The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-10-01
NORTH CANADA FINE COUNTRY
Agricultural Recourses Of That
Country are bound|ess
NATIVE GRASS IS RICH and HEALTHY
THE INDIANS HAVE BEEN
TAUGHT FARMING IN A
SMALL WAY.
NATIVE GRASS IS RICH AND HEALTHY

In the vast territory of western and
northern Canada there are four great
watersheds. One sloping northward,
from a point about 80 miles north of
Edmonton, which drains the country
for more than 1900 miles to the Arctic
ocean; another sloping southwark and
emptying into the great lakes of our
country and the rivers which flow to
the Pacific ocean; the third sloping to
the east, drainging a country into tho
the Rocky mountains to the Pacific
ocean.
Two of these are of local interest at
present, says an exchange. The ono
sloping to the northward and the one
to the west. To give an idea of the
gradual decline of the northern slope
it is necessary to present a few geo.
graphical facts. Edmonton is 1900 feet
above the sea level, it is nearly 24OO
miles from the Arctic ocean, counting
in a straight line. AS one leaves the
summit of the watershed north of that
city, the slope is moderately steep.
Along the Athabasca river there are
several low rapids, but none of suffi-
cient consequence to interrupt navi-
cation with small craft.
AthabasGa lake, more than 800 miles
north of Edmonton, is 600 feet above
sea level. Two hundred miles north of
this is the Great Slave lake, almost as
large as any of the great lakes which
is $40 feet above sea level, making
drop of only 80 feet in 200 miles.
Thence for a distance of almost 1900
miles the slope is only $40 feet. Thus
it is seen that the district is practic-
ally level.
Its character can be appreciated
when one knows that the Indians,
towing scows up and down these
whether the scows be loaded or emp
ty, pursue their journey on a continual
dog trot. Even in towing against the
current of the river, the task is not
very difficult
Resources are BoundIess.
The resources of this great country
are boundless The climate is excep-
tionally favorable for agriculture.
Wheat, corn, flax and all kinds of veg
etables grow in great profusion when
cultivated. The district is also one of
the finest and largest for grazing in
the whole world. The native grass Is
rich and healthy, growing extensively
all over the country. Rivers and
lakes make irrigation unnecessary.
The Hudson Bay company agents
and missionaries, who have been In
the country for more than a century
past, have taught the Indians the art
of agriculture in small way. Wheat
is grown there in great quantities and
the flour manufactured from it is rec
ognized to be as fine as any in the
world; it is equally as good as that
of Manitoba. Several districts are
now shipping considerable wheat
southwark, where it is being manufac-
tured into flour. Only one flour mill
exists in the district at the present
time. This one is at Peace Landing,
on the Peace river, where the Grand
Trunk Pacific railroad will cross the
river. This mill produced 1000 bar
rels of -four two years ago and last
year the product was increased to
5000 barrels.
The mill was built and operated BY
the Hudson Bay company and has,
during it's two years Of existence, been
remarkably successful. Wheat, pull
verified in the crude way Of the In
dams has been a staple article. Of
food and each year the crop is IN
creased. OF course the means OF cui-
tivation at the present time are
crude