894 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [April i, 1882. 
the material is very scarce. There are flue forests 
away to the east from Winnipeg to Lake Superior, which 
contain abundance of good wood, but there are no 
means of transit. For a few years to come the farmers 
will have a good home market of their grain. Winni- 
peg and Portage farmers have been sending their 
grain away west to th« still unopened country about 
Rapid City and other places for the highly remunerative 
price of from seven to eight dollars the bushel. 
As to the climate, we read, — 
During the winter months the weather is pleasant, 
fine, clear and dry, but the temperature often goes 
down to 40 deg. below zero indicating a cold of 72 deg. 
Then frozen noses and ears are commoD, but, when 
one keeps the circulation going well, they say such 
extreme cold is not felt more than if it were only a 
few degrees below zero. In fact, it is very healthy 
and invigorating, provided woollen clothing an inch 
or two thick all round is worn. 
In a recent number of Colonies and India, the results 
of Mr. John Macoun's researches into the physical 
phenomena of Manitoba and the North-west Territory 
are given, from which we quote the following : — 
In 1879 Mr. Macoun's attention was chiefly directed to 
an investigation of the causes of the supp sed aiidity of 
the district ljing to the south. He found a parched sur- 
face, dried and withered grasses, and, in short, every ap- 
pearance <if such ardity; but closer examination showed 
that these indications were illusory. At the point — Black- 
foot Crossing in lat. 50° 43' — where the consequences of 
aridity appeared thestrongest,Mr.Macoun came upon ground, 
broken up in the spring, hearing excellent crops of all 
kinds, oats being 4 feet high, while on the land outside 
the fence the grass was burnt up and all other vegetation 
withered. From this he argued that the rainfall of the 
district was evidently ample, but that until, the baked crust 
was broken, it could not precolate the ground as rapidly 
as it fell ; so a great portion was evaporated by the dry 
atmosphere and lost. Thus the apparent aridity vanished 
before the first efforts of husbandry. 
Having next discussed the questions of temperature and 
humidity in some detail, Mr. Macoun summarizes the pro- 
gress of the seasons and the labours of the husbandman. 
Early in April the hot sun clears away from the earth the 
last remaining snow, thaws and at the same time dries 
the ground sufficiently to fit it for the plough, and almost 
simultaneously for sowing. Germination quickly follows, 
and the young roots, moistened by the thawing ■ of 
the subsoil, follow the pores opened out by the disintegrating 
power of the frosts, and penetrate to a depth inconceiv- 
able to those who have not tested the matter practically. 
By the time that rains come in May and June the roots 
have a firm hold of the ground, and everything grows 
in an extraordinary manner, while the July and early August 
rains nourish and swell the ripening ears of wheat, &c. 
Towards the end of August the winds change, and the 
almost rainless period sets in and continues throughout, 
the winter; and the crops are therefore gathered in the 
best possible condition, and there is no necessity even to 
thatch the stacks for the winter. The advantages offered 
to the stock- breeders in this country are equally great. 
Storms of sleet or wet snow are unknown on th" western 
praries. f-uch snow as does fall is always dry and light; 
hence ■ attle aud horses may be left out during the whole 
winter without the possibility of suffering from wet. No 
doubt they experience intense cold, but stock-raisers are 
aware that, where the air is dry, their cattle take no harm 
from cold. Consequently cattle can be and are raised on 
the North-West plains without the necessity for buildings 
for sheltering them during the winter. 
From a letter by Mr. D. S. Litilejohn in the Dundee 
Advertiser we quote as follows :— 
The first question that will naturally suggest itself will 
very probably be "How far is this country suitable for 
settlers from the mother-country, and what are the differ- 
ences of soil and climate that might tend to rerender it 
dirt cult (or farmers bred at home to reconcile themselves 
to a country so distant?'' I will meet this question very 
shortly. In "the first place, I may say that a farmer from 
home would have much to unlearn as well as much to 
learn on nettling in Manitoba. I would not advise any one 
to emigrate to that country who is advanced in life. The 
change of habits, of scenery, and climate would he too 
severe. But for a young man willing to work and deter- 
mined to make his way, I do not think that there are 
much better chances in any field of emigration than there 
are in Manitoba. 
