Cranbrook, G3.S degrees at Wilmer, and C3.9 degrees at Tobacco Plains. The grow- 

 ing season is therefore short and cool, and this, by diminishing the amount of 

 evaporation, helps to make more useful the amount of precipitation received. Dry- 

 farming methods are producing very satisfactory crops of potatoes in the St. Mary's 

 District, near Cranbrook, while alfalfa is being produced, mainly with supplementary 

 irrigation, throughout the entire territory dn small areas at the present time. Winter 

 temperatures run sufficiently low to make the growing of most varieties of applos 

 more or less unsatisfactory, and only the hardy varieties, which should do best in 

 this district, are recommended by the Department. 



The district is one which will eventually support a large population, based on 

 mixed farming, with fruit-growing more or less as a side-line, as its possibilities 

 become demonstrated. There is no reason why small-fruit culture should not obtain 

 considerable success. 



The soils are variable, but, the precipitation being light, they have not been 

 leached of their valuable plant-food, and analyses made at the Central Experimental 

 Farm, confirmed by practical farming experience in the district, show a very satis- 

 factory supply of potash and lime, with variable amounts of phosphoric acid, and, 

 as is usual in Dry Belt soil, a low content of nitrogen, in, however, a very available 

 form. Much of the soil is a very fine, deep, rich loamy silt, and there are, of course, 

 all extremes. 



Most of the land carries a small growth of timber, which costs at present 

 prices ,$30 to $50 per acre to clear. Irrigation is being applied on several large 

 projects, especially in the more arid part of the Upper Columbia District, and settle- 

 ment is proceeding most rapidly in these areas. 



Up to a few years ago, the district was largely used as range land by a few 

 large cattle-ranches, and thousands of cattle were exported yearly over the 

 Crowsnest line and the C.P.R. main line. With the development of mining in 

 the Crowsnest, and lumbering through the territory wherever railway facilities were 

 suflicient, a local market has been gradually created for practically everything that 

 is produced. The district has not been developed far enough to undertake to look 

 after outside markets in any lines. There is no doubt that small fruits from the 

 upper part of the district will be marketed in the Prairies in a few years, and 

 should bring very good prices. Alfalfa is doing well, and the country has all 

 the requirements for a successful dairying and mixed-farming industry. Practically 

 no fruit-growing is being done outside of a very few small orchards here and there, 

 principally of the earlier and hardier varieties, the fruit of which keeps exceptionally 

 well owing to the short and cool season, and is marketed at very remunerative 

 prices locally. 



The following list of fruits recommended by this Department has in view hardi- 

 ness and adaptability to conditions: 

 Strawberries 



Bederwood. 



Dunlop. 



Williams. 

 Raspberries 



Herbert. 

 Red Currants 



Victoria. 



Red Dutch. 

 Black Currants 



Saunders. 



Victoria. 

 Gooseberries 



Oregon Champion. 

 Sour Cherries 



Early Richmond. 



Montmorency. 



no 



