Canada West Part 4

SWEEPSTAKE UPON SWEEPSTAKE

A Manitoba Steer Carries Off Honors Similar to Those Won by a Half-brother in 1912.

Saskatchewan wins and now owns the Colorado Silver Trophy for best oats in the world.

When Glencarnock I, the Aberdeen-Angus steer, owned by Mr. McGregor of Brandon, Manitoba, carried off the Sweepstakes at the Chicago Live Stock Show in 1912, it was considered a great victory for barley, oats and gra.s.s, versus corn. That there might be no doubt as to the superiority of barley feeding, Manitoba climate, and judgment in selecting the animal, in 1913 Mr. McGregor entered another Aberdeen-Angus, a half-brother to the winner of 1912, and secured a second victory. In other cla.s.ses also Mr. McGregor had excellent winnings. Glencarnock's victory proves not only the superiority of the new feeding, but that the climate of the prairie provinces of Western Canada, in combination with the rich foods possessed by that country, tends to make cattle raising a success at little cost.

Other winnings at the Live Stock Show which placed Western Canada in the cla.s.s of big victories were: three firsts, seven seconds, and five other prizes in Clydesdales.

Among recent victories won by Western Canada within the past three years:

In February, 1911, Hill & Sons, of Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, showed a peck of oats at the National Corn Exposition in Columbus, Ohio, and carried off the Colorado Silver Trophy, valued at $1,500.00. In February, 1913, they had a similar victory at Columbia, N. C., the third and final winning was at Dallas, Texas, on February 17, 1914, when Hill & Son's oats defeated all other entries.

In 1911, Seager Wheeler, of Rosthern, won $1,000 in gold at the New York Land Show for best hundred pounds of wheat.

In 1912, at the Dry Farming Congress, Lethbridge, Mr. Holmes of Cardston won an engine for best wheat in the world.

In 1913, at Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mr. P. Gerlack, of Allan, Saskatchewan, carried off the honors and a thres.h.i.+ng machine for the best bushel of wheat shown in a world compet.i.tion. It was the Marquis variety and weighed 71 lbs. to the bushel. At this congress, Canada won a majority of the world's honours in individual cla.s.ses, and seven out of the sixteen sweepstakes.

Other first prizes taken at the same place were:

Barley, Nicholas Ttinger, Claresholm, Alberta. Oats, E. J. Lanigan, Elfross, Saskatchewan. Flax, John Plews, Carnduff, Saskatchewan. Sheaf of barley, A. H. Crossman, Kindersley, Saskatchewan. Sheaf of flax, R.

C. West, Kindersley, Saskatchewan. Sheaf of oats, Arthur Perry, Cardston, Alberta. In district exhibits, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, won the Board of Trade Award, with Maple Creek second. Red Fife Spring Wheat, E. A. Fredrick, Maple Creek. Other variety of Hard Spring Wheat, S. Englehart, Abernethy, Saskatchewan. Black Oats, Alex Wooley, Norton, Alberta. Oats, any other variety, Wm. S. Simpson, Pambrun, Saskatchewan.

Western Rye Gra.s.s, W. S. Creighton, Stalwart, Saskatchewan. Sheaf of Red Fife Wheat, R. H. Carter, Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. Sheaf of Marquis Wheat, G. H. Carney, Dysart, Saskatchewan. Two-Rowed Barley, R.

H. Carter, Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. Six-Rowed Barley, R. H.

Carter, Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. Western Rye Gra.s.s, Arthur Perry, Cardston, Alberta. Alsike Clover, Seager Wheeler, Rosthern, Saskatchewan.

=Agricultural Education in Western Canada.=--Scientific farming probably can be pursued with more profit and advantage in Western Canada than in any other portion of the continent. What can be achieved may be judged by what has been accomplished by the thousands who with not even a theoretical knowledge have made it a success. The various governments have provided for the development of a cla.s.s of farmers who, in the possession of the rich soil of the country, with its abundant humus, its phosphates, and large endowment of other properties will make of it the greatest farming region of the known world.

AREAS OF LAND AND WATER

According to the latest measurements the land and water areas of the three provinces, as at the Census of 1911, are as follows:

-------------+-------------+------------+------------ Provinces | Land | Water | Total -------------+-------------+------------+------------ | acres | acres | acres Manitoba | 41,169,098 | 6,019,200 | 47,188,298 Saskatchewan | 155,764,480 | 5,323,520 | 161,088,000 Alberta | 161,872,000 | 1,510,400 | 163,382,400 Total | 358,805,578 | 12,853,120 | 371,658,698 -------------+-------------+------------+------------

Note--By the Extension of Boundaries Act, 1912, the area of Manitoba was increased by 113,984,000 acres, bringing the total to 161,172,298 acres, of which 12,739,600 acres are water. The areas of Manitoba in this article relate solely however to the province as const.i.tuted before the Act of 1912.

