The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-05-11
AN ILLINOIS FARMER IN WEST
ERN CANADA.


ERIN CANADA.
A recent issue Of the Shelbyville.
illinois. Democrat contains a long and
interesting letter from Mr.. Elias Kost.
formerly q prosperous farmer Of that
state, who recently emigrated to West
ern Canada. taking up claim for
himself and for each Of his three sons.
From Mr.. Kost's letter. which was
written Feb. 3. 1904. we publish the
following. believing II viii prove Of
great interest 10 those who have con
templated settling in the Canadian
Northwest:
4 had in August. 1902, secured a
claim for myself. and filed on three
quarter sections for my sons MY
claim is one-half mile south OK the
Edmonton and Lake St. Anne trail
Coming so late in the season We
had little opportunity 10 break and to
prepare ground for first years crop.
stlll we raised over 100 bushels Of
very fine potatoes, and sowed q few
acres Of barley. but the season was
too far advanced for the barley. How
ever. we secured good feed from L.
and on rented ground IS miles east OF
us. raised q fine crop Of oats, 80 that
we will have plenty Of feed for horses.
We cut about 60 tons Of hay and thus
will have an abundance. We have, AL
told. about 240 acres OF hay meadow.
which would yield tie past yeSr over
three tons 70 the acre. and Ia an or
dlnary season the meadow would fur
nlsh 600 tons Of hay. The grass is
very nutritious, and cattle on the
ranges become very fat without be-
ing fed pound OF grain.
"on the upland the grass grows
from eight 70 ten inches tall. This Is
called range grass. and Is suitable for
stock az any time. even in the winter
when the ground is not covered too
dee9 with snow. Horses subsist on i
gsane. At all times, provided they are
native stock. The grass In the hay
meadows here Is called red.top, and
grows from 1--WE to six feet IN length.
and when cut at the proper time
Yields an abundant crop Of nutritious
hay.
"our cattle have not cost us cent
since We came on our homestead, only
the small outlay for salt and labor In
putting up hay and shelter. All cattle
have been doing well this winter. and
feeding up 10 the first of January was
unnecessary, as there was good range
Up 10 that time
"Ali the SHOWS up to that date were
followed by winds from the north
west that melts Il very rapidly these
Winds are called Chinook winds. and
are always warm. In one night
Chinook wind may take away tnree
or four inches Of snow
we have built on our claim com
Portable house of hewn logs. 20x26
feet. one and one-haf stories in
height with good cellar During the
latter part OF June We RATED logs
down the Sturgeon to a sawmill. about
eight miles away. and thus secured
5000 feet Of good lumber which was
needed for the house. Later In the
season a shlngle mill located six
miles away. To this we hauled logs
and had shingles cut for the roof.
1--WE had an abundance OF wild fruit
the past season, consisting Of goose
berries. strawberries. raspberries, eye
berries, blueberries. cherries and sas-
katoons. The latter are fine looking
berry. red. and quite pleasant to the
taste. but not much TO be desired in
cookery. The strawberries are the
same as those that grow wild in llli-
nois. Raspberries are red in color,
large and equal 10 any OF the tame
varieties, and so are the gooseberries.
The cranberries consist Of the high
and trailing varieties. TIE latter are
most songas and contiguous to the
svnmps. The ground is literally Gov
cred with them as with a red carpet,
but the best and most sought Is the
blueberry. SO called BY the Indians.
This Is the famous 'huckleberry'
(whortleberry) OF the Blue Ridge
Mountains in Pennsylvania, and can
not be exceiled for excellence BY any
fruit cultivated It is found here both
on the prairie and In the timber in Inn
mense quantities.
Game Is very plentiful SO far as
prairie chickens, pheasants. ducks Of
ali kinds, and geese are concerned.
We have taken nearly 500 chickens
and pheasants. also 2 great many
ducks.
AN occasional deer Is seen. but are
not plentiful, only one having been
taken during the season In this settle
ment.
Fish are very plentiful at all sea
sons OF the year. Fish wagons and
sleds are passing almost daily along
the trail with heavy loads OF fish, des-
tined for St. Albert and Edmonton
From the latter point they are shipped
south on the Calgary and Edmonton
railroad to points along the line, and
also to Assiniboia, on tie Canadian
Pacific railroad"
For further information apply to
any authorized Canadian Government
Agent whose address appears else
where IN this paper.