IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 1.0 
 
 1.1 
 
 1.25 
 
 ■^ J2.8 
 
 US 
 
 2.5 
 
 m 
 
 12.2 
 
 iM mil 2.0 
 
 6" 
 
 1.8 
 
 U IIIIII.6 
 
 V^ 
 
 <^ 
 
 /a 
 
 % 
 
 o 
 
 ^>. 
 
 
 / 
 
 /A 
 
 Photographic 
 
 Sciences 
 
 Corporation 
 
 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 
 
 (716) 872-4503 
 
 \ 
 
 •^ 
 
 \\ 
 
 ^ 
 
 N^ ^\ WriS 
 
 %>Z^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 ^ 
 

 k'^ 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHM/JCIVIH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques 
 
 \ 
 
 m 
 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques 
 
 The Institute has attempted 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. 
 
 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 n 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 Coloured covers/ 
 Couverture de couleur 
 
 I I Covers damaged/ 
 
 Couverture endommag^e 
 
 Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 Couverture restaurde et/ou pelliculde 
 
 I I Cover title missing/ 
 
 Le titre de couverture manque 
 
 I I Coloured maps/ 
 
 Cartes gdographiques en couleur 
 
 Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ 
 Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 I I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ 
 
 Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur 
 
 Bound with other material/ 
 Reli6 avec d'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 Lareliure serr^e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la 
 distortion le long de la marge int^rieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es 
 lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, 
 mais, lorsque cela dtait possible, ces pages n'ont 
 pas dtd filmdes. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires suppldmentaires: 
 
 The( 
 to thi 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire 
 qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Las details 
 de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier 
 une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dans la m^thode normale de filmage 
 sont indiquds ci-dessous. 
 
 □ Coloured pages/ 
 Pages de couleur 
 
 n Pages damaged/ 
 Pages endommagdes 
 
 □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculdes 
 
 ryi Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 
 D 
 
 The 
 possi 
 of th 
 filmii 
 
 Origi 
 begir 
 the It 
 sion, 
 othei 
 first 
 sion, 
 or Hit 
 
 Pages d6color6es, tachetdes ou piqudes 
 
 Pages detached/ 
 Pages d6tach6es 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 Quality of prir 
 
 Quality indgale de I'impression 
 
 Includes supplementary materit 
 Comprend du materiel suppl^mentaire 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule Edition disponible 
 
 I I Pages detached/ 
 
 rri Showthrough/ 
 
 I I Quality of print varies/ 
 
 I I Includes supplementary material/ 
 
 [~~] Only edition available/ 
 
 The I 
 shall 
 TINU 
 whic 
 
 Maps 
 
 differ 
 
 entiri 
 
 begin 
 
 right 
 
 requii 
 
 meth 
 
 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to 
 ensure the best possible image/ 
 Les pages totalement ou partiellement 
 obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, 
 etc., ont 6t6 film^es d nouveau de fa9on d 
 obtenir la meilleure image possible. 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document est filmd au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 
 
 10X 
 
 
 
 
 14X 
 
 
 
 
 18X 
 
 
 
 
 22X 
 
 
 
 
 26X 
 
 
 
 
 30X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12X 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 
The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks 
 to the generosity of: 
 
 Bibliothdque nationale du Quebec 
 
 L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grAce d la 
 g6n6rosit6 de: 
 
 BIbliothdque nationale du Quebec 
 
 The images appearing here are the best quality 
 possible considering the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in keeping with the 
 filming contract specifications. 
 
 Les Images sulvantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le 
 plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et 
 de la nettetd de l'exemplaire filmd. et en 
 conformity avec les conditions du contrat de 
 fllmage. 
 
 Original copies In printed paper covers are filmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrated Impres- 
 sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All 
 other original copies are filmed beginning on the 
 first page with a printed or Illustrated Impres- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illustrated Impression. 
 
 The last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain the symbol -^ (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en 
 papier est imprimis sont fiim6s en commandant 
 par le premier plat et en termlnant soit par la 
 dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'Impression ou d'illustratlon, soit par le second 
 plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires 
 originaux sont fiimds en commenpant par la 
 premidre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'Impression ou d'illustratlon et en termlnant par 
 la dernldre page qui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 Un des symboies suivants apparaftra sur la 
 dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le 
 cas: ie symbols — ► signlfie "A SUIVRE". le 
 symbols V signlfie "FIN". 
 
 Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one exposure are filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre 
 fllmte d des taux de reduction diffdrents. 
 Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour dtre 
 reproduit en un seul clich6. 11 est filmi d partir 
 de I'angie sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, 
 et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre 
 d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants 
 illustrent la mdthode. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 t 
 
• / 
 
 CALGARY, ALBERTA 
 
 AND 
 
 THE CAWADIAN NOp WE^T. 
 
 Valuable Information for Intending Settlers. 
 
 REPORT OF 
 
 of Arthabaskaville, Quebec, and a delegation of practical 
 
 farmers from the district of Arthabaska, Province of 
 
 Quebec, who visited the North West, and the 
 
 vicinity of Calgary in particular, in 
 
 the summer of 1884, 
 
a3289c 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 r-^ 
 
to 
 
 CALGARY. ALBERTA, 
 
 AND 
 
 :THE CANADIAN NOp WE^T. 
 
 
 Valuable Information for Intending Settlers. 
 
 REPORT OF 
 
 of Artliabaskavilie, Quebec, and a delegation of practical 
 
 fanners from the district of Arthabaska, Province of 
 
 Quebec, who visited the North West, and the 
 
 vicfiii^JiJoJ' Qa'tgai'^ hi' particular, in 
 
 • *' ' the* sifnlmer -of l-B^'-l-: ' ' • 
 
 
 « • ff * 
 
 Tnos. Barwis, Lt.-Col., late commanding 55th Battalion. 
 
 W. H. Fklton, Esquire, Barrister, of Artliabaskavilie. 
 
 Thomas K. Andrews, of Inverness, Farmer, County Megantic. 
 
 Edwin A. Goff, of Leeds, Farmer, County Megantic. 
 
 Roderick Munroe McKenzie, of West Wickham, Farmer, 
 County of Drummond. 
 
* • • • • 
 
 t 
 
 
 • * ' 4 
 
Infpoducfi 
 
 101). 
 
 As far back an 18(50, while I was Mayor of the Township of Ireland, 
 County of Msganlic, Pi-oviuco of Quebec, and commanding the Mogantio 
 Rifles, I was pained to see the steady exodus of our young people to the 
 United States as soon as they wore able to woik, and that hardly any of 
 them came back to settle. 
 
 About that time I conceived the idea of turning the tide of inii.iigration 
 towards our Western Territories. I had read Sir George Simpson's and 
 several Imjiorial Officers' reports on that country, and liad become convinced 
 that it was tlio laud to establish a colony of the English-speaking peo|)le of 
 our country. I became so much identified with it that I have ever since 
 been looked upon as their header by those who desired to leave the country. 
 Subsequently, when Colonel commanding the 55th Megantic Highland Light 
 Infantry, which 1 had raised and commanded foi' over twenty years, the 
 question of applying for a ^lant of land from the Government to form a 
 colony was frequently mooted to mo by my oflScers and men till, in 1869, it 
 culminated in letters to the Government stating the fact that the people were 
 leaving for the United States, and it would bo desirable to save those 3'oung 
 people to our own couirtry, and asking that a grant of land be given them 
 in the North-West Tei-ritories. 
 
 This letter was very favourably received by the Government, but 
 
 subsequent events in the North- West prevented the object being carried 
 
 out. Again, in 1875, a petition to the same eifect was sent to the Govern- 
 ment, but nothing was done about it. 
 
 In 1883 the English-speaking people of Megantic again urged me to 
 petition the Government, and backed up their petition for land grants 
 with over two hundred signatures. 
 
 Over two thousand young men who had served under me in the 55th 
 were scattered all over the United States, the great majority of whom could 
 not be induced to take the necessary oath of allegiance to that country to 
 enable them to take lands, the oath being most repugnant to them, as it 
 required them to swear that they should "entirely renounce and abjure 
 " for ever all allegiance to any foreign power, and particularly to Quee7i 
 " Vict07na of Great Britain and Ireland." 
 
 Now, those men who had taken the oath of allegiance to our Queen as 
 well as against the dismemberment of the British Empire, cannot be induced to 
 take lands and settle in the States, neither will they settle in the Count}'- of 
 Megantic, as most of the available land for settlement surrounding their 
 jmrents' homeg has been taken up. 
 
 56743 
 
Tlioreforo, ut tlio ournoHt request of the loadin<r poopio oftlio Oounty of 
 Mc^'nntic, 1 moinorializod the ])orninioii Govorninorit on Hie MiI)joct and 
 roccivoil iiifonniition, inHtnictiotiH, mid ordoi-H to (lio diffoi-ont Lund A^'onlH in 
 the Norlli- West lo give iill tho aHHiHtauco and informiUion to facilitalc uh in 
 the Holoction of honiOHfoadH. 
 
