The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-02-08
From Ontario.

Nestleton, Ont, January 28th, 1907
To the editor of the Pioneer Express
Dear Sir:
1 left toilette on the 9th OF Decem-
Der and spent a few days in st. Paul and
Minneapolis, and found no snow there
and enjoyed sight seeing. Met Judge
Kneeshaw there, then started east the
3Oth of December. After leaving St.
Paul it rained all the way down to De-
troit and found the grass green and
growing in Essex and the roads. muddy
and in bad condition Drove out thru
the country and found the farmers
gathered together killing hogs, as next
day was shipping day from Essex. The
chief products of this community are
tobacco, hogs and corn. This country
has not changed much in the past twen-
ty years. After having visit with Mrs.
G. E. Naylor continued my trip furth-
er east, and found everybody we'll and
times improved in the last seven years.
Farmers here also go into mixed farming
feeding cattle hogs and sheep, also the
growing of clover seed which is pro-
titable industry. Attended an institute
meeting and heard I. G. Raynor B. s.
A. He gave talk on noxious weeds,
several,men gave their experience on
getting rid of switch grass" or as we
call it in North Dakota ''quack grass y
James Keith, of Lindsey, Secretary OF
the Institute, and man of good judge
ment and to be relied upon, gave a
mans experience in handling this pest.
This one bought a fifty acre tract join
ing his farm, this tract was solid bed
of quack grass. He started in on this
in the spring and kept teams on it cul-
tivating and keeping the grass perfectly
smothered down until the last of July,
and then sowed it with buckwheat and
after the buckwheat had grown up to
smother the ground and while yet green
he plowed it under and he sowed it the
following spring to barley and had fifty
five bushels to the acre and he offers to
give the farm to anyone who can find
any quack grass there.
Mr.. Raynor gave talk on SOW thistle
which is considered the worst weed in
the east; one man went SO far as to say
that it was impossible to get rid of it,
but Mr.. Raynor is Of the opinion that it
can be got out, but warns farmers to get
at it at its first appearance and favors a
law being passed that if the farmer will
not do the work himself to have an in
spector hire men to get rid of the pest
and charge UP to the farm as taxes.
This weed is to be found in small
patches in Pembina county and 1 urge
onr. farmers to endeavor to fight it from
the start, as where this weed grows It
poisons the land and nothing else will
grow. He favored the covering up of
small patches with tar paper and smoth-
ering it out. There was also talk on
wild oats, canadian thistle and other
weed pests. But the weed giving them
the most concern is the SOW thistle. The
western farmer is surprised to find farm
ers here making. good living and saw
ing money on hundred acre farms by
mixed farming. Itis good schooling
to spend a few months down around
Toronto to see how they do things
Going to their barns and find nice
bunch Of steers ready to turn off at five
cents pound, several punches Of hogs
of different ages and also fat lambs.
They pay particular attention to their
fowls as eggs are quite paying.
The farmers here are certainly, a
q thrifty lot as rule. The prices Of
horses here are as high IS they are in
the west but they certainly have some
fine ones. .5s ~ 81
8 / am now with my brother Murry
who has built a fine home this summer
and seems to be enjoying it immensely.
This is Saturday and will take to-day's
train for Lindsey to visit my old friend
MI. Spalding formerly Of Johette, and
am sure I will enjoy the meeting rs MI.
Sparkling was one Of our best farmers.
Hoping that the weather is not to
severe in North Dakota and that ~you
are all we'll i remain
Respectfully Yours
81 !. q. EMERSON
P.s. This letter did not get, posted sun-
ilgetting - NJ. sparlings and fslnd
them vel with y very neat vells sik.ept.
placs, had fresh eggs tor brea .Ifass az Mss||
a a n sparling has y, fine |tlcck silt a3ens,
md \ nice driving pony, he ~ inly
~ u !! ]. nice surso nniiine sld lie
~ I.sy iiye lcn y q asnioWy III Y. k m 3psrs ~;
ing sad lyrsas AZ q