The most easterly of the three Central Provinces--lies in the centre of
the North American continent--midway between the Pacific and Atlantic
oceans, its southern boundary running down to the 49th parallel, which
separates it from the United States, its northeasterly boundary being
Hudson Bay. It may well be termed one of the Maritime Provinces of
Canada. Manitoba is one-fourth larger than Germany, its area covering
252,000 square miles or about 161 million acres. If a family were placed
on every half section of the surveyed land in Manitoba, more than
600,000 persons would be actually living in the Province.
=Available Homesteads.=--One and a half million acres of land are open for
free homesteading in Manitoba--east of the Red River, and between lakes
Winnipeg and Manitoba, also west of Lake Manitoba and in the newly
opened districts along the railway lines. The wooded areas of these
districts will make a strong appeal to those who appreciate the
picturesque. Where the timber is light scrub, it is easily removed,
while the heavy forest richly repays the cost of clearing. Lakes,
rivers, and creeks are numerous, and wells of moderate depth furnish
water for domestic purposes. Homestead lands are easily reached and the
value of land is steadily advancing. Two hundred and thirty-two
homesteads were filed in Winnipeg in December, 1913--almost twice the
number filed during December, 1912.
=Available Farm Lands=, apart from homesteads, can be secured at $12 to
$15 per acre for raw prairie, while improved farms command $35 to $40.
=Improved Farms= may be secured in all parts of Manitoba from owners who
have grown wealthy and are in a position to retire.
=Soil and Surface.=--The surface of Manitoba is not a flat, bare stretch,
a "bald-headed prairie." A large part of the land, especially in the
south, is, indeed, the flat bed of a wide, prehistoric lake; but even in
the southwest the land rises into wooded hills, and in the southeast,
close to the Lake-of-the-Woods country, there is a genuine forest. In
Western Manitoba are forested areas, and timbered districts exist on the
Turtle Mountains and the Brandon Hills. The true forest persists in
Central Manitoba as far as the Duck Mountains. From all these points
quantities of lumber, fence posts, and firewood are sent to the prairie
settlers. The rivers and lakes are skirted by a plentiful tree growth.
Down through the heart of the Province stretch two great lake chains.
Lake Winnipeg and lakes Winnipegosis and Manitoba, which receive the
waters of the Saskatchewan and Assiniboine from the west, and discharge
through the Nelson River to Hudson Bay. Sloping to the west from the
Lake Manitoba plain is a range of gentle hills known as the Duck
Mountains, Riding Mountains, and the Porcupine Hills. These hills in no
way alter the fact that almost the whole land surface of Central and
Southern Manitoba west of its great lakes is ready for cultivation. The
northern portion of the Province, though not surveyed, is known to
contain a large area of good agricultural land. Manitoba's soil is a
deep rich loam, inexhaustible in its productiveness. There are 25-1/2
million acres of land surveyed, about one-fourth of which was under crop
in 1913.
=Grain Growing.=--Manitoba is noted for its wheat crops and has already
an established prestige in yields of oats, rye, and flax; in some parts
corn is being grown. In certain districts good yields of winter wheat
are reported.
The grain statistics for the Province reveal an interesting condition.
In 1901 there were 1,965,200 acres of land under wheat, and in 1910 the
area had grown to 3,094,833 acres. In 1913, this had increased to
3,141,218 acres. The land under oats, in 1913, amounted to 1,939,723
acres; barley, 1,153,834 acres, and flax, 115,054 acres. The average
yield of wheat in 1913 was 20 bushels; oats, 42 bushels.
The total grain crop in the Province for 1913 was 178,775,946 bushels,
grown on 6,364,880 acres, compared with 182,357,494 for 1912, the
decrease being due to a falling off in oats of nearly 7 million bushels
and in flax of more than 1 million bushels. Of the 1913 grain crop
spring and fall wheat together occupied an area of 3,141,218 acres and
yielded 62,755,455 bushels. Oats occupied an area of 1,939,723 acres and
yielded 81,410,174 bushels. Barley occupied an area of 1,153,834 acres
and yielded 33,014,693 bushels. Flax, rye, and peas occupied an area of
130,105 acres and yielded 1,595,624 bushels. The above are Provincial
Government returns.
=Potatoes and Field Roots.=--The yield of potatoes for 1913 was 9,977,263
bushels from an area of 55,743 acres, and that of field roots 4,196,612
bushels from an area of 16,275 acres. The average yield of potatoes was
about 180 bushels per acre; field roots 257 bushels. Total value, about
$2,100,000.
=Fodder Crops.=--Brome grass contributed 43,432 tons from an area of
24,912 acres. Rye grass 33,907 tons from an area of 21,197 acres.
Timothy 181,407 from an area of 118,812 acres. Clover and alfalfa
together contributed 20,454 tons from an area of 10,037 acres, and
fodder corn 119,764 tons from an area of 20,223 acres. Total value about
2 million dollars. Alfalfa is largely grown at Gilbert Plains, Roblin,
Swan River and Grand View. The figures given are from Provincial
Government returns.
=The Season.=--Although spring opened a few days earlier than usual,
seeding was quite general on well drained land by April 15th. From that
date until the end of the month the weather was exceptionally
favourable, and by May 10th, on well prepared land, nearly all the
seeding was over.
During the first three weeks of May the weather was quite cool, and
growth was slow; but with warmer weather the last week's growth was more
rapid. There was an abundance of moisture from the previous fall, and
despite the low temperature during May, wheat was well advanced by the
end of the month.
[Illustration: Putting up wild hay in Manitoba, which frequently yields
from 1-1/2 to 2 tons per acre.]
[Illustration: Central and Southern MANITOBA