 On the Mtron<,'th of this f notifici liioso intorcHled to chooHc Holo^'atcH 
 (Farnioi-rt) to pi-ofcod with mo to the Canadian North-Wost to viow the 
 huid and to repoi-t thereon. 
 
 AUTIIAHASKAVILr.K, AplJI, 1885. 
 
 TJIOS. MAIIWIS, 
 
 Lt.-Col. 
 
of 
 
 irid 
 
 in 
 
 iu 
 
 I^EpOI^T- 
 
 
 'ol. 
 
 On tlio seventh of An<;iist last, \V. IT. Foltoii, l<js(iuire, Hun-istor, of 
 Ai'thubuakrtvillo, vvlio had been workin.,' with me for over ten years for tho 
 same object; a dele^jjution of Fiirmers from tho district of Arthabaska, and 1 
 loft on our journey, first to Owen Sound, thence by Lake Huron and Tiake 
 Superior in tho maifulHcent steamships of the Canadian Pacitie ilailway Co., 
 and arrived at Winnipcii; on tho l.'Uh. Here we wore jt)ined by Mr. 
 Roderick Munro McKcn/.ie, a delei^ate chosen by tlie Kn<^lish-speaking 
 people of the County of Drummond, who had left some time before for 
 Morrison, in tho State ot Iowa, whore ho intended to settle uidess ho found 
 the land where we wore goini^ proved more favorable. 
 
 I was detained one day at Winnipeg and one day at Regina, During 
 that time Mi'. Gotf, delegate from the Township of Leeds, and Mr. Andrews, 
 delegate from the Townships of rnveruess and Ireland in Mcgantic, and Mr. 
 Mclvenzie, visited several localities between Winnipoi; and Regina to see 
 farmers from their counties who had been settled for some time in the 
 North- West, and to take notes of all tho informatifm the}' couKl get from 
 them. They ri-Joincd me three days after and reported that the land they 
 saw under cultivation was very good with good crops. 
 
 We left Regina ou the Idth and ai-rived at Calgary on the 17th. 
 
 The immense praiiie traversed by the Canadian Pacitic betwoeii Winni- 
 peg and Calgary, 838 miles, has been often described before. 
 
 It appeared to me like the middle of the ocean in a calm after a storm ; 
 but as our mission was agricultural we viewed the land in that light all the 
 way out while we had daylight, and with the exception of a few miles 
 op])osite the great sand hills, the very poorest soil on the whole route we 
 considered bettor than the very best in our Province that w<; had seen. 
 
 We got out almost at every station and examined the growth of the 
 grain that had dro])ped in the railway ditches, in the subsoil and the weeds, 
 and in the much talked of AlUali lands. We found in the broken ground of 
 the railway laml»s-quarter growing to a size and rankness which could never 
 be seen in the licliest garden or barn 3'ard in our Eastern Townships, besides 
 Avheat, oats and bailey, with 30 to 40 stools to the seed. We also carefully 
 examined the Canadian Pacific Ex])erimental Farms, and there, on those 
 very alkali lands, with the short, yellow, dry looking grass all round, the 
 grain on a sod only three inches thick stood over four feet high, with plump, 
 well-tilled heads, just beginning to turn. 
 
6 
 
 On tho I9th of Aui^ust, with Iwodoiihlo \vugi,'otiH, W\\tn, Ikv., wo Htartod oi» 
 a tour of oxploralioii to llu' Hoiith of (Jnl^iiry, jiofompaiiii'il Uy my son JiimoM 
 HiirwiH MM guide. My Non him hcoii n ro-^idfiil of the Nt»rth-\Vo>«l TenilorioH 
 for ion yours, tho most of which has hocri pii-Mcd at ('ali,'ary in tho ompiny 
 of I. J. Hakor & Co. as Indian trader, duriii^' whicdi tiino ho lias accjuirod tho 
 Hhioi<liiot, Croo and Saicco hitiijuagos. lie haH travolie<l ail over tliut part 
 of tho country from tho CyproNH lldls to the U<)el<ioH, and from tho Intor- 
 natioiuil Bouii(hiiy to tho North Saskat«diewan, and is well known to all tho 
 old settlors. Upon hoing introdu(-ed hy him i\h one looking over tho country 
 ft)r tho pufposo of choosing lands for settlers, 1 had no trtnihle in getting all 
 tho information po^sihle t'roin those ohl settlers. They aro chielly men who 
 have traversed the whole of tho western continent from tlio llio Grande to tho 
 Poaco Rivor, as well as tin; l*acitie Slopes. Those people aro very reticent and 
 look upon every stvangor with wuspicion until they are assured that he is an 
 intending settlor. By their advice, antl with my Hon's knowledge of tho coun- 
 try, wo visited that part of Alberta which from their oxporienco was the very 
 best part of oui- North-West. 
 
