THE RED RIVER VALLEY AS A WHEAT PRODUCER.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1878, 1 March 1880, Page 3

THE RED RIVER VALLEY AS A WHEAT PRODUCER.

A special correspondent of the “ Times,” writing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, says : The Red River Valley in Dakota and Manitoba, with nearly one-third of it lying within the Canadian Dominion, in destined to be one of the great wheat producing regions _of America. From Brainerd, which is 130 miles from St. Paul, and about the same distance from Duluth, on Lake Superior, it extends north for about 350 miles to Lake Winnipeg. Narrow at first, it widens to 100 miles. It is bounded on the east by a chain of hills, but on the west the rise is gradual, and the second ridge is as fertile as the several valleys debouch into that of the Bed River. In a former era of the world’s history, this extensive basin was evidently a great Inland lake, within which were deposited with great uniformity a bed of diluvium, now represented by 12 to 20 inches of black earth, rich in vegetable fibre, friable, and perfectly free from stones, reposing on 50 to 60 feet of soft, soapy, argillaceous clay, containing vegetable deiris , while underlying this is a bed of gravel amid which lie small fragments of granite, porphyry, and limestone. These facts are disclosed by the wells which are sunk on many farms, and which generally supply a rather brackish water, apt to disagree with men and animals unused to it. _ This extensive tract of level prairie is occasionally interspersed, especially along the , banks of the nvers and near the numerous lakes, with plantations and scrub ; more frequently it extends with unvarying monotony for miles, the yellow and red prairie grasses are relieved occasionally by a piece of stubble; rarely is Indian com attempted ; oats and barley aer only grown for home use. At far intervals are seen simple log huts, a few small ricks, or heaps of straw which there has not yet been time to burn. The valley is traversed by the Rad River, which is navigable as far south as Fargo, and by the Bt. Paul and Pacific Railroad section completed last year, running parallel with, and about 10 to 15 miles eastward of, the river. The “ primordial cells ” of towns are budding at the roadside stations, and a few in more advanced condition boast of a hotel, beer shape, dry goods store, post office, and even a hank. Ploughs, reapers, and other implements lie at the stations, and occasionally more imposing houses with at least two public rooms are noticed. At present the land generally is dry, or only wet in the hollows and so easily broken up that teamsters can be hired who will bring their horses and ploughs, pitch their.tent, and turn up the virgin soil five inches deep at less than three dollars, or 12s per acre, overtaking three to four acres daily with the double plough on which the man rides. This should be done in June; two or three months later the sod will have rotted, and cross-ploughing or backsetting is undertaken at a cost of Bs. The land remains thus throughout the winter. So soon as the weather permits, often while the ground, nine inches deep, is still ice-bound, the seed is sown ; it comes up in a few days, and requires no further labor or expense until harvest, which begins early in August; it is rapidly overtaken, and costs, with threshing about three dollars per aero (12s). Allowing 6s for a bushel and a half of seed, this—which is a very full estimate of the whole expenses for this locality —gives a total of 38s an acre. The yield varies somewhat, but the many wheat growers with whom I have talked during the last few days declare that they get over 20 bushels an acre, and on an average of years can count on making on the spot 75 cents per bushel—ls dollars an acre, and thus securing a profit of 51 dollars, or 22s an acre. * » # * *

It has been stated that the Red River Valley alone could furnish the breadstuffs which Great Britain at present requires to import, and under certain conditions her capa-

bililies are certainly immense. The valley is fully 300 miles long, comprising the Goose Lake and other valleys with which it communicates, and including its second western slopes, which are as good as any part, it may be stated to be 100 miles wide. Supposing that only one-half of this immense area were in wheat, and taking the yield at only ten bushels an acre, it would give a total annual produce of 96 000,000 bushels, or 12,000,000 quarters. But such calculations are based upon certain somewhat unlikely conditions. The Red River soil although deep and good, cannot go on yielding wheat indefinitely without the return of the more important elements of fertility. Ten or twelve years’ continuous corn-growing, even on the best of virgin soils, causes such exhaustion that the reduced starved crops will not pay. Deeper cultivation and more careful culture may postpone but cannot avert the day _of _ reckoning. Clover crops and stock feeding insure more permanent corn growing. It is doubtful, however, whether stock farming is likely to prove remunerative in most parts of the Red River Valley. The long, cold winter must add greatly to the expenses of stock raising. Still another disadvantage presents itself. The land, especially in the lower and upper portions of the valley, is wet. In 1839, and again eight years later, the country, especially about its southern extremity towards Brainerd as well as around Winnipeg, was for months under water, and such Inundations may recur, interfering not only with stock but with corn growing.