THE LAND OF GRAIN
—by
JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD
Author of “American Farmers Build
ing a New Nation in the North”— |
"Canada—The Land of Greater .
Hope”—“The Invasion of Canada by I
American Farmers”—“A Thousand
Miles on Horseback Across the Do
minion Provinces,” Etc., Etc.
Not so very many years ago the major
ity ot people in the United States
laughed at the prediction that the day
was coming when Western Canada
would tar outstrip this country in
the raising of grain—when, in other
words, it would become the great
bread basket of the world. During the
past three or four years the enormous
production of grain in the Dominion
West has thinned the ranks of those
who doubted the destiny of Canada's
vast grain growing regions; the crops
of this year will dispel the doubts of the
remaining few. From Winnipeg
westward to the foothills of Alberta,
over a country nearly a thousand
miles in width, the grain production
this year will be something to almost
stagger the belief of those hundreds
of thousands of American farmers
whose average yield is not more than
from ten to fifteen bushels of wheat
to the acre, and who are finding that
their product is also outclassed in
quality by that of their northern
neighbors.
The enormous grain crop of this
year in the Canadian West may truth
fully he said to be the production of
"a few pioneers.” Only a small per
centage of the unnumbered millions
of acres of grain land are under culti
vation, notwithstanding the fact that
tens of thousands of homesteads were
taken up last year. And yet, when
all the figures are in, it will be found
that the settlers of the western prai
ries have raised this year more than
125.000,000 bushels of wheat, 100,000,
000 bushels of oats and 25,000.000
bushels of barley. It lias been a “for
tune making year” for thousands of
American farmers who two or three
years ago owned hardly more than the
clothes upon their backs, and whose
bumper crops from their homesteads
will yield them this season anywhere
from $1,500 to $2,500 each, more money
than many of them have seen at one
time in all their lives.
Very recently 1 passed through the
western provinces from Winnipeg to
Calgary, and in the words of a fellow
passenger, who was astonished by
what he saw from the car windows in
Manitoba, we were, metaphorically
speaking, in a "land of milk and
honey.’’ The country was one great
sweep of ripening grain. In fact, so
enormous was the crop, that at the
time there were grave doubts as to
the possibility of GETTING ENOUGH
BINDER TWINE TO SUPPLY THE
DEMAND. A situation like this has
cevjr before been known in the agri
cultural history of any country.
Before 1 made my first trip through
the Dominion west I doubted very
much the stories that I had heard of
l.iis so-called "grain wonderland"
across the border. I believed, as un
numbered thousands of others be
lieved, that the stories were circulated
mostly to induce immigration. I quick
ly found that 1 was wrong. As one
Alberta farmer said to me a few
weeks ago, "If the whole truth were
told about this country I don’t sup
pose you could find one American in
ten who would believe it.”
This year the prospects of the
wheat crop of Saskatchewan, Mani
toba and Alberta are an average of
over TWENTY-FIVE BUSHELS TO
THE ACRE, and that this grain is
far superior to that raised in the
states is proved by our own govern
ment statistics, which show that
American millers are importing mil
lions of bushels of B 'Canadian hard”
to mix with the home product in order
that THIS HOME PRODUCT MAY
BE RAISED TO THE REQUIRED
STANDARD. It is a peculiar fact that
while the Dominion Government is
anxious for its western provinces to
fill up with ihe very best of immi
grants, there has been no blatant or
sensational advertising of those lands.
For this reason it is probable that not
one American farmer out of fifty
knows that Canada wheat now holds
the world’s record of value—that, in
other words, it is the best wheat on
earth, and that more of it is grown
to the acre than anywhere else in the
world.