 Wo first visited Mi". Sam Livingston's fai-m, five miles south of Calgary. 
 Tho grain was superior to anything we had seen on our way out. We bored 
 into the soil on the lop of iho high bench in u field of oats and found throe 
 feet of tho richest black mould on lop of rich heavy clay loam. Ho showed 
 us timothy that had boon acratchod in on tho praii-io grass on the 8th Juno. 
 It appeared to have taken well, and some of it was in head. 
 
 Ml". Livingston informed us that he had been sixteen years in the country, 
 had always raised good crops, and the much talked of summer frosts had 
 never touched his or an}' of the farms in that vicinity. 
 
 Wo next proceeded to Mr. John (lien at Fish Crook, on tho McLeod 
 trail. His grain was certainly a siii,ht to look at. He boasted that there 
 was nothing in the world to boat it, and we fully agreed with hira. He 
 showed us two stacks of last yeai*'s grain, one of wheat and the other of oats. 
 We could seo that they had ripened perfectly. The wheat was shorter in 
 the head than this year's, but plump, hard and clear as amber. As we 
 remained till after the harvest we wore satisfied that there had been no 
 summer fi-osts these two years. 
 
 "Wo then left the McLood trail and tui-ned to the left to the old Govoi-nment 
 supply farm whore we saw some very fine grain aiidsoil ; in fact, during the 
 several days we travelled, guided by my son, in evoiy direction without regard 
 to trails, wherever we saw n stack ov settler's hut in tho distance, we stopped 
 to examine his crops and get information. We found the grain the same, in 
 spite of very poor cultivation, most of it sown on the sod, and too thin, which 
 on such rich soil delayed the ripening. We found the features of the country 
 and the character of the soil tho same everj'whoie between Calgary and High 
 River, viz., high bench prairie, top covered with black mould from one to 
 
tliroo toot ovor a rich clay loam. Tlio iiitorval--, wlioro tl.c tiumofoiis stroiwns 
 run, liiivo tio bhu'lc inoiiM on toji ; tlioroyou find nuiliing l»iit clay loam; luit 
 tlto crops ufo t)([UJvlly us flno as ou the (op of llio high hunches. 
 
 All tho slroains ai«) as cloar as [xjusihlo, and vory cold, owing to tlio 
 molting snows tVom tho Jlockios 
 
 Thoro could not pwaihly bo a tincr country for dairy and chooso inuUing. 
 Kor mixed faiining wo woro satislicd it was tho bo.st could bo «oen, such 
 hoavy crops of all Horts of grain can bo raised at such littlo oxponso wlion 
 carried on by a farmer and hi.s t'lmily. Tho grout reluru of grain and 
 vegetables would give feed for the ra' 'ing (»f large stocks of horsoH, cattle, 
 sheep, pigs and pi)ullry, more especially as it is not necessary to winter-feed 
 Hto(dc, e.Kcept now an<l again in the case of weak or aickly ones, and cows 
 calving in tho spring. 
 
 In the September numhor of Harper's new monthly, the " Wheat Fields 
 of Columbia," by Krnost [ngerMoll, page 502, referring to the district near 
 VVula Wala, whore tho Snake Jiiver falls into the Columbia Kivor, about six 
 degrees duo south of where tho C. V. U. crosses tho Selkirk range in British 
 Colum>)ia, wo read the following : — "The first settlers took the bottom lands 
 " because they hold tiioir greenness longest and were easiest of cultivaiioii, 
 «( H< * -i"' Bofoie I'Mig, how<;ver, adventurous spirits, finding that irrigation 
 " was unnecessary, made experiments in planting upon tho tops of the hills 
 " whoso yellow backs lay hut under tho sun between tho river copses and 
 " the mountain W(j kIs. The tufaceous soil turned u[) by tho plough was 
 " dark and rich, and tho yield outraidced the best acres along tho creek side." 
 
 This description agrees with what we saw in Alborta, near Calgary, this 
 summer. 
 
 The clouds from tho Pacific Ocean being robbed of their moisture while 
 crossing tho several ranges of mountains reach the rolling liuids of Aibertu 
 warm and dry, and there is not snow en.>ugh in the winter to prevent cattle 
 irom grazing. 
 
