Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-09-20

show" She has never had a drop Of
milk since she was four months old
and has never had a m0uthful of grain.
A gentleman who saw her made the re-
mark "he bet that heifer had eaten her
head off with grain,'' but would hardly
believe she had never had any grain.
This is a great country for growing
all kinds of vegetables, and we are GER
tainiy enjoying our garden. The flavor
of the green peas is especially fine. Last
season Mrs. G.. canned a lot of them,
and we have enjoyed them up to the
fresh crop.
l am sorry l did not have time this
past season to attend to transplanting
trees, but will keep the land l had pre-
pared worked up for next seasons
planting. l received a number of small
trees cash and maple) from the Gov
eminent Experimental Farm at Indian
Head. l put them around the edge of
the garden and they are doing fine. 1
also received quite a lot of other seeds,
oats, wheat, potatoes and rhubarb roots.
which were acceptable.
1t is useless for us to bother with
garden flowers, as wild ones grow in
~profusion. We are located e q
fine creek, the water of which Is soft
and fine for bathing and washing. We
have a well of water near the house,
80 feet deep and 81 feet of water all
the time, though 1t is harder than the
creek water. a.
Land which could be bought for five
dollars per acre three years ago, is now
worth $14 per acre, and steadily adj
vancing each year.
All kinds of improvements are going
on. Steam plows and large %threshing
outfits are already in. Roads are being
graded, bridges being built across riv-
ers n creeks. Last year l tool my
family, also wagon across the Saskat-
chewan River in a row boat, swan my
team across, and now the contract has
been let for a 100000 bridge at that
place.
The G. n. r. have run their final
survey from Battleford to Calgary,
running west about n mile north Of
US. The G. P. r. have run a survey,
with runs northwest passes about 500
feet from the northeast corner of our
farm. The country will soon be GOV
cred with a network Of railroads, and
it will keep them busy hauling the out
put of grain. 1t is certainly encourag-
ing to us settlers.
Two years ago Harry, my son, and l
as you know unloaded our car at Sas-
| katoon and drove 100 miles to our
claim. Last fall we had only eighteen
| miles to haul our wheat to railroad,
| aud, as you see, the prospects are we
will have a railroad at our very door
| and a town near by. This district can
| support a good town, and it will be well
| patronized.
Harry arrived home at - p. m. last
| night after going fourteen miles to
| blacksmith shop to get plowshares
| beat out. The shop was full of work
and it was s p. m. when Harry left for
| home and parties still in line to have
work done. We will need stores nearer
and good mechanics.
We are all enjoying the best Of
health, which is a great blessing. When
we left Chicago over a year g my
youngest sons "a years Of age) health
was so poor that I almost ~despaired OF
raising him, but he is certainly a hear.
ty, healthy little fellow now The pure
fresh air has done him worlds of good.
So, to sum up the whole: Why should
| we not be glad we made the break. A
| good farm, stock increasing, health and
an independent life. What more can
we expect?
Did we have to make an EFFORT
You can bet we did, and hustle, too.
| Should you pass this way with your
shotgun this fall, we should be pleased
to let you shoot prairie chickens off our
grain stocks
Respectfully yours, Chas. NJ. Gerts
and family.
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