Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/139

CANADA. Ill CANADA. months, and it is generallj- adequate for the needs of the crops. The driest portion of the plain is on the western border, but much of this is irrigable and even in its natural state is well adapted to grazing. The (Government exercises a close supervision over irrigation, and there are 525 miles of ditches and canals. From the Great Lakes eastward to the Atlantic the agri- cultural area is limited only by surface condi- tions, the climate being very favorable. There is in this area much hilly and broken territory which does not lend itself readily to profitable cultivation. But throughout northern Canada, including the greater portion of the Laurcntian region, the climatic conditions will never admit of agricultural development. See Climate. The districts in which agi-iculture has devel- oped most are Prince Edward Island, the pro- tected valleys of the Annapolis in Xova Scotia and the Saint John in Xew Brunswick, the nar- row valley of the Saint Lawrence aljove Quebec City, peninsular Ontario, and the Red River Val- ley in Manitoba. Ontario far exceeds any other province in agri- cultural importance — indeed, it is equal to all the others combined. Especially remarkable is the extensive cultivation of oats, the acreage being about 2,400,000. In barley and peas, particular- ly the latter, it also greatly outranks the other ].rovinces, each crop having considerably over 500,000 acres devoted to its cultivation. Its acreage (1,400.000) and yield of wheat is almost as great as that of the more famous fields of Manitoba, and it is practically the only province of the Dominion in which corn is raised, ilueh attention is given to the raising of hay in On- tario and all the eastern provinces, large quanti- ties of which formerly used to be shipped into the United States, particularly from the eastern towiiships of Quebec. The ilaritime Provinces, excepting Prince Ed- ward Island, have never entered so extensively into agricultural pursuits, but have become well known for the i)roduction of certain crops. Po- tatoes and turnips receive great attention, and the yield and quality of the product are remark- able. The same is true of the apple crop of the Annapolis Valley in Xova Scotia, and. to a less degree, of the Saint John Valley, Xew Bruns- wick. The annual shipments of apples from these provinces together with those from Ontario and (Quebec are enormous. The Lake Erie coast of Ontario has become noted for its grapes. It has lieen foimd that larger fruits do not thrive well on the western plains, but throughout the whole of southern Canada and well to the north- ward, various kinds of smaller fruits, particu- larly berries, thrive abundantly, British Colum- bia, though not possessed of such large tracts of arable land as the other provinces, can still boast of its greater adaptability for fruit-raising, and the production of hops is being extensively engaged in. On many farms throughout agricultural Can- ada, particularly in Manitoba, wheat formerly constituted almost the only crop, but more re- cently there has been a growing tendency toward nii.ed farming and the raising of cattle and other stock, C.inadian stock has a wide reputa- tion for the purity of its breeds, and great care is taken to prevent deterioration. The raising of beef for the English market has long been an important source of revenue, Prolfably no phase of agricultural development in the East is so remarkable, however, as the dairy industry. In Ontario alone the creameries increased from 74 in 1S!)3, to 323 in 1899, and during the same period the cheese factories increased from 897 to 1203. In all the eastern provinces poultry-raising is attended to, and the exportation of eggs is very large.' In the absence of other recent sta- tistics covering the whole of Canada, the export ligures are the fairest available test of agri- cultural development. The total exports of the domestic agricultural products increased from $19,341,000 in 1808, to .$81,000,000 in 1900, Wheat and flour had not increased very material- ly imtil the last three years of that period, when it averaged over $18,000,000, considerably more than twice the average for former years! Oats has averaged a little Tess than .$3,000,000 for the last three years mentioned, which is also over twice the average for former years. Barley, on the contrary, shows a decided' falling off, while peas continue to fluctuate about $2,000,000, But- ter, while showing great fluctuations, reached its high-water mark in 1900, when it exceeded a value of $5,000,000. Cheese, however, shows a constant increase, having been $548,000 in value in 1868, $9,000,000 in 1890, and $19,000,000 in 1900. Cattle shipments increased rapidly until 1S91 and more slowly since that period, the value amounting to $9,000,000 in 1900. The exports of sheep for two decades have fluctuated at about $1,500,000 in value. The exportation of horses, wiiose value averaged about $2,000,000 for the decade ending with 1890, averaged about .$500,- 000 less for the succeeding decade, but subse- quently increased, due to the demand for the war in South Africa, The Dominion Government has established a central experimental farm at Ottawa, and four branch farms in more remote parts of the Domin- ion. The several provinces have encouraged agri- culture by grants to societies and fairs, bonuses to creameries and cheese factories, and in various other ways. il..LFACTCRES, The great abimdance of natu- ral resources in Canada, including raw manu- facturing material, aflords a good basis for the upbuilding of the manufacturing industry. Addi- tional advantages come from the abundance of fuel, particularly in Xova Scotia, where coal is plentiful, and from the widespread facilities for procuring water and electrical power aft'orded by the numerous rapids and falls characteristic of Canadian rivers. The thriving condition of Cana- dian industry is indicated by its trade statistics, which sliow that the value of the exports of manufactured articles, exclusive of lumber prod- ucts, increased from $5,741,000 in 1890, to $14,- 224,000 in 1900, Of the resources upon which (.:anadian manufactures depend, the most impor- tiint are her forests, (See Lumber Lndlstry. ) In former days these furnished the material for extensive shipbuilding, but with the decreased use of wooden vessels this has become unimpor- tant. There has, however, been a continuous growth in the manufacture of furniture, doors, sashes, and other wooden articles. As indicated by the exjiort flgures. the value of manufactures of wood was augmented from $870,000 in 1890 to $3,127,000 in 1900. The greatest increase was contributed by wood-pulp, the value of whose exports increased from $108,000 in 1890 to $1,816,000 in 1900, This is the product of the