The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-01-21
WESTERN cAHADA's 1908 caor
WIN Give to the Farmers OF west
a splendid Return.

WIN give to the Farmers OF West
n Splendid Return.
The following interesting bit OF In
formation appeared in a Montreal pa
per:
LAST December, IN reviewing the
year 1907, we had to record a wheat
harvest considerably smaller In volume
than in the previous year, Against
ninety millions In 1906 the wheat crop
Of the West In 1907 only totalled some
seyenty-one million bushels and much
OF this OF inferior quality. But the
price averaged high and the total result
to the farmers raj not Improbable.
This year we have to record by far the
largest wheat crop in the country's his
tory. Estimates vary as to the exact
figure, but 1t is certainly not less than
n hundred million bushels and In all
probability 1t reaches n hundred and
ten million bushels. The quality, more
over, il good, and the price obtained
very high, SO that in all respects the
Western harvest Of 1908 has been a
memorable one The result upon the
commerce and finance OF the country In
already apparent. The railways are
again reporting increases in traffic. the
general trade Of the community has be-
come active after twelve months quiet,
and the banks are loosening their
purse-strings to meet the demand for
money. The prospects for 1909 are ex-
cellent. The credit Of the country never
stood as high. The immigrants OF 1907
and 1908 have 10 been absorbed into
the industrial and agricultural ON
munity and wise regulations are in
force to prevent too great an influx
next year. Large tracts of new country
will be opened up by the Grand Trunk
Pacific both in East and West. II the
seasons are favorable the Western
wheat crop should reach one hundred
and twenty million bushels. The pros
poets for next year seem very fair"
An interesting letter is received from
Cardston, Alberta western Canada,
written to al agent Of the Canadian
Government, any Of whom will be
pleased to advise correspondents of the
low rates that may be allowed intend
ing settlers.
Cardston, December 21st, 1908.
Dear Sir-Now that my threshing is
done and the question, what will the
harvest be-" has become a certainty, I
wish to report to you the results there
OF, believing it will be Of interest to
you. You know l am only a novice in
the agricultural line, and do not wish
you to think I am Boosting because Of
my success, for some of my neighbors
have done much better than / have, and
I expect to do much better next year
myself. My winter wheat went fifty
three bushels per acre-and graded No.
l.. My spring wheat went forty-eight
and three-fourths bushels per acre and
graded No. /. My oats went ninety
seven bushels per acre and are fine as
any cats / ever saw Ny stock is all
nice and fat, and are out in the field
picking their own three square meals
a day. The weather is nice and warm,
no snow-and very little frost. This
in short is an ideal country for farmers
and stockmen. The stock requires no
shelter or winter feeding, and cattle
fatten IN this grass and make the finest
kind OF beef, better than corn fed cattle
in Illinois. Southwestern Alberta will
soon be known as the farmers para
disc; and I am only sorry / did not
come here five years ago. Should a
ever strike North America I
will be among the last to s~tarve-and
you can count on that. l thank o
for the personal assistance you rem
dered me while coming in here, and I
assure you / shall not soon forget your
kind Offices.
(Signed,) o. d. WEEKS. (
s#g.