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OTTAWA, 1887 JV-60 Im6 RBC Box 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Ti ■ ,. , PAGE. I rovmve of Manitoha, (i.Mi.-ral Features , . , , I ^Northwest rcrritorics 1 •> Provisional Di. (riet.s I •> Xortluvost Prairies, X„t,s l.y Profe.or Wu.. F.-eam ..', ^^ Notes on Canmlian Xortl.wast, by P.-of, J. R Sheldon .^[ Tlie Canadian Xorthwe.st and Its Advantair*^« f.. I t)y I'rof. Taiiner Aa%antage.s £,>,• Immigration Purpose.s, :io s. ^/r PAQE. I \-l i:; If) lil I Purpose.s, J.5 i^ i ,.. \. I f &2W, i/7i '&»•* -^ (^iimber'-ni'l Porrh'li Crtrn<» _ ->irtSS=f ami Province of Manitoba. GENERAL FEATUKES. . , • •. *„,i in tViPverv centre of the continent, being mid- „„» » tl.rt tavoic.l V~' °" , . ;,a pS»'e Eivcr regions, is the equivalent of both tl.e ,„,a «n..H„. on t,„ oo»,i.n^t ,,l,v». ;n }^-^:i::Xt^ff7^ S»;^- j;^;=i:;.tjs |r ;^S»- »S; tK.S«^ material uvjj.'t, is> pi-ei ui vujr i i i i -il I„e IVitl* .«l.,i.ct, . . - '-T;^rt''iraCl^.u'e"-1l'^NSfe^^^^^^ The settler in Manitoha -'«^::^^^^i£^;^Z£r\:SLXp S^j knowtelsooftheoia, ™afro,,yho|...n^^^^^^ „, ^ .,„g|„ „„„ Kailway. CLIMATE, SOIL AND PUODUCTIONS. The olhnate of M»lt.h. is .a™ ^--rtUfoltV sSfo'i ^^^'^^^^ „»«„,» an. the N^-Hh-West Temto^, ."JS'' UwT.'rlw.t" «S t-'*T,tr SS.^™.^ttp-.tTeirh;r th. rrovlnce or th. eli.na.e. '^;S ^rSronhewLtol't'^W State. » & -«• » N- ^°*' 1 «^A ^ ffy,"*"*" 'r?7 bill's o'> the prairies, tlie average depth bein^ about nijihteeii inches ^lii f?l n «""^'-f"'l ^i"* "leeper, but such was the case all over th., Continent The Sm^ofdli^ryrrs?" ^''^*' ^"^''^^'^'^ '^ ''^'^'^ '"^ ^^''^^ --*^"- an^-^^lSptiii: fortte^^r^r^gs^ij-r:?^^ nart nr;f ^°i'"^'''* ''f''-"': *'"^» *»>« "P'^'''"« "^ ^he Ottawa 7h summer mo^^ths a e part of May J une, J uly , August and September. Autumn lasts until Zvember when of sSembe'r "*' '"• ' '" '"'^'"^* '"''''' P'^''^ "' ^"S"^^' '""' !-*« tVll thrbegim.in". The soil is a rich deep black, argillaceous mould, or loam, resting on a deep and verv TZT]f ''Y 'I'^f 'i- i* •' '"'>""« *'"^ "'^''««t' '^ "°t the richest, soilTn the wo rid and ^^iS^ll^^SL^t^""' "^ ^"'-*- ^'-^^^ >.y chemists in SeotCi ^.l The soil is so rich that it does not require the addition of manure for vexrs after the .t''Knr.nH"T^-*'''.P™": ?', ""'l/r P'^'-**^"'*"- Pl'^^'^^ ^^'-re the black loam^L^rycU^^^ It js pmutically inexhaustible. '1 his great richness of the prairie soil has arise ifroitlfe gathering of droppings from birds and animals and ashes of prai rirfirerwhich ha e accumulated for ages, together with decayed vegetable and anCl matter, e whole resting on a retentive c ay subsoil. It is to the profusion of this stored up wea Uh h. the soil that the agriculturist from older countries is invited. to tht"oU LTcTimfte "" "rh "P?" V" ^'•"'''* '^^.""^^'^"''f ■ '^Vheat is especially adapted both to tne sou ana climate 1 he wheat grown is very heavy, being from 62 to 66 11)8 ner bushe ; the average yield, with fair farming, being 2", bushels^to the acre Tier; are farming":^" ^''^'^' '"P°'*''^' ^"* '''''' '''' '^'^ «'"^"«'' *he latter being due to defective Potatoes and all kinds of field and gar.len roots grow to large size and ereat abun dance. 1 he same i-emark applies to cabbages and other garden vegetables To^^^^^^^ and melons ripen in the open air. Hops and flax are at home on th^e pSs A llS .small fruits, such as curi'ants, strawberries, raspberries etc are f on ml n..!,,,../ or"Ul!-^ "xhS t^^r' *"'^* r ^°""*'-^ ''^ "^'^^p"'^ ft the^Tuidvatoirofth ':;;[; Manitoba. ' *"'' '^^ ^'"'^ ""^ ^*- ^''"'•' '^"'^ ""^"y think they will in For grazing and cattle raising the facilities are unbounded. The prairie Brasses are nutritious and in illimitable abundance. Hay is cheaply and easily iinrom^the native grasses ; and to the present day the fanners have, for the most part, burnt tTistrlw to get nd of It. Clover, timothy, and other cultivated grasses, answer well TreesareWd along the rivers and streams, and they will grow anywhere verv rapidly, if protected from prairie fires. Wood for fuel has not been veTy expensive and coal 18 now being brought into market; of which important mineraY the^, e are \ as beds further west, which are being brought into use. ¥he whole of the St territo, v MounSfnsl'ist-co'aTSr *° ''"^ '^''^ ^''''' ^'-'' ""' ""- ^^^ tothe^^^rkj: Water is found by digging wells of moderate depth on the prairie • the rivers and coolies are also available for «ater supply. Rain generally falls freely d, ring the snriT^ while the summer and autumn are generally dry. ® P ^' The drawbacks to production are occasional visitations of grasshoppers but Senator Sutherland testified before a Parliamentary Committee that L h ad ^known immunity from them for 40 years. This evil is not much feared, but still it might come, ''"'''""'^y Th are is reason to h«>lieve. however ♦•hat if if ehc-ihl -.-,.-- fi i! i . become thickly populated, it might be meV and in a la^g Lri^'^^^L me Zll'l'^^n proved by experiment in the neighbouring State of Minnesota, ' " \ , 9m , 3 In further reference to the prairie soils of tlie Canadian North-VVeat Territory, the following important statements are (] noted from tlie work of Sir John Bennet Lawes and Professor J. H. (iilbert, descriptive of their combined experiments at Rothamsted. These statements will everywhere be received with confidence, and they furnish scientific reasons for generally known popular results : " • -ing the present year (1882), between 40 and 50 samples of soil from the North- W 63 '! vritory, taken at intervals between Winnipeg and the Rocky Mountains, were sent . .1 to the High Commissioner in London, and exhibited at the recent show of the Roy.il Anricultural Society of England, at Reading. The soils were exhibited in glass tubes, four feet in length, and are stated to represent the core of soil and subsoil to that depth. Three samples of the surface soils have kindly been supplied to us fur the deter- mination of the nitrogen in them. "No. I is irom Portage la Prairie, about 60 miles from Winnipeg, and has probably been under cultivation for several years. The dry mould contained 0.2471 per cent, of nitrogen. " No 2 is from the Saskatchewan District, about 140 miles from Winnipeg, and has probably been under cultivation a shorter time than No. 1. The dry mould contained 0.3027 per cent, of nitrogen. " No. 3 is from a spot about 40 miles from Fort EUice, and may be considered a virgin soil. The dry mould contained 0.2500 per cent, of nitrogen, " In general terms it may be said that these Illinois and North-west Territory prairie soils are about twice as rich in nitrogen as the average of the Rothamsted arable surface soils • and, so far as can be judged, they are probably about twice as rich as the average of arable soils in (ireat Britain. They indeed correspond in their amount of nitrogen very closely with the surface soils of our permanent pasture land. As their nitrogen has its source in the accumulation from ages of natural vegetation, with little or no removal, it is to be supposed that, as a rule, there will not be a relative deficiency of the necessary mineral constituents. Surely, then, these new soils are 'mines' as well as laboratories ? If not, what is the meaning of the term a fertile noil ! " Assuming these soils not to be deficient in the necessary mineral supplies, and that they yield annually in an available condition an amount of nitrogen at all corresponding to their richness in that constituent, it may be asked whether they should not yield a higher average produce of wheat per acre than they are reported to do ? " The exhausted experimental wheat field at Rothamsted, the surface soil of which, at the commencement of the experiments thirty-nine years ago, probably contained only about half as high a percentage of nitrogen as the average of these four American soils, yielded over the first eight years, 17i ; over the next fifteen years, 15.i: ; over the last fifteen years (including several very bad seasons), only 11 J bushels ; and over the whole thirty-eight years about 14 bushels per acre, per annum. " So far as we are informed, the comparatively low average yield of the rich North- West soils is partly due to vicissitudes of climate, partly to defective cultivation, bat partly also to the luxuriant growth of weeds, which neither the time at command foi cultivation, nor the amount of labour available, render it easy to keep down. Then, agAin, in some cases the straw of the grain crops is burnt, and manure is not returned to the land. Still if there be any truth in the views we have advocated, it would seem it should be an object of consideration to lessen, as far as practicable, the waste of fertility of these now rich soils. At the same time it is olwious that, with land cheap and labour dear, the desirable object of bringing these vast areas under profitable cultivation cannot be attained without some sacrifice of their fertility in the first instance, which can only be lessened as population increases. " yiEMl-< OF THE ORAINS. The average yield of wheat in the Province of Manitoba, aecording to the returns obtained by the Department of Agriculture for the year 1884 (tliis being a fairly average year), was, from the tlircalicrs' reports, 2;?.sr) bushols per aero, tlie yield, aceordiu!,' to the sanio reports, ))eiu^' (i,07<>,l'i-' husliels. The a\orac,^e yieiil of oiits in the stune year was 39.!).') l)iishels per aure acuonliiij,' to tlio tlu'eshors' reports, the mimlier of husliels threshed boiii<' l,04i,.");5!t. 'J'lio averaue yield of barley 0)1 the same authority was 'io.')!) bushels per aere, and the total yield r,OH,.'):V,) bushels. The average yiehl of peas was 18.G2 bushels per acre. The avera;.;e yield of llax seed wan II. od luisiiels per aere. The avera),'e yield of potatoe,') was 1!I2 l;tishels per acre ; of turnip., 4^2 Inisiiels per acre ; of beets, '2') 1 bushels per aere; of nian^ilds, .'iS.') l)ushels per aere; and of earrots, 271 bushels por aci'e. Jt should be explained that tiiese average yields would be very uiueh hi'dier with fair farming, the fanning of many of tlie present settlers, and especially of the half-breeds, being mucli below the average iu other Provinces. Tlie average ot wheat, with fair farniiug, would be probably over ,'51) bushels, and the other yields in propoition. FRl'lTS, AND WHAT MAY liF. (IROWN. All the small fruits, suuli as strawberries, raapbcri'ics, currants, gooseberries, cran- berries, etc., are very plentiful in Manitoba; wild grapes are very eomnion, and it is thought from this fact that some of the hardier varieties of cultivated grapes, grafted on the wild stock, might ripen in sheltered places. Dut this lias not been tried, and is not sure. Some varieties of apples have been tried by Mr. Hill, of lleailingly, not far from Winnipeg, and he has measurably sueceeded. Ihit it has not yet Ijecn suthciently demon- strated that the apple, at least on southern stocks, v.-ill succeed in .Manitf>ba. Tliere is, however, tlie fact of its being largely grown in very much higher latitudes in Ruisia, and the probability is, that by the use of stocks adapted to the. climate, it will succeed in Manitoba. The fact is, that all kinds of horticulture and tree culture are yet in their infancy in Manitoba. It is, however, to be observed that the rarlianieiit of the Dominion has already passed a law to establish " lOxperimental Farms," to which the Depaitnient of Agriculture is about to give e'l'eet. The hop grows wild, with great luxuriance. Flax is adapted to the soil and climate. ROOT.S AND VKCiliTAIlLES. Both the soil and elim.ite of Manitoba are, in a very high degree, adapted for tlie growtli of the ordinary roots ami vegetables of the temperate /.one. Potatoes yield very large crops with tlie simplest culture. Ihe profii-sion with wliicli this root comes ia a surprise to visitoi-^. and the (juality is excellent. Tlie same remarks may be made of tur- nips, beets, mangels and other roots. Cabbages and cauliflowers grow to monater size. CAITLK AND STO(.'K K.