History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 276

The heavily wooded areas around Bruxelles, St. Alphonse and Swan Lake were also a
source of income for immigrants from Belgium who had come when homesteads were
no longer available. They quickly found work grubbing for homesteaders, or for
established farmers. Many had already spent several years doing backbreaking work
in the sugarbeet fields in France before coming to Manitoba, so had no difficulty
working in the bush day after day. Many had come with only enough money to buy a
grub&emdash;hoe after paying for their passage. At first they would work for daily
wages, but soon discovered they could make a great deal more money working by the
acre, or a set amount of money for a specified portion of bush. The landowners
supplied room and board. In summer grubbing began at 6 am. with a lunch-brea