294 
Canadian Agriculture. 
deep snow are unfavourable, while a severe winter and light 
snow are favourable, to live-stock ; but it is not often that a 
mild winter with deep snow is experienced near the Rocky 
jMountains. The Chinook winds are so frequent and the snows 
so light, that wheels are in use all the year round, sleighs being 
very little in request. Cattle and horses can graze all through 
the year, almost anywhere south of lat. 52°, and west of long. 110°, 
so that this would indicate the northern limit of the ranching 
districts to be about in the latitude of Calgary, although ranching 
is not so certain here as it is farther south towards McLeod. 
Indeed, it is maintained that though in the winter cattle and 
horses may die through unsuitable food, they will not perish from 
cold. The snow in the West does not lie to a greater depth than 
a foot or eighteen inches, and is often less, while near the Rocky 
Mountains the Chinook winds may, as has been noted above, 
more than once in a winter, lick up the snow and lay bare 
the pastures. A good cattle ranch should cover an area of at 
least from 20,000 acres to 30,000 acres. I am indebted to 
Mr. J. G. Colmer, Secretary of the Canadian Office, in London, 
for the following summary (p. 295) of the leading ranches and 
their equipment, as existing last summer in the district between 
Calgary and Fort McLeod on the east, and the Rocky Moun- 
tains on the west. The numbers would have been largely 
increased at the fall " round-up," but the actual figures are not 
obtainable yet. 
Ordinarily all that is to be seen at a ranch is the open 
prairie, with the cattle grazing here and there, and the best 
time to see the cattle is at the "round-up," which, however, 
only takes place twice a year — in the spring and in the fall. 
Although each ranch company leases a certain definite area of 
land, its limits are not adhered to, because this would involve 
too great an outlay for fencing. Therefore all the cattle are 
branded with the marks of their respective owners, and they roam 
at will over the country. At the half-yearly "round-up" the 
cattle are all collected, and the various brands separated and 
counted, the calves being considered as the property of the ranch 
whose cows they follow. After the " round-up," any cattle not 
branded are sold, and the proceeds go to the Stockholders' 
Association to provide the funds with which their work is 
carried on. 
The Cochrane Ranch is one of the best known. It occupies 
some splendid grass-land, and the cattle at three years old will 
weigh 1200 to 1300 lbs., and be worth 13/. on the ranch. 
^Messrs. Cochrane, however, had an unpleasant experience three 
years ago. They purchased upwards of 4000 head of cattle 
from a ranch in Montana, to be delivered on the Cochrane Ranch 
