We Prepare for Seeding 



the comfortable residences, of Indian Head, evi- 

 dently occupied mostly by folk in far better 

 circumstances than the residents in our part. 

 But I reflected that, of course, it was a much 

 older community, and anyway Canada was a land 

 of hope. 



During the day I was shown various samples, 

 but so poor had been the previous season, that 

 even here a perfect sample seemed unobtainable, 

 and owing to this fact, and that it was in the 

 early days of the introduction of the " Marquis '* 

 wheat, the prices asked were very high. This 

 gave me much heart- searching as to what Tom 

 and our friends would say as to the outlay of 

 our slender capital if I purchased on these terms. 

 To some extent the same was true of the " Banner " 

 oats offered. However, I had come to try to 

 do business, and ultimately I arranged to pur- 

 chase one hundred and fifty bushels of slightly 

 frozen guaranteed " Marquis " at two dollars per 

 bushel, including bags, to be cleaned and put 

 on rail forthwith, being ninety bushels for Tom 

 and myself, and the rest for our friends, who 

 did not wish to try so much and wanted more 

 oats. Of the latter I bought two hundred 

 bushels, of which Tom and I were to have 

 sixty. The terms were to be half cash, and 

 the balance in notes bearing 8 per cent. 



243 



