acres. His stock consists of 99 black cattle, 76 Herefords, 25 Jerseys, 15 other cattle, 200 sheep, 57 horses, and 15 pigs. He intends sending all the Herefords to the ranch, and keeping black cattle only. AVages, about ®1 a day; monthly, S15, and board ; married men, w23 a month. At page 44 I mentioned that from the Cochrane Ranch they had shipped about 1,000 cattle to Liverpool this year. Mr. Cochrane Colonel Fan^i Jieport, £3 sent his son with them, and took all risks himself. The venture proved very sutisfactoiy. Part of the 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 wrote to say he saw some killed, and they "died" well, and the purchaser was well satisfied. Mr. Cochrane had not received an account of the last batch. These cattle were all weighed by car-load at Montreal, but were not weighed at Liverpool; but he considered they were worth 4| cents a lb. at Montreal. They wei'e all well bred, there being 250 llerefords in one lot. Mr. Cochrane confirms what I have before heard — that the loss of 200 lbs. weight in cattle between Calgary and Liverpool takes place on the railway, and not on board ship. Of course no one has had more experience in this matter than Mi. 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 ranch, showing a good profit on the working of last year. This year he expects it to be better. 8IIERBR00KE, lABTKRX TOW NSIIII'S. Nov. 11. — 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 I had to give it up. I meant to visit Lennoxville, where 300 young boys and men are educated excellently in a college I had long heard of. At Sherbrooke I should have wished to visit an institution for waifs and strays, managed by the Eev. Canon Thornloe. I heard this highly spoken of. There are several manufactories at Sherbrooke, a town of 10,000 inhabitants. I had to go on, however, to Eichmond, and wait there two hours for the train from Montreal. I made a good deal of inquiry about farms in this very pretty country, and found that about $30 an acre would buy a nice cleared • - • 1 it! W .Vf.wV •. "• ''ii*fl ■;■ M ' ^ 1 • ,-. '<"■ ■ ' ' ■if / ■■;'■• m .«*.■*■ ■ < ■ ••( • '.■ ■■■fV s. -■"''* ' i ' .^' > . /.< . « 1 ».r .'*»., s**; ■ ; i ijr"-' . ! ■;i f ^'f'^^ . i \* ■ . % r"'. '.fr.". 5 t ' • -|*J- •;■,.■ • i ,. ^'y^r'j "' '"• l.v 'jfi 1 *i ■> • f' )■' t 1 ' . 'a '* ■ ■. _ *■' \' :* l~ ' < !" ' * -■■; 1 v'V- . ..il-^.:»i .'.1 (i IJ ' .ffl ,'-m . :. » ' m ".^fl -».■."• 1 »* -/ :f f ':_ '■;■<•' .1*. ■ . it y.- it! '■ 1 f*f •'M: 'U\ ■A ,*. ■" ■ '' J'* ' •■.!,_... ij^ ' ■{' ■' •■>; '■; . .,^- .>./• . '*.'"■ ■ ■*' ■< ■4 ,- * ■\'.; ^^r- ) ■; ':'' . f ; ■ ■;;«*..' ,;' ^ •;■»•- , ■« ■' *;."• iv- J \ • * ■ ^1 '* "■--".. ;v;^. ■ \: 1 ^ '^H _ '• '*- ' ^1 * ; ' %'. 1 , , •» *•' :t V J: . U The Agi'iculturat Resources of Canada, one, with good wiater, good house, and plantation of firewood. This sounds cheaper and better than the prices in Ontario. The country u certainly much prettier, but the winters are longer and more severe than in Ontario. There is not much agricultural land between Eichmond and Point Levi, opposite Quebec, but some grand rivers are passed. The woods were particularly beautiful this morning, every twig being covered with what is called "verglas"; the whole forest shone like diamonds. We arrived at Point Levi about 2.30, and crossed over to Quebec. I drove straight to my dear friends the Prices', at Wolfsfield. At 9 this morning I embarked on board the Allan steamship " Parisian," after a delightful and most interesting trip of two months and seven days in the Dominion ; and, after a prosperous voyage in that most comfortable ship, arrived at Liverpool ou Saturday, the 22nd November, - ■ 'a ■•*■,■ - -r . s '■■ . '■<• , .^,4 CONCLUSION. i have been frequently asked on my jourhey what 1 think of Canada. I reply that it is diflBcult in ten weeks to give a decided opinion on a country larger than that from the Bock of Gibrialtar to the northern part of Bilssia. i^he delegated, hdwiever, have had ex- ceptional opportunities of sfeeiiig thei rfeSbUtceiSj Jbcj pf ihe country, having covered 10,000 mileiS of ground, etclusive of our siea voyage. I have no hesitation myself in sayiii^ that the boriiinibh bf Canada is a most favourable country for emigrant ol certain clasSfeS. It inust rem'ain with the emigrant hiiil^elf to choose wheri^ to setne. For this i^asoh one should hesitate to give advic would perhaps have a better opening in Manitoba and the '^'" -We'^r '.'he work would be severe, particularly for the parents; ij no reason why the children of such persons should not rise to the highest positions in the province. In fact, this has been the origin of many of the most prominent men in the State. The Government otfers especial facilities to such people, and there are millions of acres of good prairie land waiting for good them. 3. The above remarks equally apply to young unmarried men of the same class. o occupy Colonel Fane's Report. M )od. This country U ore severe and Point The wooda ered with diamonds, luebec. I steamship vo months ge in that the 22nd think of a decided braltar to e had ex- J country, oyage. df Canada it inust For this >i it would bice farm, ire; in the By doing West; he nd within two boys iould find he went ; and the parents; i not rise been the te. The there are ;o occupy d men of 4. For mechanics or market gardeners I would recommend British Columbia, where wages are very high, and the climate admirably suited to gardening, as would appear by my Eeport. 5. For sons of professional men, officers of the Army, &c., it is more difficult to speak. They are a numerous class in the North-West ; hut neither I nor my fellow-delegates are able to speak very hopefully of their prospects. Their life is a hard one ; and I could not find many who were more than *' stopping." There are, of course, many excep- tions ; but I think a great many were little more than " remittance farmers," and several might be called farmers who farmed with a " scntter-gun and a smoU-dog." 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 all their education at our public schools goes for naught when on a farm in this country. Many of them, in consequence, seem almost to lose heart, and live worse than many labourers would do in England. Still, I am bound to say that, even among this class, I never heard any grumbling ; and numbers told me that they infinitely preferred this life to that of a clerk or other sedentary occupation in Europe. There seems a charm about tlie independent 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 ranch 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 cayotes — but then capital is wanted ; for it appeared to me that ranching, except 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 ranch near the Eocky 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 Dominion over the United States. It is almost impossible to take up an American paper without reading in it some startling murder perpetrated in the Western States. The shooting by judges, colonels, &c., of one another seems of daily occurrence; and little punishment seems to follow, except occasionally by Judge Lynch. Even in Chicago, revolvers, I was told, were «l>rn by peaceful citizens ; whereas in Canada all ii3 order, even in the wildest parts. * In qualification of the above passnge in my report on the prospects of young " gentlemen " in Canada, I am happy to give the names of two most trustworthy gentlemen who came home with me in the " Parisian." General Grant has a sou settled near Griswold, Manitoba. According to the General, his son and his partner, Mr. Lawder, are doing particularly well. Mr. W. H. Porritt has four sons, all married, living on their sections near Holland, in South Manitoba. Mr. Pon-itt speaks most hopefully of their prospects. Ho knows the country v.'ell, having taken up a section eight years ago. He sees an immense advance in Manitoba during that time. I believe none of the above young men were edncated at oar large public schools.— F. A. F. 10 n ' ^< r " . ;.*■ •!• '»■•..;.: K.; • ■■,4 50 irA« AgrieuUural Beamreet of Canada, I may mention that I was in no village where Sunday was not as well kept aa, or perhaps better than, it is iu England. I never attended a meal at a storekeeper's, public dinner, or settler's where grace was not said before sitting down ; and everywhere the most enthusiastic loyalty was shown. I think it diflicult to find any country where there is Iohh rowdyism and drunkenness than in Canada. 1 don't mean to say tliat there is not a good deal of whisky-drinking at burs. There is no doubt far too much of it, and it is most iiijuriouH to many iiu-n ; but I should say that, taking them as a whoh-s the population of the Dominion of Canada is decidedly an abstemious one. 1 can only conclude by saying that the emigrant from the old country will lind, if ho goes to Cauadn, a most kind-hearted and hospitable people, over ready to hflp a new iiand. 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. ■«ii)« Wl.N.SirLO, it ' ■ ■.*►"-' 67 THE REPORT OF MR. ROBERT PITT, Criokett Court, llmlnster. I nAVB the honour to proscnt my Eepoit of the result of my journey through Canada, during tho period commencing Septeuibor 4th, and ending November 0th, 1890. In the first place, I wish to tender my thanks for the honour Hhown by my selection for such work, and can but trust that the result may bo satisfactory. The opening of the local Agricultural Society's Show at Toronto was the means of my seeing an exceptionally well-patronised annual (exhibition, which, for a purely local show — or annual '• Fair," as it is looked upon by part of the population — is not to be beaten by any of our English agricultural societies. The exhibits of cattle, horses, fruit, and agricultural implements were particularly large, giving me the idea that I was to see a di&tinctly progressive country. The exhibit of cheese did not appear large, seeing that the statistics make it the most valuable export of the country, next to lumber, and also that the prize for the premier cheese at the Show was a sum equal to £12 English money. Other exhibits at this Show — such as carriages, waggons, stoves, bee-keeping appliances — v/ere made an attractive feature in quantity, and, indeed, in excellence. Fruit deserves a special mention, as growing it is evidently a staple industry, and at all times it is a very cheap and welcome diet in the Province of Ontario. Summer pears and apples shown indicated that they were largely grown, and eminently suited to the climate. In pears, the names " Beurr^ du Congress " and " Josephine de Malines " are a fine and useful variety of summer sorts ; but in mid-autumn I found the supply of good peara, such as the English " Aston Town," deficient. In apples, the " Duchess of Oldenburg," the " Snow," tho " Gravenstein," and amongst cookers the "King Tompkin Co.," nro Al. Grapes, white and black, outdoor and indoor grown, made a large show, and are immensely popular with the people here, some varieties being excellent eating, even tho sorts with very small berries ; but there is much room for improvement in propagation of other sorts which have a peculiar flavour, which is quite an acquired taste. This branch is receiving careful attention at the Head Experimental Farm at Ottawa, under the able supervision of Professor Saunders, Director of Dominion Government Experimental Farms, of which there are five throughout the Dominion. The conception of this policy (of creating these farms) for the advancement of agriculture and assistance of farmers throughout Canada, is due to the Hon. Jolin Carling, M.P., Minister of Agriculture, and is an estimable work — one that Great_ Britain has never done, but might justly copy. As the term "Experimental" signifies, they are no so-called " Colleges " for young men whereat to play at farming, but orthodox farms in every sense, where crops of ordinary acreage, and not plots, .1 vv! I' V <] •■■.>- I, ■ i>l .■.'« '.»; ' .'V. fl if' ti »' ;,' . ■ '■ j .■■..• »| , .r •! ., ,.,^ i' ^ ■,:: in'"' % '■?■ .^'^ ,<^- .(■: ■^.y ^M •' tt 8S The Agncultural Itetourcee of Canada, ■ ■ :i V. «* '":,:i''. •V, S: If. »" :( u-,:,;A A, I'l. are flcientiflcuUy,/but practicully, taken off tlio land in the bent con- coived rotation. The Ottawa Farm is hot in tho best agricultural district of Canada, but is carefully selected for variety of soils. A lar^o amount of work has been got through in its three years' existence, making it look in profitable order for its particular reauireraonts. Tho essence of tho system i» to grow all crops, and feed all stock suitable, ' likely to bo suitable, to tho country. The results are printed in annual reports, pamphlets or bulletins being issued periodl- cally, as occasion requires ; and evf^ry farmer throughout the Dominion, whose address is once obtained, is supplied with these free by post, without any subscription or payment being required of him. Thus a system is inaugurated, and is doing more valuable work each year, by which every farmer in Canada's Western, Central, or Eastern Provinces may at all times gain insight and advice from the Experi- mental Farm of his own province, or tho 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, grass culture to tree-rearing — of ^^•hich latter a promising experiment is now making good way towards success in Russian pines for planting in the, at present, trecloss zones of the prairii's, which may have the effect in a few years of making these as good in this respect as any other parts. In perusing this Report, or considering the qualities and capabilitiei of any land, careful reference should always be made to a map, and, for preference, a map of the provinces of the country, or "countries" bv 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 area of her inland lakes and rivers would just float Great Britain and Ireland, and yet leave a strip of water all round, so that they would still be islands. Comparing Canada with other continents, she is, roughly speaking, the same size as the whole of Europe ; half a million square miles larger than the United States of America (without Alaska) ; also about the same number of square miles larger than Australia. 