francs. Careless methods of curing led to 

 exhaustion of supply and a dwindling trade. 

 In 1872 the Ontario government prohibited the 

 gathering, destroying or buying between January 

 the first and September the first. It is therefore 

 probably the only known plant that has enjoyed 

 a close season. 



Wild ginseng in Eastern Canada has largely 

 disappeared, and as a result certain individuals 

 were farsighted enough to undertake the culti- 

 vation of the plant in an experimental way some 

 years ago. To-day it is reported to have attained 

 such proportions that the output of cultivated 

 roots is almost equal to that formerly collected 

 from the forests. There is still, however, a 

 certain importation of ginseng, whilst the export 

 market has possibilities, and for this reason the 

 Department of Agriculture of Ontario recently 

 issued a comprehensive booklet on ginseng 

 cultivation to encourage its production. 



Cultivated in British Columbia 



The yields of dry roots from a well-cared-for 

 plantation will run approximately one ton to 

 the acre, and in view of the limited market an 

 over-production would seem imminent, but 

 this is largely offset by the length of time 

 required to mature the roots, these not being 

 usually marketable until the fifth or sixth year 

 from seeding, whilst the first crop of seeds is 

 produced in the third year. 



What is probably the first serious experi- 

 mentation in ginseng cultivation in Western 

 Canada is that conducted by T. C. Jenner on 

 the outskirts of the city of Vancouver, who has 

 been growing the herb over a period of seven 

 years with gratifying ultimate success. Half an 

 acre of land is sown to the crop, and some of the 

 plants are now three years old, strong and sturdy 

 and increasing in value each year. A Chinese 

 doctor who visited his garden recently so 

 admired it that he offered a high price for it. 

 The garden is the more valuable because the 

 ginseng crop originated from Korean seed and 

 the cultivation of the crop in that country is 

 now under government control, it being for- 

 bidden to export any of the seed. 



Mr. Jenner believes he has engaged upon 

 what is to be a profitable industry in view of 

 the consistent demand of the maiket, though 

 small. Leaves of the ginseng sell for about 

 2.00 per pound. The seed sells at $2.50 for 

 fifty seeds. The fibre from the roots sells at 

 from $12 to $15 and is used by the Chinese in 

 their tea. The roots are worth anything from 

 $30 a pound upwards. 



The garden at Vancouver is the only known 

 place in British Columbia where ginseng is 

 cultivated, and probably the one locality in 

 Western Canada. The success Mr. Jenner has 

 attained should encourage others to engage in 

 this profitable small-farming enterprise. The 

 production of ginseng has long been successful 



in Ontario, the only requirements being a 

 fairly light soil, fairly well drained, with forest 

 leaf or other fertilizer. There must be hundreds 

 of places in Western Canada where the cultiva- 

 tion of a half-acre or so of this crop would be a 

 source of handsome revenue. 



Financing the Canadian Farmer 



In the development in Canada of agriculture, 

 which is the first and most important industry of 

 the country, the pursuit has rapidly manifested 

 itself as a business involving the application of 

 business practices, and it has been found neces- 

 sary to provide for those engaged in it such 

 facilities for borrowing as will enable them to 

 have their credit requirements satisfied accord- 

 ing to their needs. Admirable as is the Canadian 

 banking system conceded to be, farmers com- 

 plained that it was not framed to meet their 

 special and peculiar needs, and to meet these 

 nearly all the provincial governments have 

 devised systems and put into operation institu- 

 tions for meeting requirements for rural credits. 

 If we are to judge by the manner these various 

 systems have been taken advantage of and the 

 promotion they have effected in Dominion 

 agriculture, Rural Credits systems in Canada 

 have been a success. 



The following briefly describe the various 

 systems, with the amount of money loaned 

 through them, and with some variations they 

 will be found basically the same. 



The Province of Manitoba 



The Rural Credits Act of 1917 makes pro- 

 vision for the organization by farmers of rural 

 credit societies through which they may obtain 

 short-term loans for productive purposes. 

 Before commencing business the society must 

 receive subscriptions to its capital stock from 

 at least thirty-five persons actually engaged in 

 farming. Any member desiring a loan makes 

 application to the secretary, stating the purpose 

 of the loan and submitting a statement of his 

 assets and liabilities. If his application is 

 approved, he is granted a line of credit for a year, 

 and all the personal property he acquires through 

 the proceeds of the loan is subject to a lien in 

 favor of the society. The rate of interest 

 payable by the borrower must not exceed 7 per 

 cent per annum. Until March, 1920, the banks 

 furnished the loans at six per cent, but when 

 they decided to raise the interest legislation was 

 passed establishing the Provincial Savings Bank, 

 which accepts deposits from all sources and pays 

 4 per cent interest. 



Long-term or mortgage credit is provided in 

 Manitoba through an Act passed in the same 

 year, which created the Farm Loans Association, 

 to act as a loaning agent between the government 

 and the farmers. The association is managed 

 by a board of five members. The capital 



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