\TSIN(1. of warmth in winter is met by the large qi ^.. ... ,...._ „ get rid of ; and a very little care in timing the period at wliicli litters would appear, would probably solve the only other question of dilHculty in connection with this industry. COMMUNICATION.S AND MARKETS. Manitoba has already communication by Railway with the Atlantic seaboard and all parts of the continent; that is to say, a railway train may start from Jbdifax or (.Uiebee, after connection with the ocean steamship, and run continuously on to Winnipeg ; and thence across the plains and through the mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Other railways are chartered, and it is believed will soon be constructed. A portion of the Manitoba and South -Wp..stp.rn has already been opened, and further large portions were completed during the summer of ISSO. The section of the Canadian Pacific Railway connecting with Port Arthur places the cereals and other produce of Manitoba iu connection with Lake Superior, whence it can »r I J. i I i 5 be cheaply iloatetl down tlie great water system of tlie St. Lawrence and lakes to the ocoau steamsliips in tlio t'dits of Montreal and Qnuhfcu ; wliile the railway system affords connection as well witli the iniukets of the older provinces as with those of the United States and those of tlie Pacific Coast. The Canadian Pacilic Railway, whicli is now completed, is by far the shortest line, with the easi(:st ;,'radi(nit3, and tiio fewest and shortest curves between the Atlantic and I'aeilic Oceans, and constitiitcH the shortest and, in many respects, the best line for travel and commerce between (Jrcat I'.ritain and Cliina and Japan. This line of railway, passing tlirou,L;h tlio fertile instead of tlie desert portion of the Continent of America, is one of the most important of the hi;.,diways of the world. The river system of Manitoba and the Xortli- West is a striking feature of the country. A steamer can leave Winnipeg and proceed rin the Saakatoliewan to Edmonton, near the base of the Kocky Mountains, a distance of l,r)00miles ; and steamers are now plying for a distance of more than 'Vl'J nnles on the Assiniboiiie, an alllueut of tlie Red River, which it joins at tlie city of Winnipeg. The Red lliver is navigable for steamers from Moorhead, in the United States, where it is crossed by the Northern Pacilic Railway, to F^ake Winnipeg, a distance of over 400 I .iles. Lake "Winnipeg is abcnit '280 miles in length, alTording an important navigation. The Saskatchewan, which takes its rise in the Rocky Mountains, enters this lake at the nothern end, and has a steamboat navigation as far as Kort Kdmonton, alTording vast commercial facilities for those great areas of fertile lands. The water system between Lake Superior and Lake AV'innipeg may be improved and rendered navigable at moderate cost compared with the great coinmercialinterests which will, in the near future, call for it. At present, a vessel may load at the railway connection at Port Arthur and proceed all the way to Liverpool across the Atlantic Ocean. But the system of transport at present considered the cheapest, is by means of lake and river steamboats and tug propellers with " tows." With tlic present arrangements, ^heat has been conveyed frojn Manitoba to Montreal for 30 cents a bushel, whence it can he taken by ocean vessel to Liverpool for 10 or 15 cents more. It is calculated that this wheat can be raised with proht for 50 cents a bushel, thus making a possibility of delivering wheat in Liverpool under 85 cents (i. e. al)out .'Is. (jd. stg. ) per bushel, or '2Ss. per ((uarter. Charges and handling may bring it over this price, but the two naked elements of growth and transport are within the figures named. The farming interests of Manitoba and the Xortli- West are not, however, confined to wheat. Large stock interests are being rapidly developed. There are now aliont 100,000 head of neat cattle in the newly started "ranches" in Alberta, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Tlie progress made in them is giving entire satisfaction. Cattle are already shipped from more distant points in United States territory to Chicago, and thence to England with profit. It may further be remarked, that the conditions are so favourable for transport in the Canadian Nortli-West, that cattle from Montana for the Chicago market enter at Maple Creek, and pass over the Canadian Pacific Railway to its connection with the American railway system, in the State of Minnesota. Horse and sheep ranching are also commencing with very great success. SYSTEM OF SURVEY .\ND DIRECTIONS FOR TAKING UP FARMS. The system of survey or of laying out the land in Manitoba is most simple, iiship is about si.x miles sciuare, and is divided into sections of one mile squai Every township is about si.x miles scjuare, and is divided into sections of one mile square (or 640 acres) eacli, more or less, the scarcely appreciable difference from the exact area being the result of the coiiveriieiice or divergence of the meridians forming the eastern ana western boundaries, as the township is north or south of one of the standard base lines of survey. These sections are again subdivided into half sections of 320 acres and quarter sections of 160 acres, and further into half quarters, which terms are legal or statutory 6 definitions of th(^ divisions and sul.^ivisions of land in Manitoba and tlie North-West Territories of the Dominion. Tiic townsliips are laid out upon certain "base lines,' abouttwenty-four miles apart, running east and west, to the depth of two townships, both to the north and to theBouth, upon each. The lines upon which adjacent townships, surveyed from different base hues aC are termed "correc.' >h lines," and upon tliese all discrepancies of survey are adjusted. The townships are arrangeu 'n tiers running from south to north, and starting froin the southern frontier, whichis the International boundary line _ ^ >«f .t'^-^^f.^J^^^f on the map with ord nary numerals, thus, 1, 2, 3, etc. Township 1 being on the Intor- nationaTboundary or province frontier, which is "the first base line." lownship 2 would be six miles further north ; Township 3 again six miles north, etc. The townships are further numbered in what are called "ranges" east and west, from lines called "principal meridians." These numbers are marked on the map in Roman characters, thus : I., II., HI., IV., etc. The first principal meridian starts from a point on the International boundary line about eleven miles west of Emerson. The west "ranges" run in regular numbers to the Sror iTst o? that meridian ; and the east "ranges" to the right ^'''f,,''^ ttZlv\^ Thus, Township 3, Range III. , west, would be three townships north of the boundaiy line, and three townships west of the principal meridian; or. Township 3, Range III., east, would be, in the same way, three townships north to the east of the Fin9«Pa "'erid.an Anyone with this simple clirection could put his finger on any township in Alanitoba o an/ other part of the North-West Territory, of which the number north of the Intel- national or first base line might be given, with the nun.ber of the range or tier of town- ships east or west of the first or any of the principal meridians on the ^ap. Any section of a township can be found by its number on the diagram of the map. Any reader by looking at this and seeing the way in which the numbers run, '^'^'y"?**"*/^ P^V"',?/^^"' on any section of any township marked on the map. The boundaries of these sections being all laid out on the cardinal points of tne compass, east west, north and south, the section is divided into east half and west half, or north half and south hal, whichever way the dividing line is run. These half sections are again divided into quarter sections, such as north-east .luarter, north-west (luarter, south-east .i«arter, «o"th. west quarter; these .juarters may again be divided in the same way ; and these terms, as before stated, are legal or statutory definitions of land in Manitoba and the North-West Territory. Under this very simple but scientific method of arrangement, any township, or section, or subdivision of a section, can be instantly and unerring y described. A trans- er or conveyence of property may likewise be made by deed in as few words as any ordinary bill of parcels, and that with perfect accuracy and absoluteness of definition. The settler from {.he United Kingdom will at first find the nomenclature of this system of survey a little new and strange ; but he will, on slight awiuaintance with it, become charmed with its simplicity. The surveyed lines are marked on the ground itself by iron and other kinds oi monu- ments and posts at the corners of the divisions and subdivisions; and, so soon as the settler makes himself acquainted with these, he will instantly understand the position and extent of his own farm on the prairie, or of any other in the country. Or, when travelliug in any part of the country, these posts will tell him at a glance exactly where be is, so that he cannot get lost in any surveyed district. Iii«francoa on t.l,e map. in miles, may be ascerteined approximately by counting the townships to be passed over and multiplying the number by six. Tfie unit ol the town- ships' surveys is the statute mile or section of 640 acres, all the townships being made six statute miles or sections square, as nearly as it is possible to make a series of squares on the face of a globe. H' KKEE (;KANT.S and PRK-KMPTIUNS. A settler may obtiiiii a grant of 160 acrea of land free, on evcn-iiunibered sections, on condition of three years' residence and cultivation, and payment of an office fee amounting to iJilO (£2 stg.); and lie may obfcun the adjoining portions of sections by "pre-emption ■ or otherwise, at the rate of $'2.00 (8s. stg.) or $2.50 (IDs. stg.) per acre. The privilege of pre-emption, however, will cease after January Ist, 1887. All intending settlers should take notice that they are entitled to enter at the nearest ( iovernment Land Office for a free grant of a quarter section in any even-nund)ered unoccupied land in Manitoba or the North-VVest; whether or not such even-numbered section is near a railway, or comes within the reserves of any of the Colonization companies. OIRKCTION.S RE.SPECTIN(J LAND. A settler should obtain from the Local Dominion Lands Agent general information as to lands open for settlement. The marks on the map show certain lands taken up, and therefore not available for settlement. Of course, other lands may have been taken up since those marked "taken" on the map. Exact information can, therefore, only be obtained at the Local Land Offices. All even-numbered sections (except 8 and three-([uarters of 26, which are Hudson Bay ^ompany Lands) are open for entry as free homesteads, or as preemptions, unless already taken up by settlers. Odd-numbered sections (with the exception of 1 1 and 29, which are School Lands) for 24 miles on each side of the (;anadian Pacific Railway, may be generally stated to be Railway Lands, purchasable from the Company, and not open for homestead and pre- emption. There are also other Railway Lands, which have been appropriated in aid of similar undertakings. Keyond the limits of the land granted to such enterprises odd- numbered sections may, if surveyed, be purchased direct from the (Government, on terms stated in the regulations referred to. WHAT CAl'lTAL TO BEGIN WITH. A settler in Manitoba may commence on comparatively small capital ; that is, enough to build one of the inexpensive houses of the country, to buy a yoke of oxen and a plough, his seed grain, and sufficient provisions to enable him to live for o.ie year, or until his hrst crop comes in. W ith a little endurance at first, from this point he may attain to a position of plenty and independence. On the other hand, a settler may take with him u) Manitoba or the North-West Territories considerable capital, and invest it in large farming operations, either in wheat growing or stock raising, both of which he will probably find very profitable. The settler requires either a team of horses or yoke of oxen, a waggon or a .^rt, a plough and harrow, chains, axes, shovels, stoves, bedsteads, etc., which he can obtain for about $300.00, or £60* stg. A primitive house and stable may be built for £30 more. The cost of necessary provisions for a family would be from £18 to £20. The cost of these several items may vary with circumstances, either being more or less, the prices being affected by the cost of transport and railway facilities ; but a settler who goes on his farm sufficiently early to plant potatoes and other crops may live at very little co. Or the sum of £125 stg., which is in round numbers about |600.00 of Canadian cur- rency, would enable a farmer to begin on a moderate scale of comfort. The sum would be divided, in some cases, as follows : • The £1 sterling is set down in roimd figures at fa.OO for convenience, and is sufHclently exact for the purpose of this paper. 8 Olio yoke of 3Xon, 81-0.00 ; oiu; waggon, ijs.SO.OO ; ploiigli and Iiirrow, .?2.').00 ; chains, axes, sliovel?, etc. , .'?;!().0i); stoves, lieilstcNuls, utc. .■:!!()(>.()() ; liotisu and stable, !^1.")0.00; provisions, .?IM.').()0 ; in all .^(iOD.OO, or fl'20 stg. 'J'lie ahove prices arc suhjuet to varia- tion for the reasons above stateil. Of course, a capital of C'20() (or .'?l,000.00) would enable a farmer to start in better style and with more comfort; but many have started with much less, and are now well off. For instance, the lied Itiver cart, which costs from lifteeu to tw(Mity dollais, and one ox, niiglit do all the teaming rci|uired on a small farm to begin with, and after the first "breaking" one ox could do all the plowing reciuired for a family. The fJorman Mennonitc settlers who came to Canada from .Southern Russia a few years ago— that is, the poorer families of them— started with very much less ; and they are to-day very prosperous, and raise large crops of grain, besides growing llax, of which they export the seed. They are also ivcll supplied with live stock. The Mennonitc outfit of one family, averaging five persons, consisted of one yoke of oxen, one cow, one plough, one wagi^'on and one cooking stove— the whole obtained at a cost of .