The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-09
PLENTY OF LAND IN
WESTERN CANADA
Contrast With Conditions in the U.
S. as Evidenced by Rose
t53 bud Rush.
Prosperity Continues-The Canadian
Pacific Railway Alone Is Spending
$1O,OOO,OOO on Improvements.
Special to The Journal.

Spec1aI TO Inc Journals
Winnipeg, Man., July 9.--Much in
terest is being taken in western Cam
ada in the opening of the Rosebud
reservation. because Of the striking
demonstration it affords Of the differ
ence between the United States and
Canada as to public lands.
The 398.000 acres of land in the
Rosebud reservation, for which 3d.
900 people are longing, may be said
TO be the last morsel Of good public
land n-ths United States in the humid
region.
Western Canada, on the other hand,
has about 160,000.000 acres Of good
lands remaining that are open to
homestead, and about 100000 acres
that may be purchased very cheaply
While $4,000 people are rushing
after 39S,000 acres Of land in South
Dakota, at $3.50 an acre, about 1907
600 are annually taking up the free
lands Of western Canada. Here there
are 1.F00 acres of good land, free
are only about ten acres to every
Would-ba settler.
Herein lies the main explanation Of
the greas influx Of settlers into west
ern Canada from the states. which has
been SO marked Of recent years. Last
year $4,000 Americans found homes
la western Canada, and in seven years
$4,000 Americans have settled in this
country,
Much ofsthe free land is, Of course re-
mote from railways, but excellent land
can be had very cheaply near railway
Tines, and the large amount of railway
building now in process will soon bring
great stretches Of now remote country
into close touch with the rest OF the
world.
" Rich Lands.
AS to the quality of these lands
there Is no dispute. There Is no richer
land in the world. About twenty
bushels of wheat to the acre is the
average for the whole of western
Canada for more than twenty years.
In some years the average has ex-
ceeded twenty-five bushels, and cases
Of farms yielding thirty or forty BUSH
els to the acre are not rare. Experts
agree that it Is the best spring wheat
country in the world.
In an address before the convention
of the National Association Of Grain
Dealers in Milwaukee, June 20, Theo
M. Knappen, secretary of the Western
Canadian Information Bureau, Mime
apolis, said in part:
The development Of western
Canada as a Wheat-producing coun-
try has been very rapid in recent
years; so rapid, indeed, that even
appreciated the growing Importance
of that country as a contributor to the
4 worlds supply of wheat. Seventeen
years ago Manitoba produced less
than 100000 bushels of wheat, ano
even so late as 1900, which was 6
very bad crop year in the northwest
ern states and western Canada, the
total amount of wheat produced IL
western Canada did not exceed 20;
100000 bushels. The production
suddenly assembled to about 6S, 900, OOt
bushels in 1902, and tho it fell of
to about 100000 bushels last year
will probably be nearer SO,00O,00'
than 100000 this year. This yea
the acreage soWn to wheat is JUS
e about twice what it was in 1900, be
ing about 100000 bushels.
Wheat Yields Are High.
There is a disposition in the Unite
States to look with incredulity upo
the reported wheat yields of west
ern Canada. They are so much lar
ger than those Of our own sprin
wheat states that 1t hardly seems pos
sible that they can be right. BIT
both Manitoba and the territorie
have welI-organized systems Of CROP
reporting, and it is SO noticeable tina
tho the average Is high. there haV
been years In winch DOLIl uuIllnCulne
ly reported insignificant returns. Thu
in 1900 Manitoba reported yield {
only SO bushels and the territorie
only 9.75. Last year Manitoba ha
to report only 1863 bushels per acl
as compared with 26<bushels in 19C
and 25.1 In 1901. Moreover, the r.
ports and experiences Of individu
farmers corroborate the official fiji
ures, -,
eighteen bushels to the acre lool
as small to the average western G;
madam farmer as eight or nine busl
els does to the average northwestel
farmer. Nor can it be urged again
western Canada as a wheat COUNT
that the large yields are merely tho
Of the last few years, and not sur
cient to form q conclusion as to II
wheat-ralsing capacity and reliabil1
Of the country. Twenty-one succe
sive crops in Manitoba on a constan
ly increasing acreage ought to give
fair test. The crop Of 1900 was tt
smallest in all these years. Ten