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 extensive European countries. For instance, Manitoba is rather larger than Enjjland and Wales ; Ontario and Quebec are each about the same size as the German Empire; British Columbia is one and a half times as large as Germany; and Alberta, Athabasca, Assiniboia, and Saskatchewan are about half as large as that empire. Wlion we learn tha'" Germany supports 45 million 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 Mr. Robert PitCt tleporU 50 is now 80 close to ua that it is ronclied in seven days' steaming (and soon will be four and a half), with almost porfpct immunity from accident; tho ci'iitro of tho continent in thrto days moro by mil; and it is crossod in another thiuo — making only 13 days in all, or less than half tho time taken to roacli Australia. I'assing through from England, it was necessary for mo to visit Toronto, in Ontario, for the sake of tho Show then in progress ; after which, in order to make a round trip, the Provinces of Manitoba, Assiniboia, and Alberta were visited in order nam(!d, returning by tho Great Lakes to Ontario, thence through New Brunswick and Nova Bcotia home. Winnipeg is the fortunate town so easily found on tho map of Canada by putting one's thumb down in the centre of it. On arrival at this town of startling growth, the capital of tho easternmost of the great prairie districts, Lieut.-Governor Schultz held out a kindly welcome, as he does to all citizens in this free country. Now getting on to the land of Manitoba south-west of Winnipeg, and making calls at different farms quite at random, in tho hope (»f arriving at an average of what can be done in each locality, a neat brick house near Silver Heights attracted attention — that of 31 1. Tait, of St. James's, the son of a Hudson Bay Company's employL On the 100- acre farm here ho has built this good house, and also put his son out on another farm in a neighbouring grazing district, from which 40 head of cattle had just been shipped to England as part of the year's produce of this farm, and 60 horses are constantly kept for breeding and drafting from. Upon the homo farm had been reaped this year 40 acres of wheat, yielding 30 bushels per acre. No manure was used for this result, and it is only put on for raising potatoes. Two adjoining farms had been sold last month — one for £10 per acre, and the other for £8 per acre. These were improved farms, with house and buildings on them. It must be remembered that there was in 1881-3 a land boom in Winnipeg, since which time a great depreciation has been felt. The effect of this has now passed over, and land is decidedly on i ■ increase again, so that for this locality the above values are about tiij ; iing. The laud here is a good loam, with a clay subsoil, and may be called a heavy land for this country. Following out south-west from here, the original prairie is still unbroken for many miles ; not for want of being taken up, but it is held for speculation, being near Winnipeg. Around Carman, a station on what is culled the Glenboro' Eailroad, things seemed busy this season ; a grain elevator being at work, and much stimulus for building being apparent. The settlement, though only 10 yearsold, has full-fledged municipal machinery in operation. I saw some grain samples here, but quite the first to come in, and wanting in colour. Treherne, another station along this road, and colonised now 12 years, has a flour mill, belonging to a different owner from that of the elevator which is found here, as at almo-t every station now. It is alvunyo Ar» advauts'^e for a nlace to h^v^ a flour tqS]} a^d &■" elevator, or two elevators under different ownership. Made a careful inspection of the crofters' settlement between Hilton and Belmont Stations, on the Northern Pacific and Manitoba ; ■'' , '■'!. K- ■A. •• ' : s ,f ■ !■■*■. y. " ■' ■ .■'■ '; -' l-il * 1 .if •A ff)t. •^.m, '•* 80 The Agricultural Resources of Canada, line. There are 12 families here from Harris— one of the islands of the Western Hebrides of Scotland — and 18 from the island of Lew"-!. These people were sent out in 1888 as an experiment under a Government grant system, but were sent too late — in June — that year to secure any crops; and the season of 1889 having been a very bad on*^, this year is the first in which they can hope to make any profit. The repayment of their advances does not commence for more than two years, so that they have ample time to set into a satisfactory financial position. Taking one or two examples out of these 30 families : First, Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, with a young family of sons and daughters, one daughter being big enough to work in the house, had now got GO of their o^'"' 160 acres under wheat crop, and 30 rented from a neighbour, "rom this they expected to secure 2,000 bushels this year. They had 2U head of cattle, several pigs, and some fowls ; sold butter and eggs to neighbours; had a pony and buckboard, a fair cow-house and stable, and two-roomed dwelling-house, with a well of water only 15 feet deep. Next take Duncan Macdonald and wife, and their grown- up son, neighbours about three miles from above-mentioned family. Here was a fair dwelling-house, with outhouses being made round it in good fashion, and a milk-house sunk underground ; denoting good progress. The locality here was very nice-looking, with good top soil of loam, near the Tiger Hills, which, although not high, give a pleasing appearance to the country, and are well watered. So that, seeing the progress made, and remembering the bad harvest the crofters contended with in 1889, the experiment must be considered a success, as they are all still on the land, and probably in a position to pay off this year a part of the mortgage taken by the Government for security of their loan if it had been due. The system of colonisation by free grants — or " homesteading," as it is called — is the same all over the North-West of Canada. A homesteader may select a quarter-section, which is 160 acres, wherever he finds it unoccupied. By living on it six months a year for three years, and bringing a reasonable area into cultivation, it becomes his own for ever; and he can also secure for small payment an adjoining section if it happens to be vacant. At Kindower House, five miles from Glenboro', met Mr. Watson, who came out four years ago from Yorkshire. Has two daughters and five sons, two of whom are now able to help him ; therefore he is well suited for a colonist's life. He began by renting a farm, some way off from here, and had bad luck, a frost nipping off nearly all his crop ; but he plucked up courage, and managed to buy his present farm, which is nicely situated on good, ricli-looking soil — 140 acres boing under crop this year out of 160. Has 16 head of cattle, a pair of horses, &c., &c., and managed to borrow a pair of oxen to help to harvest hie wheat this year. Expected his wheat crop to thresh out 40 bushels per acre, which would probably fetch 75 cents, or about 3s., per bushel at his station. Adjoining this farm was that of Mr. Smeaton, an able young man, who came to the country two years ago, working for an employer the first year. This plan cannot be too greatly emphasised. As every farmer knows, changing country is most deceiving^ always meaning a change of system, and much more so when going to a far-off Mr, Eobert Pittas Re]}ort. 61 country. A person taking up land here should certainly have resided in the country one or two years, during which time good wages may be made; and, board and lodging being always found, these wages come in towards capital for starting with. Driving across the prairies from Glenboro' in a westerly direction, numbers of good thriving settlements are passed. The country is undulating to a pleasing degree, and the soil !i rich-looking dark loam, in many places showing considerable thickness. The prairie in this district is not the often-imagined everlasting flat, but situated under the north slope of the Tiger Hills, and dotted with farms and woods, which make it quite pretty. Mr, Eothwell's farm at Xorthfield, near Wawanesa, had a clean, well-worked appearance, the whole being in very good order, with a flock of healthy Down and Leicester cross of sheep, a field of roots, nice clumps of 'vood copse about, and a good road through it. Another — the Elliott Settlement — • just west of Wawanesa, was a thoroughly good-looking district, and thriving, though some crops had been cut by a hailstoi'm this year. The picture here presented to the eye is veiy wonderful, the land being largely broken up, i.e., cultivated. It presented on driving through, one sea of wheat, oats, or barley— some standing, others in the sheaf, or in stacks, or being carried ; men and horses and oxen dotted about over the whole, working truly their hardest while daylight lasted each day ; and far and near in the summer sun glistened the log huts, and, in many cases, well-built houses, of all these workers. West of this, round Minnewawa (a pleasant-looking, thriving place), as the railroad is only just making, there is considerable room for home- steading. The country is of undulating character, good, rich top soil for tne most part, and good water within 20 feet of surface. "^HWHHj.' FARM HCEHB, UANITOBA ■S * A ..f a, ■ f '■■-■. 1 ^■^ .-., !■ '*"'.. .minion Experimental Farms close by, which showed its produce of this ; ears Indian corn for green fodder, wheat, barleys, native grasses, and wonderful vegetables of every variety known in England, and twice the size, and some useful kinds strange to Britain. Conversation with various authorities who buy wheat in this district proves that it is sought after for its hard qualities, experience showing that the more northerly the country the harder the grain; and Ontario millers seek it for mixing with that of their southerly province; also, the United States buy up large quantities. The grades for fineness are determined every year, and prices range accord- ingly. For No. 1 hard (or very best) about 80 cents per bushel has been about the price this year ; for No. 2 hard (or best) about 70 cents Mr. Robert Pitt's RepoH, G5 I saw paid, which was what most of this year's crop would probably fetch. Then comes grade No. 1 Northern, and No. '^ Northern, which about includes all classiiication, the prices ranging down to 65 cents per bushel. There being loO cents to a dollar [48. 2d. nominal], these prices in English money represent from 3s. 4d. to 2s. 7d. as the range known during eight or ten years past, with probably an average of 75 cents, or Ss. l|d. English money, not counting in discount upon exchange, which will only afEect the pocket of the settler if he should send money to England. Wheat being the staple crop, and above being price obtainable, it is required to show what has to be done for it. First, the farmer must have his land once ploughed, and in breaking up prairie it requires backsetting also — i.e., turning up a little subsoil by a second ploughing ; this must be finished before the frost comes, in the fall of the year. Then his seed must be ready and paid for in spring, when the land does not require ploughing again, but sowing is done at once, and every nerve must be strained to finish as soon as possible after the frost is out of the surface of the ground — about the middle to end of April ; then, this once over, and the land clean, there is nothing more to do to it till harvesting commences — from the middle of August to the beginning of September, so quickly do things grow. A peculiar feature of the country is that seed-time is not delayed till all the frost i8 out c*' the ground, but sowing is commenced immediately the soil is in condition for about two to three inches from the surface ; then the fact of the remainder of the frost gradually rising upwards supplies moisture to the plants. 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 vary with each individual 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 farmer has to do with, all dressing of graJr being done by the merchant after buying from the farmer, wl, ? receives his money -ccording to bargt.i a as each load ia delivered at the elevator alongside his nearest station. No doubt the grower actually pays for cleaning and dressing the grain ; but this is much better done by the merf^nnt in this country, he having elevators and power machinery to uo it with. It- is an established custom also to pay for all grain upon delivery : the ad utage to the farmer of this system need not be dilated upon. Now the cost price being 40 cents, and sale price 75 cents, the profit is 35 cents, but this is notyec quite all nett. There has to be taken away still two uncertain quantities — the fallowing of the land every third year, and cost of ploughing that year. If one-third of the above average receipts is deducted, it will nrobablv tuffice for these, and leave tlie nett result of corn-growing at 23 cents per bushel to go towards living and savings, in some instances men have started with too little capital, and had to mortgage for payment of plant, «fcc.; but this is a reprehensible II.— 1? * '1 '■^v- ^k :J';. J; '^*%i .*'.>'1 C/' ■:^ •;".■' an- \ '•1 i- ;4'. ■ (] H^4 ■■«*.,>: if' U.J.. &i '", ■.\' •' ■ .! ,^%^ »'*:' ■ ' J . ''■ m 66 The Agrwdlural Jtisoxrees of Canada* ])ractice, as the danger d? getting behind in a bad season is too great. Obtaining a mortgage, and engaging to pay off in five years, with interest at 6 per cent., is all very well, when onca three or four years of success have been met with ; but it must bo remembered that in evt rj country there are dry and wet years, aldo year^j of blight or frost. :M' WHEAT STACKS, UAKITOBA. ■■■, " ':% .No\(^5 considering the amount in money to be made off a 1 GO- acre home.^tead farm in the North- West, giving a man three years to get 130 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 coining in from about 28 acres remaining of the 160. It should be mentioned these figures are, if anything, under the mark, '♦•. not being desirable to overstate the possibilities of the country. Beyond this, there is at present a sure increase for a homesteader or purchaser, in the value of land. This, no doubt, means a less comfortable home for a faii' ' / '^ov & time, but does not give much more labour, as there is no cleari land to be done on these [.