§270.00, or C'A. In the case of tiio poorer, two families clulibed together to use one outfit. Tlie cost of provisions for the subsistence of one family for a year was S03.00 (£18 1,")3.), the provisions consisting almost wholly of Hour, pf)rk and beans. No money was expended on the buildings in wiiich they first lived. Those consisted for the first year of brush, laid .sloping on poles and covered with eartli. Tliis fact is stated to show from how small a beginning a settler may successfully start and attain plenty ; but, seeing that the log or frame liouse of the country can be built at so moderate a cost, prob- ably few settlers from the United Ivingdom would be willing to do as the Mennonitcs did. Many a man will, however, make a hard struggle for independence, and find both his labour and his hardships sweetened b^ the consciousness of the daily steps he is taking towards that end. It may further be mentioned that, for some years to come, there will be railways and public works in progress, on which the poorer settlers may work for a part of tiie time at good wages, and so obtain means to tide over the first difficulties of a settler's life with more comfort. 1 liy the Amend' d Dominion Lands Act a settler is held to have performed his home- stead duties if he has been a hoint fvhi resident within a radius of two miles from his homestead, liut, within the first year after the date of his entry, he must have broken and prepared for crop not less than ten acres on his hoii;estcad. \Vithin the second year he must have cropped these ten acres, and l)rokeu and prepared for crop not less than fifteen acres additional, making in all twenty-five acres under crop in the *-hird year ; and also not less than fifteen acres additional broken and prepared for crop for the next year. And he must, t'urce months before applying for his patent, have erected a habitable house on his homestead, and resided in it. The settler must not have been continuously absent for more than six months in any one year. HINTS FOR .SETTLERS IX MANITOBA. The settler from older countries should be careful to adapt himself to those methods which experience of the country has proved to be .vise, rather than try to employ in a new country those practices to which he has been accustomed at home. For instance with respect to ploughing, or, as it is called, "breaking" the prairie, the method in Manitoba is ([uitc ditFcrcnt from that in the Old Country. The prairie is covered with a rank vegetable growth, and the question is how to subdue this, and so make the land available for farming purposes. Experienee has proved that the bes^ way is to plongh not deeper than two inches, and turn over a furrow from twelve to sixteen inches wide. It is especially desirable for the farmer who enters early in the spring to put in a crop of oats on the first "breaking." It is found by experience that the sod pulverizes and decomposes under the infiuence of a growing crop ouite as eftcctually, if no*; more so, than when simply turned and loft \ ly itself for that purpose. There are also fewer weeds, which is of very great importance, as it frequently happens that the weeds which grow 1 soon after hreakiiif,' arc as (lillicult to siihiluo an tlu^ soil itself. Largo crops of outa arc ol)taineil from Mowing on tiie lirst liieaking, luid tliiiH not only is tlii; cost dcfrayiil, lint tlicre is a jirolit. It is also of great iniiiortance to a settler with limited nieims to get tliiscrop tii(^ lirst yeai. One inoile of this kind of (.lanting is ti> seiitter the outs on tiie grass, and then turn a tiiinsod over them. The grain thus liurieil nuieUy linds its way througii, and in a few weeks the sod is perfeetly .otlen. Mr. Daley, near' ISigstone City, in the vieinity of IJigstone I^akc, sowed ti'u aeres of oats in this way. He put twohualu'ls iind a jieek to an aere. In the fall he harvested -ll'li l)Uslielsof oats, which he found to be woitii enougli to pay for the 'iireaking" and give iiim .':>7.'>.()() hesidea Tiiis is praitieal, rti)orted experience. Tiiere is also testimony from (jther larnii'ra tr) sindhir eii'(ed it oji'upied a sulHciencyof earth to make a covering of the ploughed sods, an admirable seed bed is obtained. The settler should plant potatoes the lirst year for liis family use, and do other little things of that kind, i'otatoesmay be put in as late as Juno tlie'JOth. All that is reipiired is to turn over a furrow, put the jiotatocs on tUv. groiuul and then turn anotliei- furrow to rover them, the face of the grass being placed directly on tlie seed. \o lioeing or further cultivation is re(]uired except to cutotlany weeds that may grow. Very heavy crops of fine potatoes have been giown in this way. Before the prairie is broken the sod is very tough, and re(|uires gi'cat force to break it ; but after it has once been tinned the subse(|uent ploughiiigs are very easy from the friability of the soil, and gang plouglis may easily be used. On account of the great foice recpured to break the prairie in the first insianee, numy prefer oxen to horses. There is a liability of horses ijeeoming sick in Manitoba when I first taken there from the older parts of Hie Continent, until tjuy become accustomed to \ the new feed and the country, especially if they are worked hard and liave not suflieient shelter. Against this, however, it is to be observed that the ranches are now bcinnin" to produce horses in every way adapted to the country ; and experience has brought better methods into practice. It is for this reason that oxen, wliicli are not liable to the same casualties as horses, arc suited for breaking the prairie. A pair of oxen will l)reak an aero and a halt a day, with very little expense for feed. .Mules have been found to do very w<,'ll, and they are considered well adapted for prairie work. On the larger farms steam is beginning to be used, but the question of steam cultivation is not yet settled. WHAT TO TAKli TO .M.VNITOliA. The settler, in going to Manitoba from the Old C^ounlry, should be cautioned against burdening himself with very heavy luggage. The weight wliich he is allowed to carry ■without paying extra on an ordinary enngrant ticket is l.'iO pounds. Freight charges for luggage over this weight are high. Tools and implements, stoves, tables or bedsteads, or heavy, clumsy things of that description, can be bought in Manitoba more cheaply than they can bo carried. Tools and implements specially adapted to the country can lie pur- chased cheaply in Manitoba, but artisans or mechanics having special tools for' tiieir handicrafts will, of course, take them with them. The excoptif>u to this general direction is that parties may sometimes hire a car fen- their eli'ccts, and thus take their whole stock and lurniture with them more cheaply than they can bo replaced ; but the adaptation of any implement to Manitoba should be well ascertained before it is taken. All clothing, also bedclothing, and cases or covers of beds, should be taken to bo filled after arriving in Manitoba. ROUTE.S, AND WIIEX TO (iO. The intending settler from the United Kingdom or the Continent of ]''uro])e iuay buy a ticket direct to Winnipeg, or almost any part of the North -West, at the office of the 10 Bteamship lincH. He inay go to Quebec, and thence l.y the Canadian I'acific Railwav • or ho n.ay go, by way of he (Jreat Lakes to Thundc- l{ay. where he wil La., uke'the vn T/:\ l'""''r*^\ .^'''\'"" '* "'".^''-''t-t. and wholly within (^ana.iK ?i^„ry' and the Hettler who takes this route is free from the inconvenience of all Customs f.";;ihf ulli'tTsi" •^-n'''V'« ^'"''"' •"*"*?^ '"r^'-y- "'• **«»'" "" -'*-■"'« ^^'"'S ' the distance "' '"'^ ''^'"^ "'''^'''P ^'■'"" '''"''"P*' *" ^'""toba, in view of In cases where it is an object for the emigrant to have an assiste.l passairc this is al orded by an arrangen.ent between the (iovernment of Canada and stea nsZcomn nies whose hnes ply to Canadian ports Application sho.d.l be n.ade to ajjcnt of The ,n-e n uient or to the steamship agents for particulars of the assisted passage arrangen.ent! The fares f.on. Quebec and other points o.. the seaboard to WinnipcK .nay be obtained at any of the Ca.iad.an (iover„...ent agc.cies or stean.ship agencief^ TircrhaveTen ;nis?st^ed pr^i""' ""'^'' -™"«— *-t" *ho (iovenfme'nt. as reaHy t'o S^t" via the CANADIAN I-ACIKIC RAILWAY LANDS, In view of the fivct that the Canadian PaciHc Railway Company have obtained from the Government of Ca.ia.la a grant of 25,000,000 acres of lan.l to assist in the Sine o 1 oo "'•'.''^fy ^*^**''^' V? 'xjfl-n'i'nbered sections of townships (with the exception of 1 1 and 2!) which are school lands) for twenty-fo..r miles o.i eacT. sde of the Railwav , .av genenUly be stated to be railway lands. The Company will have "LSappSed to the.n in other portions wf the North- West, which will be nmde known io..X,e to th"e Under their advertised regulations they ofTer their lan.l at $2.r.O (lol S ) iracre and upwards, with conditions >-e>,,nruu, calUvalinn. Lands will .!lso be sold by the Co.''panv wdhoiU rnndiUmis oj ailf,ration. The purchaser, by payini; cash n.av wL dPPH Tf^ r!n^ veyanceatthe time of pu.-chase : or he ...ay pay o.ie sixt^in Jar^sfltVi??. ° Hve a.in..al iLstabnents, with interest at six 1.1 c4t ofpaymentt ajt Idfin Land Iccn^d'^S;.:;'"'' "'" "'^ ^"^^P*^'^ ^* '« '^'- "->*• P-"-'" onth^ei^^r val-tnd This Company has a syste... of .ebates in favour of the settler, in all cases of land perfcrc"" "''""' '^ eultivatio... This rebate is fro.n $1.25 to «3.50 (5s. toT4s. ^^ «9 -n M^n"T^^'■'"" ^*"''"' regulations that if a settler buys lan.l f.om this Co.npanv at p.,,0 (10s stg.) per acre, ai.,1 gets a .-ebate of .111.25 (os. stg.) pe,- acre, he is L exS the ' sanie position, ,„ the ca.se of a purchase of a half sectio.?, as if he obtaine a Sr^ t ir.iiiSTZ^jg.'j^iiir^i^r' '"'" '^'' '" '''''''- -i-arterseetior;:';;:^:;;,^ c 1 1 f ''?L P/^"*"' *''*' '"tending settler should understand, a.e very cheap. The lands so sold by the Company are probably wo.th $10.00 or $20.00 (£2 o, 14 stL per acre an.^ more m many cases But the interest of the Co.npany is less to sell at hik^ prices lam wh^h might be held for speculation, than to attract settler.« ; who, by X-LriassenJer traffic an.T freight from the produce of their cultivated farms, are vei^ 4 ict more fm Th^at i. W.^?'7?r^p''" simply high prices for lands in 'the absence of setrment ikL'lltit^Lef^l^r^''' " "^ "•'*^'" -"'-«- -1 *« --tent them by afforZg It will appear from a con.parison of the conditionn of the Canadian I'a.ific Railwav ^pHrr7/i^''*^l^°'"'°'°".^'^'?'' Regulations, that if a family of f^- adu ts dlsK to settle together, they may obtain a really large estate on very moderate te^ms For mstance, each of the four members of the Uiry may settle on tKur free Wsteads^ f 1 II oflHO acres eadi, in any cv«n-number.i.l unoccupied Hction. Ka.th nmy then V^rchMe ^nnlhP- IKOmroB -it«2r.0(108. hW.) per acre from the Canadian I'acihc Kiiilway Com- pany n h^a'i o ning .;i.ulin>U.r,'dHe^tion. The Bettler«, wl.ile building on the home- 8toa(l8 and u-akinK cultivation thereon, would be able within the time inentioned also.to S va c the wh fe or the greater part of the Canadian FaciH<= Railwav lan.lH. 1 he othce fee for entering (iovernment hon.08tcad« i« «10.00 {Ci atg.) A /■'•"'ly "« f"l' ••""\''- '" this way, in four years obtain a large estate of 1,280 acrcK of probably the r.ch.Mt wheat^ growing and in the world at a merely nominal price, and thu« secure a position not only o cZparati ve but of substantial wealth. Farmers with sons can with jjreat a.l vantage availXmselves of th.se conditions, and have the advantages of neighbourhood in settling together. In cases where it is an object for families with means U, take up an.l farm more extensive tracts of land, the regulations would also admit o this. For instance, two brothers might take upas free lu.mesteads two quarter sections, of any <;?vernment lan.ls, and pre-empt the other two .,uarter sections, thus obtaining a whole section or «40 acres for their homesteads and pre-emptions. They could then purchase the who e of each of the four a.ljoining od.l-numbered sections of railway lands, and thus obtain be- tween them a large estate%f 3,200 acres. By cultivating the odd sections and getting the rebate, this estatt could be purchased on exceedingly moderate terms. The actual settler 01 some years to come wilf have large tracts of land to choose from. The arrangement we have indicated is especially desirable for settlers from Lngland with means. The land policy of the (Jovernment of Canada, combined with the advantages offered by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, is the most liberal of any on the ( oi,tiiient of North America. , HUUSON BAY OOMl'ANV's LANDS. Section No. 8 aiul three-S AT I'KIVATK SALE. The settler may sometimes find it convenient to buy lands partly improved, with buildings and fences upon them, of private proprietors. It very freciueutly happens that half-breed or other lands may be obtained on moderate terms. •In every fifth townihip the Hudson Bay Company has the whole Section of 26. THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORIES. rJFAr.iiM. 1 1;\ iiKi.M. I ' t:i • I'.Mviu ■ ■ ' /i;ir •■ . 