The Benson signal., 1917-01-27
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 inture 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
a 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 $15 to $50
an acre produced crops worth $40 to
$75 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
to the country, and the year 1916 put
them in a condition of absolute inde-
pendence. A report to hand verified
by high official might seem marvel
Gus, were the particulars not well
known, and where are not other cases
that would seem almost as phenom-
enal. This is southern Alberta story:
A farmer wished to rent an adjoining
farm on which loan company held
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 $32 and in addition the
first ten bushels of wheat. Land on
this same security can be purchased
for from $16 to $50 per acre. Won
derful yields are reported from all
parts Of this district. Recently 4,640
acres of a ranch were sold to an Illi-
nois farmer; 300 acres Of wheat in
1916 produced a yield that averaged
421@ bushels Of wheat per acre. George
Richard formerly of Providence, r. l..
on a southern Alberta farm got 2,052
| al RolI
or over 40 bushels per acre, and from
50-acre field Of oats got return of
76 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 1915 as % bushels per
acre; 45 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 aff1uence with rec
ords of wonderful development unsur-
passed amongst the phenomenal indus
trial success of which Canada we'll 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 $4,000 produced wheat
which was sold for a 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 it's big crops. This prob
lem, indeed, is always present in any
country that has big agricultural pro-
duction; in the case of Western Can
ada it is enhanced by the comparative
tance from industrial districts, which
can be expected to offer a surplus of
labor.
In Western Canada the present diff
culties are increased by the war. A very
large number of Western Canadas
small population have enlisted for serv-
Ice with the Canadian forces in Europe,
and at the present time there is gen.
orally speaking no surplus of labor for
the ordinary channels of industry, to
say nothing of the abnormal demands
of harvest time. The situation, how
ever has to some extent been met by
the action of the Canadian militia de-
partment, who have released all such
men who are still in training in the
western military camps and who desire
to engage in harvest work for period
of generally one month.
The actual number of men engaged
in 1916 in harvest work was between