another section, space was devoted to natural 

 history, featuring certain bugs, the grasshopper 

 and the cutworm, each in various stages, with 

 charts showing the methods of destroying them. 



The second exhibit car contained various 

 types of machinery employed in connection with 

 weed destruction, seed cleaning, and cultivation 

 purposes generally. 



The two lecture cars, which were used for 

 this purpose only, were adorned with placards 

 bearing upon the weed question. 



An Experienced Staff 



The staff accompanying the train, provided 

 by the Dominion and Provincial Governments, 

 agricultural colleges and schools, included prom- 

 inent Western authorities on agricultural matters. 

 Through each province either the Minister of 

 Agriculture or the Deputy Minister directed a 

 programme which varied from day to day to 

 suit the prevailing conditions of the district 

 visited. For instance, a district badly infested 

 with the Russian thistle may have also suffered 

 from the grasshopper plague of last year, and 

 these two matters were treated by special 

 authorities instructing thoroughly upon the 

 measures to be taken to combat them. Another 

 district had an abundance of couch grass, or 

 mustard, or the cut-worm had ravaged the crops ; 

 each of these received special attention with 

 definite instructions to those affected. 



A certain amount of time was taken at each 

 point for the discussion of other agricultural 

 topics, such as winter feeding, growing of corn 

 and sunflowers (much interest was taken in the 

 matter of sunflowers for fodder), clover, alfalfa, 

 and fall rye, also the advantages of having a 

 silo on the farm. The discourses were of such a 

 varied and comprehensive nature that it would 

 be difficult to go into detail, but the writer is 

 satisfied that no other similar train has ever 

 accomplished so much within such a short time. 

 During the six weeks, three thousand, five hun- 

 dred miles were covered, seventy-four points 

 visited, and seventy-six meetings held, with an 

 aggregate attendance of fifteen thousand, four 

 hundred and eighty people. 



The objective of the Provincial Governments 

 was to arouse public sentiment to the seriousness 

 of the weed situation, and it is believed that this 

 has been accomplished and the venture thor- 

 oughly justified. 



Industrial Outlook in Western Canada 



By J. F. Sweeting, Industrial Agent, Western Lines, 

 C.P.R., Winnipeg. 



There has been some improvement noticeable 

 in commercial conditions during the past month, 

 with brighter prospects in the near future. The 

 strong revival of trade that was anticipated is 

 apparently not yet due, as buyers are not yet 

 ready to change their attitude regarding further 



reduction in prices. The situation has been 

 forced somewhat by shortage of supplies, and 

 commercial travellers tell of steady buying, but 

 in quite small quantities, for immediate require- 

 ments. 



The situation in the West has not reached 

 the point of "restored confidence," and it is 

 probable that the conditions under which the 

 crop is put in will determine, to some degree, 

 what development will take place with the next 

 few months. At the time of writing, heavy snow- 

 falls and rains throughout the West promise a 

 fine seed bed, and by the time these notes are in 

 print it will doubtless be known to what extent 

 the weather man has been good to the Western 

 farmer. The crop outlook has always been a 

 factor in Western business, and will continue so 

 until the West becomes a larger manufacturing 

 centre than at present. 



The writer, who has recently made a business 

 trip to the Pacific Coast and the principal cities 

 of the Prairie Provinces, was met on all sides 

 with expressions of confidence at the very appar- 

 ent stabilizing of business conditions that were 

 proceeding at a rate which was considered justi- 

 fiable in view of the reactionary periods which 

 had been experienced during the past years. 

 Complaints were few, orders in large quantities 

 are not a desideratum because of possible break, 

 and apart from any unforeseen political events, 

 the process of evolution appeared to be marching 

 in the right direction slow and conservative in 

 trend, but gradually bringing into line all 

 interests that count in business. 



Programme of Construction 



So far as construction work is concerned, more 

 especially in house building, warehouses, fac- 

 tories and municipal works, in Winnipeg and 

 Western points, agreements with constructional 

 workers commence May 1st, and at the time of 

 writing conferences are being held to determine 

 the rates of pay. Much in relation to construc- 

 tion may rest on the result. Lumber prices are 

 down, but many other building materials have 

 not yet shown any great downward tendency. 

 A change in this respect is possible, and, if so, 

 we may yet see an extensive programme, carried 

 out during the summer months. 



Farmers from the United States and European 

 points to buy Canadian land will average up 

 well, and prospects for the immigration of new 

 settlers justify an optimistic outlook. There are 

 many enquiries for data regarding proposals to 

 establish branch factories, and new firms are 

 establishing branch wholesale distributing 

 houses. 



The West has made its winter journey with- 

 out disaster of any kind, and while there has 

 been more unemployment than usual, there has 

 been no real distress. Now that spring is opening 

 up under favorable conditions, there would 

 appear to be every justification to expect a good 



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