^ ries. Another mannf for steader to increase his wealtl , in the event of his ha ';? ons, to choose for them homesteads i:^a,i. his own, which they t : t rixrUtled to uii ULtaiuiiig tut) age vl j.o, auu lu Liiia case vim suixa uecuiv^ ■. . ijiDubuch for life, and at the same time can help their parent ia >'.. u;; -'tQ^ l^vboHT, the ume- ;oo great. Mr. Robert Pitt's Report. 67 The manner of starting to work on a homestead, a settler will find out as soon as he has been in the country for a little while. The first thing dona during the month of April, upon entry on the land, riovoBiKa. generally is to build a house (if a boarded one, this is run up in a few days, but some prefer to lodge in a tent until they can build a log 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 with ploughing and fencing. The money actually in pocket upon entry OX), a homestead must be at least ^120, and more if possible, Taking the case of a labourer going to settle on a homestead, if he has not saved the above amount in two years' work upon a farm, he had better work another year, or agree with a landlord to work his farm, as somo do, upon half profits. The manner oi t^Mng up a homestead, which is a free gift from the Government, is as follows : — A man proposing to settle chooses a lo' Jity 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, for which a small fee is charged, he can immediately commence to build his house without furth x' fcxmality. The settler's right to the homestead is now assured, free ff h r ver, v. ithout any payment, except the light local taxation, i; "bject ■'. ■> •■t "k •t;| :^ j ". li': > i ■ ' 'J .'■« ■v' r'i ..■,,;■•! ••' ••? • ■ ' .-1 t« '<« • * ' i *i».. ' *| '" . ,1" V, ».t. 68 2'ht Jgrictdtural Besourcrs of Canada, landlord and a cibixen in this new country, and may soon take his shr.re in the management of parochial or Governmental matters. This is one way; but if a person prftposing to settle has enough nioney, he cflu buy his land either fro.n Government or private persons, thus freeing himself from obligation to homestead, which means the three years' residence. Underlying this there is the advantage of a man being able to pay up the whole price at once ; othervv'ise there has to be added to the price, interest on the remaining unpaid balance each year lor the remaining years of whatever term he chooses to pay the whole in. In Manitoba, or any other country, ownership of land means taxes and other obligations ; but here they are not great at present, the only direct taxation on a 160-acre claim being about $10 per year (£2). Then there is the obligation of each settler to give five 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 allowance of firewood for household purposes in the nearest adjoining forest district, which is always within hauling distance in IManitoba. 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 obtaining 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 competence ; 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 !7s Manitoba, and the same remark applies to parts of Saskatchewan and Athabaska. 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 vast 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 it is well supplied, and some few other industries are started, in the shape of breweries, woollen mills, lime and stone quai-ries, and one or two creameries. Speaking 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 fiat 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 o. 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 -'• '-.'a--*- Jl/r. Robert Pitt's liejjori. 69 fruitful, in spite of long winter feeding. As soon as more mixed farming can be ntroduced, cattle and sheep will be required to consume roots, &c. ; and there appears no reason why this should not become a large mlf-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 |)hiu of hording the ilooks 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 tlieir absence being that they cannot be kept within fences ; and tliis n)ay indirectly mean that the winters are cold and long, and being animals of fastidious appetite, they get tired of the dry food. These (iifticulties will probably be overcome by mixed crop growing, and at tho same time breeding a hardy race of sheep. Disease, at anyrate, will never be a drawback in the North- West. In Ontario every kind ci' V.'a**" ^-bvivHs ; foot-rot is hardly known, and pleuro never heard of. Powls appear to tell a dili'eront tale : they require artificial warmth to make them do well ; but the fact has its advantages, as oggs and chickens sell well. Pig-keeping naturally follows dairying, and will here extend with it without difficulty ; although it may very well, to a certain extent, precede it, as a few pigs may easily be Icept without cows — food being supplied in shape of Indian corn, grown as a green cro]), small potatoes, cabbages, &c. — the selling price tor good young pork being high enough to make it wortli while doing. Some progress is made with planting trees for dbade, lumber, and fruit purposes ; and they cannot be placed in the ground soon enough, as they are badly wanted, or thick enough, as trees muke finer, straighter stems when planted close, and it destroys the symmetry so much to have irregularity in height some years hence. It is much easier to plant a few extra, placing 5 feet apart, instead of 10 feet, and thinning out when required, than to persuade larger transplanted ones to grow eventually. The fine and favourite maple grow s here more freely from seed than from nursery plants, and there- fore can bo within reach of everyone, costing, as it does, next to uothing. Getting into the Province of Ontario again, we see what has been done by colonisation, in from 1 00 years, down to as short a period as ;<•') years. S]>ace will not admit detailed statement of the work being done, tho style ot farming, &c., according to the age of each district of the country ; it is only right, perhai)s, to s])eak of the best parts of the country as it is found to-day. Tho different state of things existing here and in the Korth-West provinces at the commencement of colonisation in each, ii very remarkable, and should not be lost sight of. Jn Ontario i' all vast forest — immense cedar, hardwood, or pine forest — which i x all to be cleared before an acre could be cultivatef* ; and there is plenty yet left to be cleared, and to be cultivateii. In Manitoba and the North-West there is no need for this long, tedious labour : it is all prairie, which takes the plough Btiaight away; some pe Me having started ploughing before building » ■' K !•■■•> ' •'',. •i'-y-ii--' -.H ■iLm: TO Th« AgriruUvral Itesoitrces of Canada. ■^:-i •r - '11' , ,.*'■■ Miff'--' house. The work done in some parts oi Ontario which were primeval forest 40 years ago only, is very wonderful. Now there is a railway to every part ; bright-looking farnis everywhere, with brick, stone, or wood houses; barns and buildings d<■^ ' ■•'.out amongst Isits of original belts of forest, or planted copbe , .n.>', and fences, the latter quite good enough, but which mii:l t b»» ' p;it lidier in places. All this spells success, carved out of dens«> and dark forest by a goreration of men now nearly passed away. In the situation of the farm buildings, and the celebrated "Canadian barn" seen everywhere, the country is most happy. In England it is commonly noticed all the hauli' <. ' to be done up hill, and if there is water power availal le lor rhafE-cucting, grinding, Ac, it is not utilised. Herein scarcity of labour has been a blessing for Canada, as farm buildings have been well placed, and especially the all-important liii'n. This universal sight throughout the country gives a pleasing, s- lid, fascinating look to the scene. Its construction — varied in sxze according to the acreage of holdin? — •>. generally ot stone f oundat iou and wood above. In order to make the erection cheap, anyone about to build prepares all the frame and heavy timber, then makes a requisition on his neighbours, who, by custom, all come to help him for a day with erection of sides and roof ; and thus, each helping the other in turn, time and expense are saved. On good farms, the barn holds all the cattle and horses in winter in ihe basement, and — being built as often as possible on a hill-side — the one or two upper stori< :; are entered by wagons on the level, and made to hold all the food for winter. Where the natural facilities do not exist, an inclined way is thrown up, o£ timber or soil, to allow of a waggon driving in. Water is also laid on, so that every provision is made for a whole winter. Of farming or market gardening close to the large towns much need not be said. In these spots under-draining is now completely carried out, and throughout the country a large amount is done. There are three distinct divisions in Onta io farming — (1st) There is mixed farming, practiset! more rd) Indian com growing in others. Taking a district typical of the country, round Toronto and Guelph are fair mixed farms, Tvom Guelpb, round ^>laces called Breslau, Berlin, Hamburg, to Stratford, some vny tidy tarming is to be seen. Then a large dairying district extends round the neigl oour- hood of London, Exeter, Tavistock, Ingersol' .md Woodstock; ai o round Brockville and Belleville, to the e.^'^^^ of Toi-onto. The parti'^ular fruit-growing districts may be said to b.^ md Grimsby and Niagara, although there is more or less of it in se,t ral i her parts. Some good stock farms are also to be found around Exeter and Seaforth. The Indian rn growing country, extending through the counties of Kent and Essex, in the extreme south-west of the province, is a very fine district — the only one of Canada in which the Indian corn ripens to perfection, and the grain of this eminently useful cereal is available for export. The soil is ail a deep alluvium throughout these very uat counties, which have to be drained by dykes ; and trees planted along these makes the appearance somewhat like Holland, without a hill to nee, IS a Mr. Robert PitCt Rej^or 71 bo seen. Yet, as in Holland, this flat, chess-board-like country is very attractive. Indian corn is a wonderful crop, that takes little out of tho land — that is, does not exhaust the soil to anything like the degree others do. It is supposed that, as it is grown in other parts of Ontario, where it only makes a green, but very valuable, fodder crop, the amount taken out of the land is quite inappreciable, although growing to 12 and ] 6 f<"(?t high. In these southern counties it serves the double purpose, tho grain being taken off tho stalk in October, and the stalk still coming in for food from December to end of March, which is the full extent of winter in this southern district. Eolation of crops hero is varied considerably from general rule ; wheat in small quantities, or oats, beans, or roota, following two or three successive crops of Indian corn sometimes. Opinion gains favour with some that this is the best farrai')"; district of Ontario, tlin growing season being the lougest, and the winters shorter and milder. Considerable dairying is already done, and a lino fruit district lies along the shore of Lake Erie on tho south border. I found, generally speaking, that i.i the fruit-growing districts fields and fences were not kept so tidy as in other districts, in many cases tufts .)f grass being allowed to crow high round each tree stemj a look of unkemptness being about tne 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- ilitiuiiU ^Tist for perfect apple-raising — late spring, hot summer, and uliort aii*^'imn, wherii. the sap stops rising very soon after the fruit is ripe, ''^rynes.s f •»'e being packed for sending to market ; and after putting into barrels, jast as seen commonly in England, tliey are often left weeks lying about Te orchards, until it suits to sell or carry to market. England is the grt receiver for Canada's apples, and it is undoubtedly a paying produce. The liest fruit farms, as in England, have the land planted wide apart, with apple, pear, peach, cherry, or plum, and cultivated in between with the plough, most of the usual crops being raised except wheat. Spade cultivation is said to be is ich too expensive, and hence the Worcestershire method of orchard planting, with alternate rows of large fruit (apple, pear, &c.), and small fruit trees (gooseberry, currant, &c.), cannot be resorted to, as it would be difficult to ])!ough between small fruit bushes. There is an advantage in the Woreestei- shire method in England, which gives the trees more light and air; but in this very dry climate they are wonderfully healthy, and do not appear to suffer ; and the gooseberry, for some reason, does not prosper. Wild raspberry, blackberry (American variety), huckleberry, blueberry, cranberry, &c., are all so common that they are hardly cultivated for profit. Summer pears are widely grown for domestic consumption, very large, fine fruits being quite cheap ; but of course these soft fruits cannot be exported, except to the States, and growing is probably overdone. The varieties of fruit grown are so numerous that detailed descrip- tion of each would be beyond the limits of this work, and already something has been said about grapes. These are, however, so im- w ''I ; f . ' •V m.. M • ''a '' I It ■ c.^w^ i >m- 't4- 1:5 : ... .'-* " ■ '"j ■■1 > •> ,.