 Besides the advantage in mixed farming, the settlor will be in a country 
 abounding in coal; and as for lumber, wo went out to the end of the C. P. It. 
 track past tho summit, and remained a couple of days. The timber wo 
 saw was voiy dense, of somewhat smaller growth than wo have in tho 
 Province of Quebec, consisting of spruce, tamarac and a species of pine. 
 A glance at a good map will show that there is an inexlnmsiible supply. 
 We subsequently travelled from the southern branch of High Itiver to 
 tho northern extremity of tho Bow liiver, where it taps the head 
 waters of the N<H'lh Saskardiowan and the lied Deer liiver, an extent of 
 1.50 miles by about 100 milo.s in breadth. These rivers have numerous 
 tributaries branching in every direction through the Rockies, whose slopes 
 to a gioat height and the valleys between are heavily covered with timber. 
 
8 
 
 The nearest, and I may say th*^ only, feasible way to reach the head waters 
 of those rivers is by the Canadian Pacific Railway, which follown the Bow 
 River for a hundred miles in the Rockies, to whore it turns north near the 
 summit; its source is forty or fifty miles further north and in its course to 
 the south it runs near to and parallel with the North Saskatchewan and 
 Red Deer Rivers, so that the communications for lumbering could be 
 carried on from that point better than any other. 
 
 Therefore the establishment near Calgary (which would be the centre of 
 supplies) of a settlement of our people, accustomed to lumbering, would be an 
 advantage to the farming as well as the lumbering interests, would furnish 
 material to build up the hundreds of towns that are soon to spring up on the 
 borders of those large rivers, as well as manufacture lumber to be sent east 
 along the line of railway. 
 
 We have seen the great North-West viewed through eyes scientific, 
 geological, military; by civil engineers, surveyors, colonization societies, 
 farmer delegates from England, and by resident farmers, but have as yet 
 seen no report of that country fi'oni such people as our delegates, consist- 
 ing of practical farmers and lumbermen, chosen by a large community of 
 farmers and lumbermen to careful!}' view the country and to report on 
 the best and most favorable locality for settlement. 
 
 This we huve done, and have nuide our selection as above, intending to 
 settle there ourselves with our people. 
 
 After five weeks travelling in that country' we have come to the following 
 conclusion : — That it will be settled up fi-om Winnipeg westward and from 
 Calgary eastward, and clustering round the principal towns and settlements 
 on the way out. One portion we considered very attractive for immediate 
 settlement is that lying between the Cypress Hills and the C. P. R. It is 
 better watered and timbered on the hills than any we saw on the way out 
 and is a very beautiful section of the country ; the soil also appears ver}' rich. 
 Judging other intending settleis by oui-selves, we do not think that these 
 immense jjlains that we crossed on the way will be settled till the more 
 favorable places are taken up, although the land is all good, but it will come in 
 'ts time. On looking at a good map of that Territory one can see how 
 favored the district of Alberta is, with its thirty millions of acres of 
 the best of soil, its beautiful scenery; its high benches are like a 
 mountainous region Avith the upper half cut off, and the glorious 
 Rockies ever in sight in the distance, the great number of clear streams 
 traversing it in every direction, its hundieds of lakes, its proximity to the 
 heavily timbered Rocky Mountains, its coal and favorable winters for stock, 
 with Calgary for its great centre on the Canadian Pacific Railway, it will 
 have a market for all its produce either to the east or to the future min- 
 ing and lumbering centres of British Columbia, and the Pacific seaboard. 
 
 "\' 
 
 'I 
 
 / 
 
 ^.l 
 
 \ 
 
9 
 
 t is 
 out 
 ich. 
 lese 
 novo 
 He in 
 
 lOW 
 
 8 of 
 a 
 10 us 
 aniH 
 the 
 oclc, 
 will 
 min- 
 
 I quite agree with the following from the Dominion of Canada Guide 
 Book, 1884, page 109 : 
 
 " Agriculturists in search of land, and specially those going to the 
 North-West, should be vovy careful how they receive the glowing 
 representations which are made to them by agents of land companies who 
 will waylay them at many points on their journey, and particularly if the 
 route taken should happen to be through some of the Western States. An 
 immigrant bound for Manitoba should pei'severe, in spite of all representations 
 or misrepresentations, in going to see for himself." 
 
 A couple of years ago several fanners from the County'of Megantic sold 
 out and went to Manitoba to settle and came back disgusted wiih the country 
 owing to the deceptions of huid agents or persons who represented themselves 
 as such. We had to run the gauntlet on our way out, but took note of what 
 we heard and saw, and judged for ourselves, and hence the advantnge in going 
 out in large communities to commence settlement after a place has been 
 chosen, as we have done, and giving to others that follow the same advantage 
 of settlement, together with the information and assistance from those 
 who had preceded them, and which these Township men of old Canada 
 are so well accustomed to and know so well how to give. 
 
