The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-01-26
THE BASIS Of
CANADA'S RICHES
A Theme Discussed by the Wall
Street Journal.

statement that The basis Of Canada :
riches is the fertility of the soil, and
no freak Of warfare can injure that
while her grain will Increase in de-
mand as the population Of the world
\ grows. AS an investment field Canada
! is worthy OF consideration" These
words are well worthy of attention, es-
| pccially coming from such a source as
this eminent financial journal. With
land area exceeding that Of the
United States and with tillable areas
coming under cultivation, the wealth
of Canada's future can scarcely be esti-
mated. while the wealth today is such
as to bring her most prominently be-
fore the world
During the past year thousands of
farmers in Western Canada sold their
crops for more than the total cost of
their land. Lands at from SO to $50
an acre produced crops worth $40 to
$40 an acre. Stock raising and dairy
Ing were equally profitable.
The year 1915 saw most wonderful
crops and magnificent yields over the
entire country. and many farmers
wiped out indebtednesses that had
hung over them long before they came
10 the country, and the year 1916 put
them In condition OF absolute inde-
pendence. A report 10 hand verified
by high official might seem marvel
Gus, were the particulars not well
Ennun onI Nt.hnrn of
that would seem almost as phenom-
enal. This is n southern Alberta story:
A farmer wished To rent an adjoining
farm on which II loan company held IA
mortgage. The applicant said he want
ed the first ten bushels of wheat, after
company one-third. After threshing
he paid into the bank at Calgary SIG
per acre for every acre cultivated, to
the credit of the loan company, as
their share or their third Of the crop.
Sixteen dollars per acre rent. His
first ten bushels Of wheat. Land on
this same security can be purchased
for from SIG to $50 per acre. Won
derful yields are reported from all
parts OF this district. Recently 4.640
acres Of n ranch were sold to an Illi-
1916 produced yield that averaged
421a bushels of wheat per acre. George
Richard. formerly of Providence, II, l.,
on southern Alberta farm got 2,O52
bushels of wheat from 50-acre field,
or over 40 bushels per acre. and from
n 50-acre field Of oats got a return Of
rs bushels per acre and still had some
sheaves left over for feeding.
A report just issued by the Alberta
government gives the yield-of wheat In
the showing of 1916 as 2S bushels per
acre: A. bushels of oats and 80 bushels !
of barley.
Travellers through Alberta'S wheat |
belt have had revealed TO them scenes |,
Of agricultural productiveness unap- |
preached in any other part of the |
world.
Alberta farms. selected with even |
moderate discretion. have raised men |
to independence and aflluence with res
ords OF wonderful development unsur- |
passed amongst the phenomenal indus
trial success OF which Canada well may /
boast.
MT&..> almost incredible yields have
BEN reported by reliable authorities,
wheat exceeding 20 bushels per acre
md oats 145 bushels.
Numerous records show that the cost
Of farms has been more than repaid by
this years crop. In one instance, land
purchased for $1,000 produced wheat
which was sold for II little over $4,000.
During the year 1917 there will be
nm immense amount of labor required
to take care of the crop in Manitoba,
and Alberta.
One of the problems which Western
Canada has to face every year is the
securing Of an adequate supply of
abor to handle the harvesting and
of its big crops. This prob
EN-, indeed, is always present in any
that has big agricultural pro-
iuction: i'm the case of Western Can
ada II is enhanced by the comparative
Sparsity OF population and the long dis
lance from industrial districts. which
,an be expected to offer u surplus of
abor.
In Western Canada the present diff
,ulties are increased by the war. A very
arge number of Western Canada's
small population have enlisted for serv-
ce with the Canadian forces in Europe.
md nj the present time there is gen
orally speaking no surplus of labor for
he ordinary channels of industry. To
say nothing OF the abnormal demands
VI harvest time. The situation. how
,ver. has to some extent been met by
he action of the Canadian militia de-
,artment. who have released all such
men who are still in training In the
western military camps and who desire
% engage i'm harvest work for period
" generally one month.
The actual number OF men engaged
n 1916 in harvest work was between
'orty and fifty thousand. Wages were
higher than usual, running from $3.50
IN SI OO N dav with hoo rd ond from