^ ■ f 72 jrA« AgncuUural Rttoureea of Canada, portnnt a branch of the industry, that a few more lines must be craved tor them. They are, perhaps, not a safe staple industry for u man nF very small means to rely upon, but grape-growing in like other adjuncts of the farm which " go to swell the total." Little care and attentioii seem to be bestowed on them here, compared with that given in other parts of the world: not much manure is used; nearly the entir<* crop m grown out of doors ; and so dry and healthy is the atmosphere thnt blight is little known. The best districts are no doubt along the shores of I^ake Erie and Lake Ontario. Mixed farming, with dairying in all branches, is carried on in most parts of Ontario, and more particularly in the districts named above. The holdings are generally 100 acres in extent, with a good sprinkling of larger ones. Describing a 100-acre farm in good order: it will hav^ a wood, brick, or stone house, placed near 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 out-buildings, such as piggery and chicken-house ; a clump of trees often seen round the whole, or an apple orchard on one side. Trees are now com- monly planted along the line of the fences, four or five of which enclose the farm in a ring, many being still the old cedar snake- fence, made from the wood cut out of the original forest that covered the land ; but where new fences have to bo made, they are of wood posts and wire. The land is ploughed for the most part, wheat and oats being taken off some portions every year, with timothy and clover following ; barley, or, in some parts, a little flax, Indian com 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 cropping is not adhered to, but timothy generally is sown with winter wheat, and clover is broadcasted over it in spring ; 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 good old pasture cannot be had, as in England, and the want of it for grazing is no doubt felt. The stock on a typical farm will be about 12 head of dairy cows (this should, of course, be increased), two or three head of gnwing stock, calves, pigs, i)Oultry, &c., a few sheep perhaps, a pair of horses, and a brood mare. Now, taking a larger farm — a typical ont? that I examined in the neighbourhood of London : 425 acn.'S of ivally well-farmed land of heavy lop soil for this country, with clay subsoil, nearly all under-drained. All this under plough, except -K* acres of pasture, on which a very large dairy of 115 cows is run from May to November, being, of course, "soil-fed" — i.e., receiving dry food an well — which is the common practice in the country. This dairy, composed of nearly all " Shorthorn grades," is kept up by drafts of home-bred heifers, 1 9 such being reared on cheese-factory whey this year. Milk is principally the xviioiesaie sent to a cheese factory close by, but also sold in the town pricQ for it is 4 cejit? per quart (2d.), and retail 9 c^jits per ijiia*:t (3d.)' ai-e now Mr. Robert PitCt Uqtort. 78 The C0W8 in this dairy are portly fed through the Bumuer on sweet gruins, fetclied daily from a brewery, and it is asserted that this does not aft'ect the quality of the cheese goods. With such a largo (hiiry, of coursu numbers of pigs are kept; a very good herd of "Oxford," " Berkshire," and " Poland China " being seen. These are all fed on whey from the factory, and grains, and fatted off with pea-meal and oats. The rotation for crops hem is nearly a four-course one — wheat first, with timothy and clover sown tlirough it for second year, which makes a hay crop ; third year, roots, for wiiich crop only, manure is used, at the rate of about .MO loads jxir acre ; fourth year, oats or Indian corn ; no fallow being allowed. The " Mammoth Sweet Southern," which is the largest vai iety of Indian corn, has reached an average height of 12 feet here, and produces a large quantity of green fodder per acre. There is a smaller variety, which with some fanners is the most popular, it being more succulent. The gentleman owning this farm does well in providing as many as six hous»3S for workpeoplf, keeping 10 men 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 present owner. A new house and fine barn, Ac, ha^e already been built, and some very promising crops were on the land, which is nearly all under-drained. A field of "Canadian Velvet Chaff" winter wheat, already sown and up, looked in splendid order, even from an English point of view. Winter wheat is allowed to get very proud (English term), as the fro9t and snow keep it back sufiiciently. Other crops seen were — Indian corn, clover root, mangolds, turnips, beets, and potatoes. The vessential feature of this farm is home-bred and imported priiie stock, of which a large number is kept very success- fully, besides a fair-sized dairy of fine-looking cows. Here, as elsewhere, I found fault with the roughness of young grass pastures, as they appear to want nothing but frequent rolling, and bush-harrowing ; but the excuse is that frost damages the surface so much, and the season is 80 short, time cannot be devoted to this work. Cheese-making is, amongst manufactures, the largest in Canada, ne:?t 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 Ontario, and found them to be admirable institutions in all parts, wliich must give satisfactory results to farmers. The industry has no doubt been established and fatliered by 3Ir. Thomas Balhmtyne, who started the first factory about 23 years ago at Black Creek, near Stratford, and now lives to see a large and thriving nianufacture, having a ready sale on tiie English and other markets. Some factories are now run by private individuals ; others are mutual co-operative concerns. All make upon the same fornuila, with a view to producing an article like English Cheddar; and although, of course, all do not succeed in making the same quality, most turn out a cheese selling *« in pc» IV. 4-» KA \ essence of the euccess of thceo factories la that each of them draws itf •% ',*?' If ' .1 .t 'V.' (I K: i k,' « I* I ■■.< ■^ V !>• ' ■ ' •':..•' .<• :. '•» if;' .„ ■■m ^Jr^- .;» " V ' 4 ■ <«•, 74 The Agricultural Resources of Canada. milk from a large enough district, all the farmers within a radius of four miles from the centre at which the factory is situated supplying their produce. Good management is ensured by paying an efiicient man from 60 cents to 70 cents per 100 lbs. of cheese made (23. 6d. to 23. lid.), he finding all cloth and rennet required. The general result of this system of management evidently gives good satisfaction, probably because the work is in the hands of one man, who is trusted by those supplying milk, and because a dividend ia not paid upon the capital required to establish the factory, the farmers receiving the nett amount of money the cheese brings, which commonly averages 7| cents to 8 cents (3|d. to 4d.) per gallon of milk they supply through the year. On the Avhole country I believe some receive more than this figure, and others less. It must be remembered, in considering the price obtained for milk, that In this country every- one lives on his own land, having no rent to pay, and therefore the price of 4d. per gallon of 10 lbs. weight should be considered very good. Contrasting it with that obtained throughout England, it is probably only Id. less. Is not this a satisfactory result in a country only perhaps 50 years settled (many districts have only been cleared 35 or 40 years), and where the trad© has only been started since 1867 by various settlers, many of whom were no farmers, but tradesmen, before coming here? In addition, there is the value arising from pig-feeding, which at most factories are bought in and fattened off 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 figures. The routine at all factories is much the same : one man, a milk supplier or otherwise, agrees to pick up the milk of so many farms each morning along his line of road, charging about half a cent per gallon of 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 mornings. The curd is precipitated as soon as possible in the tubs, the milk being stirred by power-driven paddles, reducing hnnd labour as much as possible. It is put away the same evening, pressed, and handed on to the cheese-curing room, which is always in another building. The ripening under ihe particular formula adopted is accomplished in six, eight, or ten weeks, when the cheese is turned over to the merchant. All factory buildings in the country are still of wood, even the floors, vi'hich, notwithstanding, I found scrupulously clean. Much expense is thus saved as compared with factory buildings in England ; but climatic conditions are not equal. The appearance of the cheese in the curing-rooms visi*' i was certainly excellent, perfect regularity in size, pressing, and shape being now attained; thus affording a largo bulk of even-looking sample, which is so important an item for making a good market. The quality throughout the make at each ^ .ctory visited was aiso very even, showing good care and jurl'-monK. The cheese season extends to alDout seven months, the rest TiirlcinonK. Of „• period being taken up with a bit of butter-making by the farLj mu iHg t home. -mK Mr, Bohert Pitt's Report. 76 An expression here upon the present position of the Canadian cheese market may not be out of place. My visits to the various factories left little doubt that all Canadian cheese is perfectly pure and unadulterated, and a large bulk is no doubt of a superior eating quality, which, if placed upon the retail market solely as " Canadian," would no doubt realise a better price still. An 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 care- ful attention on the pari of factory managers. As noticed elsewhere, there is little old, permanent pasture in the country; therefore herds are partly what is called " soil-fed;" consequently, certain tastes arising from the food have to be watched for, and it is to the credit of the farmers that they act upon letters of caution issued to them. Also, that very important point of giving cows daily access to salt and clean water h habitually observed ; the water being all obtained from pumps, and not from ditches, there being very few of the latter in the country. , Of butter factories, or creameries, there are a fair number distributed over the province, but of butter-making little in praise can be said. The old theory that the addition of a large quantity of salt makes butter keep is still adhered to ; whereas it is now well established that if sufficient care is taken in drying by machinery and hand, without damaging the grain, it keeps just as long, and retains a line flavour, consequently a higher value. The custom at present at factories is to make in the summer and sell in 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 fino fresJi butter, especially in a country where ice is so cheap and cold stores easily arranged for. In those creameries visited I did not observe any gcod modern machinery, the butter-workers being particularly antiquated. From what could ba gleaned of butter-making and its prospects, especially in the south-west corner of Ontario, there are good opportunities for success and develop- ment. The bi'eed of cows in the country is of no mean quality, those commonly met with being various grades of Shorthorn; the best milkers now being native animals, crossed with imported stock of that breed. Other breeds are Holstein, Ayrshire, and Polled Angus, but these can- not be such good milkers. A good many well-bred Jerseys are kept, some in herds, others scattered in twos and threes amongst the dairies, standing the climate quite well. The variety and quality of food now raised in this province 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 mucli coarser in appearance than we are accustomed to at home, but is evidently very succulent. The quality of milk produced, taken from various tests obtained all over the Province of Ontario, makes it appear to contain 3"75 for cent, of butter fat. e The adequate provision of schools, placed near enough together in country districts, and providing efficient toaching, is one of the all- important items in the consideration of a country. Throughout the Dominion of Canada the system i» practically the same, each province ':■! ■«■■■■■ '11 It '-M;'- ■■'*: l:l\ &: V. '-,*„■ 'll J w :. ':M rC" I: 76 The Agricultural Resource of Canada, having the management within its own boundaries. Education is entirely free, unsectarian, and common to the whole community, being maintained by Government grants and local taxes. In Manitoba and the North- AVest necessary funds are provided by the 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 small that it is no hardship on anyone. School-houses are placed so that no pupils have to walk more than two milea. 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 custom to enforce attendance under that age, reliance upon the good sense of parents and the honour of pupils being sufficient. In towns the childi'en 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, owintj to the great temptation to keep children at home in har\ st and seed- time, &c., and in a country where labour is so dear this tendency is the harder to withstand. To ob^'iate this, a measure is likely to be adopted appointing school attendance inspectors. In a country where there is little or no want one \\as glad to see school pupils very clean, tidy, and well dressed, which appeared general through all the ])rovinces. The following points 'itood out conspicuously, as compared with English board schools :- The sexes are more mixed, and this enforces better behaviour on the pupils through respect for themselves, thus lightening vastly the duties of teachers ; and further, neither masters nor pupils are allowed to address ear-h other in a tone above that of ordinary conversation, even in as lai'ge a class as 35 pupils, which appeal's to work admirable results in two ways --good behaviour, and strict attention on the part of pupils, as otlierwise 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 are examined constantly by masters of otlier classes, and by inspectors at the term end, when they have to pass their respective standards, of which there are eight, •> and general o])iuion holds that tl\e pupil> and the country are more beucHtted by this means. Teachers are not tempted to cram themselves or pupils ; favouring advanced cliildren is discouraged ; and to all appearance teachers work to kcej) their cla^s evenly advancing, encou?'Jiging jmpils to think before giving answers as r!va voce. A feature in till the seliools is tiie orderly way of tilling and clearing the class-rooms in nuircliiiig ovdei-., b'lys and girls being liled oft' Mith great pi'ecision. This is admii'able training in discipline, and a preventive of panic in case of fii-e. jNJaking my return jonrney through Xova Scotia, 1 had little time to examine the state of agriculture, but uscertained 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 anything like so large as most of the other provinces of the Dominion. The chief lumbeiing and mining, and essentially mixed farm- QOClipatlOnS ucii; iiic irA»»r» iVi^ ing in the cleared districts. Ucvernment lands, at a nominal price, are still to better o from $ clearedj before ii culture and of Ifictorie develop T time Jsland- IJnited ■r.h- Mi'. Robert Pitt's Report. 