STRICKEN LAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 11 September 1937, Page 2

STRICKEN LAND

SEVERE TOLL BY DROUGHT IN CANADA RELIEF FOR THE FARMERS VANCOUVER, 18th August. During the past week the Canadian Government commenced moving cattle from the drought-stricken districts of the Prairie to fresh pastures in other parts of Canada and in the United States. Portion of the herds will be marketed immediately, in order to give their owners some cash to maintain their homes. With the season’s crop only a little more than one-fifth of the 1928 harvest. farmers are facing a condition under which lack of moisture and high winds have combined to turn once rich Prairie wheat lands into desert. Saskatchewan, formerly the most productive of the Prairie provinces, is the most seriously affected. Alberta is also hard hit. Some distressing pictures are to be seen from train windows, without leaving the beaten track. LONG-TERM PROGRAMME A vast number of farmers and their families will be entirely dependent on the Federal and Provincial Governments for the necessaries of life and for feed for such domestic cattle as will be retained. Where the crop is not worth harvesting, cattle have been turned on to it; where the surface soil has been blown away, there is no recourse but to move to fresh land where water is available The Dominion Government is at work on a long-term programme of rehabilitation. Farmers will be carried on relief until their next crop is available. Afforestation, to provide wind breaks, is being hastened. Small irri-j gation and water storage schemes are! also being rushed to fill immediate [ needs until national projects are under ; way. Relief lands, away from the rail- j way, but in the rainfall belt, are being, opened up. Of the ultimate cost no one j is at present aware, but the neglect of; past years has forced drastic emer- ' gency measures to be adopted to save the public domain, which is the life blood of the Prairie. Mention of neglect recalls vividly the recommendation of a Royal Commission; that toured the Prairie in the “seven-' ties, before it was opened up. that j certain sections be used only for graz-[ ing, and not for wheat-growing. In those districts there has been a sue-; cession of droughts. Crops, pasturage, 1 even weeds arc dead. :