Comparative Areas of wheat, oats, and barley in the three Western Provinces: [Transcriber's Note: This table was split into three parts for the text version]

==============+======================+===========+==========+ Provinces | 1900 | 1910 | | | | --------------+-----------+----------+-----------+----------+ | Bushels | Acres | Bushels | Acres | +-----------+----------+-----------+----------+ Manitoba-- | | | | | Wheat | 18,352,929| 1,965,193| 34,125,949| 2,760,371| Oats | 10,952,365| 573,848| 30,378,379| 1,209,173| Barley | 2,666,567| 139,660| 6,506,634| 416,016| Saskatchewan--| | | | | Wheat | 4,306,091| 487,170| 66,978,996| 4,228,222| Oats | 2,270,057| 141,517| 58,922,791| 1,888,359| Barley | 187,211| 11,798| 3,061,007| 129,621| Alberta-- | | | | | Wheat | 797,839| 43,103| 9,060,210| 879,301| Oats | 3,791,259| 118,025| 16,099,223| 783,072| Barley | 287,343| 11,099| 2,480,165| 121,435| ==============+===========+==========+===========+==========+

==============+======================+======================+ Provinces | 1911 | 1912 | | | | --------------+-----------+----------+-----------+----------+ | Bushels | Acres | Bushels | Acres | +-----------+----------|-----------+----------+ Manitoba-- | | | | | Wheat | 62,689,000| 3,094,833| 63,017,000| 2,839,000| Oats | 60,037,000| 1,307,434| 57,154,000| 1,348,000| Barley | 14,949,000| 448,105| 15,826,000| 481,000| Saskatchewan--| | | | | Wheat |109,075,000| 5,256,474|106,960,000| 5,582,000| Oats |107,594,000| 2,332,912|117,537,000| 2,556,000| Barley | 8,661,000| 273,988| 9,595,000| 292,000| Alberta-- | | | | | Wheat | 36,602,000| 1,639,974| 34,303,000| 1,590,000| Oats | 59,034,000| 1,221,217| 67,630,000| 1,461,000| Barley | 4,356,000| 164,132| 6,179,000| 187,000| ==============+===========+==========+===========+==========+

==============+=======================+=============== Provinces | 1913 |Average for 5 | |years 1908-1912 --------------+------------+----------+------+-------- | Bushels | Acres | Bush.| Price +------------+----------+------+-------- Manitoba-- | | | | Wheat | 53,331,000| 2,804,000| 18.17| $0.75 Oats | 56,759,000| 1,398,000| 37.40| 0.30 Barley | 14,305,000| 496,000| 27.54| 0.40 Saskatchewan--| | | | Wheat | 121,559,000| 5,720,000| 19.06| 0.65 Oats | 114,112,000| 2,755,000| 40.88| 0.27 Barley | 10,421,000| 332,000| 29.09| 0.38 Alberta-- | | | | Wheat | 34,372,000| 1,512,000| 20.22| 0.61 Oats | 71,542,000| 1,639,000| 41.18| 0.27 Barley | 6,334,000| 197,000| 28.98| 0.35 ==============+============+==========+======+========

[Ill.u.s.tration: Cattle on the uplands as well as the open plain do well in all parts of Western Canada.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Horses range most of the year in many parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta.]

MANITOBA

The most easterly of the three Central Provinces--lies in the centre of the North American continent--midway between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, its southern boundary running down to the 49th parallel, which separates it from the United States, its northeasterly boundary being Hudson Bay. It may well be termed one of the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Manitoba is one-fourth larger than Germany, its area covering 252,000 square miles or about 161 million acres. If a family were placed on every half section of the surveyed land in Manitoba, more than 600,000 persons would be actually living in the Province.

=Available Homesteads.=--One and a half million acres of land are open for free homesteading in Manitoba--east of the Red River, and between lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba, also west of Lake Manitoba and in the newly opened districts along the railway lines. The wooded areas of these districts will make a strong appeal to those who appreciate the picturesque. Where the timber is light scrub, it is easily removed, while the heavy forest richly repays the cost of clearing. Lakes, rivers, and creeks are numerous, and wells of moderate depth furnish water for domestic purposes. Homestead lands are easily reached and the value of land is steadily advancing. Two hundred and thirty-two homesteads were filed in Winnipeg in December, 1913--almost twice the number filed during December, 1912.

=Available Farm Lands=, apart from homesteads, can be secured at $12 to $15 per acre for raw prairie, while improved farms command $35 to $40.

=Improved Farms= may be secured in all parts of Manitoba from owners who have grown wealthy and are in a position to retire.

=Soil and Surface.=--The surface of Manitoba is not a flat, bare stretch, a "bald-headed prairie." A large part of the land, especially in the south, is, indeed, the flat bed of a wide, prehistoric lake; but even in the southwest the land rises into wooded hills, and in the southeast, close to the Lake-of-the-Woods country, there is a genuine forest. In Western Manitoba are forested areas, and timbered districts exist on the Turtle Mountains and the Brandon Hills. The true forest persists in Central Manitoba as far as the Duck Mountains. From all these points quant.i.ties of lumber, fence posts, and firewood are sent to the prairie settlers. The rivers and lakes are skirted by a plentiful tree growth.

