.1 Mr. W. If. Diwpster'g Ifeport. v 43 



'>i/in..ii! >i(>>/-i I' The district between Theodora ami Bin.scnrlh did not 

 Dr. Bamardo'g please me so nuKjli as some others, there b.'ing a hick 

 Farm. of water, and I also observed a quantity cf alkah in 



the soil, more or less. We called at Dr. Barnardo's 

 Home Farm, an institution munaj^ed by Mr. Struthcrs. All the 

 grain crop3 were poor, due to the hot winds. There were 000 acres 

 under cultivation — 100 acres ot wheat; 180 acres oats, producing 

 25 busliels per acre; 114 acres of barley, producing 25 busiiel.s i)cr 

 acre. The creamery is worked to advantage, taking in luilk during 

 August and September. The ekim-milk is returned to fiirniers. The 

 stock looked fairly well, but the pigs, though a good sort, were 

 much neglected and kept dirty ; there also appeared to be a great 

 waste of food. The roots were small. I believe " kolil-rabi " to be 

 best suited to this country, and feel sure that if roots were grown 

 with the aid of manure they could be raised to a better advantage. 

 We next drove to Eussell, and back to Binscarth. This country seems 

 good for mixed farming. Binscarth "Parm was worthy of inspection. 

 It consists ot 1,600 acres, with a fine dwelling-house, twt» cottages, 

 barn, and sheds measuring 250 ft. by 50 ft., and calculated to hold 250 

 head of stock. It is situated 2^ miles from a railway station. This 

 farm is offered for sale at S8 per acre, 1,000 acres being fenced in. On 

 the 24th we started for Silver Creek, to see Mr. Keating's farm. The 

 wheat averages 25 bushels. Barley M'as a very poor sample. Mr. Keating 

 does not complain, neither does he speak in good terms of his arm. Mr. 

 Crearer, also of Silver Creek, farms 320 acres, mixed, but keeps no sheep, 

 on account of wolves being troublesome. H e has good cattle, horset!, 

 and pigs. Mr. Baker, of Seaborn district, who with his brother farms 

 half a section, speaks highly of the returns of his farm, which is also 

 mixed land. Sheep do very well on this place, but the crops of grain 

 were rather poor. The total amount of taxes on this farm for the year 

 was S12. We came to Birtle on October 25th. This town has saw- 

 mills where a quantity of lumbering is carried on. There is also a grist 

 mill, which is worked by steam power. We also visited a fine building 

 which is nearly completed, an Indian Industrial School, chiefly si >porte(l 

 by Unitarians, with the assistance of the Government. The heating 

 apparatus will consume six cords of wood per month, at, $1| per 

 cord. In conversation with a carpenter from the Old Country, he 

 told me he earns flS2| per day, and is shortly going in for farming, 

 hoping to have a better return. The Prohibition Law is in force in 

 this neighbourhood. The Mayor, who is much respected, took great 

 pains in showing us all that there was to be seen, and giving us all the 

 assistance he could. Birtle is near Bird-Tail Creek, which empties 

 into the Assiniboine Eiver. 



There are many successful farmers who give very in- 

 Successful teresting accounts of their boginning. Mr. Spalding, 

 Farmers. of Beulah, an Irishman, who tame to his farm nine 



years ago, with nine children, complains of crops being 

 light this year. He has brought up his family in a way that 

 is a credit to himself and his country. Mr. Doyle, also of Beulah, 

 showed us a first-class crip of roots, nearly equal to those of British 



