CLIMATE OF THE SOUTH BRANCH OF THE SASKATCHEWAN. 375 



superb ; turnips, both Swedes and white, remarkably 

 fine ; Indian corn, from seed grown on the spot last year, 

 in silk ; wheat rather too rank in the stalk - — it measured 

 five feet three inches in length to the ear, which was well 

 formed but green, and it seemed doubtful whether it 

 would ripen. Mr. Budd speaks very favourably of the 

 soil, climate, and extent of land available for agricultural 

 purposes. Both the mission and the fort are situated 

 within the excavated Valley of the Saskatchewan, and are 

 not so favourably placed for farming purposes as they 

 might be in the Valley of Long Creek. The river, how- 

 ever, is the great highway, and, during the summer season, 

 affords an abundant supply of sturgeon. 



Extracts from the Journal at Fort a la Come, Saskatchewan River. 

 Lot. 53°-27 ; long. 104°-30 W. 



1851, October 25th, ice made its appearance in the river. 1852, April 

 8th, ice solid for the season of the year ; 12th, ice started ; 13th, ice drifting 

 and lodging on the banks; 21st, ice drifting and disappearing along the 

 banks; 22nd, garden operations commenced. May 14th, first sturgeon 

 caught; 24th, planted potatoes; October 11th, finished taking up potatoes; 

 25th, fishing season ended ; 26th, snow. November 3rd, ice floating in the 

 river. 1854, April 14th, river broke up ; on the 15th nearly clear of ice ; 

 28th, garden operations commenced. May 1st, first sturgeon caught; 8th, 

 preparing potato fields; 13th, potato planting. October 2nd, gathered 

 turnips ; 3rd, taking up carrots ; 10th, commenced taking up potatoes at the 

 mission (190 kegs), turnips, carrots, cabbages — large and good; 11th, cab- 

 bages taken up. 1855, May 24th, turnips sown. September 12th, hard 

 frost over night; 27th, took up potatoes — poor crop, much destroyed by 

 grubs ; 29th, hard frost ; a little ice seen at the gates. October 1st, women 

 digging potatoes ; 2nd, ditto ; 3rd, taking up turnips ; 22nd, ice on the 

 edges of river. 1856, April 2nd, hard frost last night ; 4th, water making 

 its appearance on the edges of the river; 7th, froze hard last night; 9th, ice 

 made a start ; 17th ice drifting ; 23rd, fall of snow during the night : 23rd, 

 nets set, one sturgeon caught ; 25th, hard frost. May 2nd, garden opera- 

 tions commenced ; 10th, storm of snow ; 12th, planted potatoes ; 14th, sowed 

 Swedes. September 16th, slight frost last night. October 2nd, commenced 

 taking up potatoes ; 22nd, hard frost during the night ; 23rd, severe frost 

 during night ; 86th, snow in night. November 11th, river full of ice. 1857, 

 April 9th, water appearing on the edges of the river : snow shoes required 

 everywhere ; 16th, ice started to-day ; 24th, snowed without intermission 



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