A brief study of climatic conditions,
and those things which go to make
a climate, will show that ihe farther
t'.ne travels northward from the Mon
tana border the milder the climate be
comes—up to a certain point. In
other words, the climate at Edmonton,
Alberta, is far better than that of
Denver, 1,500 miles south; and while
thousands of cattle and sheep are dy
ing because of the severity of ihe
winters in Wyoming, Montana and
other western states, the cattle, sheep
and horses of Alberta GRAZE ON
THE RANGES ADD WINTER WITH
ABSOLUTELY NO SHELTER. This
is ail largely because sea-currents and
air-currents have to do with the ma
king of the climate of temperate re
gions. For instance, why is it that
California possesses such a beautiful
climate, with no winter at ail, while
the New' England states on a parallel
with it have practically six months
of winter out of twelve?
It is because of that great sweep
of warm water known as the “Japan
current.” and this same current not
only affects the westernmost of the
Dominion provinces, but added to its
influence are what are known as the
“chinook winds"—steady and undevi
ating air-currents which sweep over
the great wheat regions of Western
Canada. There are good scientific
reasons why these regions are capable
of producing better crops than our
own western and central states, but
best of all ate the proofs of it in act
ual results. This year, for instance,
as high as one hundred bushels of
oats to the acre will he gathered in
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta,
and t-otne wheat will go AS HIGH AS
FIFTY Bl'SHELS TO THE ACRE,
though of course this is an unusual
yield.
Last spring it was widely advertised
in American papers that Alberta's win
ter wheat crop was a failure. In fact,
this is Alberta’s banner year is grain
production, as it is Saskatchewan’s
and Manitoba's, and from figures al
rpadv in it is estimated that Alberta's
wheat will yield on an average of THIR
TY-FIVE BUSHELS TO THE ACRE.
In many parts of the province returns
will show a yield ol' as high as FIFTY
bushels to the acre and it is freely
predicted by many that when the of
ficial figures are in a yield of at least
forty-five instead of thirty-five bushels
to the acre will be shown.
At the time of my last journey
through the Canadian West, when my
purpose was largely to secure statis
hcal matter for book use, I solicited
letters from American settlers in all
parts of the three provinces, and most
of these make most interesting read
ing. The letter was written by A. Kal
tenbruuner, whose postoffice address
as Regina, Saskatchewan.
“A few years ago.” he says. “I took
up a homestead for myself and also
one for lhv son. The half section
which we own is between Rouleau and
Drinkwater, adjoining the Moosejaw
creek, and is a low, level and heavy
land. Last year we put in 100 acres of
wheat which went 25 bushels to the
acre. Every bushel of it was ‘Xo. L’
That, means the best wheat that can
be raised on earth—worth 90 cents a
bushel at the nearest elevators. We
also threshed 9,000 bushels of first
class oats out of 1G0 acres. Eighty
acres was fall plowing AND YIELDED
NINETY BUSHELS TO THE ACRE.
We got 53 cents a bushel clear. All
our grain was cut in the last week of
tile month of August. We will make
more money out of our crops this year
than last. For myself, I feel com
pelled to say that Western Canada
crops cannot be checked, even by un
usual conditions.”
An itemized account shows a single
year's earnings of this settler and his
2,500 bushels of wheat at 90 cents
a bushel.$2,250
9,000 bushels of oats at 53 cents
a bushel
4,770
Total .$7,020
It will be seen by the above that
this man’s oat crop was worth twice
as much as his wheat crop. While
the provinces of western Canada will
for all time to come be the world's
greatest wheat growing regions, oats
are running the former grain a close
race for supremacy. The soil and cli
matic conditions in Manitoba. Sas
katchewan and Alberta tire particular
ly favorable to the production of oats,
and this grain, like the wheat, runs a
far greater crop to the acre than in
even the best grain producing states
of the union. Ninety bushels to the
acre is not an unusual yield, whole
homesteads frequently running this
average. And this is not the only ad
vantage Western Canada oats have
over those of the United States, for in
weight they run between forty and
fifty pounds to the bushel, while No.
1 wheat goes to sixty-two pounds to
the bushel, in fact, so heavy is
Canadian grain of all kinds, and espe
cially the wheat, that throughout the
west one will see cars with great
placards upon them, which read:
"This car is not to be filled to ca
pacity with Alberta wheat.”
