The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-24
ALBERTA A WINTER
WHEAT COUNTRY
HOW THE CROP rs GAINING
ACROSS THE BORDER.
Western Canada Will Compete with the
Pacific Coast States in the Oriental
Flour and Wheat Trade-Winter
Crop Is Sure and Returns Large
Yields.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Calgary, Alberta, June PA gricul-
tural experts all over America are watch
ing with keen interest the remarkable
production in Alberta. A few years
ago such a thing as raising winter
wheat north of the forty-ninth paral-
lei, when it is well known that it can
not be raised successfully even in CEN
tral Minnesota, would have been
Yet today winter wheat stands as a
demonstrated success not only in south
ern Alberta, but as far north as Ed
monitor.
1t is difficult to overestimate the i'm
portance of the discovery of the adap-
Of winter wheat. 1t simply means that
for agricultural purposes there is
neither arid or semi-arid country in
western Canada. A good crop of winter
wheat can be raised in the dryest years.
Winter wheat has, moreover, the adj
vantage that it always escapes the
frosts of the latter part of August,
above the sea. are sometimes injurious
| to spring wheat.
| 1t is only q matter of time until no
! spring wheat will be raised in Alberta
and western Assiniboia. Winter wheat
IN addition to being sure crop will
| y
year there were about 5000 acres sowed
to winter wheat south Of Calgary. This
year the same territory will have at
least 10000 acres of winter wheat.
This means that southern Alberta will
this season produce about $50 900 BUSH
be Turkey Red, which grades No. 1
northern.
The progress of winter wheat raising
in Alberta means that western Canada
will compete with the Pacific coast
states in the oriental flour and wheat
market. 1t is expected that after the
termination of the Russo-Japanese war
the demand in the orient for wheat
flour will be greatly increased. Hither-
to the coast states have had practically
a monopoly of this trade. With the
immense wheatfelds of Alberta to
draw on there is no reason why Canada
cannot now get share of this trade.
railway is prepared to make rates that
will encourage all steps taken toward
developing great -four trade with the
ORIENT a-..-.----...-
The estimate above given of $4,000
acres is very conservative. 1t is the
estimate of E. e: Thompson of High
River, who has taken leading part jr
| the introduction of winter wheat. The
! Cardston Star puts the acreage at
10000. If that be correct estimate
Alberta, will this year raise 100000
/ bushels of winter wheat. The revolu-
i ton that has been wrought by the in
PRODUCTION of winter wheat can be
gagged when it is remembered that these
| immense crops of thirty bushels Of
i wheat to the acre are being taken off
| land that a few years ago was consid-
1 cred unfit for any other purpose than
grazing a few cattle at the rate of
forty acres to a steer. Raising cattle,
the land would yield about $3.50 to the
acre. Raising wheat it will produce
about $2l to the acre.
Some surprise is expressed in the
states that farmers from Minnesota,
Iowa, Indiana and Illinois should trav-
ell to this far-off region to find new
homes, but the story of winter wheat
may remove some of the surprise. At
any rate the influx Of American farm
ers into the Calgary district is some
thing remarkable, AS result of the
Transformation of a grazing country
is enjoying a. great degree of prosperity
and is growing and expanding on a
scale that is astounding to some of the
, old and staid citizens.