71 



In Canada also some progress has beeu made iu tbe upbuilding of agriculture. 

 Twenty years ago agriculture was in a very depressed condition in Canada and 

 much concern thereby awalvened. Tbe importance of a prosperous condition of 

 agriculture there is ditticult to overestimate when we consider that about one- 

 half of tbe population are engaged in agricultural itursuits and that agriculture 

 is tbe mainstay of all other industries. In 1884 the House of Commons 

 appointed a select committee to in(iuire into the best means of developing and 

 encouraging the agricidtural interests of Canada. This connnittee made a care- 

 ful iiKiuiry into tbe sul).1ect. also as to the disadvantages and wants experienced 

 by farmt'rs, taking evidence from various persons who bad made a. special study 

 of the different branches of industry inc-luded inider tbe general term agricul- 

 ture, and of others having a scientific knowledge bearing on this subject. In 

 the report subsequently submitted to tbe House of Commons the substance of 

 the evidence accunnilated is thus sunnnarized : 



" Xctwithstanding the great progress made in recent years, it api>ears that 

 there is a large amount of defective farming in this country. In the cultivation 

 (•f cereals, roots, and grasses there is \\ant of periodical change of seed, selec- 

 tion of improved varieties, a proper rotation of crops, with a lack of thorough 

 tillage and a knowledge of the value and suitability of manures. Tbe value 

 of manures is in many cases unheeded, and much fertilizing power is lost 

 through negligent exposure and the waste of li(iuid manures. In stock raising 

 the chief deficiencies are the want of pure-bred males, lack of knowledge of the 

 adaptability of bi-eeds to particular conditions throughout the Dominion, the 

 want of better ]^asture and moi-e abundant tree shelter. In tbe production of 

 butter the milk is frequently not properly cared for. nor is suital)le attention 

 paid to the selection of mik-h cows, and the food given is often deficient in nutri- 

 ment and in milk-producing qualities. 



" Low grades of butter are attributable to want of skill in its manufacture 

 aud want of improved app.aratus. In cheese making tbe need of greater skill 

 and want of scientific knowledge is also felt. In the cultivation of fruit a great 

 want is experienced in many sections of hardier varieties and of varieties with 

 improved keeping »>ualities. There is also -^ deplorable want of knowledge regard- 

 ing tbe insects and disea.ses injurious to fruit trees." 



Careful investigation led to tbe conclusion that tbe lack of success was not 

 due to any fault in tbe soil or climate of this country nor to a want of industry 

 among the f;irniers. but to defective farming, to want of skill and knowledge 

 in all departments which the farmer of himself was scarcely able to remedy. 



The conimittee recommended that the Government establish an experimental 

 farm or farms where experiments might be carried on iu connection with all 

 branches of agriculture and horticulture, and that tbe results of tbe work con- 

 ducted should be i>ublisbed from time to time and distributed freely among the 

 farmers of the Dominion. 



The recommendations of this committee were acted on. Information was 

 first obtained regarding exiierimental st.-itions tbeii in ojieration in Europe and 

 America and tbe methods pursued by them in their efforts to gain information 

 ^•aluable to tbe farmer and early iu 1886 au act was introduced and passed 

 almost unanimously, authorizing the Government to establish a ceutral experi- 

 mental farm and four branch farms. Tbe central farm was to be located at or 

 near tbe capital, Ottawa, where it was to serve the purposes of the two larger 

 provinces. Ontario and Quebec. The branch farms v\ore to be distributed as 

 follows : 



One for the three maritime ])ro\inces jointly, Nova Scotia, Xew Brunswick, 

 and I'rince Edward Island ; one for the proAince of Manitoba ; one for the 

 Northwest Territories, and one for British Columbia. Tbe work to be under- 

 taken at these several experimental farms was set forth in the act and covered 

 all lines of experiments relaling to agricultnre, horticulture, and arboricultttre. 



Within two years the land for tbe several farms was sectired, the necessary 

 officers appointed, most of the buildings erected, and the farms put in practical 

 operation. Tbe central farm was located near Ottawa, the branch farm for the 

 three eastern i)rovinces at Nappan, Nova Scotia ; that for ;Manitol)a at Brandon ; 

 the farm for tbe Northwest Territories at Indian Head, in Assinniboia, and 

 that for British Columbia at Agassiz. in the coast climate of that province. 



In the choosing of these sites tbe purpose in view was to have them fairly 

 repi-eseutative of tbe larger settled areas in the provinces or territories in which 

 they were jilaced both as to soil and climate. In the arrangement of tbe work 

 such experiments as were most likely to be beneficial to the larger number of 



