ON AGRICULTURE TO CANADA 39 



We arrived at Sicamous Junction on the following morning, 

 where we changed for Vernon in the Okanagan Valley. At Vernon 

 Station we were taken in hand by capable men who realized that we 

 had come to see the importance of this district as a fruit centre, 

 and had determined that we should see it. Their fruit exhibition 

 had just been opened, and what better way in a limited time to show 

 us the productiveness of the district than by showing us a collection 

 of all the fruits which it produced. To the show then we proceeded, 

 and were filled with amazement at the magnificence of the fruit 

 exhibits. At noon we were entertained in the show-ground to a 

 delightful lunch, which, among other things, included a Scotch 

 haggis, the first we had tasted in Canada. After lunch, we drove 

 some miles to the Coldstream ranch, which is described elsewhere 

 in this Report. Returning to Sicamous Junction, in the evening 

 we left by the night train for Calgary. Dr Martin and Mr Macintosh, 

 two of the Commissioners, went straight from Calgary to Quebec, 

 en route for home. Another section of the party proceeded to 

 Gleichen, to visit the irrigation farm and works belonging to the 

 Canadian Pacific Railway, and returned to Calgary during the night. 



Homesteading 



So far we had had no opportunity of seeing land which was 

 being homesteaded, and we felt that this part of the subject was too 

 important to be omitted. A party of five was selected, and arrange- 

 ments made for taking them to see the homesteaders at work south 

 of Maple Creek. On their arrival at Maple Creek, they were met 

 by Mr Roy of the Immigration Department. Equipped with two 

 buggies and one waggon carrying the camp and provisions, and with 

 a saddle horse, the party started in the afternoon, and camped out 

 that night about fifteen miles south of Maple Creek. Next day, 

 a south-easterly course was kept to the east end of Frenchman 

 River, where the camp was pitched the second night. An easterly 

 course was steered the third day, and a much better country was 

 entered than that through which the party had hitherto travelled. 

 By noon. Section 13, Township 7, Range 20, was reached, where the 

 land was extremely good, and the homesteaders' shacks began 

 to appear. A short distance farther on, a stop was made at the 

 shack of M. BoufEet, a Frenchman, who had come out and begun 

 operations only in April. It was found that he had broken up about 

 25 acres of land, but with the dry summer had been discouraged 

 from ploughing more. The building of a house and a stable and the 

 digging of a well, 25 feet deep, from which he was getting a good 

 supply of water, had taken up the remainder of his time. To the 

 north other shacks were examined, and then the party pitched their 

 tents for the night. Next day, more homesteads were examined, 

 some of the houses being built of wood and some of sod, and then 

 the " Homesteaders " made tracks for Winnipeg. They were 

 impressed with the difficulties which the homesteader had to en- 

 counter, but were satisfied that in the part of the country which 

 they had visited, the settlements had been made on good soil. 