When I made my first trip through
the Canadian West a few years ago I
found thousands of settlers living in
rude shacks, tent shelters and homes
of logs and clay. Today one will find
these old “homes” scattered from
Manitoba to the Rockies, but they are
no longer used by human tenants.
Modern homes have taken their place
—for it has come to be a common say
ing in these great grain regions that,
“The first year a settler is in the land
he earns a living; the second he has
money enough to build himself a mod
ern home and barns; the third he is
independent.” And as extreme as this
statement may seem to ihose hun
dreds of thousands of American farm
ers who strive for a meager existence,
it is absolutely true. I am an Ameri
can. as patriotic, I believe, as most of
our people—but even at that I cannot
but wish that these people, whose
lives are such an e ndless and unhappy
grind, might know of the new life that
is awaiting them in this last great
west—this “land of greater hope.”
where the farmer is king, and where
the wealth all rests in his hands. As
one American farmer said to me, "It
is hard to pull up stakes and move a
couple of thousand miles.” And so it
is—or at least it appears to be. But
in a month it can be done. And
tlie first year, when the new settler
reaps a greater harvest than he has
ever possessed before, he will rise
with 200,000 others of his people in
Western Canada and thank the gov
ernment that has given him, free of
cost, a new life, a new home, and new
hopes—which has made of him, in
fact, “A man among men, a possessor
of wealth among his people.”
Sensitive Papa.
"George, you must be more carefu..
Papa thinks you meant to wound his
feelings."
"Why, what did I say?”
"You remember that when you or
dered beer at tlie cafe last night you
called it 'suds' in a very loud voice."
"Well?”
“You must have forgotten that papa
! got all his money making soap."
ANCIENT TIMEPIECE
WATCH OVER 300 YEARS OLD
OWNED BY CHICAGOAN.
Said to Have Been Made Without the
Aid of Machinery—Still Ticking
Off Minutes with Commend
able Accuracy.
Chicago.—One of the most remark
able heirlooms in the possession of
any Chicagoan is a watch made more
than 300 years ago in England and
brought to this Country in 1634. It is
owned by Reuben S. Price, a retired
traveling man, living at 756 East Sev
enty-second street.
Although this is the sixih genera
tion of the family in America that has
owned the watch, it is still recording
faithfully Father Time's hours and
minutes with the most commendable
accuracy.
The watch was made near the close
of the fifteenth century, and there is
an indisputable record of its owner
ship from the year 1634, when it wag
in the possession of Mordecai Price,
who was among the very earliest set
tlers in Anne Arundel county, Mary
land. The watch was handed down
from father to son from Mordecai the
first to his son Mordecai. and his son's
son Mordecai, the latter bequeathing
it to his son Elijah, who in turn in
trusted it into the hands of his son
John K., the father of the present
possessor of the relic.
The various owners and the dates
of their acquisition of the watch are
engraved upon the back as follows:
I was brought to St. Mary's, Maryland,
in 1634 by Montreal Price.
1662 bis son, Mordecai Price. Jr.
1723 Ids son, Mordecai Price, Jr., Jr.
17s 1 his son. Elijah Price.
Is30 his son John K. Price.
1862 liis son. Keuben S. Price.
Continuing the custom from the
first Mordecai down through six gen
erations, Reuben S. Price will some
Dial and Back of Ancient Watch.
time give the valuable curio to his
own and only son. Reuben S. Price. Jr.
Mr. Price naturally prizes it above
price, having recently refused an of
fer of $1,000 for it.
The watch, in the opinion of a well
known Chicago watchmaker, was
made entirely by hand, probably the
only one in existence made without
the aid of machinery. Even the tiny
chain, which age does not seem to
have worn, was put together by the
patient fingers of its maker over three
centuries ago. The movement is in
cased in a solid silver covering which
tits inside another case, the outside
case being open on one side and the
inner case containing the crystal.
