The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-02-09
WESTERN CANADA.


One of the Choice Spots OH the Cont.
nent for Settlement.
The following extracts from an in
teresting letter to the Mason City
lowa) Republican,, written by Mrs. 5.
\. Brigham, late of that place, but
now OF Ross Greek, Alberta, Canada,
SO nearly describes most of the districts
OF Western Canada that we~take pleas
ure in presenting same to the attention
OF our readers:
Ross Greek, Alberta, n. W. T.,
Canada, Aug. I, 1889.
Editor Mason City Republican,
Dear Strive are located in the
Beaver Hills, thirty miles from Fort
Saskatchewan and fifty miles from Ed
monitor. 10 the east Of these is an i'm
mense area of bottom lands, which fur
nlshes abundance of hay for the set
tiers. 1t is dotted with small lakes, the
largest Of which is called Beaver Lake,
sixteen miles in length.
There is fine shelter for the cattle
and horses now feeding there.
The Beaver Hills are covered with
small green willows which are easily
gotten rid Of before breaking up the
land. Here and there poplar, birch
and tamarack> trees abound Small
meadows are numerous. The soil in
these hills is much richer than the bot
tom lands, being kind of black leaf
mold. There is no tough sod to break,
and it is very productive. Wheat, oats
ana barley do finely, and vegetables
are the finest that can be grown. Po-
tatoes especially are large and solid.
easily producing from POO to 300 BUSH
els per acre, and best Of all, never a
"taty bug to wrestle with. Wild
fruit Strawberries. gooseberries, saska-
toons tor pine berries) raspberries and
cranberries are found in the hills.
Small tame fruit does finely, the red
anu white currants in my garden being
as large again as common sized ones.
We have long days during the
months of June and July; one can see
to read many evenings until 10 o'clock
in the twilight. Some nights less than
three hours Of darkness. and the birds
are singing at O'clock. Then again,
it rains so easily. You look toward the
west and see little cloud coming up, a
gentle shower follows. the sun shines
forth again. and in little while you
forget it has ranet.
cyclones are unknown here and the
thunder and lightning is very light We
had two storms this summer accom-
panied with wind and hail, but nothing
to lodge the grain. The average heat
is about IS degrees. We had three or
four days in July at 80. The nights are
always cool.
The winter season is one of great ac-
tlvlty. All the fencing is gotten out
then and logs for the farm buildings.
BY paying - cents you are granted a
permit at the land office to cut logs up
on vacant lands. The roads are good
and smooth, for the SNOW never drifts,
not even around the buildings, and this
is Il great saving of time to the farmer.
Hay is hauled from the bottom lands
all winter long. and a man can work
outside every day as far as the wealth
er is concerned. There are cold snaps
When 1t reaches 40 and 10 below zero.
but the lack Of wind prevents one real
lzlng it, and the mountains $50 miles
west OF us are a great protection.
Our nelghbors are mostly Canadian,
Scotch. .SWede, and we have a nice
sprlnkllng OF people from the States.
Ihe creek abOunds in small fish.
we are now in the midst of haymak
ing (Aug. -. Wheat will not be cut
until early September, this being a lit
tie later season than common, bur the
crop will be immense. l send Won a
sample of wheat and barley. Its height
is almost even with my shoulders. aver.
age 80 inches. Newcomers lackino
binders can hire their grain cut for Is
cents per acre. Prairie chickens are
here by the thousands
The water is good. We have a fine
we'll fifteen feet deep. In the creeks
the water is soft and Of yellowish
color.
Then asai21 Hare surrounded. with
Wesaave no less than eight
cen single men in this neighborhood.
on matrin'cny bent. When a feminine
gender of any age between ii and 40
visits these hills we pity her, so great
is the demand for her company. Can
you aid us?
In conclusion, il the remainder of
our loved ones We're here with US, we
should better enjoy life on Ross Creek,
and unless the unexpected develops,
consider this will be pretty fair place
to end our days
MRS. S. A. BRIGHAM.