Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-03-29
AslHnsRIA1cEM WESTERN CANADA
Indian. Reservations and Other
New Districts to Be Opened
UP This Year.
Ia tho Great Saskatchewan Valley, and the
Fertile Plains Of ~Ass.niboia.

To the Editor:
Dear Sir-The past three or four
years have demonstrated to II large
number of Americans the value of the
grain-growing and ranching lands of
Western Canada. Tens of thousands
have taken advantage of the offer made
by the Canadian Government as we'll
as of the exceedingly low prices asked
for lands by the railway, colonization
and other companies. The experience
OF those who have been settled there
for some little time is of Il highly graft
flying character. SO much so that the
Canadian Government. who has con-
troll of the immigration into Western
Canada. has decided to open up some
new districts; this year in the we'll
known Saskatchewan Valley and also
in the fertile plains of A%ssiniboia.
These districts are probably the most
productive i'll the entire West. and in
close touch to largely settled commune
ties as we'll as being situated on some
of the most important lines of railway.
They are within easy reach of mar
kets, schools, churches and other social
advantages. In some of these districts
lands may be homesteaded as well as
purchased outright mt very low prices.
Now as to what can be done on these
lands. The evidence of the settlers in
the neighbol'hood of the lands now
about to be opened for settlement (some
of them being located in one of the best
Indian reservations goes to show that
the very best results have followed
even most Indifferent methods. Cases
are given where farmers having gone
there with most limited means, barely
enough to erect a small house and
break up a little land. have in three or
| -four years time become prosperous.
all debts paid and money in the bank.
The soil in the districts mentioned, AS
siniboia and Saskatchewan. is n rich
black loan. fifteen inches to three feet
deep. AS a settler says lit appears
like the accumulation of dccayed veg
tation and ashes for centuries (thc sub
soil is q stiff, putty clay)." On this
soil II is possible to raise from forty
to fifty bushels of wheat to the acre.
oats %seventy-five to IL hundred bush
els, all of which bring good prices at
| the local market. For mixed farming
these new districts are probably among
the best in Western Canada. Stock
fatten easily on the wild grasses. Hay
| 10 IiViililNis Hiiu PLiSGS SlbSLAoAN. All
other settler, writing to a friend i'll
Iowa. says: The climate is all that
could be desired. plenty of rainfall ill
summer, with no hot dry winds. On
| the 2Sth of September l saw prairie
flowers in full bloom, sweet corn. po-
tato and tomato vines that had not
been touched a particle with frost, and
the winters are milder than those in
the State from which l came. After
the holidays the winter sets in clear
and cold. with plenty of snow for good
sleighing; no high winds or blizzards
are known. Horses live out all winter
and pick their w living, while cattle
live all winter in open sheds and
around the hay ricks. Wheat. oats
md barley are the principal grain crops.
Potatoes and all other roots and vege-
tables do well, the yield being enor
as compared to those in the
States. Wild fruits. such as strawber-
ries, raspberries. cranberries, goose
berries and all varieties of currants
yield in abundance" AS a reader of
your valuable paper for a number OF
years, l feel that I should inform you
of the progress and advancement being
made in Canada within the past few
years and the inducements and adj
vantages that will follow settlement in
Western Canada. Those who desire
information can do rs / did, and apply
to any agent of the Canadian Govern
ment, whose name l see appears in adj
vertisements appearing elsewhere in
the columns of your paper. and when
writing ask particularly about the Sas-
katchewan Valley or Assiniboia Dis
tricts. Yours truly,
OLD READER.