The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-08-15

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business men may give good accounts
of a new country, and while their de-
scriptions may be true in every detail,
prospective settlers and visitors are
always interested in what the farmer
has to say. He is the man who is lit
orally on the ground and knows what
he is talking about. There may be
more or less that is merely theoretical
about the conversation of the man
who is not actually working the land,
but the statements of the farmer, who
is making his living and adding to his
wealth by the land and on the land,
come from a man who knows whereof
he speaks.
There are no more enlightened or
progressive farmers to be found any
where than those of the Fraser Val
ley, and readers of this column will
read with interest what they have to
say concerning their experiences in
this great country.
One farmer, who is making marked
success in dairying, has this to say:
"Three and half years ago 1 came
to Chilliwack from Westminster town
ship, Ontario. l purchased a farm
of $50 acres, of which 100 acres was
cleared and 60 acres in bush. l went
into dairying with 20 COWS and have
steadily increased the stock until last
year my herd of mich COWS numbered
40 head. The whole stock now in
cludes 70 head of cattle, 20 breeding
ewes, 100 hogs and II horses, includ-
ing four brood mares.
During the past year, from cream
alone, my COWS averaged $50 per head.
I pasture my COWS on the meadows
until about May "a, and then cut three
tons of hay per acre in the month of
July. My farm will comfortably feed
100 head Of stock, without soiling or
putting up ensilage
During the time I have been on my
Chilliwacl farm, the sale of dairy
products, fat cattle, veal, hogs, sheep,
poultry, potatoes, etc., has yielded
substantial income annually. I'M
provements are being made all the
time, and in another two years under
normal conditions my farm will yield
an annual profit of from Is to 20 per
cent. In addition to doing the regular
work of the farm, the 60 acres of bush
land has been brought under cultiva-
ton, and large dwelling house erect
ed.
Taking into consideration the fer
tility of the soil, the larger number
of stock a farm will carry, and the
higher prices readily obtained for all
agricultural products, 1 consider a
100-acre farm in Chilliwack equal to
one twice as large in Eastern Can
ada.
81 have found farming in this dis
trict profitable under present condi
lions, but with greatly improved trans
portation facilities, to be provided
soon by the building of the Great
Northern line and the new electric
line to New Westminster and Van
perity and a grand future for the Chill
liwack Valley"
One of the successful fruitgrowers
gives his experience as follows:
"Six years ago | left Swan River,
Manitoba, and three years ago settled
on fruit farm at Vedder Crossing,
Chilliwack. My place comprises AZ
acres, and there are 1000 fruit trees,
which were all bearing when l moved
onto the farm. Last year 800 cherry
trees produced nine tons of cherries,
chiefly Royal Annes, which sold at
cents per pound for the whole crop
in bulk for canning purposes. l did
the picking, but the canning company
attended to the packing and shipping.
This fruit was of first-class quality,
superior to anything in the district.
"Of prunes, ITO trees yielded lao
tons. The price realized was 500 per
ton picked, the packing, packages and
shipping at buyers expense. 1 have
$50 plum trees, which produce an
average of rs tons per year. Plums