[rames| AN HISTORICAL WAR CROP 99 
be mentioned here that large areas that in 1914 produced nothing, in 
1915 carried crops that in some cases yielded as high as 45 bushels to 
the acre, due partly to good soil cultivation and partly to favourable 
weather conditions. 
The crop of 1914, as we have seen, was light and, therefore, called 
for less labour than usual: the fall was clear and protracted, giving 
opportunity to the farmers to increase their fall ploughing. Entering 
into the patriotic spirit of the Empire’s call for food and stimulated 
by the high prices prevailing in the last three months of the year the 
western farmers in 1914 prepared for a record crop in 1915. During 
the winter months of 1914-15 suggestions from enthusiastic easterners 
were many and various. Most of them were quite impracticable. 
More than one ardent patriot advised the mobilizing of forces—men‘ 
horses and machinery, the ploughing up of a few million acres of virgin 
prairie soil and the sowing of several million bushels of wheat. This 
suggestion was advanced through lack of understanding that wheat 
is not grown just in that way; that as far as wheat is concerned nature 
does not respond so readily. Further, in war time especially, no 
country can afford to spend two dollars to produce one dollar’s worth 
of food. It was decided that the sure and safe way was to stimulate 
the regular growers of wheat to intensify their efforts, to warn them 
against spreading their energies over too large an area, and to follow 
more carefully than ever the well established practice—thorough 
cultivation of the soil and the sowing of only the best varieties of seed 
well cleaned. Added to this, the weather which in 1914 was un- 
favourable for crop production, was favourable for soil preparation 
for the following year. Whatwas the result ? The Empireneeded bread, 
an abundance of bread; and Canada, especially western Canada, needed 
a big crop. Providence favoured the western prairie grain grower 
beyond his fondest hopes. A crop resulted more than double that of 
the previous year and nearly 150,000,000 bushels in excess of any former 
year. It was a crop that no one, apparently, could forecast. Those 
who were most optimistic hesitated to make public their estimates. 
Supplies of gasoline gave out in some sections; and in others even 
complaints were heard as to the large-amount of binder twine required! 
It was only when the full rich streams of golden grain began overflowing 
from the separators that it dawned upon the farmers themselves that a 
record crop had been harvested. 
The following estimates of the three prairie provinces, published by 
the Dominion Census and Statistics Office, are interesting in this regard: 
” ‘Preliminary estimate, Aug. 31, 1915........ 275,772,200 bushels. 
Provisional estimate, Sept. 30, 1915........ 304,200,000 bushels. 
Pinalivestimate, Jan HSNIOTOER A nn 342,948,000 bushels. 
