imparted by a new realization of world importance and 

 which has been marked by many new features of progress 

 and commercial innovation. 



Owing to the extreme mildness of the climate of the 

 greater portion of British Columbia and the varied con- 

 ditions of soil, a greater diversity of agricultural pursuits 

 can be followed there than in most of the other Canadian 

 provinces. Livestock raising, grain growing, fruit culture, 

 poultry raising, apiculture, dairying and mixed farming are 

 all followed successfully and increasing yearly in production 

 as in the number of their followers. A consistent increase 

 in all phases is illustrated in a review of the past years. 



Steady Increase in Field Crops 



Field crops which in 1912 occupied 230,860 acres and 

 accounted for a production worth $10,593,000, occupied 

 292,880 acres and produced crops worth $11,625,700 three 

 years later. By 1920 a total of approximately 350,000 

 acres were devoted to this branch of farming and approxi- 

 mately $22,500,000 received from the crops they yielded. 

 The production of creamery butter rose from 1,204,598 

 pounds in 1915 to 2,047,244 pounds in 1920 and cheese from 

 10,000 pounds to 340,553 pounds in the same period. The 

 1910 yield of honey in the province was 20,000 pounds worth 

 $3,200; in 1921 it amounted to 309,074 pounds valued at 

 $86,631. A total of 446,420 dozen eggs were marketed in 

 the province in 1910 for $156,247; in 1921 it was nearly 

 double this. In 1910 the value of fruit and vegetable 

 production in British Columbia was $1,939,110; in 1921 

 fruit alone accounted for something like $8,000,000. 



A consistently high yield of production has been main- 

 tained in the province, exemplified in the government 

 averages published for the ten year period 1908 to 1917. 

 Wheat averaged 31 bushels per acre, oats 56 bushels, barley 

 37 bushels and potatoes 206 bushels. This in conjunction 

 with continuous settlement has had the effect of annually 

 increasing the value of provincial land. In 1908 the gov- 

 ernment estimated an average acre of British Columbia 

 land to be worth $76.10; by 1915 it had risen to $125; in 

 1917it was$149;andin 1920 $175 per acre when the average 

 all over the Dominion was $48. 



In regard to its fisheries, British Columbia leads all the 

 Canadian provinces, and its salmon product accounts for 

 the largest single item in Dominion fisheries' revenue. 

 This fishery on the Canadian Pacific coast is carried on on 

 the largest individual fishing ground in the world. _ The 

 herring and halibut also account for substantial items in the 

 returns, whilst altogether a wide variety of species are 

 taken on, on the British Columbia coast. A development 

 of the past few years has been the establishment of whale 

 fishing in those waters, the sale of whale oil now being an 

 important provincial feature whilst that of canned whale 

 meat is making progress. The Canadian Pacific coast 

 fisheries have been long exploited, but nevertheless in the 

 period from 1913 to 1920 an increase from $14,455,488 to 

 $22,329,161 is noted in their value. 



Minerals and Forests 



A large part of British Columbia's area of 390,344 square 

 miles is so highly mineralized that it is regarded as the 

 richest mineral region of North America, though it is not 

 yet the richest producing province of Canada. A wide 

 range of minerals, the greater part hardly prospected, are 

 found within its confines and are becoming exploited to a 

 greater extent each year. The total production in 1917 of 

 minerals was $36,161,528 and in 1920 $38,044,915. In the 

 year 1918 under war stimulus a mineral production of $41,- 

 083,093 was achieved. In the past twenty-five years the 

 mineral wealth produced has aggregated about $552,000,- 

 000 or approximately $2,600 per head. 



British Columbia's forests constitute the Dominion's 

 great store of lumber at the present time with 30,500,000,- 

 000 feet of standing timber, and increasing demand 

 is being made upon them as Eastern supplies become 

 depleted. The value of lumber, shingles and lath produced 

 in 1912 was $19,446,646 and in 1919 $43,103,641. In 1911 

 there was one mill producing paper pulp which used 150 



cords worth $1,140 and produced 90 tons of pulp. In 

 1919 there were 5 mills which used 250,388 cords worth 

 $2,789,697 and produced 194,126 tons of pulp. Develop- 

 ment since that time, in the tremendous demand from the 

 Orient, has surpassed any progress previously achieved. 

 In 1918 there were 201 lumber plants in the province capi- 

 talized at $42,408,448. 



The manufacturing industry of British Columbia has 

 made constant and consistent progress, keeping pace with 

 a growing population and the increasing demand created 

 by greater agricultural and other activities. The pro- 

 vince's lines of manufacturing now cover a wide field and 

 embrace in their scope practically all domestic needs and 

 permitting engagement in an ever larger extent in the 

 export trade. Growth can best be illustrated by the 

 following comparative tables. 



1900 1910 1918 



Establishments.. 392 651 1,786 



Capital $22,901,892 $123,037,521 $ 244,697,241 



Employees 14,454 33,312 44,039 



Salaries & Wages $5,456,538 $17,240,670 $50,422,163 

 Production $19,447,778 $65,204,236 $3,458,036,975 



In the year 1920 there were 25,000 men engaged in the 

 lumber industries accounting for a production of $92,600,- 

 000; 18,000 men in mining producing to the extent of 

 $32,580,626; 17,000 in fisheries producing $20,000,000; 

 12,000 in agriculture producing $59,000,000; 8,000 in ship- 

 building producing $28,180,000; and in general manufac- 

 turing, transportation, etc., 18,000, accounting for 

 $30,000,000. 



In the past decade shipping has made fine progress in 

 British Columbia, and each year sees new lines engaging in 

 trade from provincial ports and the number of vessels in 

 operation by existing companies augmented. The open- 

 ing of the Panama canal reduced the water mileage from 

 British Columbia to England by 42 per cent, and the entire 

 feasibility of shipping western grain by this route has given 

 a new and significant importance to British Columbia 

 ports. Railways show the same increase in their mileage 

 as this has been developed yearly to meet a growing traffic 

 demand. The total provincial railway mileage in 1911 

 was 1,842; in 1915 it was 3,100; and in 1920 4,287. 



Nature would seem to have forgotten nothing in plan- 

 ning the future of the fair and rich Pacific Coast province. 

 Fertile agricultural land, minerals, fisheries, forests, the 

 necessities of industrial establishment all have been 

 given in generous quantities. With 5,000,000 horse power 

 available in her water powers but 304,535 has so far been 

 utilized. 



The province's growing popularity is evidenced in the 

 increase in population, which in 1901 was 178,657; in 1911, 

 392,480; and in 1921 was 523,353. 



Outlook in Western Canada 



By John Sweeting, Industrial Agent, Western Lines, 

 C.P.R., Winnipeg 



The West will be busy with its seeding 

 operations about the time these notes are printed. 

 Already it would appear probable that some 

 increase in acreage over last year will be brought 

 under cultivation. The figures for Manitoba 

 show a larger acreage ready than that of the 

 previous season, while in a general way, the 

 moisture situation to ensure a good seed bed 

 appears to be satisfactory. The outlook is 

 hopeful in this respect, and there is a feeling of 

 confidence that an amelioration of past conditions 

 is slowly materializing. 



Reports show business is increasing, a better 

 tone in trading is evident, country travellers are 

 securing fair orders, and while collections are not 



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