The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-21
HOW AMERICANS
FARM IN CANADA
Frank Carpenters Pen Pictures
From the Dominion's New
Wheat Belt.
BREAKING THE PRAIRIE LAND
How Seeding and Threshing Are
Done-Conuact Labor and
Big Wages.
By Frank G. Carpenter.

BY Frank G. Carpenter.
Especial Correspondence Of The Times
Dispatch)
Copyright, 1906. by Frank G. Carpentero
BATTL EFoRp. SASKATCHEWAN,
January III want TO tell you how Ameri-
cans farm in Canada. There are some
thing like 10000 eN- United States citizens
in this British northwest, and 5000
came here last year. All own farms, and
most of them are the prize farmers of
their communities, They have been Gull
tiyating similar lands in Minnesota and
the Dakotas, and have brought their
farm machinery and household effects
with them. They have imported their
own horses and they began breaking the
prairie the moment they landed By way
of illustration. one American, who came
in last spring, arrived at Saskatoon. more
than 2oa miles north of the American
boundary. Mt 10 O'Clock one morning. The
cars had hardly stopped before he was
Jerking his stun out and by 2 that af-
ternoon he had three piows at work
breaking the prairie. Many farmers who
arrive in the spring live in tents until the
first crop is planted; others knock up
rude shacks while they are blowing and
seeding. waiting for the summer to build
their homes. Within few months from
now the blowing Will be going on all over
the, wheat belt and the people will do
nothing else until they get the grain
planted.
Il. Breaking the Prairie.
The methods OF farming here are diff
fercnt from those in the eettled parts OF
the United States There are millions OF
MKT haya
touched by man. The prairie is covered
with thick sod, and one must have
strong teams and good plows TO turn II.
The best time for breaking is in the early
spring. when the earth has been softcned
by the winter SHOWS. AS soon as the
frost is out the plows are started, and
they are kept busy until the crop is IN
The breaking is done by the farmers
who own the land and by contractors.
who make business of preparing the
land for outsiders and who. later on, do
much of the titreshpg. The ordinary
farmer uses gang pillow and from three
to a half dozen horses. With three horses
he is able to plow about two acres per
day and with additional horses more in
proportion. Much of the work is per-
formed by traction engines. which haul
machine plows large that they turn
over n strip of sod as wide as the aver
plows will make nine burrows In crossing
the field. and viii break up as much rs
forty acres in one day. Such work is done
by contract the contractor charging $3.50
per acre for doing the blowing.
ne next process is back setting, that
IS going over the field again and throw
ing the burrows in the opposite dlrec-
ton This may also be done by con-
tract. the total price for blowing, back
setting and seeding being So. This means
that a man can have his wheat planted in
fields reduced from the virgin prairie at
s. per acre and the cost of the seed.
Indeed. l have had real estate agents,
who have been trying to sell me land.
offer to take charge OF a farm and put
1t under crop for IS per acre and the
cost of the seed This is in addition to
the purchase price.
Some of the farmers here, who are
anxious to get quick returns, SOW wheat
the same year that they break the soil
Others plow the land in the spring and
back-set 1t in the summer, seeding 1t
during the following spring. This pro-
cess insures a good crop. Those who
plant Immediately upon breaking do not
expect to get much the first year, Others
plant flax for their first crop and wheat
the next Year
SOWlHSe the WNcdC.
The old picture of the farmer going
over the plowed ground sowing the grain
broadcast is not 10 be seen in Canada
All grain here Is planted with drills The
ordinary drill is pulled by three horses,
and on the larger farms several drills
follow ono another over the fields. The
drill plants the seed and covers 1t, and
after this the farmer lays off until the
harvest
He may now break up or back-set
other lands for the next year, or may
build his house, make fences or under
take other general farm Improvements.
Harvest in Canada.
The most strenuous time of the year
comes with the harvest. This is a land
OF short seasons. The crops grow faster
than in the United States and harvest
comes all at once.
Along about the 18Th of August those
prairies become golden seas. which rise
and fall under every wind. Each sea
is composed of grain ready for cutting
and all is ripe al just about the same
time.
The farmers now go Into their work
with q rush. In many cases the womer
and girls join the men and boys In The
fields. Nearly every man has his owr
harvesting machinery and the girls ofte,
drive the harvesters TO cut the grain
Each harvester is drawn by thye. horses
but the huskywheat-fed American
maiden manages such team withou
tlonhle. At the same time thousands O.
hands have been imported from tn,
United States and Eastern Canada The,
have received reduced fares from tn.
railroads and are sure of work at higi
wages from now on until the grain ha