77 still to be had, on timber-covered land, but of course the prairies offer better opportunities to the European settler. Farms are to be bought here from SIO pei/ acre and upwards, according to position, number of acres cleared, and quality of buildings erected ; and upon the same terms as before mentioned. There appear to be many essential conditions for agri- culture and industries. Peaches, and fruit generally, grow luxuriously and of excellent quality ; cheese-making is firmly established at many factories spread over the province; and other industries may soou develop and go hand in hand ahead with the all-important farming. The geographical position of this and the other so-called " Maii- tiine Provinces" — which are New Brunswick and Prince Edward Jnland — could not be better for the large markets of England and the United States, being mostly surrounded by water and good harbours. The progress here of late years has, however, not been rapid. The jecncry of the country is enticing, being hilly and undulating, with plenty of timber; large, tine rivers watering most districts, and making th(^ appearance of the country more like England than many other parts of Canada. There is at the present time a tendency on the part of middle-aged farmerg here, who have brought up families on their farms, and seen them out in the world, to sell their farins at very reasonable rates in order to retire, or go to the newer provinces of the North-West with their families, and hence there should be a good living for those with families going from Britain who have a little money, and can buy to advantage a farm already in cultivation in a populated neighbourhood, where the reasonable comforts of life are more readily obtained than in newer districts. These remarks apply with equal force to Ontario. If that part of Canada called the North-West is, so to speak, a {ijood " settling ground " for fai'm or other labourer.-*, or for those with little ready money to start with, the older, more thickly populated, and more so'^ially advanced parts in Ontario and the Mantime Provinces are just the places for young, well-educated farmers pissessed of some means. Do not, thougli, let anyone make a grievous mistake }>y buying a farm for seven or eight hundred pounds as soon as hn arrives because it appears cheap ; he will never regret a years 'vork on someone else's farm, and then, when he is comfortably settled on a well-chosen and mucli-thought-over place of his own, lie will look back on that year of work, with good wages, vvith pride for the rest , ■:#. ■■1: -. • ■i' . *•■:■ •■»;,' iS: •:'# 7» tM o W w E-i Q s O O THE REPORT OF MR. HENRY SIMMONS, Bearwood Farm, Wokingham, i< >*. IIaVittg accepted the appointment under Sir Char.'es Tapper as one of the English delegates to visit and report on the JDorainion of Canada, 1 left Liverpool on the 4th of September, on board the Allan Line steamship '• Sardinian," for Quebec. In the course of my remarks I shall have to try and remove from the minds of intending emigrants some very commonly entertained prejudices. Let me then first start with niy experience of the sea voyage. To cross the Atlantic does, I, know, appear to many a terrible under- taking, but I can truthfully say the time spent by me on the oceafi, both on the outward and homeward passage, was most enjoyable. I am an excellent sailor, which, of course, added materially to my pleasure, but I noticed — although on both journeys we had a fair experience of our ship rolling and pitching — the passengers who were ill gained their usual health and» spirits after the second day, and entered heartily into any amusement going on. With an excellent bill of fare served at 8.30 a.m., 1, and 6 p.m., and supper or tea from 9 to 10 p.m. to any one requiring it, it left nothing to be desired as regards our creature comforts. Then by the aid of shuffle-board, deck quoits, speculation on the ship's log, auction sale of tickets daily, tug of war, music, dancing, concerts both in the first saloon and aliO by invitation from and to the intermediate and steerage passengers, card parties, the use of a small library, and much pleasant interchange of ideas one with another, the day sped on, and we found ourselves ready to turn into our comfortable cabins for the night when the lights were put out at eleven o'clock. Sunday is strictly observed on board, service being held in the morning, and in the evening we joined the steerage passengers singing hymns, «fcc. * These remarks hold good as regards the intermediate and steerage passengers, according to their degree, as equal care is taken for their enjoyment and comfort. On the outward passage we landed at Moville, while our ship lay to in that beautiful bay awaiting the arrival of the mails, and drove some few miles along the coast, visiting the old G-reen Tower and other points of interest. But the most interesting part of the voyage was on getting after five or six days out amongst the icebergs. I had heard and read of icebergs, but had no conception that so many and such vast islands of snow- covered ice could be seen floating away towards the south. Some presented an appearance of one solid block, covering an area of many acres in extent, others of more fantastic shapes, arched and b:)autiful, and on being told that, high as many of them towered above the water, only about one-fourth of their size was visible, it seemed beyond belief. Our captain was not so enthusiastic, and was heartily glad to be out of their region before nightfall. So we journeyed on, sighting Belle Isle, then seme two or three days up the Gulf of and the River St. Lawreucw^ "k] ... V^ '1 '!'!. il it ■•',1 .-<■ ^K • t l.> < ]'■■< • It- 1 t V <■,"■ ■'Ji ";^^-:.. *,;■■ _ ■■»t .«r, ,1 t m » '-| ■:' » ' ,, '•/ . ' ;l!f ■ ■•I- I**-'!.; If . •M- ■|'!> . At' ■> .■ ■« i ■•■■'' •9i ■^f' I Ml ' ^ ^'''i- -.'Ay . 80 The Agrieultitral Resources of Canada. landing some of our passengers and mails at Bimouski, till we arrived at Quebec on the laorning of Sunday, the 14th September. Before leaving this subject of the ocean passage, I may say that one gentleman told me it was his sixty-fifth voyage, and he had never knowia anything more serious than a boat or two blown away ; and a steward on the ship said it was his 150th voyage, and he had never experienced any disaster at sea beyond an occasional rough passage in the winter months. It is said to be proved by statistics that one is safer from accident of all kinds on board a well-appointed steamship than by his own fireside at home, and it may be vvoi y of remark in passing that no casualty of any kind happened to any one of our party during our long journey of some 17;000 miles, but that within one week after my return, the only uno]e I had living was burnt to death in his own house. liiiee other delegates having journeyed with me in the shij), we now started together. Our instructions being to present our- selves as quickly as possible to the Hon. Mr. Carling, the Minister oF Agriculture at Ottawa, we made a stay of a few hours ois'j i\i. Quebec; Mr. Stafford, the Government agent, driving us about eig.fc miles round the country, passing through the Indian village of Lor.+; The land appeared of good quality, but wet and undraiixeu (we had had a good deal of rain)* held in small - allot- ments by peasant proprietors, and the crops of oats, potatoes, and roots were poor, and the land not so well farmed as it might be according to oiu* ideas. The people appeared very orderly and well dressed, it being Sunday; but as regards farming, without much push and enterprise. Of course, we saw but little of the country, and should therefore, perhaps, withhold an opinion. The view of the town from the Citadel is very imposing. We left by train for Montreal, reaching there at seven o'clock, remaining the night at the Windsor Hotel — said to be one of the best hotels in Canada or the States. In the early morning we drove round Montreal, getting a grand view of the city (the largest and grandest in Canada) from Mount Eoyal, a most imposing sight, with the St. Lawrence River, Victoria Bridge, and Eapids in the distance. We left for Ottawa after breakfast, reaching the capital about one o'cloclc. The railway passes through a poor agricultural district, and the crops struck us as if they would have repaid more careful farming. On reach- ing Ottawa, the seat of the Dominion Government, and containing the Houses of Parliament and departmental buildings, (which are very fine structures), and thj centre of the Ontario lumber trade, we presented ourselves to the Hon. Mr. Carling, and arranged to journey with him by the night train to Toronto. In the meantime we had conveyances and drove out to see the central Government Experimental Farm, about two miles from the city, the leading one of five established — here, and in the Maritime Provinces, Manitoba, the North-West Territories, and British Columbia, We were most courteously received by Professor Saunders, the managing director, and conducted over the whole establishment. This farm, comprising 450 acres of mixed soils, was only started in the spring of 1887, its chief obje out many useful experiments in all kinds of farm work to carry about which ueuig reliable kinds of utmost shortnes Nr. Henry Simmona'i Report, 81 reliable and positive information is most needed; including the best kinds of seed com, both as regards yield, quality, and what is of the utmost importance, early maturity, to meet the drawback of the shortness of the season and autumn frost ; the growing and testing iiii| E |ilp^i|i pi^lii i |te|lllllia ■XPBinnnAti FAKM, OTTAWA. ' > of all kinds of grasses and fodder plants, with a view to determine which kinds will answer best in the respective soils and varying climate of the Dominion. This is a subject of much difficulty, as, owing to the severe winter, many of our finest grasses fail, and timothy grass seems the one great favourite at present ; we saw, however, many of the finer grasses doing well in the various plots, and rye grass, lucerne, and sainfoin looked promising. The latter would be a most useful plant in the country if once acclimatised. Indian corn was being made into ensilage, producing 20 tons per acre. It was in an advanced stage of ripeness and corned, and when passed through the chaff-cutter and pressed into the silo, formed an excellent fodder for winter consumption. We also examined some good samples of wheat, barley, and oats, just thrashed out. The mangels, swedes, and various kinds of common turnips were all good. Grapes of many kinds, said to comprise 150 different 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 glutinous inside ; but the taste once acquired, you become very fond of them, and one commendable feature throughout Canada is, that the II.- -o .',4 J ^(1 ■,V' ■ 1 »- t ,. ** ','0 .r 5 » ■■'.", ■ S ■■,■ '« t'v. r^-. '«' ■■*■ iti v.. *"'? ^^d' 82 The Jgriculttiral Ilesoureca of Canada. '■; .. ■ i .X\ ■■vir .■•¥■ », •■ >. ?. first thing placed before you on the breakfast table is a dish of grapes and other iruits, 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 tho 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 nie kind I have seen in anv country. The stock consisted of 12 good working horses and five distinct herds of catvle, of about ten animals in each herd — namely, Shorthorns, Polled Angus, Holstein, Ayrshire, and Alderney — all selected chiefly from the Dominion, at a very moderate outlay, and, as I considered, with good judgmtint, many very good specimens of the breeds mentioned being se::ured. All the milk and butter produced is sold in Ottawa. Sheep and pigs are to be added i but^ at present, the arrangements in these departments are incomplete, The poultry yard is in itself a great institution, embraciiig all the best known breeds, and thoroughly understood and cared for by the very intelligent manager of that department. One very com mendable practiue is that of jsending out to hundreds of farmers t "cughout the Dominion small samples of different grain for them to sow and test for themselves, also 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 compara- tively 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 Hofd, we at once started for the great Toronto Shov/ 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 GJovernment, 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 it included a Buffalo Bill entertainment in all its entirety — swings, roundabouts, &c., &c., 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. This p*an evidently pleases the masses, as the show lasts nearly a fortnight, and is crowded by visitors daily, consequently the gate money must be very large. One very noticeable feaiture is the absence notwithstanding the crowd of all noise or drunkenness, no intoxicating liquor being allowed to be sold inside the showyard, but every convenience is afforded for refreshments of all kinds and non-intoxicatino- drinks- Throughout Canada, tea and coffee are served with every meal, which, no doubt, •oeo tV'V: Thesh and tbey affords alu and other r Shorthorns disgrace to some very \ horse is ev pace is goo fence 7 ft certainly n convenience fairly cheaj quality, mc assortment all kinds e abundance ; farms viein most intere and a very , days doing stay, as w( useful infoi delegates, m of the secoi on our actu evening, ii provided fo Eailway Cc Arthur to "^ on Saturda part waa 1 entirely ou now being found, as ir spring up ; forests, all seeing so ra Winnipeg, more thrivi civilised wc It was I^alce Super that the ac( a large mas above. It f a good shal other true': Mr, Hmry Simmotii* Bejaort. 