The loans approved by provinces are: 

 Alberta, $22,829,021; Saskatchewan, $19,842,- 

 091; Manitoba, $13,267,826; British Columbia, 

 $12,587,021; Ontario, $6,064,042; Quebec, 

 $1,899,434; New Brunswick, $1,449,704; Nova 

 Scotia, $1,287,928; Prince Edward Island, 

 $814,947. 



That Canadian soldiers have co-operated in 

 every way to make their re-establishment by 

 way of the land successful, and entered whole- 

 heartedly into the pursuit of agriculture once 

 they had undertaken it, is manifested in their 

 overwhelming success as reported by inspectors 

 of the Soldier Settlement Board. These experi- 

 enced agriculturists, who periodically visit the 

 farms operated by soldiers who have obtained 

 loans from the Board, have stated that ninety- 

 five per cent, are making good and proving 

 successful farmers, and that, furthermore, of the 

 remaining five percent., the majority are failing 

 not from indolence, poor farming, or lack of 

 personal qualities, but owing to physical hin- 

 drance in the recurrence of their war disabilities. 

 The Board reports that since the harvesting of 

 the 1920 crop, repayments on loans are being 

 made very much ahead of the dates specified. 

 Though the payments extend over a period of 

 twenty-five years, and the Board has been in 

 operation a little more than two years, nearly 

 300 men have, as a result of their successful 

 farming operations, been able to pay off their 

 total indebtedness. 



Twenty Thousand on Land 



From the national standpoint, and viewing 

 it in the light of its contribution to agricultural 

 production, the success of the Soldier Settlement 

 Board's scheme is of prime importance to Canada. 

 To date, it has resulted in the locating of 20,000 

 men on the land under the most favorable 

 conditions, both economic and social. These 

 man have, in the form of soldier-grant entries, 

 received 2,000,000 acres, and by purchase or 

 through the exercise of their civilian right, 

 secured another 1,100,000 acres of a total of 

 3,100,000 acres. It is also to be remembered 

 that, so far, less than one-half of those who have 

 qualified have been placed. Estimating the 

 yield on this land at 14.5 bushels per acre, this 

 year's average over the Dominion, these soldier 

 lands are responsible for an additional 45,000,000 

 bushels on Canada's wheat crop. 



Farming an Increasing Industry 



Much has been said and written during the 

 past year about the exodus of population from 

 the farms to the cities and towns both in Canada 

 and the United States, and, from time to time, 

 various suggestions have been put forth to 

 remedy the situation. Vacant farms there are 

 in different parts of the country, and always will 

 be, but it can hardly be said, for that reason, 

 that farming is losing its attractions or is, as a 

 whole, a declining industry. 



Certainly this is not the case in Western 

 Canada, where land brought under the plough 

 is steadily increasing, and where the crop output, 

 year by year, is showing appreciable gains. 

 According to the Canada Year Book, the area of 

 occupied farm lands in the three prairie provinces 

 has increased 25.04% in the five-year period 

 1911-1916, or from 58,623,117 acres to 73,300,135 

 acres, the Province of Alberta showing the 

 greatest increase, but Saskatchewan the greatest 

 area. The same situation is found regarding the 

 number of farms, Alberta leading with 10.53% 

 of increase and Saskatchewan 7.92%, but 

 having over one thousand farms more than the 

 former. 



Manitoba, with a much smaller percentage 

 of increase, cannot be fairly compared with her 

 sister provinces, for it was the first western 

 province to be settled, and until 1912, when its 

 area was doubled by the passing of the Boundary 

 Extension Act, her size was but one-half of either 

 Alberta or Saskatchewan. By the revision of the 

 boundaries however, Manitoba received an 

 additional 1 14,000,000 acres. The greater part of 

 the province is still the property of the Crown 

 and open to homestead, though some, of course, 

 is held by private companies. 



It is interesting to note that the size of the 

 greatest number of Western prairie farms is a 

 unit between 101 and 200 acres, with a unit 

 between 201 and 320 acres next following. 

 Students of farming statistics have always 

 claimed that as mixed farming became more 

 popular, the size of the farm unit would decrease, 

 and in view of the foregoing facts, it would seem 

 as if their contentions were justified. 



The following tables outline the situation : 



Total Area and Area of Land in Farms, 1911 and 1916 



Province 



Total 

 Land 

 1916 

 Acres 



Manitoba (1916) 41,169,098 



Saskatchewan 155,784,100 



Alberta 161,872,000 



Total 358,825,198 



Land in Farms 

 1911 1916 



Acres Acres 



12,228,233 13,436,670 



28.642,985 36,800,698 



17,751,899 23,062,967 



58,623,117 



73,300,135 



24 



Increase 



Acres 

 1,208,437 

 8,157,713 

 5,310,868 



P.C. 



9.88 

 28.48 

 29.42 



14,677,018 25.04 



