The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-06-05
WESTERN CANADA'S
PROSPECTS FOR 1914
Excellent Spring for Work and
Wheat Seeding About
Finished.

The writer has just returned from
an extensive trip through the Prov
inces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
Alberta. In Western Canada. The
crop conditions are the very best. ana
no one locality seems to have an ad-
vantage over another In this respect
The uniformity In growth Is remark
able, and in all parts Of the three
provinces spring wheat at the time
of writing, May 10th. is well above
the ground from two to three inches.
Considerable fall blowing was done
last year, and this, with the summer
fallow, IL already seeded. SO that
practically wheat seeding is over oy
this date. Everywhere the farmers
are busy and the whole country pre-
sents one great scene OF activity
three-horse, four-horse and five-horse
teams are busy preparing land for
barley, oats and fax. On some or
the larger farms batteries OF steam
and gasoline outfits are at work. but
in a great many districts where these
have been operated In the past they
are being displaced by horses, owing
no doubt partially to the difficulty
of securing experienced men to oper.
ate them. Anyway. there is being put
into agriculture In Western Canada,
greater effort with more promise
than for some years past. The soil
Is in the best possible condition;
moisture has been sufficient, there
have been no winds to dry out the
soil, and IL the farmers have had to
lay up for day or so now and again,
1t was merely that the ground might
have the advantage of the rain and
an occasional snow, which promise so
much for the growing crop. With
some warm weather the grain will
come along in a manner that Will
equal the best years Western Canada
has ever had.
II must not be thought from this
that the farmers are full bent on Sc
curing a grain crop alone. In nearly
every district there Is more and more
the indication and inclination to go
into mixed farming. Herds of cattle
now dot the plains that up to the
present had been fully given up to
grain growing, hogs and sheep are IN
evidence. New buildings are to be
seen on great many places, these
being pig houses and cow stables, al
though protection of cattle is not regu-
larry required, excepting for calves
and such cows as 1t may be necessary
to house from time to time.
The growing of alfalfa and other
fodder grasses is an industry that Is
being rapidly developed.
During this spring a splendid class
OF new settlers have gone In, many or
them from the eastern states. These
have seen what success the western
and central states man has achieved
in Western Canada, and are now go
ing In in hundreds. The movement
from Montana, Oregon and Washing
ton to Canada continues without any
abatement as to numbers and value OF
effects, while the central and eastern
states are still sending an excellent
class of farmers with means sufficient
to begin farming on a scale that will
pay from the start.
Those who contemplate visiting the
Panama Exposition next year will find
that one Of the most interesting trips
they can make will be via the Cana
dian West. There will be three lines
OF railway they can use-the Canadian
Pacific, Canadian Northern and Grand
Trunk Pacific, all OF which will have
through to coast lines completed. Thus
will be given view Of prairie. wood
land and mountain scenery unexcelled
in ca.-Advertisement