 The Eev. James MacGregor, D.D., one of the party who accompanied 
 the Marquis of Lome in 1881, remarks : — 
 
 " Speaking of the section of countj-y where the cattle ranches are 
 situated, on the third pi-airie steppe : 
 
 " The whole of this region may be said to be more or less under the 
 beneficent influence of the warm winter winds known as the ' Chinooks,' whose 
 true physical explanation has not yet been accurately ascertained, but of 
 whose extraordinary effects in tempering the cold of winter there can be no 
 manner of doubt. It is owing to these winds that snow never lies to any 
 depth, and as a consequence cattle and horses find food and shelter for 
 themselves all the winter through. The result is that ranching or stock 
 raising on a colossal scale has already begun." 
 ^ * if; * '^ '.\i ^, 5|« * ^ 
 
 " Of the feitility of the soil throughout most of this region we had the 
 amplest proof. It is a pitch-black sandy loam, very easy to work. Near 
 the northern extremity of the i-egion on the Indian supply farm, close by 
 Calgary, we saw for the first time ploughing on the praii'ie. A pair of horses 
 and a yoke of oxen were each ploughing a mile-loi^.g furrow on rich haugh 
 land, a sight which set me thinking about our farmers at home. The virgin 
 soil had been broken in spring, and they were turning it over for fall sowing. 
 Labor was sea; re, poor and dear. Tliey were roughly stacking the barley 
 like hay, and the oats were being reaped; the cro])S of all kinds were in 
 splendid condition. On a farm close by, where the oat crop was a wonder 
 to behold, and where th^! oats were standing strong in tlie stem, and 41 inches 
 high, we had the curiosity to count the produce from one self-sown grain of 
 oats, and found them to be 2,()!>1 grains. At another Indian supply farm, at 
 the southern extremity of the region, we counted the retui'n fi'om single 
 grains of oats, and found them to be three times that amount, with as many 
 as fbrty-tive stalks to the stool, and each stalk like a reed ; while from one 
 
10 
 
 wheat ^riiiri there were eighty -five stalks to the stool, and fifty grains on 
 the average to the stalk, or a return of 4,250. While there can be no doubt 
 whatever that in the region unJer review there is an ample supply of fertile 
 land, it is only fair to stale that there was some conflict of opinion as to its 
 suitability for agriculture, the one serious objection being the occasional 
 occurrence of early frosts. On the other hand, there was a prett}' general 
 consensus of opinion that this ditficulty wonld be got over by the practice 
 which is beginning to pi'evail of fall sowing, which insures that the seed, 
 which the severe frost does not in the least injure, comes away with the 
 first breath of spring." 
 
 We therefore made it a point to enquire into the truth of this statement 
 as to summer frosts, as the land agents that we met on our journey out in 
 praising their own lands invariably ran down every other locality, and the 
 summer frosts was one of the drawba<'ks they mentioned in speaking of 
 Alberta; on the other hand all the settlers as well as the townspeople were 
 positive in stating that there had never been any injury by frost to their 
 knowledge, and for further proof we refer to the following extracts and 
 letters to be found in the Calgarj^ District Au'ricultural Society pamphlet 
 1884, published by the Dominion Agricultural Dej)artment ; 
 
 " 1 settled in this place in July, 1875, and have been farming ever since 
 As regards summer frost, never experienced them, or found out that they 
 existed. 
 
 *tX> t±r ^^ %^ ^U 0« ^1^ ^U ^L* 
 
 •T* *T* ^P 'f* ^n ^h ^h ^^ 'I^ 
 
 " I have never failed in raising a good crop of wheat, oats, barley and 
 vegetables of all descriptions during each of the successive years, and have 
 also raised tomatoes and cucumbers every year in the open air. Of wheat I 
 have averaged 37 bushels ; oats 57 bushels; barley' 71 bushels to the acre; 
 and have some this year not behind that stantlard. Average yield of potatoes, 
 on eight aci-es last year, was 225 bushels to the acre. 
 
 " Industriously inclined people can get along comfortably w'ith about 
 $1,000 capital to stait with, but still more would be better. 
 
 " I like the climate better than any I have found between the Atlantic 
 and Pacific, the Rio Grande and Peace River, over all of which tcu-ritoiy I have 
 ti-avelled. There is everything in the country which a settler can desire. 
 