'ii'l-it'l" Viirtli W'iMt 'I'oi'rit'H'y f)f Cuiuila, It is l.)Uiiil.- I . 1 ti|(i irfiftil liy tlliM" ■ . ' !l;y M<)iiiiti,i'i-i, wlii^'li it t'lU'lii's iit very Ui^:irlv tliu I l.")t!i ili.'grce olivyi nt loii'^itiulr, iin f ttkoH ii ii'iitll-wust ticiul iiliMij,' tl>c )):i,!te of till' I! K'ky Moiiut liiix until it i oiim": ii. ciuti-t w i i flu- Tfi i itory nf .Mu.-dii, iuvl |ii an 1 groat rivcu's. 'I'Ih' M i"ki'iiz'(' ii-i oiiu i.f lit,! hvii/ tulcs, iiii-liiiUii,^' tii(! Slas-u Kivi; . ^lliL■ll is a part of its system, 'riiia liver is for thti iiKi.si pirt ii:ivi>^:il»lt', except at the li;i-e. (if the Itnckv .Mciiiiitiiiiis, wjieie it i.s inter- ruptoil l)y ca.s'iwle.s. 'I'ho (Mjitiitry tiinnigh wiiicli it luiis is rich in niiiieiiil (U])(isit8, iucluiliii;,' coal. Tlie I'cacc, another ;.'rciit river of the Nm th-W'ent. IvAf an entiniatcil four.seiif I , UlUinile^, thaiuinj,' a country contuiiiini; vast auiictiltinal ami mineral reNouicc!<. .\.i )t'».'.' 1,'i'c it rive" wiiich t ilvi i iti ri-i ; ill thi' U-)"ky Mo.tnl: uin is t'l" S isk itjhcw.in, whio'i i! M[)t.iui iiiiv L iko Win lip v;-. h iviii:; a tot il kei^'tli of ah iiit l,.'i.).) milo ). 'I'iiii river u \\\,vi-^i\\[\' fruii t'li! laliu ti l''o.-t Ivl n tiitoii, an 1 it ilr.iiiu an inunemy aijriciiltiir.il ris^'i'i'i. Tln^ro a"j irmioroH otlrn' riv.MM in this tcrrito/y, hiii;!i a-t the Xcla:)ii, thu Ciiiirolull, tho W'inniii.'.; aii.l tiiu .\ssiiiihoine, Tiic lake-i-vrc th<: .) .-iiiuaro miles. The (iriMt Slav.' liiko his a le'.e^'th from ciist t') west of .'li)!) miles, it-i L;rcatest l)rcailth lieiiii' r)3 niili'i. I'iiu .Vtlrihisc i i,ak'.! has a leie^th of '-'.'ti) miles, aver,i,:;in ; I I miles in uiilth, liaviii,', ho'.ViiVor, a vjry iiiujli greater width in.iiiii! [)l,ijcv L ili^! Wiiuiip:'.; h as a l(!U„'th of 'is ) miles, with a breitlth of ."),"> miles, liat its sliipj is vei'y irre;.^ular. Tiiere aro uumcrons other lakes oi huge ai/e in the .\orth-\Vest. Tl\e N'elo )n River drains th" watera of Like Wiiinip^'g iiiti) IIiids')ii IJay ; and the extent of its discharge may he imagined from the fact t!i it this Lalie receives tlie waters of t!it! Ucd IMvcr of the .North, as well a i of the lliver Winnipeg, the Saskatchewan and other:!. The mouth of the Xelsoa Iliver i.s nearer to Liveipo )1 th;i,n is .\cw \'orl;, and thi! nivig.ition, it is lielieved, is conti'iuously o[)cn for over tony months in the year. I-Illorts ni'e, ticirefoie. already liiunj; made t» lemlci' availahh; this near eommiiiiication from tho very centre of the eoutincut with this port of Li\cipool. ;i\er, which takes its rise iK.'ai' the h.isi? of the llocky .Mountains, and ly, is likely to heeonie, in t!ic near future, oi great imprirtanee, us The Clunvhill flows int ) IIuiImiu opening up the imiiicnse v\'!i. 'at and cattle raising are is of the I'e.ii.'e Itiver region, con neeting them with Hudson jj.iy iiavig ition. At t'le month of the Churehill liiver is found one of the best havl)ours in the world ; and this may give it an advantiige over the Xelseii, there being a .sand-liar at the mouth of tlic l.itti^r. Tlic Canadian (Jovenimeiit is now eng;iged in .)htaining more ilelinite information with respect to Hudson J!ay navigation. t'.cuerally speaking, a line drawn from the south-e.'\st c(,... . o; t!>o Lake of the Woods, and running uortli-wcst to tlie height of laud, divides this t'vriinry into tv i nearly e(iual portions, and for tho most part follows tlie coui"-,; e'' »^'ie i; i-ermal lines. jti. diagonal line thus drawn also roughly -separates two geolouic.i torinations, the southern Ivalf being generally favourable for a'.'iicultural purp'jses. Tiie portion nortii of this line. compvises the wooded portion of the North- West. It is lieh in mineral and other resources, and updoubtedly, as the country comes to be nun'e thickly settled, will be cultivated in parts 1» A ruinaikalilc fc;itiini of tlili4 groat cxtoiil of tcn'i'itory in Hi tlivi.si.tn, aloii;.^ liiioH nm- llin^{'^{l•lll■l•.^lly iinilli-wfxt uiul »'iutli-iM-»t, intt tliifo ilistiiu't iMidiir iitcjipi^w, or plutuMiix IVM vlu'.v iirini li entii'i'ly within Mio I' tain all- lilt 7,0()0^i|i!:irt!iiiiltMof tltehefitwlii.. Till! Bcoiiinl |/ "' I'l' stuppo iiivi (vn avcvrigo altitmUi of 1,(lsM)fo«t, hi;viii;xa wiiltli of iil)f)Ut '2'>i) iiiil'^t o'l til.' Vitti'Muilhoiiiuliify lino, iiinl an iiiuaof iibmit 10.">,0!»'l s(iiiaio niili-'. Tlio rirli, nil liibtin;^ l«:uk !il>i' countiy lii-.i in tirm nyion. 'I'iiis Ki;i;tii>ii i»_ Hpojially favoiiiaMc f'lr , '• 'iiuiit, luiil i i IniKss tliu AHsinilnnnc .i ' '.' Mi '!i' I'iatrictd. 't liu 15oll I'arin is Hiti . .1 in the tJii'AppoIlo Pistiiot. 'I'lic tliinl [ilatuau or >.. -.lic Kclmiih .-.n tliu li. it has an (^li'vali.in of alioiil ..' OOf) ftot, iiml oxtoua.i 11 K' at the KMtli inoriiHun, wlicrt; \vi I lor !().") iiiik-M to tlio foot of tlu; ilorUy .MoiiiitaiiiH, wli'To it has an altitiiito of aliont 4,"J00 foot. nialunK an avor.igo In 'u'!it iiliovi' tlu: Hca of iiliiiiit .'LOOK feet. (I^nrnilly Hiicakini,', tiio tirst two ntcpnos iin: .,,> -v \vhi.:h aio itn'st favcniralilo lor ii,i.;iii'nltn!f, ainl tin' thinl for j^iazin^;. Sottkniciit. is j)ii cociliii.,' in till' lii'Ht two at a voiy raniil rate; and in llii iiiiil |ilitean it is liegiuiiliig, while nuinoroiis and pros]i('ii)in; fatttu lanL'lu.s liavu lici ii . .aaljlishiMl. I'KOVISIOXAL DIS'ITUITS. 'I'lif: Doiniiiio'.i (iovurniiu'nt, by Onli'r in (' iiiiuil, h ih f 'I'niuil out of this tcrrito. for pnstal purposes iiinl tor tin: oonvi'iiionoe of scttlerH. four provisional tlisti irts, nan tXMpactivuly A <'ii!li'>ii, .v<',/.<(/ ■/../'•'//, ^/V,,' ■//?, and ,ll!i'i!"i-<'". DISTU'IT or .\>SIMr.i.l.\. This distii'jt conipri -ii'i an area of about O"), 000 s., lava iiiiU's. ft is bonmlud on the south by the IiitPiiiationiil boundary lini', on the i' >ii tlio wi'»torn bmindaiy of Mani- toba, on tin- north by the Oth Correction lini' of \ \<- 1 .ii|iiiioii Lands Systfin of .Siirvi-y into Townships wliioli Ih iifur tlio ."'-'nd pioalli:] i I 1 iii ale. ^On the west it ia bounded by the line dividin;,' tlie lOtli and lllli i;an;,'es of To •.iiships we.it of tli-,' ttli initial ineridiau of the Dominion l^anda .Survey. 'J'lie Vidley of the <,>irAppelK' is in the Distriet of ' -.siniboiii, bein:,' on the second plateau or steppe of tlu: continent, reai'ldn;j; from l!ed 1; \erto the liocky .Moiint.iiiiH. 'I'his valley is a favoiiri d jiait of the N'ortli-NN'est, and si'ti S'lnent in it is proeei liny with tnrprisir .' ra[)idity. 'I'he Dnmiiiion ( iovcrnment has an iijiuiu'raiit station at Troy, and this district lias been selected for the l.iri:c faniiiiii^ experiiin at known as the 'T!ei: l''arin." Thisscheine has features ^^lliel^ have interest beyoinl a iji:r.plo private onter|ii i-se on a Veiy lar','e scale. 'I'lu: e'cperiinciit embiacesa schciiie of a wi.eat farm of a liundi iil sipiaro miles, or (if, 000 acres, but so divided as to make: it alsoaeol- ui/iu;,' sclienie, the intention beiii" to sell the whole out to the workers after a few yea s' operatimis. A secti.rii of one sipi.ire mile of (>!0 acres is divided into three equal pur! ions of about '2\'A acres, .-lud the cultivation of this thir I of a section in pl.aced in tlie haiii' • of one man. ("omfortnble houses and stables are built at the corners of these third .sc 'ioua in such way that four houses and four stables coiue toj^'ether, making, as it were, allowance. A man and his team are able to cultivate two-th leaviii;,' one third fallow every year, thus leavin,:; t!ie wliolo fa., well for recuperation as to destroy weeds, sniiie kinds of win cultivation, to make their appearance in wheat, 'i'he leirvc- b'liiiler. ami the threshini,' liy the powerful steam machinery thoroimldv systemati/ed ; and the whole of the buildiie.;.^ were bout to be eonnecf:ed by telephone'shoi'tly afti'r the writer of these lines left tliis fan:- af-v months ai.'o. 'I'he aver- a"e crop of wheat in KSS.'iwas "Jl bushels to the aci-c, iniieli o: this grown on the first turning of the sod. Tlie yield in ISSt wa* very iKUiiitifi;!. an^ inueli over that of the previous yc:ir. Itt tjrdei- to save teatiiing very lar--e weight- of wheat, it is jv.-.t iii Luge wooden tanks or receivers spread over the farm, as it eomes f ; nni the powerful Bte.ini threshers which are used. The wheat produced is of the very hi liest (pi.ility, and often wei'dis (!2 lbs to the busliel. little village on the road Is of this a))portioiiment, )W once in three years, as ■h are a))t, with the best ■iiii;- is (lone by the .self- tlie fjirni. The Wf)rk is 14 Through the plain of Calgary flow the clear waters of the Row River, which a short distance from the town is joined "by it« tributary, the KIbow. The excellence of the land in this district is testified by the number of flourishing farms on Fine t.reek, on bish Creek.'and on the banks of the Elbow River, and the plentiful supply of good water, the abundance of fuel, and the kindly climate must continue to make this an attractive recion to settlers. A journey northward by stage, occupying five days, is necessary to reach Edmonton, the headciuarters of the Saskatchewan trade of the Hudson s Hay Company. The Benbecula colony, settled by the crofters from the estate of Lady Gordon- Cathcart is in this district, about ten miles south of the Wapella railway station, and the results which it has exhibited are worthy of notice. An advance of £100 stg. was made to each crofter, to enable him and his family to emigrate and also to settle on land, security being taken on the laud itself for repayment of the advance, with interest at 6 per cent. This security being on a farm of 160 acres, is of course more than ample. The colony has been decidedly successful. Professor Tanner visited it in 1883, and again in 1884. Speaking of these colonists, when he saw them, shortly after their arrival he said : "They soon (after their arrival in May) commenced ploughing the turf of the prairie, simply covering in their potatoes with the fresh-turned turf. They also sowed their wheat and oats upon the newly-turned sod. Very rough style of farming many will be disposed to say ; still it must be remembered that they had no choice, and the results caused them no regret. Within eight weeks from the time of planting the potatoes they were digging their new crop, and before two weeks had passed I had some of those potatoes for dinner, and I do not hesitate to say that for size, flavour and maturity,they were excellent The roughly sown wheat and oats were then progressing rapidly, and a good harvest awaited tlieir ingathering. During the summer they had raised a better class of house, they had secured a supply of food and seed for another year, and then- settlement was practically completed. A total area of about 3,'200 acres had thus been secured, the quality of the land was good, the surface was gently undulating over the entire area, and it was as nicely wooded as many a park in the Old Country. The change in their position had been so (juickly accomplished, that I can readily imagine that they must at times have wondered whether it was a dream or a reality. Was it really true that they were no longer small tenants and labourers struggling against pecuniary difti- culties which well nigh tempted them to rebel, and that th«y had so suddenly become the owners of happy homes and nice farms, without the shadow of a care or a fear as to their future support ? It was true, and the deep gratitude manifested by those settlers towards l^ady (Jordon-Cathcart no words of mine can adequately describe. It was obviously un- necessary to inquire whether they were happy in their new homes; but I did ask one of the party whether he had sent home to his friends a full account of the place. 