Oat field at La Plonge.
Mr. Crean reports having seen wheat and oats growing at the Roman Catholic mission at the junction of Beaver and La Plonge rivers on September 4, 1908. Mr. Crean says in his report:—“The wheat was a first attempt, but will be tried on a much larger scale this year. The small patch sown last year must have been put in late in the spring. It appeared well matured but frosted; this I fancy was due to its being planted close to the river. The priest has cleared a good sized patch, perhaps about ten acres, which he intends sowing in wheat. The oats were splendid and grew to a great height. The vegetables were especially good. The variety astonished me. Almost every vegetable was represented and appeared to thrive. Potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, lima beans, green peas, carrots, turnips, onions, lettuce, beets, parsnips, and tomatoes all growing splendidly.
I Never Saw a Better Garden,
and indeed I don’t remember seeing as good in the west. This garden is indicative of what can be done. The land around the mission is all good and easily cleared as it is covered with poplar.
Mr. Crean reports that in 1908 the priests at Ile à la Crosse had about three acres in use as a garden. The Hudson’s Bay Company’s post had about thirty-five acres ploughed and five acres in oats, which sell at that point at a dollar per bushel. “The Hudson’s Bay Company grows potatoes for sale, but the native, being almost entirely a flesh eater, looks on vegetables with contempt.”
Mr. Crean stated that there were some good gardens at Canoe lake. One Chipewyan grew some barley but cut it too soon. At the southwest of Canoe lake the country rises considerably, and the soil is good. There is no settlement but the country is adapted to farming.
Potatoes at Buffalo river.
“At Buffalo river there is quite a large settlement of Chipewyans. They grow quite a little barley and some oats. The Chipewyans and some half-breeds seem not to care for flour when left alone and so they grow barley in preference to any other grain. It is easier to cook, being just thrown in soup. The land on the northerly side of Buffalo lake is good but there are no people living there. The Chipewyans at Buffalo river told me that they never heard of the crop of barley being a failure for the past fifty years.”
At Methye lake, according to Mr. Crean’s report, there is a Roman Catholic Mission near the east end, and a priest, Father Pinard, is in charge. He has a small garden and had a little patch of barley. Both did well. At the Hudson’s Bay Company’s post, ten miles away, on the west side of the lake, there is a garden of about an acre. It looked splendidly on September 17. The potato tops were not touched by frost. The swamp through which Methye river flows, though very wet, produces