The sun., 1891-08-11
A Land of Xheat.

The Pacific express on the Canadian Pacific
Railroad went west one day last week in four
sections with l 800 harvest hands on board.
all bound for the great grain fields OF Mani
toba. A slight tinge OF yellow Is stealing
over the sea Of waving green, and In a fort
night thousands Of reapers will make music
the livelong day as they are urged through
the almost illmitable fields.
We have great blessings on this side OF our
favored continent, and can cheerfully yield
the palm in grain culture to the great belt
midway between our coasts which for ages
was fitted by the slow processes OF nature
to give bread to the world. From tho bosom
Of those plains, some level as a floor. as in
Manitoba, somo undulating. as in Minne-
sofa, we are drawing the nourishment the
ages have accumulated.
Over the plains OF Manitoba once rolled
the waters OF an inland sea. The southern
edge Of tho great Ice sheet in the glacial
epoch prevented the escape OF north-howing
streams. and they formed q mighty lake.
Boulders from the Rocky Mountains, or from
tho eastern Laurentian hills. are now seen
here and there, where they were dropped by
floating leo cakes, many hundreds Of miles
from their place OF origin. Then came the
recession OF tho ice, the disappearance OF
the lake rich In cretaceous and nitrogenous
elements. and, In course Of time, rose O
mighty forest, as great and as dense. 1t Is
believed. as those which now cover the Pa
cific slopes OF the coast mountains.
1t is almost inconceivable to those who
travel for days over the treeless plains be-
tween Winnipeg and tho Rocky Mountains
xIDN hn~ Ahn <rt, ko -
reared their lofty heads, shielding with their
dense foliage the earth that Is now exposed
to the full blaze OF the summer sun. To-
day the air OF northern Washington and
southern British Columbia is thick with the
smoke Of burning forests. and. In all proba-
bility, fire was most important element In
destroying the timber that once covered the
plains north Of our Western States.
The lake deposits, the forest growths. were
among the elements that helped produce the
almost inexhaustible wheat-bearing soil OF
Manitoba; and to-day her farmers are happy
In the prospect OF the greatest harvest they
ever reaped. 1t is believed that the wheat
Of Manitoba will average forty bushels to
the acre. Many farmers say 1t will
average forty-tlve bushels. Men who have
seen many seasons OF Minnesota wheat rails
ing said in Manitoba last week that they
had never looked upon such wheat fields be-
fore. Those great fields stretching for
scores OF miles around Brandon. Portage la
Prairie. and Deloraine are worth crossing
the continent to soc. The waving expanse
Of dark green yerluro Is most pleasing to
tho eye. The stalks stand as thick as they
can grow arc unusually high, and the ears
are proportionally long and we'll filled with
the plumpcst OF grain. Our own wheat
growers will be glad that their Manitoba
brethren are fully to share the blessings Of
this bounteous year.
We can show these Western farm
ars many things worth seeing; but
II they had time to visit US now. they would
smile at our patches OF stunted grain just
as tourists fresh from the plains OF Mani
toba and Minnesota do as they gaze upon
the oats and wheat OF Ontario and Vermont
But many Eastern farm hands will share
the blessings tho West IL bringing. One
labor agency In Winnipeg has had demands
for 4.SOO harvest hands at wages Of from $50
to $40 month and board. Haying. harvest
ing, and thrashing will afford about three
months employment. and hundreds OF On
tario laborers are taking advantage OF low
harvest excursion rates and are going West
to see the great country and toll In Its fields
for G. season.