X'r, ir. //, IhrnifUrt Hfimt. 43 



Tl»e district U'tuten Theodora and Bii)j*carth did not. 

 Dr. BamartloB pWano me im» much an some others, tht-ru b«ing a hwlc 

 Fami. of water, and I abo obwrvt'd a qiumtity cf alkali in 



the soil, moro or less. We calhd at Dr. Barnardo's 

 Home Farm, an institution managed by Mr. Strutbers. All the 

 jjrain crops wen* jxMjr, due to the hot u inds. There were (KH> aerCH 

 under cultivation — 100 aiues ot wheat ; 180 acres oats, produi'injif 

 25 bunhels per acre; 114 acres of barley, prcxlucing 25 bushels per 

 acre. The creamery is worked to advaJitag«% taking in nulk during 

 August and 8<*ptember. The tikiin-niilk is returned to farnwrs. The 

 i*ock looked fairly well, but the pigs, though a good sort, were 

 much neglected and kept dirty ; there also app«'ared to Iw a great 

 waste of food. The roots were small. I believe "kohl-rabi** to bo 

 bt»8t suited to thin country, and feel sure that if roots were grown 

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

 We next drove to Kussell, and back to Binscartb. This country seems 

 good for mixed farming. Binscartb Farm was worthy of inspection. 

 It consists ol 1,600 acres, with a fine dwelling-house, two cottages, 

 bam, 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 $8 per acre, 1,000 acr«'8 being fenced in. On 

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

 wheat averages 25 bushels. Barley was a very poor sample. Mr. Keating 

 does not complain, neither does he speak in good terms of his farm. 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, hors^, 

 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 $12. 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 line building 

 which is nearly completed, an Indian Industrial School, chiefly supported 

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

 apparatus will consume six cords of wood per month, at. Sl| per 

 cord. In convf3rsation with a carpenter from the Old Country, he 

 told me be earns l$2| 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- 

 Succ£ssful teresting accounts of their beginning. Mr. Spalding, 

 Fanners, of Beulah, an Irishman, who came to his farm nine 



years ago, with nine children, complains of crops being 

 light this year. He has brought up his family in a w^ay that 

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

 showed us a first-class cr:5p of roots, nearly equal to those of British 