'NVhy, sir,' he replied, 'if I only told them half, they would never believe me again.' " Professor Tanner's report of his second visit in 1884 was in every way confirmatory of the first. These results show that capital may be safely as well as beneficently advanced with suitable management, to persons who are able to shift and work for themselves on farms in the Canadian North- West. There are considerable numbers of English gentlemen settled in this district, in the neif'hbourhood of Moose Mountain, who express themselves very well pleased with the country and its capabilities, but who yet want railway communications to satisfy then- needs. This will probably be afforded during the coming year by the Manitoba and South-Western extension. Many towns and villages have sprung up within a year with surprising rapidity, on the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, in the district of Assiniboia. Among these may be mentioned Broadview, Indian Head, Qu'Appelle, Regina (the capital). Moose Jaw, Swift Current and Medicine Hat, P tl Si V d t f a t IT) THE NORTH-WEST PRAIRIES. NOTES IIV WILLIAM FEEAM. B.Sc. Lorn, F.L.S., F.G.S., THK Y01'N(i (ilTIKS OK THK PRAIRIK. The proximity of a railway is an important factor in the marketing of agricultural produce, and it is not surprising to find that towns have sprung up all along the line of tlie Canadian Pacific Railway, but it is surprising to reflect on the rapidity witli which some of these towns have grown in size and importance, and liow neat, business-like, and well laid out many of them appear to be. As some are the centres of leatling agricultural districts, it appears desirable to give a brief account of a few of the leading ones, taking them in the order in which they are reached by the traveller in his journey westward from Winnipeg. The municipal organization of some of these towns is very complete, and remarkably so when it is borne in mind that most of them are not more than two or three years old ; they attord a strong testimony of the energy and capacity for business which characterize the dwellers in the Nnrth-West. It'ifty-six miles west of Winnipeg the town of Portage La Prairie is reached. It lies near the western boundary of the first steppe, and occupies the central position of the richest wheat growing land in the Province of Manitoba. It commands a very advantageous position, for, besides being on the main line of the (Janadian Pacific Railway, it is the soutli-eastern terminus and headquarters of the Manitoba and North- western Railway. This line is projected to run in a north-westerly direction to Prince, Albert, on the Saskatchewan River, a distance of 430 miles from Portage La Praire ; about 80 miles of the track are now in operation, the stations proceeding from Portage La Prairie being Macdonald, Westbourne, Woodside. (iladstone, Neepawa, Bridge (Ireek, and Minnedosa. The last named place is about 'M) miles due north of Brandon, a rising town on the Canadian Pacific Railway, and is situated on a tributary of the Assiniboine River. ends near Between Portage La Prairie and Carberry, fifty miles to the west, the line asc the gentle slope of the first escarpment, and Carberry, 106 miles from Winnipeg, is the eastern border of the second prairie steppe. It is the county town of Norfolk, and is the centre of a fertile wlieat-growing area called the " Beautiful Plains." Although the building of the town was only comnienced less than two years ago, it now has a popula- tion of over 400, and already is an important centre for the shipment of wheat. Twenty-seven miles beyond Carberry the traveller arrives at Brandon, a beautiful town situated at the crossing of the Assiniboine River. Its fine buildings and broad regular streets cannot fail to impress the visitor, and it strikes one at once as a town at which it would be pleasant to dwell. It is tlie market centre for a considerable ».rea of country, extending northward as far as Minnedosa, and soutliward to Turtle Mountain, and there is much excellent land in the neighborhood. Near the railway are several large elevators for the reception of wheat grown in the district. Brandon is 133 miles west of Winnipeg, and 47 miles further on the rising town of Virden is reached, whence a further run of 39 miles places the traveller at Moosomin, 219 miles from Winnipeg, the line leaving the general trend of the Assiniboine River valley in the vicinity of Virden. West of Moosonun, near Wapella, the track crosses the Indian trail from Moose Mountain m the south-west to Fort Ellice, on the Assiniboine River, in the north-east. P.rn.vdview. 264 miles west "f Winnipeg, and 45 miles beyond Moosomin. is another well laid out town, and the commercial centre of an excellent fanning country. It occupies a pretty situation near the head of Wood lake, and workshops of the railway ftr^ establisheii here, 16 vallcv, ;iu.l ts mik-a from !™ >1™ > "'',*"; w b„i ,».■. Tlio town nf Ii..li>ii Hca.l i„ a journey of «ix milu« .uuLa of the to^v.l. river, near 1' ort I'AhvL-. I lie to%Mi ''^ y"\ "^ V , , '. ^.^.^^^ ,,^ve set an example which Ihc l^cal aulhontio., ''! - "'■--;t;J?^ ^^^^ ^'^ e • V u , tl,n next r.lacc of importance is Regina, S2 miles to the After leaving (^. Appdle, the next pc I I ^^^ ^^^j ^^^ t,,^ v.,„visional west, ana X5(; n,ile« tro,,. \ m.ni^g. J^.^ ; j^J J,, N^.rth-Weit Territories. It is the District of As.in.l.o..ne l.u , . .^ J \ .„ t \orth-\Vestern Mounte.l Police, who are headquarters ottha^uuj.;ay^ -^^^ . ^^^^ ^^^ ,^ t, re . . f I.,,.- .,11,1 order over an enormous area, ami, as the „<■ ,,f rvnr<.=,s is Maple Creek, 007 miles beyoml Winnipeg, tn. I Fortv-two miles west of Lyi icss '« -y snnerior Tlie creek takes its name from „„re than 1 .Om) milrs from the f ;•'■*=' f^J,'^ uf b u 1 s, ami it is not nnlikely that a the Muantity of ash-leat maple ^^^' '^^^^Jj,;,,,, ,,' the ranchers of Montana, the considerable town may a u,c '^^ t us s ^^^^.^ ,^^^,^ ^j^^^^ .^,^,^ ,^^,^gy ,,y nearest of the St.vtos of the }; j '^'^'tV Uory. 'Iriving them first to Maple Creek, taking their -^^"le tiuongl Ca vd u u u -^..uthwar.l to Chicago. About whence they arc taken V. V, . ' , .^^ ' ,'f ,aian trail le;ids to Fort Walsh, one of the 3S,ar;:ck^f^^?^o;;l^^^^- Meaecinellatfi. mile. wc. of Maple C^^^^^^^^^ Leautifullv sitinte.l ;"' J'^ I^'^ J ' t liN^^the waters of its tributary, the Seven Persons north of the point whei.thiovuccxn thousaml, it is, nevertiieless, a River. With a present P" ''^ i?; ,^y.f ,,, ;,^.es., for it is the centre not only of an town which seems bouml t. , .^t .;' he n.nr future bhls fair to become an important ,;.,.ienUu.al area bf 'S'^w'l i ^ a "neat auiphithcatre surrounded by low Cretaceous coal mmuig district. /*>;,'; I" ''•''' f^ f,,„,,, tl e dead level of the prairie is very marked, hills, the etVect of winch .'■''^'"^ '\\'\' ^Z " ,,vc. the level of the sea, an.l the magniHcent Medccino Hat IS at a l"^'f.V', -;■,,';{ , ,tv of the locality has here carved out for S ^citS^h: banks!:; Shi^S nearly ^00 feet above the water. , ,, , . .r.,i .,,,,1 T= far as Cabmrv, a distance of 179 miles, the typicnl ehivactei, oi " . '' r ';::;i ,;; .^: n' ; in^-k^ndther by tree or shrub. Blaek- - -; '^''-•-^;'\;, ;;:;;;!i:^- ; :\;^;ri,f' imlians are here met with Beyond Me.l.«.ine feel, Crccs, and pu tic.- o. oai |' ,, j^j ^ ,e south and the Red Ducr H.t a broad Uble-land ''-tendH t - tl^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ Saskatchewan, a Kivcr on the North, and at ';-'','['•'•;")„„ of a highly combustible gas, whici, was vecent boring for f-' , '^ '^^^^; ,,\' ^id t^^'^^at evolved was, in September last, being S£d f^i- dH vhi' i^c mine^l eniph,yed in the boring. 17 tial houses, and wide, open streets, the town cannot fail to impress favourably anyone who may visit it, and it is likely to undergo rapi-l development. And yet, less than three years ago there was nothing to mark the site of this rapidly rising c:ty save a few canvas tents, and the silence and solitude of the Great Plains of Regina had never been disturbed by the shriek of the locomotive. Journeying along westward, some choice farming land is entered upon after leaving Regina, and here the traveller commences the ascent of the second prairie escarpment, the Missouri Coteau, marked by gently undulating land. At Moose Jaw, 42 miles beyond Regina, and 398 miles from Winnipeg, a very popular town is readied at the coniluence of the Moose Jaw and Thunder Creeks, tributaries of the Qu'Appelle River. The town is neat and trim, its streets and avenues are well planned, many of its buildings are handsome and substantial, and the growtli of its population has been remarkably rapid even for a prairie town. Fifteen miles to the north is Buffalo Lake, formed by the expansion of the Big Arm River on its way to join the Qu'Appelle ; the banks of this lake are about 300 feet high. From the town of Moose Jaw an Indian trail leads nortli- wards to the Temperance Colony, about 160 miles distant, wliere the settlers occupy a rolling prairie, well watered and fertile. Saskatoon, the capital of the colony, is on a wooded bluff, overlooking the broad Saskatchewan River. Beyond Moose Jaw the railway track follows Thunder Creek, and continues to ascend the slope of the Grand Coteau of the Missouri. There are good pastures in this district, and the land looks well adapted for sheep grazing. Twenty miles west of Moose Jaw the line passes the southern shore of the long, narrow Pelican Lake, which abounds in duck, geese, and pelican. "The summit of the Missouri Coteau is reached at a point 45 miles west of Moose Jaw, and 443 miles from Winnipeg. At this point, called Secretan, the third prairie steppe is reached, and Secretan is further of interest in that the most easterly of the 10 experimental farms of the Canadian Pacific Railway is situated here. The most westerly of the ten farms is at Gleichen, 351 miles beyond Secretan, and the history of this and other farms will be found detailed later on. The railway track through the Coteau passes over some tliirty miles of rolling or broken country, consisting of successive ridges and mounds, diversified with swales and alkaline ponds. To the south are the Old Wives' Lakes, with Cliaplin Station, nine miles west of Secretan, at their northern end. The lakes, fifty miles long, and six to ten miles broad, swarm with wild duck. Going on westward the train passes Rush Lake, and arrives at Swift Current, 51 1 miles from Winnipeg. This small town is not far from the South Saskatchewan River, as it bends southward on its way to join the main stream. Forty-four miles further on is Cypress Station, lying to the north of the Cypress Hills. Around this spot is a considerable tract of bare, and apparently barren land, but as there appears to be plenty of useful clay resting on sandy subsoils, it is very Hkely that good agricultural soils may here be worked up, and the success of the experimental farms at Swift Current and Gull Lake gives support to this idea. Forty-two miles west of Cypress is Maple Creek, 597 miles beyond Winnipeg, and more than 1 ,000 miles from the shores of Lake Superior. Tne creek takes its name from the quantity of ash-leaf maples which clothe its banks, and it is not unlikely that a considerable town may arise at this spot, inasmuch as the ranchers of Montana, the nearest of the states of the Union, find that they can save l)oth time and mouoy by taking their cattle through Canadian territory, driving them first to Maple Creek, whence they are taken by rail to Winnipeg, and then sent southward to Chicago. About thirty miles south-west of Maple Creek an Indian trail leads to Fort Walsh, one barracks of the North-Westem Mounted Police. of the chief Medicine Hat, 63 miles west of Maple Creek and 660 miles from Winnipeg, is beautifully situated on the east bank of the South Saskatchewan River, a short distance north of the point where this river receives the waters of its tributary, the Seven Persons River. With a puesent population of less than half a thousand, it is nevertheless a town which seems bound to make rapid progress, for it is the centre not only of an agricultural area but also of what in the near future bids fair to become an important coal mining district. It occupies a great anipliitheatre surrounded by low Cretaceous hills, the effect of which rising abruptly from the dead level of the prairie is very marked. Medicine Hat is at a height of 2,100 feet above the level of the sea, and the macjnificent river which adds 18 HO much to tlu! iiiitiiial l)eiuuy of the locality has here carved out for itself a channel, the hanks of which rise nearly SOO feet al)ove the water level. Iniinediately on leavint; Medicine Hat for the west the train passes over a very line iron railway hridye, which here at a great height ahove the water spans the gorge of the Month Saskatchewan. Away to the northeast of Medicine Hat this river is joined hy the Red Deer River, while much lartlicr in the same dirtiction, on the hanks of the Northern Saskatchewan, is the town ot liattleford, between whicii and Medicine Hat comnmniciitiou is kept up alon.' the Indian trail. Battleford is tlic centre of a picturcsciiie legion occupied hy many tlinving And north-west of Medicine Hat and as far as Calgary, a distance of 179 miles the route lies through the last stretch of genuine prairie lan.l- prairie land, too, of the most typical character, one sky-hound grassy plain, unhrokeii either hy tree or shrub, mackteet, (rees, and parties of otlier tribes of ]n;vill ere long .levelop the country to the westward, and, abme all, the natural beauty of its situation, these are some of the factors which will help to nismc a great future for the town of Calgary. Eastward is the prairie, and the town Itself IS on the prairie ; l.ut to the north, t,; the south, and to the west, the foot th nu'nbr;.5r f^i -^'"""wl-' '"'*^"'' ."'