Breaking the Prairie 



posts, proceeded to make a small pasture which 

 could be enlarged later on as required. 



We chose a stony patch of land not very suit- 

 able for breaking, and ran one corner down to 

 include a small slough in which was water. 

 Having finished this job, we began the arduous 

 work of " stoning." It is a task the homesteader 

 hates, and we appreciated the remark of a neigh- 

 bour to the effect that he " would hire a big Dou- 

 khobor with a strong back and weak head for 

 it." Not very complimentary to these worthy 

 folk, whose peculiar methods and sentiments may 

 in a few years result in great benefit to the 

 Dominion. 



Be that as it may, we found plenty of need 

 for brains as well as hands in " stoning." We 

 constructed a small sledge, called a stone- boat, 

 with two logs about five feet long held together 

 by a platform of strong boards, three feet wide, 

 nailed on the top. 



To the front we secured a sort of wire lashing 

 many folds thick, to hitch on the team. A 

 few of the stones were lying so loosely on the 

 surface of the ground that we soon got a couple 

 of loads, which we hauled off and dumped in a 

 heap, clear of any land we intended to break. 



We found, however, that the majority of the 

 stones were so deeply imbedded in the ground 



8i F 



