Mr. John lioberts'a Ee2>ort, 25 



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by private companies, and not by the country. Many of them, however, 

 have been largely subsidised, and 43,377,422 acres of land have been 

 granted to them. The principal railways are the Canadian Pacific 

 Eailway and the Grand Trunk Eailway. There are 14,588 miles of 

 railways in the Dominion. 



The province of Ontario has an area of 182,000 square 

 Ontario. miles, and a population of 2,000,000. We, as delngates, 

 had but a very short stay in Ontario, as we were given to 

 understand that our mission was more in Manitoba and the North- West 

 Territories. That being so, my remarks will necessarily be brief. The 

 work that the pioneers in this country did was something wonderful, 

 and well have they and their successors reaped the fruit. What was 

 once a forest has now been converted into orchards and fields. 

 Ontario is now an old settlement, and land is fairly dear. In favourite 

 localities t^lOO (£20) per acre is given for the best improved farms, but 

 others can be bought as low ns ►^lO (.£2). The average price is $50 (£10) 

 per acre. A family from the Old Country would soon feel at home in 

 Ontario, as they have easily accessible and good markets, and excellent 

 educational and other facilities. The climate is said to be very pleasant ; 

 but it is much warmer there in summer, and much colder in winter, 

 than in this country. Their mode of farming is more like our own, 

 being mixed husbandry. This was the only province where we saw 

 autumn-sown wheat. A large number of farmers and farmers' sons from 

 Ontario have gone to the West. If we found a Canadian in the North- 

 West, he invariably turned out to be an Ontario man. Undoubtedly 

 he is the best man to go there ; he knows how to build his o\^ n house, 

 and he can fix his own land. In fact, an Ontario farmer is an all- 

 round man — well-educated, hard-working, industrious, and plucky. 

 In Ontario the average yield of fall wheat is 20 bushels, and spring 

 wheat 15 bushels ; barley, 25 bushels ; oats, 35 bushels ; peas, 20 

 bushels; hay and clover, a little over a ton; potatoes, 118 bushels; 

 mangolds, 440 bushels ; carrots, 554 bushels; turnips, 418 bushels, per 

 acre. Besides the above-named products, they also grow hemp, flax, and 

 tobacco. Maize and tomatoes ripen well, and peaches and grapes are 

 easily grown in the open air. An old settler told us that now the 

 Ontario farmer turns more of his attention to stock, and consumes 

 most of his products at home, converting it into beef, mutton, &c., &c. 

 A good deal of cheese is also manufactured there; and Ontario cheese is 

 considered as good as English cheese. 



The province of Manitoba has an area of 74,000,000 acres, 

 Manitoba. and a population of 150,000. It is mostly prairie land, 



with hills and valleys, several belts of timber, and some 

 large lakes. The latter are well stocked with fish, and at seasons with 

 ducks and geese. The surface water is not always good, as it sometimes 

 contains a large percentage of saline matter ; but good wat 3r is obtain- 

 able by sinking. The favourite mode of pumping is by a windmill. 



The climate is cold in winter, and warm in summer. In winter the 

 thermometer falls occasionally to 40 degrees below zero, and in summer 

 it averages from 65 to 75 dei^rees. Although the winter temperature 

 is very cold, measured in the usual way, it is claimed for it that the 



TAUT IV. Q 