83 doubt, Meounts in a great measure for the general sobrietj of the people. The show is held in permanent buildings erected for the purpose, and thej are extensive and very convenient, and the open ground affords abundant room for the please ., seekers, horse, cattle, trotting, and other rings necessary for showing the exhibits. The cattle included Shorthorns, Polled Angus, and other breeds that would have been no disgrace to an English " Eoyal " showyard ; and the horses included some very xiseful Shire and good Clydesdale specimens. The trotting horse is eveuything in Canada. These showed in great force, and the pace is good, also high jumping^the champion jumper cleared a rail fence 7 ft. 1 in. high. The show of implements was better, and certainly more extensive, than any I have seen in England ; every convenience is brought out to reduce labour, and all made light and fairly cheap. The fruit of all kinds was most extensive and of good quality, more particularly grapes, pears, apples, and plums, also a fine assortment of roses an>.' other flowers^ Boots, cereal' , and grasses of all kind3 equal to thosv. grown in England were to be seen in great abundance; the different provinces and Government experimental farms vieing with each other to excel — altogether forming a vast and most interesting exhibition. Dogs are numerous and fine in Canadti, 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 stay, as we met many farmers and others, from whom we obtained useful information; but not to waste time it was arranged for the delegates, who had now all arrived at Toronto, to start on the evening of the second day for Winnipeg, from which point we hoped to start on our actual North- West tour. Accordingly, we all left on Wednesday evening, in a most comfortable saloon and Pullman sleeping car provided for. our special use by the Grand Trunk and C- radian Pacific Eailway Companies, on the rather long and tedious jou r^iey by Port Arthur to Winnipeg, a distance of some 1,200 miles, reaching Winnipeg on Saturday evening about five o'clock. This journey for the most part was througn a picturesque country of forests and lakes, but entirely out of court for any purposes of agriculture. Minerals are now being worked on some farts of the line, and should more be found, as in all probability will be the case, a scattered population may spring up ; but at present the long ride t>i rough apparently deserted forests, all more or less destroyed from time to time by ire, without seeing so much as a bird of any kind, makes one glad when, as you near Winnipeg, passing Eat Portage, and one or two other apparently more thriving and pretty places, you begin to feel one more in the civilised world. It was on this journey, as we wound our way round the margin of Lake Superior, at a spot rather ominously called the " Jaws of Death," that the accident occurred to our engine and tender, from runni.^g into a large mass of stone that had fallen on to the tiack from tii3 heights above. It fortunately resulted in nothing more e-^' '.j. " ^han giving us all a good, shaking as we sat at breakfast, aiid sfe^dii ' " i engine and two other truc':s oiS the line ; the line itself being albu t<. "^ up, causing a II.— « 2 ■'d • 84 T?ie Atfrieultural JUtoureu of Canada. Li' •■ I' '. It '" ^^•ri ^f■ deluy of some huurs before a start could be again made. Had the accident happened a few yi. ifilher on, the whole train might have gone ^.own a precipice ; in that case I am afraid the delegates' issioti would have come f^ an abrupt conclusion. However, " AllV > - . that ends well." Ou long night and day iourneys by train, breakfast, luncheon, and dinner cars are attachea at different stations to the trains, and run on till all the passengers are served, then leave at the next station. On reaching Winnipeg we were very cordially received by the Members of Parliament and citizens generallv, and took up our quarters, to remain over Sunday, at the Clarendon Hotel. Winnipeg is a flourishing city of some 27,000 inhabitants, and favoured by its situation, as regards railway and water communication, must go on increasing, although just now suffering from over-speculation at the time the Canadian Pacific Railway was first opened. It contains many very fine public buildings, churches, schools, and private houses ; at tho same time many wooden houses are to be seen, giving at first sight a somewhat mixed impression, but this feeling leaves you as you become better acquainted with the capabilities of tho place and its people. We were made honorary members for the time being of the Manitoba Club, a most enjoyable and well-conducted establishment, and invited on Monday evening to take part in a dinner given to Sir Hector Langevin, the Minister of Public Works of Canada. The health of the dele- gates was proposed, and we had to return thanks in due course. About 250 dined, and ult'..„:ether a very jolly evening was spent. We drove out on Sunday ul teiT .)on, after attending church, some six miles, crossing the P^d liiver br the ferry, returning on the other side, and crossing by the su8p(^7)si(>a bridge, which serves alike for railway and passenger traffic. The roads were very bad, owing to the late rains ; and the land, although very rich in quality, was very badly farmed, according to the standard of British cultivation. Much of the land round Winnipeg is open prairie, in the hands of speculators, 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 emigrants. On Monday morning we went over several large warehouses, inspected the provision market, called ou and had audience with the governor of the province of Manitoba, and afterwards visited the schools. The schools are entirely free, and open to an;', used alike by all classes of society. The teachers both male and female appeared very efficient. The Government do not pay, as in England, by results, but 75, 70, or 60 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 fire occur, is practised by the children. The school buildings are good, and the sanitary and ventilation arrangements excellent. Winnipeg contains in all ten schools, 500 children and upwards attending each. The children we saw had a particularly intelligent and strong, healthy appearance, very clean in peraon, and well dressed. These remarks apply genemlly throughout the whole Dominion, the school system wherever you go being all g( one contem these matte own hands, that taken ( residence an by the stewi arable land, satisfied wit tried it sev weeds. Th( districts, an finding faul done throuj not been ab farming bee have been ti dung, and ii West High without mu about 40 he few sheep s poor-lookin{ above herd ; herd of 8ev« of the past. On ou used for ga walked intc dung when fine vegetal nice private our notice i an English 1870, told 1 time had o leaving th( suit of clot well by lei although h days in Ca morning w the Membe of useful c have good ing, and we first stop 1 branch lin Carman be of various i Mr. Uenry Simmoiit's Report. 85 We being all good aliko, 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 thave broken ir cattle, men. This ling wheat. CUP Scotch J we found 3t minding Bir ground, uch and in ive each a > pigs, and wives and tiabits and ^fair start, lairly good )ry told us pecially to led to the to the old ide of the e and all •th visited behalf of ting these 1 country 3W of the id a long cupation his two Mr. Eenry Stmnumt^g Report. 87 Bisters, who came out to Canada with him, have both since married well to neighbouring settlers. A young man, an English clergyman's son, Mas helping him on the stack. All appeared happy ana contented, enjoyed the freedom of the life, and, as they put it, being their own "boss." We again started over the prairie, occasionally calling on a settler as we passed, and driving through some good hay country down to Belmont, a station on the Canadian Pacific Bailway. 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 of the very best settlers, being thrifty and industrious), a,nd so balk, after a run of over 60 miles, to Glenboro*. Some of our party carried guns, and bagged prairie chicken, ducks, and teal during the day's ride, all of which are very plentiful in this district. The following morning we left Glenboro' in four rigs, or spring waggons of the country, our destinations being Plum Creek, and thence by rail to Brandon. The land for some miles was very rich, well farmed, and caused many of us to wish we had a thousand acres of such soil in England. The first man we spoke to was very busy, like the rest, stacking wheat, but quite ready to tell us his qrperiences. He was. formerly a gamekeeper in Lincolnshire; he farnaed 160 acres — 120 acres in wheat and 20 acres in oats this year, and expected most of the wheat to yield 40 bushels per acre, and, judging from what we saw of it, half will yield *t, and the other half over 30 bushels. It was quite refreshing to see the way this man*s work was set out and done ; he was evidently, doing, as he said, well ; had bought another quarter-section of land, built a good house and premises, and, with the assistance of his sons and daughters, who all work, will make money. He liked both country and climate, and had lost asthma, from which he suffered a good deal when in England. Another young man near was farming a half-section (320 acres), with a very nice house and buildings on it; he paid for the land, whish had been broken up, eight dollars an acre, and wag every year paying for more live and dead stock out of his crops, which were, like his neighbour's, fairly good. We then continued our way through good land, all well farmed and in large holdings ; here we saw a flock of about 200 South- down ewes and lambsj which the owner said paid him well, although he had to yard them by night from wolves. We halted at a new railway station and very thriving village on the River Souris called Wawanesa ; very pretty scenery, and the station and village all built within the last year. On resuming our journey we crossed the river, and passed through a long stretch of prairie, not of such good quality as that we had left, and mostly unbroken, held by speculators. Badgers and gophers (little animals between our rat and squirrel) abound, the badgers making holes in the trail very dangerous for the horses* legs ; but it is curious to notice how very carefully these endurable little country horses avoid stepping into them. Evening found us at Plum Creek, after a drive of 66 miles. We calculated that during our drive, looking some two miles in each direction, we had seen something like 3,000,000 bushels ^.J It ' i •' ' •■[ 88 '•• :^ - H M ^ '■: $ •■» 1... • '- f+:-i r/w Agricultural Resource* of Canada. • ::: ■* ■*. W,^ ;^^ \ '-' -'f ■ C:' m. K-f. ■■* J,: ... pi 90 The Agrieultwal Betoureet of Canada. h sJ ■■•• •1. I •;■■■;. '■h 'V:!' - » ••r. • "* . ^> .* " fi ■* .-, "- 1 ' .'■ ' , ■■ ■ :'Vi/.; .'■•i/ , ■:.*•• ■ ■•H' Sunday, when we cooked our supper, and to bed on the floor. My object in recording this is simply to show that, in spite of all these apparent drawbacks, Canada has charms. Here you have a man, in every respect by education at Oxford a gentleman, ploughing his own land, cooking his own food, washing up, making beds, &c., with the help of one manservant, making a fairly lu^ood living and thoroughlv enjoying the life, in spite of all previous experience of comforts in England, as he told me over the smoking of a short pipe, as we talked well-nigh into Sunday morning. In order to save time, I may here just mention that, finding a letter from England awaiting my arijival here from another old pupil, who is engaged to marry one of my daughters, and asking to be allowed qo settle in Canada rather than Australia as before arranged, I sent a cable- gram for him to come at once to Clanwilliam. He is now there, and from letters received since, delighted with the country and his new life, and in all probability a section of land will bo bought for him. This is the real fact which led up to the absurd reports copied from the Canadian into the English papers. On Sunday evening about half a dozen neighbours — all English gentlemen, educated at college — called to see me. They, like my friend, held farms near, followed much the same ,kind of life, managed to live and improve their position steadily, and were happy and contented with the life. On the Monday and Tuesday following we drove through the country in my friend's waggon and pair of horses, I paying others to carry on his harvest work in his stead, time being valuable just at this season. We visited first his sister, who has lately left England, from leading a lady's life, hunting in the season, to marry a former acquaint- ance, a young man, son of a clergyman, also in Dorsetshire, who has 320 acres of land near. I found him, having but a small quantity of land broken for corn this year, gone to assist a neighbour with his harvest, and the wife left at home with one little English servant girl to milk the cows, water the horses, feed the pigs, «&c., &c. The house was simply built for a granary, but re-arranged in haste for a temporary house, and a better dinner, better cooked, or in more comfortable quarters, I do not desire than this lady, without any notice, got ready for us. On the following day we visited another friend, also farming 320 acres, who had married a Canadian lady. Here we had good fare in the greatest comfort, which at once convinced me that Canada without a wife is a very poor place indeed. My earnest advice to a settler is, " Get at once a good wife, and you will have then little to desire." During the two days we visited many farms, 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, however, that this largely arises from the advantages of early seeding and better farming not being thoroughly appreciated; but I am glad to say that I was afterwards told that on threshing the damage was less than anticipatf a short er to savQ 1 England s engaged 1 i/O settle t a cable- low there, y and hia ought for irts copied T evening ucated at ma near, I improve e life, ough the others to ist at thin and, from acquaint- , who has lantity of with his vant girl [?he house emporary aifortable g;ot ready < farming bad good b Canada vice to a I little to i'hicli the much of however, id better I to say was less }' clerks, 1th many reverses, 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 you understand and believe. To prove that this kind of life in no way tends to lower a man's 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 to get our waggon and