The Meeker herald., 1919-02-22
LAND OF WEALTH
Western Canada Has Unbounded
Possibilities.
Glorious Opportunities for the Stock
Raiser, the Wheat Grower, and the
Mixed Farmsr-lts Fields 70
Feed the World.


Before there werc any cnttle In
Alberta. OF 1t was known that 1t was
possible to feed them outside all the
year round, the Indian hunters could
always find the buffalo during the
winter months pasturing In the foot.
hills In the summer the herds wan.
dered on the D'ains and fed on the
prairie grasses. The plains have since
become grain fields. but the fOOthln
district extending north from the ln-
ternational boundary for . thousand
miles will always be . natural feeding
ground for live stock. In the southern
part Of Alberta the altitude Is greater
than in the more northerly districts.
but while the herds In the south have
wiDder tracts OF treeless pasturage. In
the north from Red Deer on into the
Peace river country there are more
trees. richer vegetation ind more
natural shelter.
Those who have been advocating
stock raising and mixed farming for
the past few years point to the number
Of hogs marketed as an evidence Of the
increased production Of the Western
Provinces. They may also take credit
for the increase In cattle and sheep.
which Is very great, but perhaps not
10 marked as what has been accom-
plished in hog raising. For the first
six months alone last year about half
million hogs were shipped from
Manitoba. Saskatchewan and Alberta.
A very conservative estimate value OF
these animals to the farmer would he
$500 head.
The Canadian West Ia fast forging to
the front Of the wheat.prO,iucing co'in-
tries Of the world, and "No. hnrd"
Is without doubt the best wheat In the
market today. When It Is considered
that the three hundred and forty-three
million four hundred and sevenuy-three
thousand bushel crop Of 1n15 was from
only eleven million acres Of her hun
dretls Of millions Of acres. 1t gives IN
idea Of what her future will be.
1t Is felt, however. that on account
Of the great money there will un-
l0ubtetlly he In growing wheat during
the next few years there Is n possible
ity that farmers may be tempted to
drop the growing Of cOarser grains.
which might result In less stock being
raised. Every effort is being made by
the Agricultural Departments Of the
various Provinces to Impress on the
farmers that forage crops and coarse
feed in abundance mean production, OF
flesh and milk. and that In the long
run the great future Of the Western
Provinces lies in mixed farming which
will found her prosperity on n more
enduring basis.
Mixed farming has always been the
rule In the Eastern Provinces where the
formation Of the land invites variety
Of crop, hut It Inns not been AS common
In the Western Provinces. though the
practice Inns grown In recent years.
Hitherto the man mining wheat from
the rich soil has purchased most Of hia
household food and necessities. his
energies being devoted to getting every
possible bushel Of grain out Of every
foot Of his land. and he has paid prices
for his supplies that have made big
dent in his profits. 1t has now dAwred
on him that he can raise vegetables
and poultry. and supply his own table {;
that with very little effort he cnn ralse
. lot Of garden produce and in very
simple manner solve his own problem
Of the cost Of living. Further. that
there il an increasing market for do
nestle necessities such as poultry.
eggs, butter. milk and cheese, which
command very high prices, and that
there are other roads to prosperity
besides that through the wheat field.
In 1915 Canada imported 1885, 200
pounds of butter. most of 1t from MS
far away as New Zealand. and for the
nrst time In 90 years failed to ship
butter to England. a condition due to
the home consumption, which Is esti-
mated to be increasing at the rate OF
100000 worth n year. being great
" in excess Of the increased supply.
This condition has brought about n
change In farming methods that ls fnr-
reaching, and will result in greatly in
creased production all round Of the
necessities demanded by the home
market.
Natural Rssouress.
One Of the most important consider.
ations to the farmer Is fuel. In north
crn Manitoba. Saskatchewan and Al
berth, where portions of the country
are well wooded. the settler has little
dlfiiculty in getting nil the wood hf
requires and thousands Of men hnd
employment In the winter cutting
n.