« •"V"'1''"y "f *'^" ««""-'' '"'^l '^'-^ themselves thioun into relief by thc> loftier summits in the back-ground, and these in turn present ''raiideS *^o»ti'ast with the white peaks which tower above and behind them in awful Through the plain of Calgary flow the clear waters of the Bow River, which a shoii distance froni the town is joined by its tributary, the VAhoyy. The excellence of the land n this district IS testified by the number of flourisliing farms on Pine Creek, on Fish Creek, and on the banks of the Uhow River, and the plentiful supply of good water the abundance of fuel, and the kmdly climate must continue to in.ke this an attnictive rpfnrvV i""'"' .1 r'T^ northward by stage, occupying five days, is necessary to Com an "' «l"arters of the Saskatchewan trade of the Hudson's I Jay West of Calgary the prairie continually narrows as it follows the course of the Bow River over which the railway is carried no less than four times. Sr 10 THE SCENERY OF THE NORTH-WEST. It would be 0. hopelcHS task to attempt to convey any adequate idea of the scenery of the Rocky Mountains. In approaching this superb ran^e from the east the traveller experiences a succession of surprises, each one more novel than its predecessor. All the splendid and niap;nificent effects which Nature can produce when she works with such nuiterials as massive rocks and yawning chasms, lakes and streams and waterfalls, dense belts of dark green forest trees, dazzling snow fields, and lofty ice-clad mountain peaks glistening in the blue vault of heaven, are here cond)ined to form a glorious panorama which must linger in the memory of him who sees it forever. Dwellers on the prairie need never be more than a day or two s journey from regions where Nature may be seen in her grandest and wildest moods. To the south, and more particularly to the north of the railway belt, scenery widely different from that of the prairie may be enjoyed ; mind and body may alike be refreshed in the wild recesses of the Rockies, the Alps of the North-West ; and the country east of Winnipeg, between Lake Superior and the Red River Valley, presents ai.jther complete change of scenery from that of the prairie. At Rat Portage, for example, 132 miles east of VVinnipeg, the lovely Lake of the Woods is bound ere long to become a great place of resort in the sunnner season ; not only are its surroundings in the highest degree picturescjue, but the surface of the lake itself is dotted with immmerable islands of every , u-iety of shape and size. These islands, tree-clad or grMS covered to the water's edge, are like " Summer isles of Eden lying in the dark purple spheres of sea," and upon them, and in the waters around them, the tired worker will find rest and enjoyment. More to the east, about the shores of Lake Superior, are many of the scenes of Hiawatha. CLIMATE OF THE I'RAIRIE. Nothing in connection with the North-West is, perhaps, more misapprehended at home than the nature of its climate. Old notions, and particularly erroneous ones, die hard, and the idea, that up to fifteen or twenty years ago was still current in England, that North-West C/anada was a cold, desolate, inhospitable region, with its soil frost- bound nearly the year round, and fitted only to be the home of fur-bearing animals, still lingers in the minds of many people. That in the North-West the thermometer as a rule gives higher readings in the summer and lower in the winter than we are a''customed to in the old country is perfectly true, but in estimating the character of a climate it is wrong and misleading to be guided by the thermometer alone. The atmosphere possesses other properties besides temperature ; it can tell a tale to other meteorological instru- ments besides the thermometer. The hygrometer, an instrument for indicating tne amount of moisture in the air, shoidd be observed in conjunction with the thernionieter, or the same infonnation may be gained by comparing the readings of a wet bulb and a dry bulb thermometer. It is thereby ascertained that the air of Manitoba and the North-West is usually drier than that of the British Isles, and to comprehend the significance of this fact it is necessary to bear in mind the well-known physical law that water is a better conductor of heat than dry air. The presence in the atmosphere of moisture — and atmospheric moisture is merely water vapour, often containing" minute particles of water — renders the air a better conductor of heat the higher the percentage of moisture. Hence, in cold weather, moist or damp air will conduct away heat from the animal body more rapidly than drier air, and thus arises the pronounced feeling of discomfort which in the British Isles is often associated with cold, damp weather, and probably much more frequently experienced in Britiiin than in North-West Canada. I)ry air is a bad conductor of heat, so that, even with a very low temperature, such air really plays the part of an insulator in preventing the escape of warmth from the body. Let it, however, become saturated with moisture, and it would at once, by conducting the heat away from the skin, pioduce a sensation of cold and discomfort. On physical grounds, then, it is easy to understand how the dwellers in the Noith-West can endure a winter temperature which in our own cliniate would be intolerable — the dryness of the atmosphere is their protection. To explain why the atmosphere is so much drier there would involve too great a divergence into physiographical details. Moreover, the frost which locks up the land for months in the winter is really a serviceable friend to the prairie farmer. The moisture Which permeates the soil 20 expands in the act of freezing and this causos^ a mi^^^^^^^^ amongst the particles o ploughed earth, ?« J J^* .^;;" J^f^ tob^inK about by the work in a desirable state of tilth, which it is well "'g.'^ ''"P°^^'!'^'f^°^;""^ one that works of any agricultural implen>ent. Frost is a good ff ,^.'"'* J^ ^[^"^f.!^';,^,", J^ arable land, without pay. At home a winter without imti '«f^' J^^JJ'y.^tl £? it means much ****** THK PKAIHIK AS A HOME FOB SETTLERS. What advantages or inducements does the North-West offer t" -ttlers ? P^^^^^^^ the answer to this question must >« ^'"^r/^.irf ITcK Giants land within here some of what I consider to be ^^^ , J, ^^ ,^" £Tee from tlie Government, or convenient distance of the railway may be obtained e.the. t,^f « '^om ti ^^^^^ at very cheap rates from the C'Uiadian Pacihc Railwvy Ih^^^^^^ the richest prairie land at the choice of the ««f ?,';,. ^°f^^;Ynrforyear in order that there is no'severe labor with the axe, ^^■^;;^,'^%^^ ;S'^,^{ J^^],e laid under a tree stumps may rot to facilitate their '''''"o^'f ' ,,\;\';u?™the space of the first twelve enjoj.ble to live in. Wc.k or de losto F»Pl« 'h°°'<' "»' «» '^^^^^^^^^ i, i„ '"' r,';,° Sr wike™ " Me"' wh ™ft°' '."el^Su?: JSh'Srui wo'""* '«'." ^:izZ^r::;X^t^^^^ 'ei or.i'rWey eou.a -ope .o, ,„ the old country. T1,P more mixed farming extends on the prairies the more interesting will the ,e.urr'r«;rii;;ft..e.eap„*^^^^^^ future period. There is no scarcity of timber or fuel, for vast forests are at different spots touched bythc'^ilway MoSvt, it is absolut;iy certain that extensive coal-bearmg regions 21 LIBRARY exist in many easily accessible points of the North-X^^^^^ ^^^^^trth^t^ Saskatchewan valley near M«'li""« «^Vll twVorth Wc^st m^ meeting r»:nln^r n^:™l S ."I^inl^-l^' ^-^ Vo...ly 1>^ iu a position to export coal. Sit£::iS";^"«::r^^ planted each year, bul it is a JeUu hat «» -"^ f^ "^^Jj^^^^^i-Xre pastoral farming will As to the prospects of the Great North-West. it is only the poet who can say : " I-^ti^V^K ^-^vKJ^r(S>^oX'?.^Would be ; " but if its development in the -ar future ma^^^^^^^^^^ £r.f:'goll1hre&^mined immediate past, then wiU Its growth be ra^^^^^^^^ g ^^.^.^^ ^,^^^ ^j^^y to work will, as the years ro I on, hnd themselves in a n i i^ ^ can hope to secure in the old country, «" ^1 ^ ^en the t»^%~J°; t the means to well.ea\ned rest in thexr dedinmg y^^n' w^io" 1 trn an^^^^^^^^ ttie happy prairie enable them to do «"; Af^l£ chiWren w o^ ^.j^j^ ^s of man's industry, who are S ftJbL^rgXiJtre:? VZlLn. sky, the/cam.ot fail to be healthy and vigorous. , L „ II " Iron-jointed. supple-sineWd, they shall dive, and they ohuU run. and, true "prairie flowers " they wm grow into --^wom^ssess^^ which coulcf never have been acquired ^"^f,"^ the sunmei m ^^ttlers.-scions of all other nations taken together. 1 NOTES ON THE CANADIAN NORTH-WEST. T^ T T> «wT7TT>nN Professor of Aoricultubk, at ■'''T„r^?Jr™ isrArJn J..!"S?S, s.™.., ,...,.... e»<„.»b, IN 1884. ThP Province of Manitoba-so well known by repute io Europe-is just now emerSgSTVession caused by inflatecWec^^^^ ffSLdilnXm^ bubble which, by opening up the vast territory t" t le west in .^^.^ Railway was sure to burst. Land fas n«w come down to^ts Icgitima^^^ ^^^ value, or has even sunk below that level for the time bemg. .^ ,^^^ which never ought to have been lost to f^ J^f^f ^f^/^^ ^^at now^ (b the time for restored,_and en^rprise^ wm ^^^^^^^^ :3^^23:^%;-ve miie^syifis one of hve others being: Assiniboia, containing 95,000 square miles, Aioeiui,, f, 22 Bquare miles; Sttskatcliewiui, containing 114,000 H(|nare miles; and Athahaska, contain- ing 122,000 s(inaie miles. Manitoba lias therefore an acreage of 473,088,000, of which a con8i(leial)le portion in water. In many parts of the province the soil is of surpassnig richness, prodneing excellent cro)is of wheat, barley, oats, turnips, potatoes, carrots, onions, etc., etc., the wheat particularly being of very superior (luality, hard and dry, and much sought after by American millers fJ "'"'^,^;\';^','V -J^^ an.l garden vegetables growin- sueeessfully on the new pra rie so 1. ,,.' ''^/";, _^^'J'' from a .lark-coloured day to strong h.ains, and ligiit sands, an.l allords «l' pe ^ '« ll kinds ."agricultural f,^ney. Hut'the han.lso.nest conntry ^^--^^"C^^'l^^ up the slopes ..f the Rockies. This is the great raueh.ng ^■•'"' * 'y.; '"' ^ ^^^ct w k^ cattle roan ing about the pastures which a.lorn tins un.lulat.ng 'I'^^tV;'* J^ 'l\f/^,^5,^X,,i stretches a Ioiil' .listance to the north an.l south of the railway, it must be a.lnnttL. . t e a.Urt4- ^^^^^^^^^^ this country alfor.ls for eattlc-raising --,-y.';,f -;;; '^J in.portant; for, as the isothermal line runs in ^''"'•t''-^^'^^^*^ ^^^ '^Xl" ' fa^itu e priiries, the clin.ate at the R..ckies is hub table an.l even gennvl " ' ' ^X^r/eet b< v^ which is .lesolate on the Atlantic si.le of Cana.la. At a 1'"'"* h^."^, ^''"^"^ '"^^^^^^^^^ the sea level, in the Ro.^ky M..untains, we foun. the a,.' so n.dd , '^^^X mom tains n want.d, even at Hve o'clock in the n,onung a though we had eo e -^^P J >« "7" f/j '^,. " a snow-storm tlu. previous evening. Ab.,ve this point, which is ^^^ '"«';''^* *',',^, ™ [^ ^ ..ttains in the KickiiiL' Horse I'ass, the uniiun bered suow-.dad i)eaks ot the inountaii s shoorup inio tl e cletr air ten or twelve thousand feet abf.ve us, ..rnung a spectacle grand, Li le magnificent, and well repaying a thousan.l miles Journey over the Sw Thesplewlid pine trees with which tTic mou itains are adorned creep up the neks until tlev are stn \hc.y l,plon;r w'-ere cattle roam in co)"nion over millions of acres? Cattle tliat are out oi cillon when wi ter comes on are apt to perish in the cold, unless they are careful y fe.l and shdtered an.l the Cochrane Ranching Company suftered severely one winter m thsmamS S that were out of c.mdition after being driven northward rom Mont r too ate in the autumn. I am assured however, that cattle in goo^^on^'tum to start with will stand the winter bravely, keeping on their flesh till long after ChiSmas tU^ss, water, forage for hard winters an.l she terb^^^^^ artificial are indispensable to the continued success of a ranche. ilie winters vaiy in Lveri V so that the amount of provision to be nuule for stock, in the way of food and sheler^is always problematical ; 'but the safe thing is to prc,vide enough for a"y Fobab e or possible contingency of weather, for an ear y winter and a late spring It will thus be seen how necessary it is that an owner should be in residence at a ranche. I am assured on good authority that fine crops of roots and oats can be grown with very crmle cuWvatron, and that, ever here the land in its natural state appears barren, maize and cereals prosper amazinglj The ranchers depend a great deal on the hay wh ch ^s self cur ngtZt is, on grass curing as it stands, to be consumed in .situ ; an.l it Ts peSHtyo the native gnvss that it^hould cure in this way, pn)viding frosts do not cut t Ki before it has had time to do so. Generally speaking, the cattle subsist eiv we 1 through the winter on this self-cured hay, for the winds as a rule blow it bai^ ortL dry snow ; but when it happens to l,e deeply buried in snow, and remains so untU the snow isZzen so as to resist the wind, then the cattle are in danger of perishing for *?^„f7Aol ard here it is that a supyly of forage is so necessary and benehcient. Ev farming hi" connection more or less direct with ranching, will probably open out SiALr, where, it is asserted, and J think not unfairly so, tFiat the country possesses 24 all the natural co.ulitiouH cBBcntial t,. that ^'"f "-%.,A youn. Kn^^^^^^ yearn' Htan.ling, infornu.l mo that "\V''''t-:P ''%, ^K-ve u..litato« the fencing out t.. a .laii-yn.an Hteni. '**• "^ "^ , ,^;,,, ,,^,y„„H, general for a tf:-iL:ut^£*t;iii.:^i:r..;;-^^^^^^ The North. West has very large ^"P-i^l^lJ^^^^? ^^T ' 1.& J thSn^ rea«on to suppose that there are n.any "*!'« « '^^-^t^'g •l'«^'^y<'j[y^,,,[';., ,„„„ght with us of the rivers coal is seen l-;t.n.a.ng m -- ^ ' ^.i-^SirNledioine At district, specimens of apparently excelleut coai, wk-'i " i ^ Winn peg, we saw a At Lanuevin, 80 n.iles west of Medicine Hat, '"''J^^';^' "'\'^. 7''\i^^^e ,.,, ha 1 T.