Down through the heart of the Province stretch two great lake chains.

Lake Winnipeg and lakes Winnipegosis and Manitoba, which receive the waters of the Saskatchewan and a.s.siniboine from the west, and discharge through the Nelson River to Hudson Bay. Sloping to the west from the Lake Manitoba plain is a range of gentle hills known as the Duck Mountains, Riding Mountains, and the Porcupine Hills. These hills in no way alter the fact that almost the whole land surface of Central and Southern Manitoba west of its great lakes is ready for cultivation. The northern portion of the Province, though not surveyed, is known to contain a large area of good agricultural land. Manitoba's soil is a deep rich loam, inexhaustible in its productiveness. There are 25-1/2 million acres of land surveyed, about one-fourth of which was under crop in 1913.

=Grain Growing.=--Manitoba is noted for its wheat crops and has already an established prestige in yields of oats, rye, and flax; in some parts corn is being grown. In certain districts good yields of winter wheat are reported.

The grain statistics for the Province reveal an interesting condition.

In 1901 there were 1,965,200 acres of land under wheat, and in 1910 the area had grown to 3,094,833 acres. In 1913, this had increased to 3,141,218 acres. The land under oats, in 1913, amounted to 1,939,723 acres; barley, 1,153,834 acres, and flax, 115,054 acres. The average yield of wheat in 1913 was 20 bushels; oats, 42 bushels.

The total grain crop in the Province for 1913 was 178,775,946 bushels, grown on 6,364,880 acres, compared with 182,357,494 for 1912, the decrease being due to a falling off in oats of nearly 7 million bushels and in flax of more than 1 million bushels. Of the 1913 grain crop spring and fall wheat together occupied an area of 3,141,218 acres and yielded 62,755,455 bushels. Oats occupied an area of 1,939,723 acres and yielded 81,410,174 bushels. Barley occupied an area of 1,153,834 acres and yielded 33,014,693 bushels. Flax, rye, and peas occupied an area of 130,105 acres and yielded 1,595,624 bushels. The above are Provincial Government returns.

=Potatoes and Field Roots.=--The yield of potatoes for 1913 was 9,977,263 bushels from an area of 55,743 acres, and that of field roots 4,196,612 bushels from an area of 16,275 acres. The average yield of potatoes was about 180 bushels per acre; field roots 257 bushels. Total value, about $2,100,000.

=Fodder Crops.=--Brome gra.s.s contributed 43,432 tons from an area of 24,912 acres. Rye gra.s.s 33,907 tons from an area of 21,197 acres.

Timothy 181,407 from an area of 118,812 acres. Clover and alfalfa together contributed 20,454 tons from an area of 10,037 acres, and fodder corn 119,764 tons from an area of 20,223 acres. Total value about 2 million dollars. Alfalfa is largely grown at Gilbert Plains, Roblin, Swan River and Grand View. The figures given are from Provincial Government returns.

=The Season.=--Although spring opened a few days earlier than usual, seeding was quite general on well drained land by April 15th. From that date until the end of the month the weather was exceptionally favourable, and by May 10th, on well prepared land, nearly all the seeding was over.

During the first three weeks of May the weather was quite cool, and growth was slow; but with warmer weather the last week's growth was more rapid. There was an abundance of moisture from the previous fall, and despite the low temperature during May, wheat was well advanced by the end of the month.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Putting up wild hay in Manitoba, which frequently yields from 1-1/2 to 2 tons per acre.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Central and Southern MANITOBA

For Map of Northern Manitoba see pages 14 and 15]

The early part of June was dry with high temperature; but in the latter part of this month rain was more plentiful, especially in the western part of the Province. The rainfall in July was below the average, and the temperature lower than usual. Harvesting was general by the middle of August.

The excellent condition of the land at seeding time, the favourable weather during germination and growth, and the ideal harvesting and thres.h.i.+ng weather, exercised the greatest influence in determining the high grade of all grains as well as materially reducing the cost of harvesting.

=Mixed Farming= has become quite general in Manitoba, practically every farmer now having his herd of cattle or flock of sheep. His fattened hogs find a steadily increasing market at good prices, while poultry is a source of revenue. The vegetable crop is always a success; wonderful yields of potatoes and roots are regularly recorded. Many portions of the country, partially wooded and somewhat broken, which were formerly overlooked, are now proving desirable for mixed farming. These park districts have sufficient area for growing grain, hay, and gra.s.ses.

The poplar groves scattered here afford excellent shelter for cattle and, in many cases, furnish valuable building material. The district lying east and southeast of Winnipeg is rapidly being settled. It is well served by the Canadian Pacific, Canadian Northern, and Grand Trunk Pacific Railways. Rainfall here as elsewhere throughout the Province is adequate, and well water easily secured. Much of this land is available for homesteads, while other portions may be purchased at a low price from the railway and land companies. This applies to Swan River and Dauphin districts.

Hon. George Lawrence, Minister of Agriculture, says: "Conditions in Manitoba are excellent for livestock of all kinds, and the money-making possibilities in producing all manner of food are beyond question.