horses over four large trees which had fallen across our way, a wolf passing us the while, •* I do miss, Mr. Simmons, very much indeed my music and literature." This is a very useful part of the country, with good shooting, plenty of wood and water, and land that will produce tor some years' successive cropping 25 to 32 bushels of wheat per acre which can be purchased at from 6 to 7 dols, an acre. My friend left me at Minnedosa on Tuesday night, where I again joined the other delegates on Wednes" day morning, going on to Neepawa, our next stop. Neepawa — an Indian word meaning plenty — is wel) na iied, as this is one of the most productive districts we have struck. J a 1882 only three houses existed, now it is rather a pretty town of some 600 inhabitants. The land for the most part is a deep, rich loam, and 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 acre this season, and his oats and some barley turned out remunerative. Last year he was offered for his wheat in the autumn 115 cents, and sold in the spring for 95 cents only. This district leads away to the Eiding Mountains, where a big fire was raging. Much good hay land is hereabouts, and altogether it is a good country and the people are prosperous. At night we joined our car, and awoke next morning at Portage la Prairie, an old settlement of some 3,000 people, and a grand tract of corn-producing land, reaching away for many miles on all sides of the town. Here our party divided, taking different sections of the country. Four large corn elevators and extensive mills are here, and it is quite a sight to witness the constant flow of waggons bringing in wheat, and returning with all spied to the various threshing machines at work in every direction as far as the eye can reach. It is 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 which wheat has been grown on the bulk of it ten, fifteen, and even twenty years successively. On asking why the crops generally appeared to have been only moderate this year, we were told the season had been unfavourable ; but my own impression was that the land looked exhausted, and that some course of mixed farming must be followed if the crops are to keep up their former yields. Mr. Sorby emigrated from Ontario, bought two sections (1,280 acres) of unbroken prairie and half a section of hay land, at a cost of about 20 dollars an acre. This is his second 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 growing 1,200 acres of wheat and 80 of oats next year, and increasing his reaping machines to ten, in order to cut all in about one week. He has two good houses, good buildings, r rl 08 The Af/incultural lietource* of Canada. ■tf f It 7 /• ' ■■■. ■• k • ' It- !''";-v •v^ ^'3 , (.••If '•.'•' '■ •n'i p • '. .■''4; , ■" * • • ■' a ' . - '- -If ' i- ■■ J » ■ ■ ' ^*' J- r'^-i --y L and what we had hardly seen in Canada before, a iarge shed for implements ; but he and his family live in Portage la Frairie. Ilia system is to keep few men and horses on the farm, being able to hire any quantity of both in the busy time j only during the winter having a foreman and one other man to pay. He only visits his farm once a fortnight, except during the busy seasons of spring planting, hay- making, harvesting, and autumn ploughing — this lasting about six months from the middle of April. He said he had let 640 acres to a man to plough for 1 dollar 76 cents (7s.) per acre, and the work was being well done. He purposes growing wheat successively for four years, and then planting timothy grass and stocking, rather than having bare fallow. No rick cloths, waggon cloths, thatching, or horse-shoeing being wanted in this country is a consideration. This is, without doubt, the easiest system of farming we have seen, and must pay well for the firsti few years — the question arises. Will it last ? This the present owner cares little about, leaving those who follow him to find it out. My opinion is that the prairie farmers will soon find out that the land will repay better and more careful farming than it now in many cases recelres. The land now, including buildings, is worth about 50 dollars an acre ; much of it would grow barley, and this will, no doubt, be resorted to as a change of crop. A paper mill using str^w, for which they pay eight shillings per load of 15 cwt. delivered, is in this district, and the company have mills in other parts of Canada. This would appear a rising industry in a country where straw is not valued as a manure. We left Portage on Thursday evening, arriving at Indian Head on Friday morning, and having breakfasted at the Commercial Hotel, went at once over the Government Experimental farm, carried on here 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 skill. The land is of better quality, but the climate more backward. Here an excellent lunch was prepared for our party, and great hospitality shown to us by Mr. and Mrs. Mackay. We then started to see the world-wide known Bell Farm, formerly consisting of 53,000 acres, but not proving a success, the land was sold, some 13,000 acres being purchased by the then manager, Major Bell, and the remainder by a colonisation society under Lord Brassey. A very heavy storm of rain and hail coming on, we could not do justice to Major Bell's farming, as, unfortunately for him, we entered on the side of his hoiding on which all his wheat was badly frosted, much standing uncut and horses and cattle feeding on it, and the other cut green and made into stacks for fodder. The storm was so heavy that we turned back, and did not see his finer and better wheats, of which he had ^rown 1,400 acres, and hoped next year to grow 3,000 acres and 200 acres of oats. We saw at his house, which with the buildings was remarkably good, some good samples of the corn grown this season. The Colonisation Society's Farm comprises 60 sections of 640 acres each, but as it was only started in May last little work has been done beyond the erection of a manager's house, buildings, and cottages. The idea is for English labourers to be assisted Mr, Bmry SKmmonii Report. 03 to emigrate, work on the farm for a year, and then settle accordiiig to abihty on portions of the land unbroken, payments being extended in easy instalments over several years. It will be interesting to see how this experiment answers. We saw some good English Shire horses, and noticed 600 Shorthorn cattle in one field. This neighbourhood i- not equal to that we had just left, and as we rejoined our car at three o'clock in the afternoon and travelled towards Begina, we passed through prairie land of rather poor qiuility, little wood upon it, and very rew 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 SOs. an acre. We reached Begina, but made no stay there this time, going oh a 250 miles journey by train to Prince Albert, arriving there on Sunday morning after a somewhat uninterosting travel through a flat prairie country of poor quality and lacking wood and water, but it is said to be better than it looks. A fire was burning for many miles as we passed on over the prairie, the railway track, stations, and the few houses to be seen being protected from the fire by what are called fireguards. This is about six or eight furrows ploughed olong each side of the rail and around the houses, which prevents the fire crossing. The effect of tho fire gives a very desolate, bleak, barren appearance to the country. At the various stations very large heaps of buffalo bones, collected o£E 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 believe, that has passed up this newly-laid line), completed the picture. Prince Albert contains about 900 inhabitants, and is very pleasantly situated on the B<\ er Saskatchewan, the surrounding scenery being very beautiful, and tuor ^ are some very good houses on the high ground, with the police barraeks and nunnery on the hilltop. We were taken in carriages for a circuitous drive through the country of 35 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 tar 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 sheltered, with wood and water, and affords 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 trade in furs and skins is carried on here. Our next stoppage was at Saskatoon, to see some !' iit 94 The Agricultural Reiourcet of Canada, .1' il » ..y ■ • t'M :S i'v.' .t ; ■ ,1 ' very fine samples of corn and specimens of roots. Oats were particularly fine, and here It vras that a radish was given us weighing nine pounds, of good quality tind flavour. We then continued our way, reaching Begina on Tuesday morning in a downfall of rain. Begina, the capital of the North-West Territories, contains about 2,000 people, and wns started ten years since ; it boasts of little benuty as to situation, being flat, and surrounded 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 wore in a wretched condition. We could see little of the country, the weather being so bod, but attended an agricultural exhibition going on in the city. Unfortunately the cattle did not arrive until after we left, but we saw quite a display of excellent corn, grasses, and roots from the Indian Head Experimental Farm, and also others grown by farmers in the neighbourhood, including butter, cheese, wines, pickles, bread, harness, and many other useful things; also needle- work, fancy articles, writing, maps, and work done by children. A special exhibition of the productions from the Indian Eeserve, in- cluding most of the things abo^e mentioned, particularly interested us, and we thought the wheat the best in the whole show. We met many farmers, among them a Berkshire and a Lincolnshire man ; all reported favourably of their position and prospects. We were entertained at a grand dinner in the evening by the leading citizens, and ofterwards rejoined our railway car, starting during the night for Calgary. We have noticed throughout Canada mares with fools are worked as before, both for driving and farm purposes, the foals running by the side of the dam ; this, coupled with the climate, may account in some measure for the powers of endurance the Canadian horses possess. Iq England our hard roads would make this impracticable. 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 informiation ; one in particular, a Mr. Stone, manager of eleven farms of 10,000 acres each, much of it being land we were then passing through, acquired bv Sir John laster Kaye, and sold by him to the Canadian Coal, Agricul- tural, and Colonisation Comy any. Mr. Stone's experience was that, owing to the frequent droughts, he should in future look rather to horse and cattle ranching than corn-growing, only raising com sufficient 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 Shire and thoroughbred stallions, and endeavoured to keep them out all winter on the prairie, sometimes without any hay being given them. He also had 23,000 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. Ewes cost 14s. each, and he sold Iambs at lis. each. He clippeid this season 50 tons of |t'..i ..l ;,*. ■ Mr. Henry Simmonit Report, 06 wool, which sold at 7^d. per lb. unwabbed. Foot-rot is unknown., The sheep have to be housed at night all the winter against the wolves, COO of these animals being killed annually. One shepherd attends 2,000 sheep. This housing is a drawback to profitable sheep-farming, lie 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 breed 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. f- '■^, ...i^-,, f ., „ ;. ", . -i ,...,,, General Grant 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 delighted with his son's success and Canada generally. We arrived on Thursday morning, 9th October, at Calgary, the capital of the important district of Alberta. It is a thriving town of about 5,000 people, situate at the junction of the Bow and Elbow Bivers, commanding grand views of the Eocky Mountains. We were received at the Alberta Hotel by the mayor and others, and at once started for a long ride 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 a herd of 120 bullocks of mixed breeds ready for slaughter, and they appeared to be doing well. We also saw a small flock of Merino sheep. Not much 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 satis- factory, being about 56 bushels 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 sav good rugs and blankets produced from the Avool grown in the disti-icL 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 aays tour through the fine ranching district stretching out towards the foot of the Eockies. 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 Edmonton, Lethbridge, and other districts containing an untold area of land suitable for corn-growing, dairying, and grazing purposes, together 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 Banff during the night, arriving there on Sunday 4! ■Hi ii 1 - • ■ :■' 1 i 1 1 • f 1 ■'i ♦- ) t • * • ■% . ** '■• i ;i ^■; 4 ...!■ • }*- » . ';' ,'^». t' 1 ■■■■:? ' '1 ■•-» •f '/ , i. ■^: < ',' ■ X 1 I. ■^•* "■' I , ^"■*. " «1 "f^ ■' - . >^#. « . -JH •Hi' 'ti: ■ f.,i ■ ••'I . « ■ .'-1* ■ •* ■?» , ':* 99 TA« ^^*euJft«raZ Rftourcft of Canada. ■'■"! morning, whcro we spent a quiet day, getting our fill of this our flnt actual view of the Kookies and visiting the sulphur spring batliN. Tho scenery is simply magnificent, and as wo journeyed on at daybreak on Monday morning for our next stopping-place, New Westminster, tin- views that mot our eyes on every side and at every point filled us with awe and admiration. To attempt a description of the ride through th» Rockies would fill a volume, and must be made to be thoroughly understood. I can only say we occupied a place in the observation car the greater part of the time, ancl, although the whole journey strikes you as posHessing 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. We reached Now Westminster on Tuesday afternoon. It is situated very prettily on the Fraser Kiver, contains about 7,000 people, and from tho 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. Tho lumber mills here are extensive, and well repaid us for a visit ; also tho various salmon canneries on tho Fraser. This has become an enormous industry, Messrs. Ewing's establishment alone working 400 hands in the factory and an equiil number llshing, and turned out this season 25,000 cases of 48 ono lb. tins of salmon in each case. Tho season lasts from about the 10th of July to the end of August. The Fraser Eiver abounds in salmon ; but throughout British Columbia salmon will not rise to a fly, they are all netted. We took a steamboat to Ladner's Landing, some few miles down the Fraser, and had a short drive into the rich delta district. This is an immense tract of land said a few years since to be worth only a dollar an acre, and is now by drainage selling at 50 dollars an acre. It is said to produce 3 tons of timothy grass, 6 to 7 quarters of wheat, and from 10 to 15 quarters of oats per acre, and the samples we saw were of very fine quality. 