IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 if 1^ IIIIM •^ 1^ III 2.2 I ■- |||||M u ^ — ^ 1.8 1.4 % 7i / '/ ^ # i^ / "ms, ^ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WeST MAIN STRUT WIBSTER.N.Y. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 \ iV •sj \\ ?v C^ 'V CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. [i] Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques s Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques at bibliographiques The Institute has attumpted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. 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Mapa. platea, charta. etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratioa. Thoae too large to be entirely included in one expoaura are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, aa many framea aa required. The following diagrama illuatrate the method: Lea cartea, planchea, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmia d dea taux de reduction diffirenta. Loraque le document eat trop grand pour dtre reprodult en un aeul cliche, il eat filmd d partir de Tangle 8up6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en baa, en prenant le nombre d'imagea ndceaaaire. Lea diagrammea auivanta illuatrent la mithode. 1 2 3 i i ^ L -'■. L : * .; 3 4 5 6 i IMELY REMARKS * * * BY SEPTIMUS FIELD < ^ -i^ V ■ ^. H*»" >^ And LETTERS FROM WESTERN CANADIAN SETTLERS OTTAWA GOVERNMENT PRINTING BUREAU 1898 WESTERN CANADA, BY SEPTIMUS FIELD. Kesovirces of the Great West. "Many patupliletr, and (k^JcTiplive letters have lieen written by men with able i)ons, who have visit- ed this couni^v for the ])iirpo5e of giving rehable information to those who may have a desire to seek " fresh fi.'lds and pastnres new," but who have neither the meatis nor tiie time to spare to see it for themselves and make a choice of locality, and the result is that so much satisfactory evidence of this kind is now available that it might be suppos- ed that there could be no more to write and little more to learn of the resources of the great Cana- dian North-west. But as all do not see with the same eyes, each succeeding description may still contain some new features and be read with fresh interest, and with this idea 1 take up my pen to jot down my opinion of th.e country as a field for im'nigration and investment. T dare not hope that it may be a success as a lit- erary composition, but T trust that what I write may be accepted by my brother farmers in Eng- land and elsewhere as a i^-actical and truthful ac- count of what T have seen ; the conclusions T have come to being the result of three years' close per- sonal observation on the spot, backed by a previous practical knowledge of agricultural pursuits in 4 TIMELY REMARKS England, extending over a period of thirty years. The development of the land is most undoubtedly the first consideration in Western Canada, and the country offers the finest field of enterprise to the agriculturist. There are no doubt large deposits of all kmds of minerals ready to be brought to the surface when the proper time arrives, but that time will best be hastened by the settling up of the farming lands, and it is my intention to address myself, therefore, to the agriculturist alone ; and this I do with the •greatest confidence, feeling sure that any one with any practical knowledge of farming, and capital sufficient to start with, can in this country make a home for himself and family, and in a few years reap both pleasure and profit. AarricuUural Possibilities. To those farmers in the old country whose cap- ital is diminishing, but not yet all gone, I more particularly address myself, and knowing the struggle they are having for existence, I bid them hasten to break away from their old moorings, come out here and start afresh. To such I would advise that where possible this should be done col- lectively; if twenty men from one or more districts Avould make up their minds to come out here in a body with such capital as they can command, a good district could be chosen, their several quarter sections of i6o acres each selected, and a colony Avould be established at once. They would be in touch with each other and their interests being 7IMRLY REMARKS furthered by mutual intercourse and assistance, their advancement would be hastened, and success would follow, where sins:le individuals, as some- times happens, might tire of the isolation and the sudden abandonment of social relations with their friends. Co-operation in the use of farm machin- ery, stud animals, &c., would all promote the economy so necessary for new settlers. Schools would at once be formed, and everything required for the comfort and convenience of the settlers would be obtained more readily and quickly than might otherwise be the case. I most strongly ad- vocate this system where it is at all possil)le to adopt it. Let me, therefore, advise any one read- ing this, whose circumstances may be forcing him to try this country as a means of retrieving his old position, to speak to his neighl>ours and friends upon the subject, and try and form such a band and come out here under the guidance of some one familiar with the country. But, failing this, let him come in any case, and I am sure such a step will never be regretted. 