 " There are people who desire to run the country down, who say we have 
 no market for produce here : tbose who have to buy say we have a good one 
 and at good prices ; those who have anN^thiuii; to sell always manage to get 
 the money tor it at a good round figure, 
 
 " There are the mountains close bv with large timber and mineral 
 resources; these interests have to draw tlieir >upplies either from Calgary 
 or further east, and they will naturally buy here to save extra railway freight. 
 Winnipeg people say we shall have to send our ssurplus there ; but when we 
 have any we shall send it to the Pacific, which is 230 miles nearer to us than 
 Winnipeg. 
 
 " Pish Creek, Sept. 4, 1884. John Glenn." 
 
 " I came from British Columbia to Alberta over two years ago, and 
 formerly lived in Ontai'io. L have b^'m engaged in ni'xed farming for two 
 years on a ranch between Fish and Pine Creeks, near Calgary. 1 have 
 
 A 
 
 %' 
 
Itll 
 
 A 
 
 11 
 
 during that time raised splendid grain and root crops, and there have been 
 grown in my vicinity as good as I over saw anywhere. The land in this 
 district is a deep blacic loam, with clay subsoil, and well ada])ted for 
 agricultural purposes; and there are large tracts of it yet un ccupied. 
 Water is easily accessible anywhere, either in rivci-s, creeks or springs, and 
 contains no alkali. I consider the advantage I possess in having good water 
 for my stock is a great source of wealth to me. The country is simply 
 unrivalled for stock raising. I consider it pays best to engage in mixed 
 farming. I have not sutt'ered from the much talked of summer frosts, nor 
 do I think they will bo any impediment to successful raising of cereals and 
 roots. 
 
 " M. McInnis, Farmer, 
 " September 4, 1884. Pine Creek, Alberta." 
 
 The following from A. Carney, Esquiio, the President of the Calgary 
 District Agricultural Society, will be found on the last page of the pamphlet : 
 
 " I came to this country in April, 1882, and I have read the letters from 
 the other settlers, inserted in this ])ainphlet, all of which 1 can vouch for. 
 Last year I wintered eighteen cows, and milked them twice a day up till 
 February 20th, after which time I milked them once per day till the 20lh of 
 March, without feeding them one pound of fodder or sheltei'ing them at all, 
 the only food which they received being what they pi-ocured from the 
 prairie. At the end of March I sold one of these cows for beef to Mr. A. C. 
 Sparrow, butcher (formerly of Ottawa), for S75. Alter having had experience 
 in the eastern provinces, I have no hesitation in stating tiiat Alberta presents 
 advantages to farmers that do not exist in any of them. I have seen better 
 crops grown in Alberta on the sod and with the primitive modes of agriculture 
 than 1 ever saw either in Ont'irio or Quebec, unless on the most highly 
 cultivated farms in the Ottawa Valley. Scarcely any farmer has ever ])ut a 
 roller on his land, and a seeder, till the present season, was almost unknown. 
 
 " Calgary, Alberta, Sept. 5th, 1884. A. Carney." 
 
 And this last out of the same book speaks for itself : 
 
 TKUE TO THE LETTER. 
 
 " We have pleasure in staling that we are personally acquainted with 
 the men whose natnes figure in this pamphlet, and know that their testimony 
 is perfectly reliable, having visited their farms and a goodly portion of the 
 district. We have become delighted with the country, scenery, fertile 
 lands, rich natural grasses, abundance of clear health-giving waters, plentiful 
 supply of timber and coal, and a climate not excelled in any other part of 
 the Dominion. 
 
 " We state with the contidence of truth, that the farmer who is paying- 
 high rents for lands in the ei'st, or who owns a farm, but ha.s sons for whom 
 he is anxious to provide, and young men with good ' back-bone,' who are 
 desirous to begin life for themselves — cannot do better than come to the 
 peerless provijice of Albei'ta. 
 
 " In short, let such give it a fair trial, and they will Hnd it is just the 
 place for a home, and a home of a place. 
 
 "J. Dyke, 
 
 " Calgary, Alberta, Sept. 5, 1884. Methodist Minister." 
 
12 
 
 I cull tho following out of tho report of the visit of the British Association 
 to the North-Wost from Sir Kichard Temple's address delivered at Winnipeg 
 16th September, ISS-i-, page 51 : 
 
 " Sons of gentlemen who found every profession at home overstocked, 
 who could not enter the army in the face of the competitive examinations, or 
 who could not succeed at tho bar, or iu tho church, and who found the 
 counting-houses and banking establishment-! all filled with clerks, are already 
 thinking they could better their mark by taking to cattle-ranching. I would 
 far sooner see my son a farmer, active on horseback, making a little money 
 and becoming independent before ho was thirty years of age, than sitting 
 still in a lawyer's office at home. I have made the acquaintance of several 
 \ oung men well educated and well brod, working away on cattle ranches, 
 health}^ blooming and hearty as j'oung Englishmen ought to be, and who 
 have lost none of their good English manner, or good original culture. 
 Even several men high up in the professions at home are investing their 
 capital in these ranches." 
 