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 12 miles, through a forest of timber passing belief for multitude and size, many of the Douglas pines being 250 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 of four years' growth, and already contains 15,000 people. Some very fine hotels, churches, 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 realise 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 on. Lulu Island is another tract of rich land of some twenty-five to thirty thousand acres m ext and se] ui M Mr, Henry Simmon^* Rfport, •7 in extent. Like the delta, after drainage, it is rich and most productive, and sells for good prices according to situation. The coi^try struck ua as somewhat uninviting, and requiring better railways and other **■«:;«■ V V ■ '"<' "^. -■ i- ' 'i< li-'^^^^h ^-* -. ■ V?/^ A TIXW IN BTAMLIT PARK, TANCOUVBR. means of access before it can be fully developed. The climate through- out British Columbia is a good deal like that of England, only not so changeable. We 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 Victox'ia, the capital city of British Columbia. The mayor and corporation received us on arrival, and after taking up our quarters at the Driard Hotel, were driven round the city and public park, calling on Lieutenant-Governor Nelson, a very genial, intelligent man, in cur round, aud visiting the public buildings and museum of the natural productions of the province ; afterwards a dinner was 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 II.— n. }m '*>4ii \- ':>^ •^l,-. ' > '.■.* '.* ' » i.' ^V ■', I' ♦-' 1 ' *>•' * >■ » • • ,< ■.■♦ I 'iil • _; ^: * "■ ■*•'■ I'lr ••51 •"[•f'.iU.' ■«,■< m A- •* ,» .•"•■ « ,1 I' '." ^'i The Qu'Appelle Valley-, formerly the bed of the river, is very pretty and produ.tive.i About 50 German settlers, with their families, had just reached here from Dunmore, near Medicine Hat, where the season 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 o£ wood and water, and to be had in large or small quantities, at a reasonable cost. We saw some good crops of wheat, but little damage (lone 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 'norning, making our way to Winnipeg^ and thcince by a short run into the States by the St. Paul, ^Ibneapolis^and-Manitoba Eailway,iretum- ing by 2fiagara, into the Province of Ontario, being taken in hand at llamiltpii (45,000 inhabitants) by Mr. Blue, Deputy Mimster 6f Agri- cultui^and a Mr. Hobson, of Masborough; Niagara, like the Bockies, must be seen ta\m, thoroughly appreciatedk 1 will only aibW say, after four hQursf^r^l viewingri was charmed with the \l'hole soenev'and on leaving regretted that possibly it was i&ti^moT. After -visiting an electro-plate manufactory and other places of note, we took train for Brantford, where we remained the night. During the evening v 3 attended a meeting of the Board of Trade, and were introduced to muny of the leading men, afterwards going home with the President for a short interview and light refreshment. Starting early the next morn- ing, we went out about three miles to see the Bow Park Farm, occupied by Messrs. Nelson, consisting of 1,000 acres of very 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 proud, and a better plant of young grass seeds I have seldom seen in any country. The buildings are ample and very extensive, and the herd of Shorthorns is second to none in Canada ; in fact, they would compete favourably with many of our best English herds. IJnfortunately the manager, Mr. Hope, was from home, acting as judge at the Chicago Horse Show, where we had previously met him. A particularly 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 .'52 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 Eebellion. He died in 1807. After seeing several agricultural and other manufactories in Brantford and visiting the House of liefuge and an Asylum for the 7lC VS^' /•■' if 100 TA^ ^^TtouZ^raZ Betoureei of Canada. l<» f ■ . ':'» Blind a few miles out, our party divided, I and one other delegate going on with Mr. Hobson to Paris (6,000 inhabitants), passing through a country of mixed farming very like many parts of England, good houses and homesteads, and land fenced in, fairly well farmed. We were told much of it could be bought at from ^610 to ^615 an acre. Twenty-five bushels of wheat per acre was about the average yield this season. We called on one or two farmers, and all gave a favourable report of the district. AN ONTARIO FARM. We left Paris for Woodstock (9,500 inhabitants), reaching there about 7 o'clock in the evening. The following morning we drove through a fairly good country, making our first stop at Mr. Green's, of Ennerick, a Welsh gentleman. He has a very nice house Tndi good premises, with well-timbered park-like grounds and entrance drive. Purchased by Mr. Green eight years since at 55 dollars an acre, he now would sell with all improvements at 75 dollars an acre (;£15). He has two daugliters 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 comfortably served. Mr. Green has a small herd of pure-bred Shorthorns, a nice flock ot Shropshire sheep, a few good Shire-bred horses, and some pedigree pigs. The Yorkshire pigs, said t£ be of Mr. Sanders Spencer's breed, do little credit to their breeder. We next visited a neighbouring farm, owned by Mr. Donaldson, of about 400 acres, with good house and buildings ; a very nice herd of pure-bred Shorthorns, with a good bull in service, and who Mas reas in by join Mr, Henry Simmorutt Resort. 101 at© going hrough a "id, good ed. We an acre. mm-'''' and a good ^' of Shropshire sheep. Mr. Donaldson has three sons who have le: Ontario for the West, purchasing 320 acres each in Manitoha, in the Brandon district, and they are doing well. Hia reason for this is that young men can start cheaper in Manitoha than in an old province like Ontario. We returned to Woodstock, going on by train to London for the night, where a Mr. J. Gibson, of Delaware, joined us. London is a nice town of some 36,000 inhabitants, i i , V ''- ' ■ A VIBW IN LOKSOK, OHTARIO. *' ' >'*: " "f.' ■! ,-;• f,' (Riohmond Street, looking south.) We left in the early morning to drive out to Mr. Gibson's farm at Delaware, about 18 miles by the route we took, passing through a I'airly good country, with good fences, houses, and buildings. In many places the old original log hut could be seen standing at the rear of the new, substantial, well-built, brick residence. All the houses had gardens and trees planted around, giving them a homelike and English appearance. Some of the land looked light and sandy, but the 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 and kept grounds, with good buildings, and about 300 acres of productive land, farmed on the English system chiefly. He has a herd of pure Shorthorns of the most fashionable strains of blood, and one cow in particular struck us as really the best we had seen in Canada ; a very choice flock of Shropshire sheep, and Berkshire and Yorkshire pedigree pigs. He is himself a Lincolnshire man, and has crossed the Atlantic 'S3 times, and boasts of having been in every county in England save two. Altogether, he is a successful farmer, and a man of the right stamp all round. Delaware is a very pleasantly situated village on the banks of the River Thames, w'e returned by another road to London, passing through a poorer district not so well farmed, remaining in London the night, and being again joined by the rest of our party, who vi''* m \i;f |i^ ■XfeM. 103 The Agricultural Be96uHU^ of Otmada. 7<.", '■^. V.ti5 ,')•... had taken an opposite direction through thQ province, and returned delighted with all they had seen. Shooting in Ontario is claimed by the respective owners as in England. On Saturday morning we all left by train lor Guelph, in order to see the Agricultural College there, passing through a useful mixed-farmed district, but much of it apparently wanting draining and capable of better farming, good houses and buildings everywhere, and land fenced. On arriving at Guelph we found it was market, day, so we first inspected the market and talked with many of the farmers, and then passed on to the college, being received by the president, Mr. Mills. After luncheon, we were shown over the establishment, and then conducted over the farm, and saw the ^stem of butter-making and the respective small herds of Shorthorn, Hereford, Polled Angus, and Alderney cattle. A very fine Hereford bull, bred by the Queen, took our fancy, but unfortunately he was a bad stock-getter. Experiments are carried out in crossing! the various breeds, and in all the Shorthorn sire produced the best results. Some useful lambs bought in the fall, feeding o£E rape, looked like paving f(tirlyi:wellk All sheep are housed in the winter. Tl^, (Quality of t^ wheat igrowQwas inferior. This college is conducted on very sound practical and economical principles, an^jev^^y. encouragement is dven to tiia^pupils; numbering at this time SO^ tQ do gCK>^. manual,. won| on the- fwm, for i^fhiph payment is .mAd£tjMM5P]PdHig t#;aWJ**^ possible for ,'hjjf d-working young i pien to. cleim tinft. f ec; of Jt^^ :Wd by those b M an Mr. Henry Simmotu^t Report, 103 to our variable, moist English climate, that most people prefer it. The seasons, both summer and winter, can be calculated on as to their respective duration, and consequently every care and provision made. The summer, lasting only from about the middle of April to the end of October, is a time of bustle and constant strain from the time the CTo\vi are put in until they are harvested; then follows winter, during which to a great extent labour is suspended, and an immense amount of good fellowship and enjoyment goes on throughout the country. •• I would advise intending emigrants to go out and obtain work, which can easily be got in summer, and to look around before deciding as to their future. I say to all, " If you are doing fairly well at home, there remain ; but if you happen to be one of the very many for whom no place here seems open, or from some cause or other have missed their mark or been met by 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 diairyman would have no difficulty in British Columbia. The man with onlv ^100 M'ould 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 good management will soon make him happy and indepefident. It may be that many a good man will say, " I should not mind a rough life myself, but comd n6t subject iay wife and children to it." To such a OKe I would say — assuming that he has a fair amo\int of money — " Take a good section of land, and leave for awhile your family in the nearest town till some of the rough \<'ork is done." I found men doing this at 10 and 15 miles distance from the town with success. But after all, the rough life, as it is called, ha'? ^yBsji-ii y-* ia^^J ^^yC' "^' '• fJS ■•£ ^».,'t/ m^ 104 TTie J^ricuUural Baourcet of Canada, ;• ■r> I'W'.: m m I .<:.-■; ( • ■ f .• « >• ■ ; 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 larga per^ centages can be obtained on good security. The only men not wanted in Canada are the dissolute and idle ; any such on getting there will be grievously disappointed. I never saw a beggar or was solicited for alms throughout the country. Another objectionable class is that of sons of gentlemen with any amount of money at command, who neglect their occupations, loaf about town, lose their cnpital, and so get the country a bad name. Of course, there are many exceptions, and educated gentlemen have succeeded, but you will find they were sent out with little money, and left to find their feet in the new country before money was supplied them from home. For my own part, I can truthfully say I never met with more civility, hospitality, and kindness than I did throughout Canada at every point and from every class of her people, to all of whom I phall feel ever deeply indebted. To the various railway and steamship companies who so generously studied our comfort and convenience my thanks are gladly rendered, and especially to the Hon. Mr. Carling and the various deputies under him, not forgetting our friend and courier, Mr. Campbell, for attentions and considerations throughout our long and somewhat eyentful journey that time can never efface. I left Canada with regret, although naturally glad to make for home after a three months absence ; and as it appears likely that some of my family will settle there, I cannot altogether help cherishing the idea that at some future time I may make a second visit. May the visit of the delegates prove of mutual advantage to both countries by causing reliable information to be made known and Canada better understood ; then, I feel sure, a fair share of our sur- plus population will go out, to find in that vast, but thinly popu- luted, country, happiness and prosperity. IMPROTKD riUI, irOTA lOOTU. lI<'CorquodaIe & Co., Limited, Cardington Street, London, N.W. -- -I"- ... •-. ^-1 ■■'■ ■■^V*-'v w. «'V. •^a <)• . ■ V rt"* * ^1^ ■>■ .■' v' -.^ ff «V3^ :>(tT Ui 7 /ret •S'iH,-^" ■^/ -•••l ..I'* •.■n', ,%, J(Jfi'yj''.A,::;"-/.j';^■■*»- -. ;i-;-Ai?fe,:'m MO H r r M c R Ri c 6 , 125 1~?~ ^.C^^ Su KrtMivio '! oYhiA !iN' so 100 ijo lis '00 ...L.J:^A no' 160 ^Vjict, i^: ;t<*''^ V ''- 106 100 ^i^^«^- 05 ^ ..^^t^^^^nm W ^.l^'^^a tl)v>^ ■**>" \,XKS 1< w if, 1^ •/ J % ,/.< .1.-* .<: •V,- ce Wi w fo of ru th od oi be ci' ov <'0 th ill] CO ou I Ilf in' idi CO Ca Pl lal i '*|tR« . "» ■ — w^a'Si I "^Tm: I : 1 , ^ *o«n^ qoona -iJS'Of 'iiKTHTto tTK >hx 'ill; W|po|l#tT'*<^ ltd ^o^^ !>iod 'pai^qo eq ^firai 'wpwitio *