Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1914 — WESTERN CANADA'S PROSPECTS FOR 1914 [ARTICLE]

WESTERN CANADA'S PROSPECTS FOR 1914

Excellent Spring for Work and Wheat Seeding About Finished. The writer has just returned from an extensive trip through the Provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, in Western Canada. The crop conditions are the very best, and no one locality seems to have an advantage over another in this respect The uniformity in growth is remarkable, and in all parts of the three provinces spring wheat at the time of writing. May 10th, is well above the ground from two to three inches. Considerable fall plowing was done last year, and this, with the summer fallow, is already seeded, so that practiaftly wheat seeding is over by this date. Everywhere the farmers are busy and the whole country presents one great scene of activity—three-horse, fourhone and five-horse teams are busy preparing land for barley, oats and flax. On some of the larger farms batteries of steam and gasoline outfits are at work, but in a great many districts where these have been operated in the past they are being displaced by hones, owing no doubt partially to the difficulty of securing experienced men to operate them. Anyway, there is being put into agriculture in Western Canada, greater effort with more promise than for some years past. The soil is in the best possible condition; moisture has been sufficient, there have been no winds to dry out the soil, and If the farmers have had to lay up for a day or so now and again, It was merely that the ground might have the advantage of the rain and an occasional snow, which promise so much for the growing crop. With some warm weather the grain will come along in a manner that win equal the best years Western Canada has ever had. It must not be thought from this that the farmers are full bent on securing a grain crop alone. In nearly every district there is more and more the Indication and inclination to go Into mixed farming. Herds of cattle now dot the plains that up to the present had been fully given up to grain growing, hogs and sheep are In evidence. New buildings are to be seen on a great many places, these being pig houses and cow stables, although protection of cattle is not regularly required, excepting for calves and such cows as it may be necessary to house from time to time. The growing of alfalfa and other 'fodder grasses is an Industry that is being rapidly developed. During this spring a splendid class of new settlers have gone in, many of them from the eastern states. These have seen what success the western and central states man has achieved in Western Canada, and are now going in in hundreds. The movement from Montana, Oregon and Washington to Canada continues without any abatement as to numbers and value of effects, while the central and eastern states are still sending an excellent class of farmers with means sufficient so begin farming on a scale that will pay from the start. Those who contemplate visiting the Panama Exposition next year will find that one of the most interesting trips they can make will be via the Canadian West There will be three lines of railway they can use—the Canadian Pacific, Canadian Northern and Grand Trunk Pacific, all of which will have through to coast lines completed. Thus will be given a view of prairie, woodland and mountain scenery unexcelled in America. —Advertisement