The dial contains two rows of fig
ures, an inside circle bearing Roman
characters to denote the hours, and an
outside row set with the Arabic fig
ures to indicate the minutes.
The watch has a very peculiar tick,
the sound caused by its vibrations re
sembling very much the noise pro
duced by the light tapping of a pen
cil point on an inverted tin cup.
Around the outer edge of the centercir
tle (which is countersunk) of the dial is
the imprint of tlie maker of the watch,
as follows:
Rb BANNER.
LIVERPOOL.
Mr. Price bases his estimate of the
date ol making of the watch upon in
vestigations he made concerning this
Richard Banner, while on a recent
visit to Liverpool. On consulting the
archives of the city he found that
one Richard Banner was engaged in
the watchmaking business there prior
to 1000. but after that date all records
of him ceased, evidently showing his
death at about that time.
During the time in which it was
handed down from one descendant of
the Price family to another the watch
was permitted to lie dead for a pe
riod of a full century, after which it
was repaired and coaxed into its old
ways of keeping good time, which it
still continues to do.
In size thp watch is something less
than the dimensions of a modern time
keeper.
The record obtained from the fam
ily genealogy shows that the watch
was carried through many momentous
periods of our country’s history, in
cluding the eight years when in the
revolution, and It ticked off the weari
some hours and minutes through
which our fathers struggled for Amer
ican independence
HER GOOD FORTUNE
After Years Spent in Vain Effort.
Mrs. Mary E. H. Rouse, of Cam
bridge, N. Y., says: "Five years ago
tl had a bad fall and it
affected my kidneys.
Severe pains in my
back and hips became
constant, and sharp
twinges followed any
exertion. The kidney
'v •'secretions were badly
disordered. I lost
f* '* flesh and grew too
weak to work. Though constantly
using medicine I despaired of being
cured until I began using Doan's
Kidney Pills. Then relief came
quickly, and in a short time I was
completely cured. I am now in ex
cellent health.”
Sold by all dealers. 50 cents a box.
Foster-Milburn Co., Ruffalo, N. Y.
FULLY FILLED THE BILL.
Aunt Mar.dy Was Thoroughly Satisfied
with New Husband.
Aunt Mainly is an old colored wom
an who for years has done washing
for several families. She has had
several matrimonial experiences, and
when her last husband died one of
her customers attempted to condole
with her.
"I was very sorry to hear of your
husband’s death, Aunt Maudv,” she
said.
“Ya'as. ma'am.” said Aunt Mandy.
"He was a pow'fnl good man.”
"What did he die of?"
"Ah really don't know, ma'am.”
"You don't know- Gracious!
Couldn’t! the doctor tell you?”
“Ah didn't have no doctah, ma'am,”
said Aunt Mandy. "lie jes .done died
a natch’ral death.”
It wasn't long, however, before Aunt
Mandy had another husband.
"I hear you are married again," re
marked her patron one day.
"Ya'as. ma'am,” giggled Aunt Mhndy.
“I was done married las' Sunday."
"And is your new husband equal to
the last?”
"Ya'as, indeedy, ma'am," said Aunt
Mandy. "He's jes as equal, if not
equaller.”
CURED HER CHILDREN.
Girls Suffered with Itching Eczema
Baby Had a Tender Skin, Too—
Relied on Cuticura Remedies.
‘‘Some years ago my three little
girls had a very bad l'orm of eczema.
Itching eruptions formed on the backs
of their heads which were simply cov
ered. 1 tried almost everything, but
failed. Then my mother recommended
the Cuticura Remedies. I washed my
children's heads with Cuticura Soap
and then applied the wonderful oint
ment, Cuticura. I did this four or five
times and 1 can say that they have
been entirely cure*. I have another
baby who is so plump that the folds of
skin on his neck were broken and even
bled. 1 used Cuticura Soap and Cuti
cura Ointment and the next morning
the trouble had disappeared. Mme.
