The Holly chieftain. (Holly, Colo.) 1897-1987, 1917-01-26
THE BASIS OF
CANADA'S RICHES
A Theme Discussed by the Wall
Street Journal.

ago the Wall Street Journal made the
statement that The basis of Canada's
riches is the fertility of the soil, and
no freak of warfare can injure that.
while her grain will increase in de-
grows. AS an investment field Canada
is worthy of consideration" These
words are well worthy of attention, es-
pecially coming from such 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 SIS to $50
an acre produced crops worth $40 to
S15 an acre. Stock raising and dairy
ing We're equally profitable.
The year 1915 saw most wonderful
crops and magnificent yields over the
entire country. and many farmers
hung over them long before they came
to the country, and the year 1916 put
them in condition of absolute indie
pendence. A report to hand verified
by Il high official might seem marvel
Gus, We're the particulars not well
known, and where are not other cases
that would seem almost as phenOm-
email. This is southern Alberta story !:
A farmer wished to rent an adjoining
farm on which n loan company held Il
mortgage. The applicant said he want
ed the first ten bushels of wheat, after
which he would divide. giving the loan
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
two-thirds was $50 and in addition the
| first ten bushels of wheat. Land on
this same security can be purchased
for from SIG to $50 per acre. Won
/ oNi' VI siSihS hiS INpoI iSu lloHt all
parts of this district. Recently 4.64O
acres of ranch were sold to an Hi
nOis farmer; 300 acres of wheat in
1916 produced yield that averaged
421@ bushels of wheat per acre. George
Richard, formerly of Providence, r. L.,
on n southern Alberta farm got 2O52
bushels of wheat from 50-acre field,
| Nv
a 5O-ncre field of oats got return of
&c 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 % bushels per.
acre; As bushels of oats and 30 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 afIluence with rec
Ords of wonderful development unsur-
passed amongst the phenomenal indus
trial success of which Canada well may
boast.
Many almost incredible yields have
been reported by reliable authorities,
wheat exceeding 20 bushels per acre
and 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 5000 produced wheat
which was sold for Il little over $4,000
During the year 1917 there will be
an immense amount of labor required
to take care of the crop in Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and Alberta.
One of the problems which Western
Canada has to face every year is the
securing of an adequate supply of
labor to handle the harvesting and
threshing of its big crops. This prob
lem, indeed. is always present in any
country that has a big agricultural pro-
ductiOn; in the case of Western Can
ada it is enhanced by the comparative
sparsity of population and the long dis
lance from industrial districts, which
can be expected to offer surplus of
labor.
In Western Canada the present diff
culties are increased by the war. A very
large number of Western Canada IS