 *J? 5ji *J» ?(> ?P ^K r^ ?J^ *f» Jj^ 
 
 " Now it is probable that public attention is so much turned to the 
 JSoi'th western Provinces that there will be an evei-increasing stream of 
 immigrants but I doubt if they will be suited to aji;i-iculture. Although they 
 may not understand farming, yet they may have stout hearts and strong 
 hands, and an aptitude for learning, if you only make provision for teaching 
 them." 
 
 There are thousands of country gentlemen's sons in England more than 
 are required to fill up the positions they formerly had control of, who, if they 
 could be induced to settle in that part of the North- West with a small capital 
 to begin with, would in a very few years be independent. 
 
 1 met several while a' Calgary this summer, and one in particular on 
 ray return who was on his way home intending to come back in the spring 
 with otherj; and take up land. I think it is the right thing for them to do, 
 for I do not agree with Sir Eichard as to their taking to cattle ranching. 
 By their taking land at once they would soon become independent; if they 
 went on a cattle ranche they would have to pay a premium and give several 
 years of service for nothing, and i)robably all they would know at its expira- 
 tion would be how to ride a bucking horse. So much loss of time and money 
 besides. It is important to take up land as soon as possible, to be as near the 
 main centres and by settling near such, as our townspeople are, to 
 learn all that would be required to become a successful farmer; and as these 
 young men are all the best of horsemen that country woukl bo congenial to 
 them as so much is done in the saddle. 
 
 At page 18 in the Dominion of Canada Guide Book, 1884, we find the 
 following : 
 
 " It may now be slated with confidence that the collection of cattle at the 
 great stock-breeding farms of Canada is among the most valuable in tho 
 world. It is made up of the very best blood of the bovine aristocracy of 
 lilngland. Not many years ago there were no pure herds in the country, 
 
 
A 
 
 
 13 
 
 except the Hinall Hpeeies of cow in the French pai't of Lower Canada, which 
 wei'u brought in chiefly from Bretagiie, and p oshcss the milking characteristics 
 of the Alderneys. To-day, tliei-e are in Canada many herds of the best 
 English breeds, with a pure and unbroUen recoi'd extending back many 
 generations." 
 
 I have possessed a great number of what is called the small Canadian 
 cow of the Province of (^imbec during my twent3'"-tive years re3idence in Iho 
 County of Megantic. They wore brought up there by the French-Canadian 
 settlers from the parishes in the St. L'lwrenco. The rich pastures oi' the 
 Townships made so great an improvement in them that the yearlings of the 
 same breed were as large as their ]>rogenitors, and, as to their milking 
 qualities, I j)refer them to any other as to quantity and richness. 
 
 On One of the several voyages T made home to England I resided for 
 six months in the Island of Geurnsey and have no hesitation in sayin'j; that 
 these afore-mentioned Canadian cows are one and the same breed as those 
 in the Channel Islands for which such fancy prices are given here. I would 
 therefore advise all iniending settlers to take out with them as many as they 
 can ; they can be had at a very low rate in any of the French pai'ishes, and 
 no danger of having too many of them for they can be sold out there with a 
 very large profit, fur there the price of cows is from $70 to $100. It is true 
 they are larger, but a cow is u cow out there, anil there are plenty of the 
 best grade bulls to be had should any one wish to improve his stock ; besides, 
 the Canadian cow is veiy hardy and would stand the winters out better than 
 any other. She is docile and easily milked, which cannot be said of the 
 ranche cattle we saw that had to be roped and tied to a stake to milk. I would 
 also say bring out the best bi'ceds of pigs and poultry, and good Percheron 
 stallions ; thej' can be had in the Eastern Townships at from $200 to $500. 
 Take your bedding, clothing, crockery and tinwai'c; furniture can be had at 
 Calgary cheaper tlian you can take it out. Agricultural implements suitable 
 to that countiy can be had from the " Ayr American Plough Company, Ayv, 
 Ont." They have a siding on the C. P. E. A number of settlers clubbing 
 together could get them that way much cheaper than at Calgaiy, but a 
 farmer purchasing for himself alone would do as well at the latter place 
 where all farm implements are to be had at fairly reasonable prices. 
 
 to 
 
 • - ' •. ' ' '