Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-12-05
WHAT A LEADING AGRICULTURE
iST SAYS OF WESTERN CANADA.
Prof. Thomas Shaw of Minnesota Uni
versity Gives an Unbiased OPP niou.

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Prof. Thomas Shaw of Minnesota Uni
versity Gives an Unbiased OPP Mon.
! In a letter to The Farmer" st. Paul,
dated Sept. /, 1901. Prof. Thomas Shaw
of the Minnesota State University has
the following to say, after having made
trip through Western Canada;
J THE capabilities of the immense area
known as Western Canada are but lit
tie understood ON this side of the line.
1 Our people are apt to look upon it as
region of frost and snow, country
in which bur small portion of the
land relatively will ever be tillable be-
cause of the rigorS of the climate. True,
the climate is cold in winter, hrt West
ern Canada has. nevertheless, just that
sort of climate which makes it the
most reliable wheat producing country
in all the continent.
An Immense Area.
Western Canada is not only an lm-
mense area. bur the same description
| will apply to those portions of the
country that are capable of being sue
! cessfully TILED or grazed. Nearly all of
| the prairie Province of Manitoba can
be brought under cultivation. although
probably not one-third of its surface
has been laid open by the plough AS
siniboia TO the west is grain and
stock country. Saskatchewan to the
north of Assiniboia has high adaptation
for the same. This also may be said
of Alberta to the west. Here lies what
may be termed Il grain growing and
stock producing empire the resources
of which have been but little drawn
upon comparatively. viewed from the
| standpoint of the agriculturist When
it is called to mind that even in the
Peace river country in Athabasca, and
several hundreds of miles north of the
Canadian boundary, wheat was grown
! which won a premium at the Worlds
Fair in 1898, the capabilities of this
country in wheat production loom up
more brightly than even the brilliant
Northern Lights of the land that lies
toward the pole.
Adapted to Stock and 6 rain Production.
The region under consideration is.
however. mainly adapted to growing
grain and grazing stock. Much of it
is adapted to growing both grain and
stock but certain areas, especially to-
wards the mountains, are only adapted
will yet be introduced. This, of course,
| can be done successfully along the
many streams that flow down from the
Rockies and water the country to-
wards the east and north. The adapta-
! ton of the country for wheat produc-
! tion is of a high character The cool
nights that usually characterize the
| ripening season are eminently favOra-
BILE to the filling of the grain, and to
the securing of plump berry, and con-
sequently large yields. The crop this
year is a magnificent one. In Mani
toba and the territories it should GER
| tainly give an average of more than
twenty bushels per acre. But should
the yield be not more than twenty
bushels, the crop will be most hand
some enc. owing to the large area sown
to wheat. Many farmers only grow
grain. But those who do succeed as
well in growing oats and barley as in
growing wheat, hence these foods for
stock should always be abundant.
Some grow cattle mainly and others
combine the two. The last named, of
course. is doubtless the safest of the
three during a long course of years;
that is to say, where such farming is
| practicable.
| Quality of the Live Stock.
1t vas pleasurable surprise to note
the high quality of the stock. The
average of quality in cattle is higher
| than the average of cattle in our State,
unless in the dairy classes. This opin-
| ion is not reached re lily or without
ample opportunity for Investigation.
| spent three long days in the show ring
/ at Winnipeg making the awards in the
beef classes. | question if any of our
| States, single handed, could make such
a showing in cattle. 1t was my privi-
| lege to make the awards ut several
| shows. and at all of them were evil
| dences that much attention is given to
| the improvement of the stock. / noted
! carefully the character of the herds
| that grazed along the railroad and ev-
| erywhere the high average of the quail
| ity of the stock was in evidence.
Reasons for 0ualitv in took.
The quality of the grass is good.
Many of the settlers came from Onta-
| rio and had been schooled as to the
value of good stock before going west.
| The railroads and the government have
| taken a deep interest in making 1t less
| difficult and costly to the farmers to
secure good males.
Those who are anxious of changing
their residence should bear in mind
that the lands In Western Cana,ia are
many of them free and others eason-
ably cheap.
Information will gladly be given by
any agent of the Canadian COVE nment.
whose advertisement appears else
| where.