Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-06-13
EXPERTS TRIBUTE TO
WESTERN CANADA SOIL

ukUIlllIH Unl1HUn UUIk
That there is good reason for the
wonderful crops of grain grown in
Western Canada, which have made
thousands of former residents Of the
United States wealthy, is not always
given the thought that it deserves is
quite apparent. But that there must
be reason is quite evident. Proba-
bly, more than one-but the one that
requires emphasis that the soil Is
Of the nature that will produce good
crops. 1t was not long since that the
farmer selected his land in the most
haphazard way. He need not do so
today. He will select it on the soil
analysis plan. Soil from Western
Canada was submitted to Prof. Slew
ems, soil physicist of the State College
of Washington, at Pullman Wash. His
report should no doubt further encour
age settlement in Western Canada. It
reads as follows:
eve have analysed this sample and
| find that it runs high in lime, very
high in potash, phosphorus and in MI
trogen; that it has splendid supply
Of organic matter and is in the best
| Of physical condition. There is moth
ing wrong with this soil from the
standpoint Of crop production, and
am satisfied that it will give splendid
| results wherever put under cultiva-
ton"
1t is soil like this properly worked,
and on scientific lines, as is the
rule today, that gives the opportunity
to quote the experiences Of farmers
who have increased their incomes
from $500 to $4,000 in two seasons,
and whose story would read as fol-
lows:
II have threshed altogether 1000
bushels Of No. 1 Northern wheat from
| 200 acres, which went from "a to Sc
per acre-sod breaking "a, spring
/ blowing SO, back setting Sc bushels
the average being So bushels per acre."
The newspaper giving an account of
this mans experience says: ''When he
disposed of his 1900 acres from north
i Of Brooks, Alta, to four Oak iHarbor
men, he was worth $4,000 Two years
ago he came here with $500 and few
horses" \
l It is the soil of Western Canada,
and the knowledge Of what it will do
that brings to Canada the hundreds Of
settlers that are daily arriving at the
border. A growing enthusiasm for the
fertile prairie lands of Western Can
ada is spreading all over the continent.
This enthusiasm Is the recognition Of
the fact that sufficient food could be
produced on these prairie lands to
feed the world. From the south, east
and west, hundreds of men, too old for
} military service, are pouring into
I, Western Canada to take up land or
to work on the farms. A great many
Of the incoming settlers have arrived
at such central points as Calgary, Ed
monitor, and Lethbridge, Alberta, and
at Regina, Moose Jaw, and Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan. Judging from the bulk
Of their household effects, the number
Of their horses and CATTLE and the
quantity Of implements they are bring
ing with them, most of the new ar
rivals also seem well blessed with the
worlds goods.
Reports from North Portal, Sas-
katchewan; Coutts, Alberta, and Kings
gate, British Columbia-the principal
gateways into Western Canada from
3 the United States-indicate that the
3 present influx of farmers is In such
. volume as has not been witnessed for
E many years. From Vancouver, Brit
r ish Columbia, people are going to the
I prairies for summer farm work, many
9 with the intention of taking up land
! themselves at the end Of the summer.
The influence Of this tide of farmer
! settlers on greater food production will
: be more readily appreciated when it
g is considered that the average settler
}, takes up at least twice as much land
h as he has hitherto been farming-and
J, land which, acre for acre, produces bet
= ter and larger Advertisement.