Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-02-26
SIBERIAN WHEAT.
The Country Which is to Compete with
America as a Wheat Producer.
Toronto Mail

America as Wheat Producer.
Toronto Mail
A great many people have very hazy
ideas about Russia in general, and ST.
IBERIA in particular The latter vast ter
ritory, some 1000 miles from moth to
south, and $500 from east to west, has
been subjected in the minds of many
persons through the pathetic story of
the "Ex:les of Siberia" to influences
akin to those which have nodded the
ideas of many Englishmen and others
respecting this country. Photographs
OF snow or salt) besprinkled entities all
fur-capped, legginged and belted in Red
river capOtes; wolf or two sneaking in
the foreground; black bear lazily gam
boiling on a tree in the rear; with several
''Injuns" on the far frosty horizon, in
moccasins and snow-shoes, apparently
chasing nothing in particular, are sent
home plentifully to admiring country
cousins, and help to foster the Lotion
that Canada is in the main an arctic re-
gion covered with almost perpetual
snow, pervaded by enormous rivers,
which, under masses of ice, pursue their
course through boundless primeval for
ests to the distant ocean. No doubt
country Of such vast extent as Siberia
must be IN different climates, and the
soil and products must be as various
But, though the northern parts are cold
and lnhOspitable, there are extensive
fertile regions Which-thOse watered by
the great river Oby especially-will, it
is said, now have their wheat and other
products brought into competition with
American and even with southern Rus
sian wheat in the British markets. The
/ Oby is. the largest river in the Russian
empire. issuing from Lake Allyn, in
the desert Of Ischinska, it is navigable
almost throughout to its source, afford
ing nineteen hundred miles of smooth
navigation. The necessaries fife are
extremely cheap in this district, especi-
ally about 1obolsk; SO cheap, indeed,
that Incidence and ease prevail to such
an extent as to retard the commercial
and industrial progress Of the inhabit-
ants. 1t seems strange to hear of a sea
route from Siberia only now being eds
covered" via Tobolsk, but this may be
owing to a want of enterprise on the
part OF the residents. 1t appears that
wheat from Siberia passing through the
Gulfof Oby, probably through the Straits
of Walgatz or else north of Nova Zem-
bla, can be sold in London, including
freight, for ninety-nine cents per pood,
which IS an appreciate rate lower than
the price Of white Russian and Ameri
can wheat. .s.,..5-. g.. .a .-..-. .
There seems to be no reason why,
should this be true, Siberia should not
prove most important factor in Euro
pean wheat supply, The southern part
ofthe country is fertile, with immense
plains or steppes, some, no doubt. SAN
dy and barren, BUTCHERS we'll watered,
with open tracts between forests, gener-
ally adapted for tillage and pasture In
fact, Siberia is country of many and
varied endowments and capabilities
rich in fine furs and skins, gold, silver,
iron, lead and copper; and having also
coal in the northern part i - d.
The Russian caravans travel every
year through the country with their
merchandise to China, passing through
Tobolsk on the Oby, where also all the
fufs furnished by. Siberia are brought
into a warehouse, and thence forwarded
to the Siberian chancery at Moscow.
ohoCI plOpCI III duC UCNciOUIu0uL IuO
exports of Siberia. ought to be very
large, and greatly in excess of the i'm
ports. 1t affords variety of commo-
dlties which are of great use to foreign
ers, and its artificers want neither tools
nor materials to carry on their trade,
though they are lacking in industry and
push on account Of the cheapness of
food, and other easy conditions of life.
Much fine wheat should come out of
the Tobolsk district. Agriculture, cat
tie feeding, fishing and hunting, have
indeed for. ages been the chief occupa-
ton of the Russian people, though ma
tlonal development in other ways has
been the rule since the great Peter
civilized the barbarous- subject of his
vast empire. Russia, in commerce, as
IN agriculture, now holds rank among
the nations of the world of which human
foresight could have formed no concep-
tion,an to which it can assign no limits.