I think I cannot point out the advantages of the coun- 
try in a better way than by statiDg the objections that 
have been brought to it, and giving the answers, which I 
myself received to the many anxious inquiries I made on 
the subject. 
The chief objections to the climate of Manitoba are 
stated to be (1) the winter cold, (2) the summer heat, (3) 
the blizz irds in winter, (4) the thunder storms in summer 
(5) the plague of grasshoppers, and ;6) droughts. 
Mr. Littlejohn then shows that on each of these 
points there has been a good deal of exaggeration. 
Another drawback he mentions, viz. mosquitoes, 
which seem to trouble the cattle somewhat. As to 
settling in Manitoba the writer says : — 
In choosing land the preference is to be given to the 
rolling prairie ; but no one should settle in that or any 
other new country without first obtaining some personal 
experience, and the advice of natives well acquainted with 
the character of the soil. As a rule, in choosing land the 
soil that bears luxuriant crops of prairie grass and wild 
flowers is the finest land, and it is always observed that 
the wild prairie sun flower is larger or smaller in propor- 
tion to the richness or poverty of the soil. * * * 
A practical man in Manitoba would not buy land affected 
with alkali. Grain does not come up at all alkaline spots. 
The strength of it kills the seed. The presence of alkali 
is indicated on the prairie by the poorness of the vegeta- 
tion. The level prairie has alkaline spots, many of them 
in unexpected places so that you may find a fine farm, 
and close to it alkaline ground where nothing will grow 
* * * In regard to settling in Manitoba, I would like 
to make it very clear that small parcels of land cannot 
be profitably cultivated except by a farmer working with 
his own hands, though large pieces of land of 1,000 to 
10,000 acres can, I understand, be profitably used as grain- 
growing land under a manager. I do not consider this 
part of Manitoba suitable for raising cattle on a large 
scale, as it would be too expensive to shelter and feed 
them in winter. For cattle-raising purposes Bow River or 
Peace Biver is the most suitable locality, the chinvok winds 
or warm breezes from the Pacific blowing over the lower 
ranges of the Bocky Mountains into these countries, and 
rendering the climate more equable than that of any other 
district in the North-West. This fits these districts for 
cattle-raising, as there the cattle can be fed out all winter 
without shelter. 
I made inquiry as [to the capital required for a farm 
with 160 acres under cultivation and 160 lying idle. Of 
course, price depends upon distance from the town ; but 
I assume the distance to be 12 to 14 miles. A farm of this 
kind can be got — fair dry prairie land, with about 40 to 
60 acres hay land— at from $7-50 to $10 per acre. This, 
say at $10, would amount to $3200. Breaking costs on 
160 acres are $3-50 per acre, or $560; fencing 160 acres 
costs $350 : ploughing and seed, $720 ; horses, harness, 
ploughs, waggons, and agricultural implements, $1320 ; the 
house for the owner costs $1500 ; for the men $500, 
stables, barns &c. $1000 ; altogether, $9150. De- 
ducting 160 acres and leaving the farm at 160 acres 
only, this cost would be reduced to $7,550. If we 
add for incidental expenses $450, we would call the 
total amount $8000 (£1,600). If some things are 
over others are under what would be required ; so that 
this may be looked upon as a very fair average estimate 
of the capital necessary to be put into such a farm. Ou 
a farm of this size, however, the owner must do a great 
deal of work with his own hands. He will not thrive 
unless he do so, as the expense of hired labour is great. 
Therefore let any young man who thinks of emigrating 
make up his mind that he is not going to be a gentleman far- 
mer, but must work long and hard if he expects to thrive 
in these new countries. In America as here economy 
must also be studied. Many men ruin themselves by go- 
ing in for all the improved machinery, suitable perhaps 
for large farms of 5,000 to 10,000 acres, but not at all 
suitable for small farms of 160 or 320 acres. I saw in 
