The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-25
FIRST RED RIVER WHEAT.
1T Was Grown at SeIkirk-SampIen
Brought to Minnesota.

To the Editor OF the Globe.
Reading the letter Of Hon. H. N. Setyer
which appeared in your paper a few days
ago, b! am reminded of one or two facts con
nected with the early history OF agriculture
within our state which may prove OF in
terest In 1851, at the instance Of my uncle,
Watab, on the Mississippi river, few miles
above Sank Rapids we sent, through our
delegate to congress at that time, a few
ears of corn to London, to be placed upon
exhibition at the Crystal Palace exhibition
This corn was the ordinary eight-rowed or
INIT variety, and was raised by the mis-
Wright, and Mr.. Sibley afterward wrote my
uncle that acknowledgment Of it's recep-
ton had been duly received.
IN the winter OF 1S53-54 1 made the jour
ney from Pembina to Watab with dog
train, and at the request of my uncle brought
MIN half a bushel of Red river wheat,
pylng what was then called the Red river
settlement or the ''SeIkirk settlement i" This
wheat was raised from some Of the original
seed brought over from Scotland bv ths
auspices of Lord Selkirk who founded that
colony in what is now known as the prov
ince CT Manitoba, and extended along the
banks OF the Red River Of the North from
the AssTnnibolne river north. This, I be-
neYe is the first introduction of the Scotch
fife wheat in this state. The wheat that was
raised from the haf-bushel of seed was saved
carefully and divided up in small lots among
his neighboring embryo farmers and no
COuDt the prOJuct OF that half-buShel Of seed.
hauled in the dead of winter by dogs over
hundreds Of miles Of snow, Is in existence
yet unless it was all eaten up by grasshop-
pers in 1856.
In 1868 l was in the employ Of the Hudson
Bay company at Winnipeg, and we had a
visitation Of grasshOppers that completely
destroyed the crops of the settlement and
great suffering was feared on that account
ana was sent down by the company to
this country to purchase wheat for seed and
also -four. and 1 bought from Col. John L.
arr am uy1d .41, . 0Nn
wheat. This wheat came from the Minnesota
river country, think, near st. Peter and
was hauled to ST. Paul over the Sioux Civ
road and from this point over the old 81
PauI d Fac1nc road to st. Cloud and from
there 1t was hauled in carts to the point OF
destination. In 1884. being in the employ Of
the Canadian Pacific railway, my aid was
sought by Mr.. McTavish then land commits
sioner, in procuring some good seed wheat
farms, which he was establishing at different
points for the purpose Of demonstrating the
qualities Of the soil as to wheat production
Inc time given me was limited, and | could
not give 1t the attention required, but sue
ceeded in procuring some of a very inferior
quality at Warren, in Marshall county, and
on account Of it's inferior quality as it was
an admixture of half dozen different kinds
l was doubtful of the result of this ex-
pertinent. 1t went however and was eoved
upon a piece of ground newly plowed in ths
spring, near Medicine Hat a crossing Of tha
Saskatchewan river, about $50 miles west ~
winnipeg, ana when 1t was cut and threshed
in the fall 1t turned out to be as fine a
quality Of No. l hard wheat as 1 ever saw.
| have sample OF 1t yet Yours respect
1ully' R. G. Burdick.