The New Student's Reference Work/Alberta

Alber′ta became a province of Canada in 1905. It and the new province of Saskatchewan were carved out of the Northwest Territories. Out of 22 members in the Canadian Parliament it was given a representation of seven members. It lies north of the international boundary line and immediately east of the Rocky Mountains, between the 49th and 60th parallels of latitude and the 110th and 120th meridians. Its area is 255,285 square miles and its population (1911) 374,663. It stretches 760 miles from north to south. The state of Montana lies to the south of it and the province of Saskatchewan to its east. No other political division of the Dominion possesses greater or more varied natural resources. Edmonton is its capital and seat of government; Calgary and Medicine Hat, considerable centers of population, are in Alberta.

Climate

It is characterized by a mild climate in winter and cool breezes in summer. Its location gives it the benefit in winter of the Chinook winds, which follow an easterly direction from the currents in the Pacific Ocean, whence they receive their warmth. The snow in winter rarely lies longer than four or five days at a time when it is melted by the wind, thus making the winters mild and filling the creeks and ponds with water for the stock on the ranches. In the summer these creeks are constantly supplied with water from the melting snow in the mountains, so that during summer and winter there is always to be found throughout the district an abundance of water for grazing and all other purposes.

Resources

The wild grasses are most nutritious, as has been demonstrated by the thousands of cattle sold from the different ranches all in first-class condition for the market.

The grain raised in Alberta at present is largely required to supply local requirements. The surplus finds a market in British Columbia, the Orient, and to some extent in eastern Canada. Winter wheat is successfully grown in Alberta, more especially in the southern parts, and the area under crop is rapidly increasing. The growing of winter wheat has revolutionized conditions.

The cool temperature in summer, with the grasses and pure cool mountain streams mentioned, makes Alberta one of the best countries to be found for cheese and butter-making, and it is rapidly becoming as noted for such industries as for its ranches.

There is a local lumber supply at Edmonton and other points, but the finer grades are obtained from British Columbia.

The province is opened up by the Canadian Pacific Railway and its branches from Calgary to Edmonton, Macleod and to the great ranching country around Medicine Hat, which, owing to its climate, permits cattle to graze without shelter throughout the whole winter.

Alberta has a border line of 30 townships which front upon the American Republic. The province contains 170,000,000 acres of arable lands. Of this immense tract scarcely one million acres have been tilled. It has no waste country. In its southwest corner (near Montana) there is a rich oil field. Its coal fields extend all over the province; vast deposits of coal are found all along the foothills. Medicine Hat, one of its largest towns, is famous for its natural-gas wells. The largest zinc smelter in the world is at Frank, Alberta. Its greatest wealth, however, will always be in agriculture. The northern part of this province is in the same degree of latitude as Scotland, and the southern part of the province the same as a part of Germany. North Alberta is watered by portions of two great river systems, the Peace River and the Athabasca River. The markets of the agricultural products of Alberta will, it Is likely, ultimately be to the west and to the Orient what they are now to the mining districts of British Columbia. Her coal will go to the east, to the plains of Saskatchewan and the prairies of Manitoba, but her agricultural products will seek a nearer market. It is over 2,000 miles to Montreal, and only 600 to Victoria, B. C. The soil of from one to three feet of black vegetable mould with but little of sand or gravel is of almost inexhaustible fertility.

Education

Common schools are established with liberal government assistance wherever £he number of children of school age warrants. High schools are established at several central points, and arrangements are well under way for opening a well equipped provincial university. The opportunities for primary (common school) education are excellent, and when the university opens for actual work the facilities for the professional training of the teachers, a most important consideration, will be all that can be desired.