36 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7-8 EDWARD V!l., A. 1908 



the land was in hay. A fine open country with good views of the distant fields from 

 the train. From Morningside to Ponoka, 7 miles farther, much the same scenery pre- 

 vails. 



From Ponoka to Hobbema, 12 miles, much of the land is low, a valuable hay- 

 making district. Not many improved farms seen from the railway. There are good 

 lumber mills at Ponoka. Spruce timber grows here to a fair size, and in considerable 

 quantities. There is a large Indian reserve along this district on wliich there is 

 practically no land broken on the railway front, but stacks of hay were put up at 

 several points. ' 



Hobbema to Wetaskiwin, 10 miles. As soon as the Indian rcKcrve is past the 

 country becomes well settled and fields of grain again appear on the landscape. Im- 

 mediately about Y/etaskiwin the land is rather flat, but the soil is very good over most 

 of this district and considerable quantities of grain are grown here on both sides of 

 the railway. There is a branch railway running southeast from Wetaskiwin to Har- 

 disty, a distance of 95 miles. 



From Wetaskiwin to ^Millet, 11 miles, considerable quantities of grain were seen, 

 chiefly in stook. Land rather flat and some of it low on each side of the railway, 

 about Leduc there are several small lakes or ponds on the east side of the town, sur- 

 rounded by good natural hay-lands. 



Millet to Leduc, 11 miles. A large number of grain fields about Leduc, one 

 elevator there. From Leduc to Otoskwan, 10 miles, many more grain fields were seen; 

 as yet, however, only a small proportion of the available land is under cultivation. 



Otoskwan to Strathcona, 9 miles. Some very good land in this district and con- 

 siderable quantities of grain are grown. Both Strathcona and Edmonton, on the 

 opposite side of the Saskatchewan river, are favourably located with fertile lands all 

 about them. As a rule the lands about the margin of the river aj-e somewhat light in 

 character, a sandy loam of a dark colour, while heavier clayey soils prevail a short 

 distance from the river. Edmonton has grown wonderfully and is expanding in every 

 direction. 



, EDMONTON TO HUMBOLT. 



September 1, 1906. — During this journey about 400 miles of the main line of the 

 Canadian Northern Railway were covered and a large area of fine country seen. Many 

 settlers are moving in all along the line and every year large additional tracts of land 

 are brought under cultivation. As a rule the remarks on what was seen in passing 

 through apply only to the land in view from the railway. More extended information 

 was occasionally had by stopping over and taking drives through the country and call- 

 ing on some of the settlers. This was done whenever time would permit. 



Edmonton to Oliver, 8 miles. Passed some fine fields of oats mostly cut, and 

 some of wheat all cut. Oliver to Fort Saskatchewan, 9 miles. There is quite a large 

 area under crop in this district and a quantity of new land is being brought under 

 the plough. The cuttiug of crops was proceeding rapidly. The town of Fort Saskat- 

 chewan is growing very fast. 



Fort Saskatchewan to Scotford, 7 miles. Saw some fair crops of wheat. There 

 is not yet much land under cultivation in this locality and the treatment of the soil 

 by the new-comers is not always very thorough. The fields of grain seen were more 

 than half cut, straw rather short crop, mostly medium, in some places good. 



Scotford to Bruderheim, G miles. Saw a good deal of crop in this district, the 

 wheat was all cut and most of the oats. Considerable quantities of spruce suitable 

 for timber were seen in the woods through which we passed. Bruderheim to Lamont, 

 1 miles. A good country, with good land and where fields were under cultivation the 

 crops were good. 



Lamont to Chipman, 8 miles. Saw many fields of grain ; the country is here more 

 open and prairie-like, not without brush, but it is small and scattered. The Soil at 

 Chipman seemed rather shallow, a greyish clay vdth more or less black soil intermixed. 