Napoleon Duceppe, 41 Duluth St.,
Montreal, Que., May 21, 1907.”
Heard in the Rain.
Seeing the sun shining through the
rain a Georgia youngster said to
Brother Dickey:
"Is the devil beating his wife be
hind the door?”
"I dunno, honey,” said the old man.
“Hit's my opinion dat ef de devil got
a wife he ain't savin' a word ter no
body !"—Atlanta Constitut ion.
Important to Mothers.
Examine carefully every bottle of
CASTOR1A a safe and sure remedy for
infants and children, and see that it
Bears the
Signature of<
in Use For Over 30 Years.
The Kind You Have Always Bought.
Progress Reported.
“Did you have any luck fishing?’
"Yes.”
“How many did you catch?”
“1 didn't catch any. Hut 1 thought
up some mighty good stories to tell
die folks at home.”
For the Biues
If you are blue, dejected, and feel
like the world has it "in for you,” the
chances are your liver is taking a few
days off. Put it to work by using
Simmon's Liver Purifier (tin boxes);
it’s the best regulator of them all.
The people of Paris, 2,714,000, could
stand on 0.29 of a square mile, and the
population of Chicago on about 0.22 of
a square mile.
Hicks' Capudine Cures Women.
Periodic pains, backache, nervousness
nml headache relieved Immediately and
assists nuture. Prescribed by physicians
with best results. Trial‘bottle 10c. Kegular
size IV and 50c at ull druggists.
What a lot of trouble some children
seem to have keeping their parents in
the way they should go!
Mrs. ‘Winslow's Soothing Syrup.
For ehlldri u teething, softens the gums, reuuees Us
liumiustlon, allays pulu, cures s tmt colic. ZficahotUa
Even the prude Isn't averse to sit
ting in the lap of luxury.
I eet Ache—t Re Allen's Fnnt-Knse
Over Itti.OOO testimonials. Ilcfuse imitations. Send for
treo trial package. A. s. Olmsted. IsjHoy.N.Y.
A woman is known by the acquaint
ances she cuts.
WHAT DID JOHNNY MEANT
Johnny's Pa—See here, young man.
How do you expect to get on if you
never see tilings? You must look for
things—always keep looking as I do.
Johnny—Gee!
Where Others Failed
“Each spring for five or six years
I broke out with a kind of Eczema
which nothing seemed to relieve per
manently. Finally I tried a box of
Hunt’s Cure, which promptly cured
me. Two years have passed but. the
trouble has not returned.”
MRS. KATE HOWARD,
Little Rock, Ark.
Special Test of Timber.
An example of the progress of tha
science of forestry in this .country ,a
furnished by the co-operation just ar
ranged between the University of
Idaho and the United States forest,
service for testing the timber grow
ing in the State of Idaho. The tests
will be specially directed to determine
the fitness of these timbers for use
as bridge stringers, railroad ties and
paving blocks.
Man and Beast Alike.
Only those who have suffered the
agony of eye afflictions can appreciate
the blessing to humanity in Dr. Mitch
ell's famous Eye Salve. Introduced in
this region as far back as ]849 it is
found to-day in all well regulated
homes hereabouts. Not alone the eyes
of man but those of the dumb animals
have enjoyed its comforts. Mitchell's
Eye Salve. Sold everywhere. Price 25c,
A Hard Blow.
“So Barnstormer's performance of
Hamlet caused a great hit in the coun
try circuit.”
“Yes, a stunning hit.”
“Between ourselves, what caused
it?”
“I don't think Barnstormer ever
knew himself what struck him.”
No Others
It is a class to itself. It has no
rivals. It cures where others merely
relieve. For aches, pains, stiff joints,
cuts, burns, bites, etc., it is the quick
est and surest remedy efer devised.
We mean Hunt’s Lightning Oil.
It sometimes happens that a man
doesn't ask his wife to sing because
he is fond of music.
