Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-20
FARMING IN CANADA
American AgriCuIturists in the
British Northwest.
PEN AND PENCIL PICTURES
Depicting Scenes in the New Wheat
Belt.
BREAKING THE AIRIE
Contract Labor and Big Wages-The
Elevator System-Millers OPP
posed to Reciprocity.
BREAKING THE PRAIRIE

BATTLEFORD, Saskatchewan

BATTLEFORD, Saskatchewan.
I want to tell you how Americans farm
IN Canada. There are something like 1Je.
600 ex-United States citizens in this British
northwest and $1,000 came here last year.
All own farms, and most of hem are the
prize farmers of their communities. They
have been cultivating similar lands in
Minnesota and the Dakotas. and have
brought their farm machinery and house
hold effects with them. They have import
ed their own horses and they began break-
ing the prairie the moment they landed
BY way OF illustration, one American who
came in last spring, arrived at Saskatoon,
more than 2po miles north Of the Arneri-
can boundary, at 10 o'clock one morning
The cars had hardly stopped before ne
was jerking his stun out, and by . that
afternoon he had three plows at work
breaking the prairie. Many farmers who
arrive in the spring live in tents until the
hrst crop Is planted. others knock up rude
shacks while they are blowing and seed
ing. waiting for the summer to build their
homes Within a few months from now the
plGwing will be going on all over the wheat
belt and the people Will do nothing else
hnuI they get the grain planted.
Breaking the Prairie.
The methods of farming here are diff
ferent from those in the settled parts of
NV 1iAl''h sNitltS. lAtIe are millions OF
acres Of land which have never been touch
cd by man. The prairie is covered with
thick sod and one must have strong teams
and good plows to turn it, The best time
Tor breaking Is in the early spring when
the earth has been softened by the win
ter SHOWS. As soon as the frost is out
the plows are started and they are kept
busy until the crop is in
The breaklng Is done by the farmers Who
own the lana and by contractors. who
q limo FaF me ~,
outsiders, and who. later on do mach OF
the thTeshinZ The ordinary farmer usas
a gang piow and from three to q Ealf
dozen horses. With three horses he is
able TO pillow about two acres Der day and
with additional horses more in propO~flon
Much OF the work is performed by trac-
ton engines. which haul machine plows so
large that they turn over strip Of sod
as wide rs the average city sidewalk az one
time. These plOwS will make nine furrev-s
in crossing the field, ana viii break UP
as much as forty acres in one day. Such
work IS done by contract. the ca9.r4ct1r
charging $50 per acre for doing the plow-
ing.
The next process is back Getting. that
ing the burrows in the opposite dlrec-
ton. THIS may also be done by contract
the total price for blowing, back-setting
ana seeding being 81. 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. 1
been trying TO sell me land offer to take
charge 81 a farm and put It under crop
Tor - per acre and the cost Of the seed
This Is in addition to the purchase price
Some of the farmers here. who are anX-
iouS to get quick returns, sow wheat tho
same year that they break the soil Others
plow the land in the spring and hack-sef
II In the summer, seeding Il during the
following spring. This process insuTes n
good crop Those who plant immediately
upon breaking do not expect &c get much
the first year. Others plant fax for their
first crop and wheat the next year
Sowing the Wheat
The old picture of the farmer going over
the plowed ground sowing the grain broad
cast IS not to 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 one am
other over the fields. The drill plants the
seed and covers it. and after tbs the farm
er lays or 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 undertake other gen
eral 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