Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-01-26
THE BASIS Of
CANADAS RICHES
A Theme Discussed by the Wall
Street Journal.

IN speaking of Canada Il short time
age 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-
mand as the population of the world
grows AS an Investment field Canada
is worthy OF consideration" These
words are we'll worthy of attention. es-
peciaday coming from such a source as
his eminent financial journal. With
Il land ares exceeding that of the
United States and with tillable areas
coming under cultivation, the wealth
OF Canada's future eau scarcely be esti-
mated, while the wealth today is such
as to bring hef 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. l4auds at from SIS to $50
an r produced crops worth $40 to
$s5 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 ont indebtednesses that had
hung over them Tong before they came
to the country, and the year 1915 put
them in a condition OF absolute indie
pendence. A report to hand verified
by a iigi. official might seem marvel
ous, We're Ihe particulars not we'll
known, and where are not other eases
that would seem almost as phenom-
email. This is Il southern Alberta story:
A farmer wished to rent an adjoining
farm on which a loan company held II
mortgage. The applicant said he want
ed the first ten bushels of wheat, after
which he would divide, giving the loan
company onc-tliird. After threshing
he paid into tho bank at Calgary Sic
per acre for every acre cultivated, to-
the credit of the loan company, as
their share OF their third of the crop.
Sixteen dollars per acre rent. His
two-thirts was $;32 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
derful yields are reported from all
parts of this district. Recently 1910
acres OF q; ranch were sold to an Hill
noiS farmer; 300 acres of wheat i'm
1916 produced Il yield that averaged
421l5 bushels of wheat per acre. George
Richard, Formerly Of Providence. r. l..
on a southern Alberta farm got 2,052
bushels of wheat from Il 5O-acre field.
or over 20 bushels per acre, and from
81 O-acre field of oats got a return of
16 bushels per acre and still had some
s~heaveSNeft 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 A5 bushels of, oats ana 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 aud nffiuence 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 70 bushels per acre
and oats 145 bushels.
Nua,erous recoEds show that the cost
of farms iaas been more than repaid by
this years crop. In n instance, land
purchased for $1,000 produced wheat
which was sold for a little over $4,000.
Daring the year 1917 there will be
an immcusc amount Of labor required
to take care Of the crop in Manitoba
Saskatchewan and Alberta.
One Of the problems which Western
Canada l.as to face every year is the
securing Of an adequate supply 81
labor to handle the harvesting ant
threshing OF its big crops. This prob
lem. Indeed. is always present in an!
country TINT t,as a big agricultural pro
duction; in the case Of Western Can
ada it is enhanced by the comparative
sparxity Of population and tile long dis
r from Industrial districts, which
a he expected to offer a surplus o.
labor.
In Western Canadn the present diff
culties are Increased by the a A yer!
large 4,unnbcr of Western Canada'
snsan Douintion have enlisted for e r
Ice with the Canadian forces in Europe