1 Possibilities of Country. The land is ready to fulfil all that is required of it, if properly managed. It is rich in natural grasses, and cattle quickly fatten upon them. The North-west Territories are perhaps the most suit- able for mixed farming, of any part of Canada, and it has often struck me as an unfortunate circum- stance for the country as a whole that the most difiRcult lands to be brought under cultivation 1 ON WESTERN CANADA. \ should have heen the first to he settled upon. If ftll the immigration had come in on the west in- stead of the east of the Domini >n, the country would have advanced with more rapid strides, and there would have been no such term as the '* settler in the backwoods " to frighten people from com- ing here. Still, it is fortunate for the present gen- eration of colonists that the best and most easily cultivated lands have been left to them to t J \ ON WKSTJiHtN CAXAlfA.\^ < 19 WHAT SETTLERS HA>)i^P SAY OF WESTERN CANAD^f^ THEY ALL LIKE IT AND SPEAK WELL OF IT TO THEIR FRIENDS. TWO EXAMPLES. Two examples of the actual experience of re- cent new comers to the Winnipeg- district will de- monstrate that what may be called the " theory " of the advantageous condition of the lands around Winnipeg can be borne out by positive facts. These two examples are not by any means select- ed. They have been merely picked up at haphaz- ard without any trouble being taken to hunt for excei)tional instances of success. They are not exceptional, but are simply instances of what any ordinarily intelligent and iJidustrious man can do and they could be multiplied and exceeded a dozen fold. Mr. 1). Minorgan came from North Dakota and settled near Rosser, in 1895, on a farm that was partially improved. That year he had 15 acres in wheat, which yielded an average of 53 bushels to the acre. Tast year he reaped 18 bushels to the acre from the oldest land under cultivation ; 21 bushels from some land not quite so old, and 28 bushels from a piece of new land. The crop was all No. I hard, and sold for from 80 to 86 cents a bushel. Mr. Allan McRae, now of Suthwyn, bought, in the fall of 1895, the N3/2 33-10-4 E, paying for the half section $1,920. He l)roke and backset 45 TIUELY REMARKS acres in 1897, ^^^ reaped therefrom 1,350 bushels of vvlieat which he sold at 83 to 86 cents a bushel. This is an average of over $25 an aero for the land under crop — an exceedingly profitable figures, as every farmer knows. Moreover, the gross amount of revenue from wheat alone in tiie first year was thus $1,140, being considerably more than half the amount paid for the whole 320 acres, of which only 45 were in crop. C. Bonnycastle, of Katepwa, N.W.T., writes: Last year I gave you some of my experience as regards farming in the North-west, and now, as another year has gone by, I should like to show you what can be realized by the same. As the first part of the season was so dry a good deal of grain did not come up which, no doubt, caused quite a shortage to the yield ; but still it was a wonderful good year. I cut 200 acres, and threshed 6,000 bushels which, when sold, brought me a clear pro- fit of 50 cents a bushel, the market price being 75 cents. My son, with his threshing outfit, threshed 75,000 bushels. It is wonderful to see the changes on the prairie; good substantial stone and brick houses and stables are to be seen all over. 1 built and improv- ed my own to the amount of $1,500 and bought half a section more of land. This winter has been, so far, a very fine one. Most of the time it has been a very little below freezing, and my cattle have never seen the inside of a shed, and all my horses that are not working are out on the prairie. I expect this summer to have between 300 and 400 acres ready for wheat. V i b > I S d 22 TIMELY REMARKS Suecessfiil Assiniboia Settlers. T. E. Jackson, who has a homestead between Fort Qu'Appelle and Indian Head, writes : I came to this country in the spring of 1882 with less than $200 — not much money, but full of days* work. I took up a homestead and pre-emption in what is now called the wide-awake settlement. I consider the soil as first-class for wheat, a deep clay loam ; built a " shack " about as small as it was possible, but I had to make it do for a time. I should have mentioned all my difficulties I had to contend with, such as driving- oxen, &c. How- ever, I pulled throuj^h and built a second house ; after five years of struggle I exchanged oxen for horses, although still not married. The year 1890 was, however, really the com- mencement of a good deal better luck, for I h.ad nuich more land under cultivation. I raised about 5,o