The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-03-29
lIAICE n MEs TERN CAnlDl'
Indian Reservations and Other
New Districts to Be Opened
s Up This Year.
u the Great Saskatchewan Valley, and ths
Fertile Plains Of Ass:niboia.

@ Dear Sir-The past three or four
years have demonstrated to 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 well
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 highly graft
lying 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 Assiniboia.
These districts are probably the most
productive in the entire West, and in
close touch to largely settled communi
ties as Well 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 at very low prices.
Now as to what can be done on these
lands. The evidence of the settlers in
the neighborhood 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 q small house and
break up 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 a rich
black loan, fifteen inches to three feet
deep. AS settler says, ut appears
| like the accumulation of decayed vege-
| tation and ashes for centuries (the sub
soil is stiff, putty clay)."I On this
soil it is possible to raise from forty
to fifty bushels Of wheat to the acre,
oats seventy-five to one 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
is plentiful, and prices splendid. An
other settler, writing to a friend In
Iowa, says: tThe climate is all that
could be desired, plenty of rainfall in
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 particle with frost, and
the winters are milder than those in
the State from which I came. After
the holidays the winter sets in clear
and cold, with plenty Of snow for good
sleighing; no high winds or billiards.
are known. Horses live out all winter
and pick their own living, while. cattle
live all winter in open sheds and
around the hay ricks. Wheat, oats
and barley are the principal grain crops.
Potatoes and all other roots and vege-
tables do we'll, the yield being enor-
NOUS 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 number of
years, feel that l should inform you
of the progress and advancement being
made in Canada within the past few
years and the inducements and adj
| VHnC1HCS Ll1iL Will lOllOW ocLL1cMcuL Ill
Western Canada. Those who desire
information can do ais did, and apply
| to any agent of the Canadian Govern
ment, whose name 1 see appears in ad.
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.