^en struck gas well, which wa. then driving a *-'-'« ^'•:"Xi,inSed to 1« e another well for ^^^t aillnS^Itrr^^hatl^n:;!^ in this land of wonders. .. « * * « * * , ,. . • • +1 .t ti,o Nr.ith West of Canada presents an opening for pushing My impression is that the Mo ti- West oi V'/' "•^ ^ industrious. An extensive young men of good conduct, I'-^'^'t^'yV-^"'^'^'; ^'I'^^yiv to i» *»>« ^orth- L.o^lc.lge of Uritisli agricultural pract cen is not ■«;^*'^f'^!^/",,f^,.'*pi,,„ ,,8 are used at West, wTiere farming is of the simplest imagma l.le '='^^'^,*^^' ;'''\^,tC^eward than in all. Capital is most useful in Canadian '^M"'^"!*"^' "^^^If f,,''e t But even men of Englan.i when it is in the hands of '""^f ^''^^-.'^''^^^J^i",- ^d lot to embark at once capital, and of experience m British farming will he ^^^ "^^^^'^^'^^^ ^^ ^^.n^ers already in farming on their own account, but ^'^thf *» ' "« ^'^f/J*'™ ^jj^e. There is an old cstablishe.!, and thus to pick up tuition and cash at te ^''^'^^^^^^^ j^ ^^t true adage to the effect that "a man must pay f°r 'ns l^'"'";^- i">»^" \^ ^.^j^ ^^^ in Cfanada, if men will hire themselves out as I l^^^Xo^^^^^i^^^J^k Louud the country HIS LEAHNiN.), and does not pay for it ">»«««• ^f,X deches where to locate himseft. north and south, and e^«t *"? ^^^A^^j f' , i^trc^or h hfs wW^^^ hold of the Where land is so splendidly abundant, it is h raiy ^°;^, ,y ^ ^ ^..^ke up his mind- first block he comes across. A new ^'^g"";« '"^^.^^J:.!? urroun^ fixed up properly, to "rough it" for a time, until he can get his ^ o'"^ ^^''^f ""Si°3 also be prepared to to which end the energies of a ^"^/^^'^.^h^nate s^ktv LoZers find no congenial work hard, be steady, and be content with sparse society. l.ounger» e home in that country. , . . . ^ • • • •* * • * The following is Dr. Cheadle's account of the horses take^^^^^^^^^^ sixth edition of tie "North- West Passage by Land . J e f w ^ep^^^ ^^^^^^^ winter quarters. The first thing to do was t^/^^f f e l^orses whicj ^^^^^ ^^^ ^ looseatthecommencementof winter We had 8^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^il time, and knew in what direction they had janderea. ^^ ^ ^^ ^^^e very without difficulty, and 'discovered them about eight or J^n ^nUes aw y ^^^_^ nuich astonished at their hne '^^"dition when he diove^them to^^^^ ^^^,^ ^^ ^^^ Although very thin when the snow began to ^*"' ^'^^^ ^^^'^, "^fe for Indian horses, as wild and full of spirit as i fed on ««[°-^J^°;* ^^d^r^vLTn w^^^^ they have The pasture is so nutintious tha animals fatten -P^jly^^ shelto^lhem 'f rom the pfercing to scratch away the snow to feed-if ^^ey pa wooas w country, yet their only winds. No horses are more h'^-'^y ^»,^";f ""^^^^1^0^ tl e copses The milch cows and s:drB'aTti:t::^rd tt Satttat ?:t*|^tKr ^ -d m^, i. wked £ Dr. c£a2fe\ map as possessing " rich soil and fine pasturage. , ,, ,• f ii- _ <-< ;i;o.T! Pomfin pjiilwav. M...y progro»iye tow,,, «Vr=,"?/SLtol'"» L'TeSrof the'.ictoi gr.i;.- til ti.u faotorv many hotels, and other well-built edifi. fcSn S 133 niilen west of ^Vun^g. >- ..nrnomtion inul IV ponulfttum of over J.OOO thougn oi ly . pot ulation < •ome 4,000. uiug own, wi !i mayor and ireeor four > sold. It has rge grain eU tors. At tl'^sc i»«ple— ati lattrpln m ' ■ •'• ' - ^'^ im Ul, -£i-iS-iS'^.^^s^;-^= =s^ t^ad. - Winnipeg, however, is tj^e capjUl of Manlt^ajd the, c<^n^^^ North-West It is the gre.v '!"'*"»\"J" « ^ J.« a ha nlet, with a population of 260 River and the Rooky Nfountains In l^^^/V^ti^ ^J'Z^J,,^,,t roll of $'2.076,018 ; in souls. In 1874 it w-«;»-rF|rated as -^^^^^^^^^^ ,f |30,43'2.'i70, and i^^ 188'2 it coud boast of fjySv)'"''^^'^^ broad and well laid out streets. Uned with population is now about 30.000. It l»M »f«»" ^ y^jj^ buildings. The city is Eandsome stores and warehouses, pnva^^^^^^^^ j^«. j, has been glVwif S^any ar?;iuS ^^^^1.^^:^ station has been built. THE CANADIAN NORTH-WEST AND THE ADVANTAGES IT OFFERS roR EMIGRATION PURPOSES. BY PROF. HENRY TANNER, M.R.A.C, F.C.S., AGBICULTURK, SOUTH KENSINGTON, LONDON. {^Repvrt of 1885 pvblishzd /anuory 188a) Under this title we include ^^^ fj^^^^^^^^^^^ Territories. The more complete political organi^^^^^^ Provinces in the advanced settlement, distmguish her fron the genera^ grop ^^. j something of the Canadian North-West As » fi"t step, it is very '^^^^^^ .^^^ „f M.-nitoba is rather magnitude of the country we are about to notice^ ine r Manitoba four other larler than Great Britein with ;';«l'','^4^*;^ded, and to^^^^^ ^.^^ ^^^^ ^^^.^ poVnces have ^.^n fonned.^each ^-^soniewhat^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ remai^g rather'TargeV than the total wea oi Russia m *.urop w»v« w,. wrm^a 28 I'liiipirt! iulildil. Hi'iUM' it will Ix; xfon that iiinlcr the wv iii»! (IciliiiK witii nil tMioriiKiiw tiiirt i)f ooiintiy, ami a viay imiMntaiit ixiitiim of tliu D.ihiinioii of CaiiiKJa. Lonl Dull't'iiii, in Hpfakiiig r)f tliiM iliMtrict, wii.l : " Kroiti itw l{eoi{ia|)liiean kiiigdoniH. were lint the aliteehainherH to that till then undreamt of Dominion, wlioHe illiiiiitalile dimeiisioiiH alike eonfouml tlio arithmetic of the xiirveyor, and the veiifleatioii of the explorer. It waw henee that, counting her iiiiHt achievements an Imt the prelude to her future exertioim and expanding dentinicH, slie took a new departure, and felt heiHelf no longer a mere settler along the l.aiikM of a Hingle river, hut the peer of any power on the earth." Four yearn then elapned. and at the name point of the (Canadian North-Went, hin siiecennor in the ofiiee of ( lovernor-i leneral, the ManpiiH of Lome, in an addrenn which he delivered in Winnipeg, in 1881, mont warmly niipported thene viewn. Ho naid : "Unknown a few yearn ago. we now nee Winnipeg rapidly lifting itnelf to the front rank amongst the commercial eentren of the Contiiuiit. We look ill vain elaewhere for a nitiiation no favou.alde and so commanding many fair I'egionn of which we can hoant. 'i'lu're may he nome among you heforc „..w„v. ,.j..4 tho whole wonderful nanorama of our I'rovincen han panned the ocean garden island of I'rince Kdward, the inagniticent valh^ys of St. .Johns and .Sussex, the marvellous country, the home of ' Kvangeline,' where IMomidoii looks down on the tidoa of Fundy, and over tracts of red soil, richer than tho weald of Kent. You may have seen the fortilied I'aradine of (^iiehoc ; nnd Mo.itreal, whon« proHp the .... • . t 1 • ^t. . / • i:.. .. Kf .....4.1. l\T....* tiaiil I li unetjuullu'} coiutitioiiH ('!o;wr iiulicatiouH uh tu 'm.sperity exiHting in the ('iinailiiin North- Went, anil they give jjreat ilevelopmentH wliii^li await it in the early future. TIIK I'KOVINCK (IK MAMTOIIA. riiis Province the eldest sister of the North-West group may he fairly considered as having been released from the parental tare of the Dominion (iovernment, and as hii ing surrounded herself with a thorougldy complete establishment of her own. VVIiether wo direct our attention to the work done in her I'arliament, or to the a^ry good l^^^Vf h\°^lf fe 1 1 Sv nSy 1 e most e^lly obtained there by any man in saying that land of very high ^^ t;l\*y '"^^ Uffei-ence between good and inferior sods, who knows his business and who can tell the JiHticnce o« b considered I am bound even to go beyond this, '"A^.f^^l^f^fh^J.^fihe richest soil in the world, that the Black Earth of Central Russia (l^honm f«;"> *5^i,"^/^, ' ^i^ek soils of Manitoba land has now to yield its <:^'«ting^»«hed posit on to the r^«»^;^2 SoL of the World" are and the North- West Territory. Here ^t is tl -t Jh Champion ^,^^.^.^^ ^ ,^,^^^ to be found, and we may rejoice ^1'** *jjey are lo^^ Kildonan Farm as an illustration of their powers of f ^^ t/lity t>»e ""^pie ^a^L . ^^^^ near Winnipeg, beloiv|ingJ. Mr. Rob^^ ,f^, ,,a had of wheat growing m 1884— crops wnicn """'"'..,. xu n losing any portion of its maintaine^d their ^uV'^^i^TarfaftLe v^rte^frosJ r^^^^^^^ boU with fresh productive power. Year by year had *he winter irosie prepared than stores of fertility, from its rich refves and thus the 1^"^ Jecame D P^^P^ ^^ ever for its work. It may appear to a .«*[ *"g^\*.^*'"' ^°^^^^ tt, I do not hesitate to say but with full knowledge of the responsibility which ^^^^^ ^ ^^^ that there are millions of ^«>^f ^ .^^^ C^"^'^^ ^r^W^^^^^^^ as uncared-for wastes Kildonan soil in fertility, but that these l*"f ,^'/ '"" \^^^^ the seed. If we descend only requiring the plough to prepare t^em or the reception of the seea.^^^ ^^.^^ in the scale of fertility and take *«?l,f « ^^^"'^^.^J^ed their^most luxuriant powers, in Great Britain and Irf a"'!, f ^"^ ^^J tn «+ iTw^^^^^ Manitoba possesses her soils of this character and quality exi^m P^^ ^^^ full share of such lands, but these "^n sons ov V ^ onwards and distributed throughout YZJJrlSvi^f The oppo tunities therefore whiC. onwards through much of the ^"t^'^^^^^'^f'^'- X^^^ the production of food, " There a man is a man if he's willine; to toll, A^HthP humblest may gather the fruit cf the soil. ner/cWldr^n are SinKS. and he >vho hath most Hfts aid for his fortune, and riches to boast. ?r«'^he yoSng "^ay exult, ax.d the a^dmay rest. Away, far away, in The Land of the Weat. , 61 11 ii a: Ci a e i s t t a s t I ! ] AOBICDLTURAL CAPABILITIES, nifod^rinttrfiS: B=sfurLnne.^ ^^^^^^^^^^ Swttirrs clelrly defined seasons-the ^^^^J^^fJ^ etuiTwill bflim^^^^^^ these, period of rest. At the Pref"t.«tage our enquiry wiuu^^^^^ ^ ^^^ For this demands our <=«ns'derat.on by reason o^^^^^^^ P^ ^^ ^^P^ ^^^ livestock. Every armer kn^^ t^at^f he iy« « ^^^ ^ .citable climate, only secure a fertile soil, ^ut be favourea oy a g ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^ Happily for the Canadian North^ J est g°°d^X '^^^^'^^efinite and settled, for the frost extremely exceptional The conditions oiciimat ^^^^ .^ ^ ^^^ and snow having eft the ^^^-^f «• ^'^"Jf J°i3 to those who are accustomed the rapidity and luxuriance of growth is simply mcreaim j^^tion will be easily only to the growth of crops under the B„ti«h chma e. ih.s -na stimulating understood if we remember the clear, brignt suns ^ ^ rj^^e rapidity of warmth which 'ii«ting"\«\*«//\";'^tt fact thatXr^^^^^ plant food in crowth we observe may be traced ^^the f«.ct that therejs^a^^^^^^^.^^ impart to the plant the soil, and that the stimulaung ii.uuer.c. J . "[-"j-^;;^";- 1^ yge ^f In these cases'such I great energy "^ growth, where^^^^^^^^ too oft^n accompany it in Great ?S t'i^:tni;iir.^\^t£it^-iooa m «.« ^oil U. Manitoba and ia her ■] 29 Bister provinces is not onlyabundantin.^^^^^^^^^^^ If these facts are remembered they ^"XnLLlthcoTditions which to the British farmer in the Canadian North- W-^^^^^^^^^^ u'nknoL THfitrTte this most important set of are most unusual, if not P'^f,^*'''*"^ X,f„ctiirer has a very good machine, which, being conditions, let us suppose that a "''^f '^^^^^'T-X Ire needed the use of steam power abundantly supplied with all the "i*t«"f^.,^^?'^^;%^eS of quality. All of these enables a rapid production to be secured ^f J^'^^* ^^f/,*/™,^ ?oint \n either would three conditions, however, are "f ^^f^'jj^^^ """fr^'f °rop8 in that district, the clear, soon make itself ev dent. So also in t^e growth of crops m t character of bright sunshine, and the ^^^'•'"t^V.'^^*^^ JJ^J^^d afrhe supplies of food in the soil the^unlight makes growth exceptionally rapid, and a^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^ are also complete, the excellence o the cro^^ l^ ^^^ thoroughly seed for the discharge of its duties. " ^ "° \ K; it^^^ supply of raw materials, are effective, the abundance of motive power «;f ^° '^^f ^^f J^'.^'i^Phlve well trained farm not sufficient for securing a success. .J" "° P^.'^.^g^^i^f ""we shall subsequently refer seeds equal opportunities for givmg *J^^" ^^^«*;^~3d b^^^^^ more fully to the important inffuences ^^^^^jj^^y^nificent results are within command, their duties the trio s again «7P\f,^,^"^J"4V3er ^^^^^^^^ not be disposed to condemn Bearing all these facts in mind, ^ t':"^,^*'^** fr,^^^^^^^^^ or as exaggerations. In any an accurate statement of facte ^s bemg too highly ^^J^'Ycannot follow the example of a case my duty is clear, and the risk mu^t be iun> ^'e how surprised and delighted he settler in th/North-West, who, having explamed to me^ ^ t^^^^^ ^ was with the happy ^r^^' -til'^homeTd to!d H^ about it ; but he gave us him the hope that he had wntteuhon.e and toW ^^^^^^^ T^J^T-T Se^e^faTaW'^^FhTvelo^^'o^^^^^^^^^ tThirr^e^^^^or^h^^^^^^^^^ MANITOBA WHEAT. This is a most valuable wheat for milling It -^—tifdlSeVS^^^ baker's point of view in all pointe .^JyE^^fsi^^yefeo* d "«* ^" ^''"'''^- ^* '' ""'^^^ samples of Hard Fyfe Canadian for t^e British miUerc^^^^^^ purposes, both for magnificent. There can be no better quality of wh^ Mfnnesota wheat. It streVth and qua ity of ^^'j;; ..F°^^^^^^^^^^^ where hom^-grown wheate frequently would prove invaluable to millers '" *^^^^'=''''"^^^^^ the humidity of the climate. It come tS hand in d^m? condition mconsec^uence of the ^^^ ^^^^^ possesses splendid quality and value ^«™"^.!"f jS arTtoo 'cute to allow this regular supply of it I am afraid ^Je AmeiH>an imUers ar ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ quality to come here in any quantity, if they «an P^^^^J P™;%g^dy demand at 3 or 4 Se put on our markete at a J'^'^f "^^l^^ P"°" ^^^e^ts No doubUt would do for mixing shillings per quarter over the best I"'!'