AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. 



229 



very muck to be lamented ; it is said to arise from the 

 want of a market for the wool, or means to manufacture 

 it in the settlement. During the winter of 1855 — 6, the 

 number of animals lost amounted to 184. 



The Eev. Mr. Black expresses a strong opinion in favour 

 of the rearing of sheep.* "You saw what a splendid country 

 it is for sheep pasture, and were there means of making 

 wool into cloths, blankets, &c. , greater attention would be 

 given to the rearing of sheep ; great quantities of such 

 goods are also required for the fur trade, and it would be 

 an advantage to have them manufactured here. Among 

 the emigrants coming up to take possession of the land, it 

 would be a great advantage were there somebody to 

 establish machinery for carding, fulling and dyeing, per- 

 haps spinning and weaving also." 



AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. 



The agricultural implements are English and American 

 ploughs, of which 590 are now to be found in the settle- 

 ment; together with 672 harrows, eight threshing machines, 

 two reaping machines, and six winnowing machines. Pro- 

 duce is hauled in the celebrated Eed Eiver carts, of which 

 there were 2,108 in the settlement in 1856. They are ad- 

 mirably constructed of wood ; no iron is employed, but 

 sometimes buffalo-hide is made to serve as a tire ; these carts 

 will last for several years ; and one which conveyed some 

 heavy boxes of geological specimens from Eed Eiver to 

 Crow Wing last autumn, had previously been twice near to 

 the foot of the Eocky Mountains, and was still in good 

 condition. 



The vast prairies of Eed Eiver and the Assinniboine, 

 clothed with a rich profusion of most nutritious grasses, 



* Vide letter referred to on page 219. 

 q 3 