This woman says that kjm,
women should not fall to *
I.ydia E. Pinkham*s vLeta],y
Compound as she did. k <U e
Mrs A. Gregory, of 2:555 Lawrence
St Denver, lol, writes to Mra
Pmkham:
“I was practically an invalid for*;,
years, on account of female troubW
t underwent an operation bv th»
doctor’s advice, but in a few months F
was worse than before. A friend a ,1
vi.sed Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vevetabt
Compound and it restored me to rierfect
health, such as I have not enjoyed in
many years. Any woman suffering as
I did with backache, bearing-down
pains, and periodic pains.should not fail
to use Lydia E. Pinkhani's Veeetabk
Compound.” 6 9
FACTS FOR SICK WOMEN.
For thirty years Lydia E. Pnk.
ham’s Vegetable Compound, made
from roots and herbs, has been the
standard remedy fir female ills
and has positively cured thousand^
women who have been troubled with
displacements, inflammation, ulcera
tion, fibroid tumors, irregularities
periodic pains, backache, that bear’
ing-down fueling, flatulency, indiges
tion,dizzinessor nervous prostration.
Why don’t you try it ?
Mrs. Pinkham invites all sick
women to write her for advice.
She has guided thousands to
health. Address, Lynn, Mass.
CIA ll’II J * *•' F"u a mart in th«
klJlvr WW ILL < har,.i' I.f a life.
, ' me- Wi' ,rllu taroiand
two lots in r.n,, Mowing well di,triot of Dimmit
County, Toxas. forKIO. payal,:.- «ltl tn.intliiv no in
ti'rest. no taxi's f >r two y-'tr-. Farmers aremakini
fromCOO f •» j<>00 j>»?r > t *. i lioiiv Und, swwt water
a California eliiuar. *. WrlG* fur handsome illu*
T ra t t>d book fr- • DKNTUN COLuNY CUM PANT
Wan An* >n:o, Fexa*.
pArker-s'
HAIR BALSAM
Cleanses and beautifies the hiir.
Promote* a luxuriant growth.
Never Faile to Restore Gray
Hair to its Youthful Color.
Cures sculp Joteases A hair tailing,
fiOjham^lalj^t^Druggirts
If afflicted with l"
soro eyes, uso
; Thompson’s Eye Water
A. N. K —I (1903—361 2246.
Srhnnl Save money lor your school,
JtiiUUi UUctl Uj A Bring* Our Sp-cisl Drill Oder
School Desks — School Supplies
Our production being largest makes lowest first cost.
Thirty-five years’ effort improving quality makes product
longest lived. Drop us a postal and watch results.
AMERICAN SEATING CO.. Taylor Building Chlcarf#
Baby
Every Meal a Feast
Not only a feast, but actual nourishment.
If the baby’s stomach is not right, each
meal only adds to the burden. Make
sure that your baby enjoys and profits
by its food by keeping its stomach in
condition with
Dr. McGee’s
Baby Elixir
Regulates the Stomach and Bowels,
corrects Sour Stomach, cures War*
rhcsa and Summer Complaint> The
teething period is dangerous. Baby Elixir
will take your baby through in perfect
safety. Pleasant to take; contains no
poisons, opium or laudanum. At your
druggist’s, 25 and 50c a bottle. Be sure
and get the genuine,
MAYFIELD MEDICINE MANUFACTURING CO.
ST. LOUIS, MO.
(Not Incorporated)
(PILES N° MONEY TILL CURED
I.*MfcdJLdbJD85 THOBHTON & MIMOB’oao Om 3t. KAHSA3 CITY. HO.
I
Malaria Causes Loss of Appetite
The Old Standard GROVE’S TA.STELESS CHILL TONIC, drives out Malaria and builds up we
. . - . _4
system. You know what you are taking. The formula is plainly printed on every bottle,'
is simply Quinine and Iron in a tasteless, and the most effectual form. For adults aud ctn > re;_i