Newport weekly independent., 1903-04-24
NEVER SAW SUCH LARGE
 YIELDS.
The Climate Is Healthy-The Win. ters Are Pleasant In Western
 Canada.

Writing from Stirling, Alberta, to one of the agents representing the canadian Government Free Homc- stead Lands, Mir. NJ. Pickrell, for merly of Beechwood, Kentucky, says of Western Canada:
 "In the first place we will say that the summer season is just lovely in- deed. As to the winter, well we never experienced finer weather than we are now enjoying. We have just re- turned from Northern Alberta and will say that we found the weather to be very mild, the air dry, fresh and lnvigorating. Considering every- thing we can say that the winters here are most pleasant, healthy and enjoyable to what they are in tho States. Here it gets cold and con. tlnues so till Spring-there are no dlsagreeable winds. In South Alberta 1t Is some warmer-two to four inches of snow may fall and in a few hours Chinook wind come along. evaporating the entire snow, leaving terra-firma perfectly dry, in 1act, we did not believe this part until we came and saw for ourselves and we now know what we herein write to be just as we write it. There has not been day this winter that l could not work out doors, Farmers here are calculating on starting the plough the first of March.
 "As to farm wages, we would not advise man to come here with the expectation of, living by his days work, but all who do want a home adVlse to have nerve enough to get up and come for there never has been, and may never be again, such grand opportunity for a man to get home almost free.
 As to the crops.- I have been in the fields before harvest, saw the grass put up and the grain harvested, and 1 never saw such large yields. l saw oats near Edmonton over six feet tall that yielded so bushels per acre, and l talked to a farmer near St. Albert who had field year be- fore last that averaged 11O bushels per acre, and weighed 43 pounds to the bushel. All other crops would run in proportion-as to potatoes and vegetables, the turnout was enor- nous. l have such reports as the above from all sections that I have visited, and that has been every com. munity between the Edmonton dis. trict and Raymond in tEe Lethbridye district.
 "As to stock raising, l would advise a man to locate in this place, or any place, in South Alberta. but for mixed farming, l would say gc up farther north, say near Lacombe, Wetaskiwin or Edmonton. where it is not quite so dry and where there is some tim. Der to be had. I will say that no. where have l ever seen a better op- portunlty for man, whether he has money or not, to obtain a home. Nowhere can be found a more pro- ductive soil, better water and a bet ter governed country than Western Canada affords. Inducements to the homeseeker are uneXcelled. I met two men near Ponoka on the G. .e; E. R. R., who borrowed the money to pay for their homestead and in four years those two men sold their farms-one for $2.50O, the other for $3,OOO. l met a man near Wetaskiwin who landed here with 25 cents six years ago. He is now worth $s.O0O. The advantages for ranching are ex- cellent, in fact I do not believe this section can be beat. Markets are good; as to living, family can live as cheap here as they can in the States. The average yield of oats in this neighborhood, last year, was 70 bushels per acre; wheat averaged 35, barley 40, and the beet crop was good. In consequence of the success ful cultivation of the beet, a large beet sugar factory is being erected at Raymond, seven miles from here.
 "ln conclusion, I will say that N. w. T. from Manitoba to a long dis tance north of Edmonton produces most wonderful crops. Lakes and rivers abound with fish, and game is
 
 tionably the country for a man to come to if he desires to better his in life. I would advise the prospective settler to look over the Lethbridge, Lacombe, Wetaskiwin and Edmonton districts before locat- ing.
 "I will locate in the Edmonton dis trict next Fall and several families from the States will locate with me. In the meantime, I will receive my mail here and will be pleased to give the interested all the information de- sired"
 For information as to Railway Rates, etc.. apply to any agent of the Canadian Government whose names appear elsewhere in this pa- per,