The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1904-05-18
AN ILLINOIS FARMER IN WEST.
ERIN CANADA

i
interesting letter from Mr.. Elias Kost.
formerly prosperous farmer of that
state. who recently emisrated to West.
ern Canada. taking up claim for
himself and for each of his three sons.
From Mr.. Kosts letter, which was
written Feb. 3, 1904, we publish the
following, believing II will prove of
great interest to those who have con.
templated settling in the Canadian
Northwest:
Il 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 OF the
Edmonton and Lake st. Anne trail
Coming so late in the season we
had little opportunity to break and to
prepare ground for first years crop,
still we raised over 100 bushels of
very fine potatoes, and sowed few
acres OF barley, but the season was
too far advanced for the barley. How
ever, we secured good feed from it,
and on rented ground IS miles east OF
us. raised fine crop Of oats. so that
we will have plenty of feed for horses.
We cut about GO tons of hay and thus
will have an abundance. We have, all
told, about $40 acres Of hay meadow.
which would yield the past year over
three tons to the acre. and in an or.
binary season the meadow would fur
nish 600 tons OF hay. The grass 10
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 to ten inches tall. This Is
called range grass and is suitable for
stock at any time, even In the winter
when the ground is not covered too
deep with snow. Horses subsist on It
alone, at all times, provided they ara
native stock. The grass in the hay |
meadows here is called red-top and |
grows from five 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 a 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 to the first of January was
unnecessary, as there was good range
up TO that time
"All the SHOWS up to that date were
followed by winds from the north
west that mets It very rapidly; these
winds are called Chinook winds, and
are always warm. In one night
Chinook wind may take away three
or four inches of snow
I'VE have built on our claim a com.
Portable house OF hewn logs, .0X26
feet. one and onehalf stories in
height. with a good cellar During the
latter part OF June we RATED logs
down the Sturgeon to a sawmill. about
eight miles away, and thus secured
5. 200 feet of good lumber which was
needed for the house. Later in the /,
season shingle mill located six ,,
miles away To this we hauled logs
and had shingles cut for the roof
I'VE had an abundance Of wild fruit
the past season, consisting of goose
berries. Strawberries, raspberries. eye
berries, blueberries, cherries and sas-
satoons. The latter are fine looking
berry, red. and quite pleasant to the
aste, but not much to be desired in
cookery, The Strawberries are the
anne as those that grow wild in ILL
lots. Raspberries are red in color.
arse and equal to any Of the tame
'arieties, and so are the gooseberries
The cranberries consist of the high
nd trailing varieties The latter are
most sought and contiguous to the .
wamps The ground is literally COW
red with them as with a red carpet. q
ut the best and most sought Is the 8
lueberry, so called by the Indians. a
his is the famous 'huckleberry' 8
whortleberry) of the Blue Ridge
fountains In Pennsylvania. and can. q
ot be excelled for excellence by any I
ruit cultivated. II Is found here both s
N the prairie and in the timber in i'm.
nense quantities 4
Game is very plentiful so far as b
rairie chickens, pheasants. ducks OF a
II kinds, and geese are concerned. d
We have taken nearly 500 chickens
nd phersants, also great many
ucks.
AN occasional deer Is seen, but are d
ot plentiful. only one having been a
aiken during the season in this settle II
nent. p
Fish are very plentiful at all sea +,
ons of the year Fish wagons and is
leds are passing almost daily along I;
he trail with heavy loads of fish, des-
lned for St. Albert and Edmonton.
rom the latter point they are shipped
outh on the Calgary and Edmonton
abroad to points along the line, and
lso to Assinihoia, on the Canadian
'aciac railroad"
For further Information apply to
ny authorized Canadian Government
gent whose address appears else
here in this paper.