Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-05-02


OF the crops in year like this last, lies in tho
heavy dew caused by cool nights, which are
invariable l have gathered cabbage in the
early morning, when there has been no rain
for months, and turning it up have poured
out half cup full of water. 1t must not be
imagined from these remarks, that this is a
country in which no rain falls; it is like any
other country, sometimes too wet In 1884
and the rainfall was excessive. The usual
rainy season commences about the middle of
May, and continues during June. after which
except for an occasional Thunderstorm, one
may calculate on fine weather.
Slight frosts of or 8 degrees may be look
ed for up to May 31st in the nights and the
same may be expected again the first or sec
ond week in September; the farmer governs
his actions accordingly, sowing wheat about
March 31st, oats middle of April, barley a
little later, potatoes for main crop by May
Goth and so on These dates have generally
secured good crops The samples OF
wheat since l have been here have
been frst-class, every year but one.
Wheat is however very little grown, because
there is no grist mill in the neighborhood
With regard to horses and cattle, they
thrive we'll here; many winters they can
feed out all the time; but as however this win
ter since Jan. 8th, there is a foot and half
Of snow on tho ground, the cattle have to be
fed
This Is where the mixed farmer has great
advantage over the cattle rancher, for
whereas the latter has to provide hay for his
ca tie, the farmer has his surplus straw
which materially Hghtens the expense Of
feeding
The winters are short, ono may say that
six or seven weeks is the longest duration Of
bad weather. These may be altogether OF di-
vided up between December, January and
FEBRUARY, with warm days in between.
This year has been cold nearly the whole
OF January, and judging from the past we
look for moderate, perhaps mild February.
The average prices realized for farm produce
Is oats 45 cents per bushel other grain in pro-
portion, for potatoes about 40 cents, this
year they are 30 cents for butter about 20
cents, for cheese about Ia cents, for steers
about cents per b live weight 1t will
more ~er be some considerable time yet be-
fore the supply is equal to the demand in
Alberta In fact IL man wishes to strike a
good farming country he might go farther
and fare worse than by settling in Alberta.
1t is impossible in a letter like this to give
more than a faint idea OF the country Of
which we have been speaking, and the
methods adopted by the farmers to secure the
most profitable results from the land. The
ground gone over is only small corner of
that vast district that lies along the base OF
the Rocky Mountains. Should the reader
feel desire TO know moro Of this delightful
country l would advise him 10 write TO the
Land Commissioner OF the Canadian Pacific
Railway at Winnipeg. The Railway Company
have published several extremely interest
ing pamphlets with maps giving the latest
information as to the lands available for
settlement. One OF which folder map of
the Calgary District, should BE- In the hands
OF every farmer about 10 visit the North
West. PEN AND PLovGH,