*" .^f^^^^Xit alone and it would make flour of in some (listricts, but I would most «f **,"[, f^'il*^^^^^^^ should have no fear of any the finest quality. Could we get such qual ty regularly ^ve shoiua ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ American competition H)^ ^h^aL qluty V lies in the fact that it what we cannot buy. ihe X*' ^5 i „l^!f hpat flour are or should be, anxious as far as is grown on almost virgin soil, takers of best flour are, J snoui ^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ well «d.pted for raiUerB m thi. «™»';y- ^f'l"'?, "™„'|J^'^^ commerce in purity. If HungmLn flour would .tend little cUce in th,, country. I „.y now .tete.th.t ^^f^ou^y'lr'^^:'^.SlT.r^ft''2^&Z:£Tii of Manitoba wiieat, i Uaye m ^his auitcm^nv j..^^..- y i3„""in,plY grouped these opinions j:;SS?eH"'o-S?irS;" sirs "il^^"'^S^£. »'a the, ..oLy.r. 30 who cannot even be suspected of giving any over-commendation — these opinions are of far more value than anything which can be said by those who are not in the trade. If tliose statements mean anything they prove that the wheat of the Canadian North-West has a special value upon the Britisli markets, and that larger imixjrtations are eagerly desired. The fact of Manitoba wheat being thus sought after by millers cannot fail to encourage its production, and this demand will help to maintain its market value. The increased pro(luction of wheat will be materially assisted as the means of transport to the British markets are improved, and as the costs are decreased. It is, however, most important that the farmers of the Canadian North- West should have increased facilities for selling direct in the British markets, because it will give them a free choice between the local buyers and an export of their wheat, thereby securing a fair competition. I am glad to be officially informed that such arrangements are daily becoming more within general command. The increase in the number of flour mills in Manitoba is very marked, for whilst the cost of grinding profitably economises the cost of export, much valuable food is also taken back to the farm, and given to stock, wliich would otherwise have been sent away in the unground wheat. Each year also shows increasing accommodation alongside the railways in the form of elevators for storing wheat. At the end of 1884 those gave accommodation in Manitoba alone for one and a half million bushels. And in addition to this there was storage at Port Arthur for another half a million. As these elevators give a cheap and good storage for wheat whilst it is being held over for sale, the convenience to farmers is very great. Closely associated with the value of the Manitoba wheat is the question of its cost in production. I see no reason to modify the cost I have already given for each acre under wheat, as a first crop after breaking the prairfe, viz.: .i!2 (or say 10 dollars). . regards the cost for the cultivation of sunsequent crops, as there will be tillages on , j summer fallow to provide for, it is fair to calculate upon somewhat similar expenditure. The cost per bushel will of course vary with the yield of the crop, but it is no uncommon thing to find 40 bushels produced at just the same cost by a good farmer, as twenty bushels are obtained by one who is " too late " in all his operations. I am not disposed to quote a very low cost for production, but it may be safely calculated as averaging about 20 pence per bushel, and in ordinary seasons it will leave a margin of profit ranging from £2 an acre downwards, according to the character of the management and various local conditions. The expenses incurred in the delivery of wheat to the r.ailway stiition vary considerably, as will l)e evident if it be considered that some has to be drawn three miles and other wheat will recjuire perhaps thirty miles carriage. This represents so much additional cost per bushel, and so much less profit to tlie grower, which he would do well to take into his calculations in selecting his land. During the last three years (1883-4-5) the growth of wheat has been interfered with by summer frosts. I am perfectly satisfied that any injury which has arisen has been imnroperly magnified by two classes namely — those who have opposing interests, and tiiose who want to lower the market price of wheat. These reiwrts are also remar". bio for the fact that, generally speaking, whilst they refer to any damage done in the Canadian North- West in very exaggerated terms, they are remarkably silent about other districts in the States which may lia\'e suffered far more severely. Having visited the Canadian North-West during each of these three harvests, I have had very fair opportunities for learning the opinions of farmers in various parts of the district, and for personally inspecting the crops. Putting aside all exaggeration we inust face the fact that much damage has undoubtedly arisen, and it is in the highest degree important for us to determine how far we can lessen or prevent these losses. I have not the least doubt on my mind but that the diinger may be very greatly decreased by a better system of management, and I base that opinion upon facts which have come under my observa- tion in this district. It may, however, be desirable to state at this point, that if the growth of the wheat crop has been unduly delayed by any cause, and frost (not necessarily severe frost) strikes the ear when in a milky state, considerable damage arises, but the liability to injury decreases just as the grain becomes firmer and more solid. The tcotimony of many of the oldest residents, and notably that of the Hudson's Bay officers, tends directly to show that these frosts are perfectly exceptional. This is satisfactory so far as it goes, but it is still very desirable to enquire fully into the facte of the case. Personally, I am satisfied that by such an enquiry we shall scatter our - 31 fears, and corr'cct those errors on the part of many growers of wheat, which have so largely contributed to any loss which has arisen. In fact it very largely rests with each fanner to determine whether he will make himself safe or run the risk of a loss. A more perfect cultivation of the wheat crop may be regarded as the first and best protection against frost, or ai other injury, iiy this I mean that the soil should be l)rought into a thoroughly friabi condition— that a healthy, hardy, and (^uick growing seed of good and suitable (juality should be sown- -that early sowing .and thicker sowing should be the rule— thatthe lands chosen for wheat should be free from the watery vapour arising from lakes and ponds— and that reasonable protection from strong winds should be provided. Each and all of these conditions are obviously desirable as a means for securing the most successful cultivation of wheat, and they constitute a chain of whicli it may be said, the weakest linkr indicates its strength. Whether there are frosts or not, these are the require- ments for success. If they are adopted the farmer may be assured tluit he has done his part, and so far as he is personally concerned we shall hear no more of injury from the frost. But when a farmer has been content to sow his seed wheat upon a roughly ploughed turf which is as tough as a rope, or when he has even ploughed that turf over a second time, and left the soil beneath too hard for the roots of the wheat plant to enter, can it be any cause of wonder if tiiat wheat crop makes a slow growtli, and that it remains green and full of sap when it ought to have been cut, and ready for going into the stack. If, again, some farmers v.'ill continue sowing the seed wheat which year after year they have thus brought into a slower and still slower habit of growth, can it cause surprise that the crop does not ripen early. Nature has done very much for the Canadian North- West, there are soils there unecjualled in the world, there are sunshine and warmth capable of aiding those soils to produce wheat of a most desirable character, but these advantages nnist lie prudently used if we would secure the desired result. The fact that the soil and climate of the district so powerfully favour a rapid and perfect growth makes it the more necessary that we should give the wheat plant eve-v chance for utilising these powers. The selection of healthy, hardy, and quicker growing seed involves much skill and good management, but they will yield a rich reward. Here is a work in which I venture to believe the Department of Agriculture will soon take action. The commendable energy already shown by that Department is a guarantee that this also will be carried out. The fact is that much of the Red Fyfe wheat needs a prudent change of treatment to give it greater energy of gi'owth, but let the wheat growers of Manitoba think well what they are aliout before they set that wheat aside. If the land is better prepared for the seed the Red Fyfe will have a better chance, and an improvement in the seed will soon follow. Early sowing is very generally acknowledged to be necessary, l)ut it is not sufficiently recognised that thicker sowing equally saves time. If the seed wheat is sown moderately thin— say at the rate of from H to 2 bushels per acre— as soon as the young plant has fixed itself firmly in the soil, it commences throwing out a number of additional seed stems, and making a thicker plant. If that thicker plant is pr(jvided by a more liberal seeding it is more than probable that fully two weeks will be saved, and the crop will be ready for harvest that much sooner. I saw an excellent example of this on Mr. Jas. l<"indley's farm, on the north side of Shoal Lake. He sowed 3 bushels of seed wheat, and he not only reaped a crop of fully 45 bushels of first-rate wheat, but no injury was done to it by the frost, because it was two weeks more for-, ward than other corn sown at the same time. The Hon. J. C. Aitkins, Lieutenant- (lovernor of Manitoba, also drew my attention to a case which came under his observ- ation in 1884, in which fully 10 days had been gained by thicker sowing. Neither must we overlook the fact that the extreme fertility of these soils has rather a tendency to encourage a long continued growth of straw, and thus time is needlessly lost. Thicker sowing, however, tends to divert the energies of the plant in the direction for forming its seed more quickly, and it certainly favours an increase in the yield of the wheat crop. Much that has been said respecting wheat culture applies eoually to oats, barley, peas, and other farm crops. The bounties of Natxire must not 1k3 made a cover for negligent arrangements, and the responsibility for success must in any case rest upon individual management, and not upon the country, for a proper rotation of jrops, the use of suitahio tiirm sec the other instances named. When we cLsful Lrmerrn,df di H ""'' '* '""'' ".f ^^ {°''g°"'^" *1^** inexperienced and unsuc orSbuZr^^Jilf ^r^''TS''^''^^^V A good farmer having an average yield OI4U bushels of wheat, may have two neighbors producing an averacrP of Ifi «„,1 i^ KeirortS^' ^"' *''^ "°"'^ "•^"^'^ *'^^'^ «'--! avL^^vrSt 23 lusDi 'i In all newly settled districts which are favourable for the growth of wheat oats thoa:&lk'lZrTtJ^I '" T^r' '''' f 'T* i**^"*u>°"' becanse'thdr cultiS ghS ITw^TfhZ 7 u ^ T^'^^ expended. As those settlers accumulate additional c,ipital they naturally supplement this tillage work by stock-keeping Son.rwho c ! command sufficient capital, commence with! system of mixed huZndiyM^n to) pkceTn Vl" l^:it2 S ^ ^"""' '"'^ Tf, ''^^ "-^ «"'^ ^ remarrabri^c^eaSakt^ of a4 n U P Lv^-N Pi-'iyin'^e and following rapidly upon the successful growth ot g.am. \V e have a large number of very useful Horses and Cattle reared in Manitoba ana some of these are bred from the richest gems which EnS^ and Scotlan.T h^^^^ produce. . Pigs are being very extensively intro.luced, and altCh there are very few pig breeding establishments on the Ameri4n system, pigs are sti"f largely pro, uced bv many farmers who keep from four to ten sows each. Sheep thrive welUnnfostmrts of SSty'lfas been T"^''-' '' '^'^'"^^ increasing, for the soiLnd climate are v ry sS le LHHiculty lias been experienced m some neighbourhoods where the " Snear-L'rass" (Stinn s "he std"ottH« "^'^ " r"*iT,^ '^'' '^"°"" - tiroitgrassfrd^rth a oat. i he seed of this grass is shaped like a spear, and it has the power of workim? itsHf through the fleece, and it can penetrate the sl^in of sheep, causing^tLm mlh suffe rinl and loss of condition. Breeders find that by keeping their sheep^r Trevor our week^ m the early autumn, upon land which has been mown, or in fields which are free fom SoteS'whn^tTh "'• ' * • ''"''^ f " 'r^^^' ^™'" '*• " ^y any meaTis tte sleep can'e ^Ztltt f ii "^ ripening seed is being separated from the seed stem, all difficulty is y eldsTne ^t "Ihe TJu^T T^^'^^ ^^ '^""" '"*" ^^'^ «°"' ^^'^ *here it is'safe. fh s plan ve!4 hiThlv valued^a^^^^^^ *''" prairie, and it is in consequence veiy nigniy valued as food. On small farms this grass s easily held under control an