Abilene weekly reflector., 1922-05-04

HOW CANADIANS FARM


/ month and some days, since v
landed In northwestern Canada, no
known as the last west. We are |,
: Gated midway between Regina an
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Regin
: is the capital city of the Saskatch,
wan, having a population OF 34,53.
: It Is very industrious little cit,
quite a railroad center to be so fs
north. The different railroads whic
run through 1t are namely, Gran
Trunk lines, Canadian Pacific an
Canadian National. Saskatoon Is no
much in the rear aS to population
having 25,743. Saskatchewan tots
population is 761, 800. so you can Sc
by these figures 1t Is not very thick
ly populated.
We are having nice weather jus
at present and expect to get on tn
land about the 25th of April In thi
part. In many parts Of the Saskat
chewan they were working on tn,
land several days ago. We have bu
two principal crops, wheat and oats
There are many others grown sucr
as fax, barley, rye. rye grass. The
rye grass Is mostly used for pasture
but doesn't last long, weeds soon gel
the best Of 1t and besides it takes
several acres to pasture each head
Of stock. We use oat sheaves tC
feed horses In the summer and give
them a little grain besides. The
horses seem to do real well on them
and can stand lot Of work, but !
must confess this a very severe
country on horses. Spring time
comes with a rush. then the horses
must suffer, for as soon as the farm
er can get on the land in the spring
Of the year the wheat must be
sown. next comes plowing and sow.
ing oats. Most farmers harrow after
the seeding to stir up the ground a
little to put the weeds back and in
so doing gives the wheat a chance
to come before the weeds.
We are farming or rather trying
to farm 800 acres. Several years
ago One-half section was Just the
right size for one man to take care
Of. The plan most farmers follow
is this: Divide his farm by three,
summer fallow one-third each year,
letting this land lay idle one year,
not letting any weeds grow on 1t, and
by so doing conserve the moisture
for the following crop. Then each
year the farmer has one-third sum-
mer fallow to SOW to crop and one
third stubble crop. What is meant
by this is he must sow all Of one
third in wheat by just drilling it in
the stubble or plow a part of 1t and
sow to oats, but this plan Of farm
ing must quickly be changed, for
sowing grain right in the stubble is
practically a thing Of the past. The
weeds are beginning to take posses
sion of that kind of crop. Maybe
you Kansas farmers think we don't
have any weeds in this far northern
country. We might not have as
many different kinds but what we
have got, are very bad, to my way Of
First, we have the French
weed (or penny cress) as 1t is known
in the northern states. This weed
goes to seed three or four times in
one season. had the surprise Of
my life like most Kansas weeds they
winter kill but this one If 1t Is not
matured when THE ground freezes up
or winter sets in it turns yellow
and one would think jack frost cer-
tainly nipped 1t in the bud. But
when the snow leaves in the spring
Of the year that same weed takes on
a new coat of green and comes to
It is also known in this
country as stink weed, for whenever
molested 1t sends out very unpleas-
ant odor. 1t is the first thing which
takes on green appearance In the
spring Of the year. Everybody knows
that cows are continually looking for
green, especially In the
spring Of the year. In this country
litter the long winter this weed
greatly spoils the flavor of the milk
md butter. We are also told it
:aints the beef.
Then we have wild oats. They are
Yery bad weeds also but we do not
it as bad as the French
weed. We also have the wild buck
wheat. 1t to is real pest. 1t grows
10 thick among the stubble wheat
hat the binder has hard work to cut
t, also gums up the sickle Of the
Under and breaks the knife.
You are much troubled with the
Iessian fly in Kansas. We have a
imilar pest in this country, many
eople think 1t Is the same pest, but
don't know enough about the Hes
ian fly to Judge. This little fly
uts the stalk Of the wheat off just
few days before harvest and lays
ne egg in the stubble that stands
nd seals it over. The following
)ring the egg matches and the grub
cts into the new stalk Of wheat,
ping the sames damage as the last
ear fly did. No one knows what
Of the adult, after laying
le egg in the stub. These are some
the pests but we must confess
lere are many advantages In this
'untry. This is great potato
'untry. 1t is usually the farmers
yn fault If he doesn't have suffi-
ent potatoes to run him through
e season. We are exceedingly
lndicapped in not having a potato
arket, except just a local market
what few can be sold in our own
tie towns. They all raise diff
rent kind Of potato. Some like
e white variety, some the red,