Mower County transcript., 1908-08-05

J, 1908. Terms $I.5o
them. They remind one Of the rurales
of old Mexico. These police on horse
back cover the whole country districts
making the rounds at brief intervals
and all cases Of disorder are promptly
handled. They teltof one case of horse
stealing last winter when a fine team
was taken. The mounted police we're
promptly notified and the team was
tracked from one district to another
until it was recovered about IT'S miles
away and returned and the thieves
were brought to justice. Sunday base
ball is thing unknown from one end
OF the dominion to the other Sunday
trains are few and the day is observed
in quiet and restful way which is
very enjoyable. The obnoxious Sun
day newspaper is practically unheard
Of in many parts.
In their efforts to get additional pop.
ulation these provinces have had ex-
perience with the undesirable classes.
Among these the Doukhobors of Rus.
sia have been very conspicuous during
the past few years. They are some
thing on the order of the Friends or
Quakers, do not believe in fighting,
have peculiar ideas OF plain dress, re-
ligious practices ETC.. we were in the
heart Of their settlement. Years ago
about 1000 of them were helped to
colonize in Saskatchewan province but
the fanatical ideas of some of them
have made them of much trouble to
the authorities. These are the ones
who last year walked hundred of miles
to Fort William in their search for the
Christ. They attempted to march entire
ly naked and beg their way along. OF
course when their notions and practices
interfere with the general public ideas
of order and decency they must be sup
pressed. Nearly a hundred of them
are now in custody. Some refuse to
eat or submit to authority of any kind
and these are fed by force. They have
very fine farming lands aud those who
attend to their work raise fine crops.
1t is stated that shrewd leaders are stir
ring them up for their own selfish ends.
We saw many of them, the women in
white dress with no bOnnets but a
simple scarf tied over the head. The
authorities have had enough of the
fanatical' portion of the Doukhobors.
One of the most interesting parts of
our visit has been the inspection of
several of the experiment stations in
which various kinds::of seed are tested
under different methods of cultivation.
AtIBrandon, Mr.. Murray, the manag-
er, showed us personally over the large
farm covering over half section. He
has started a series of experiments to
determine the terminating qualities of
different samples of commercial grades
of wheat to discover what the crop
would be from them. These are grow
ing in plots of 1-2O of an acre each, all
under exactly similar conditions.
7 In other plots are samples Of grain
which are being tested as to the relat-
i've value of the various treatments for
smut, such as blue stone and formalin,
a question of great interest to the
farmers of the west. Accurate records
of these plots,as to termination, growth
and production and quality of grain
are being Kept, and from these records
reports and bulletins will be drafted
and circulated. Again there are ex-
perimental plots for the various kinds
of grain, red and white and Fife and
other samples of early and late spring
varieties with which tests are being
made as to production and length Of
time necessary for maturing. These
points are of vital interest to the farm
ers who are anxious to know of any
methods whereby the quantity and
quality of the yield may be increased.
One interesting section was that de-
voted to hay raising. B1one, rye grass
and various clovers have been planted
singly and in ordinations to find what
gives the best yield. Alsike, and red
clover have been tried singly and in
combination with the two grasses, all
k of them doing remarkably well this
season. Frost does not seem to have
damaged the roots to any extent and
the plots show splendid results. A
patch of alfalfa is also growing very
strong and will give heavy yield.
Millet and number of the shorter
grasses are also being tried out and are
coming along well. On the lighter
ground above the hill at the farm there
are meadows which promise a record
yield, for there has been a comparative.
ly heavy rainfall.
VetcneS ana peas, IN the experiment
al plots are in bloom and show a
growth which would make a market
| gardener green with envy, while the
corn is up about a foot and growing
| very strong. Some Of it is rather ligh
in color but the stalks are heavy and
| vigorous. The coarse grains too are
doing well, one patch of rye averaging
easily five feet in height, while the oats
and barley are deep olive green. 4
most noticeable feature is the regular
ity of the growth, which across the tor
has the appearance of a level, velvety
carpet of clearest green which changes
color as the winds blow across it.
There it one feature of the work al
the farm which is giving Mr.. Murray
s Z -. y