Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-03-21
FARMING IN WE TERN CANADA.
The Great Natural Fertility of the Soil
In Manitoba. Assiniboia, sAskatche-
wan and Alberta.


Hon. Thomas Greenway, Premier OF
the Province OF Manitoba, one OF the
foremost farmers OF Western Canada,
writes an excellent article to the press,
from which the following extracts are
made:
Tho writer came to Manitoba from
ontario in the autumn OF 1878, and has
ever since been engaged In agricul-
tural pursuits. From the day nearly
twenty-five years ago, when he select
ed his homestead. he has had unbound
ed faith in the country as a place
wnere farming can be successfully car
ried on, IL pursued upon proper lines.
mere Is large number in this prov
ince who should rather be called
wheat-growers" than farmers. On
account of the facilities, natural ad-
vantages, and therefore cheapness
with which wheat can be grown, no
doubt many have done exceedingly
well by raising wheat only; still, 1t is
far from ideal farming. Not only
Will such course, If persisted in, have
the effect Of causing the land 10 run
out as has been the experience or
those who pursued the same plan in
The wheat-producing prairie States TO
the south OF us, but it is far from be-
ing the most profitable course to
adopt.
This fact is already being demon
strated in Manitoba. Let the farms in
this Western country be managed upon
the lines which were successful in the
Eastern Provinces and much more
can be done here in given time than
was ever done In the East The proba-
oilities of failure are practically nil.
Upon the farm there should be found
horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry,
according to the ability of the farmer,
with respect to his means and the ex-
tent of his holding. The wanton waste
which has hitherto been practiced by
many farmers, that of burning vast
quantities of excellent fodder after
threshing is done, should cease; it
should all be used upon the farm and
converted into the old, sensible kind
OF fertilizer manure, and afterwards
be returned to the soil, so that what
has been taken from 1t by the crop
may be restored Although admitting
that the great natural fertility Of the
soil in Manitoba and the success that
has attended the growing of wheat
after wheat for years upon the same
land have a tendency to make such a
course as the one mentioned tempting,
yet, if continued, wheat growing upon
the same land year after year is un.
doubtedly a mistake.
The writer knows of no country that
offers advantages so great to the agri-
culturist as does Manitoba. The va
rious branches Of farming can be car
ried on successfully, as twenty-five
years Of practical operations and OBJ
servations OF what others are doing
have proven. To those desiring to
make new homes for themselves, the
low price of some OF the best lands in
the world (although rapidly advancing
in price this year, offers still great
opportunities. To all such the invita-
ton is cordially given to Come and
see" There need be no poor people
here. There Is land for all who choose
to come, land upon which happy
homes can be established, and from
which ample resources can be gather
ed against old age All that man
needs to achieve competence in this
domain is common sense and industry.
With these qualifications he is bound
to succeed.
For information regarding free
homestead lands. apply to any agent of
the government whose advertisement
appears elsewhere in these columns.