Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-01-07
DEVELOPMENT OF CENTRAL
CANADA.
The story of Big Yields of Grain
Comes from Every Section.


Comes from Every Section.
When the man in the States was
told that he could get 100 acres Of land
in Central Canada-comprising the
provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan
and Alberta-that under cultivation
would produce from 20 to 80 bushels OF
wheat to the acre, or If seeded to oats
the yield would be 40 to so bushels. he
was skeptical. The same story was told
the man who wished to get nearer to
existing lines Of railway, and was only
asked to pay $40 to S12 an acre. But
many tried it. some one plan and some
another. The man who accepted the
160 acres as free gift, as home
stead, and was willing to put IN the
required residence duties OF three
years, has now a farm worth from
fifteen to twenty dollars an acre. The
man who chose 80 purchase, and did
50, took up his residence just the
same He has land that, in many
cases. Is worth twice the money he
paid for it. Both have found that the
story Of splendid yields was verified.
They have had crops exceeding that
promised; they have seen oats that
yielded 100 bushels to the acre, and
have grown wheat that averaged 40
and as high as so bushels to the acre.
Their wheat was not % pounds to
the bushel article, out 62 and 63
pounds. They have seen within the
way constructed through their dis
trict, and throwing out branch lines
to the gates of their farm. They have
seen schools established in their neigh
borhood and the government contrib
uting largely to their expense.
Churches have been erected, villages
have been established, towns have
sprung into existence, and cities are
rapidly springing up, as il the magic
hand Of some unseen conlurer was at
work But it was not; 1t was the
legitimate offering of the wealth Of
the field which made all these things
come about, naturally, and easy. The
prairie that three years ago was mere
ly prairie, a patch of brown, just wait
ing for the ploughman, is to-day dot
ted with titled farms and splendid
homes. The line of elevators with
their glistening metaled fireproof sides
and roofs, indicate the location of the
town and the railroad. There is the
glow of newness about it ALL but the
elevator, the splendid store buildings
III l.,;-
wealth-not imported wealth-beyond
that of the strength of the man who
fashioned and built them, but the
wealth Of the soil, which means that
the newness will be followed by
steady growth. The writer recently
was a passenger over the Grand Trunk
Pacific, the latest factor in this great,
marvellous field Of development. The
rapidity with which towns were being
! built up, the farmsteads occupied, was
something even his experienced eye
had not looked for. Everywhere along
the line Of this new transcontinental
was the distinguishing mark Of prog
| ress. There was not a mile of the
length of the road from Winnipeg to
Edmonton and west that did not bear
token of its AGILITY to pay tribute to
| the revenue of the road. Mention Is
| made of this line, not because it is the
last il the field, bu9 because it is one
of the best built roads on the CONT
| nent and traverses one of the best dis
| tricts of an excellent country. 1t is
| well operated, and already has gone
| into active service as another means
of making 1t possible to secure more
speedily transit from the grain fields
| to the shipping centers. 1t had been
the intention in this article to have
| spoken of some of the yields Of grain
| that have made the farmers of Central
| Canada contented this year, but space
will not permit, so that delightful task
will be taken up in another issue. In
the meantime it would be well for the
reader, if he is interested, to put him
self in touch with some official of the
Canadian government and get infor-
nation that might be useful in max
ing selection for home in Central
Canada, and become one Of those who
will be instrumental in building up a
great county to the north In doing
SO, you will be assisting the United
States In a few years time the Unit
ed States will be a wheat importer
Canada will supply the wheat and you