466 



MANITOBA. 



309,281 acres, an increase of over 18 per cent., 

 yielding a total of 6,804,182 bushels, and an 

 average of 22 bushels an acre. 



The following are the fixed standards for 

 grading Manitoba wheat : 



No. 1. Hard Spring Wheat. Eed Fyfe wheat con- 

 taining not more than 10 per cent, admixture of softer 

 varieties ; must be sound, well cleaned, and weigh 

 not less than 60 pounds a bushel, imperial measure. 



No. 2. Hard Spring Wheat. Same as No. 1, only 

 reasonably clean, and weigh not less than 58 pounds 

 a bushel. 



No. 1. Spring Wheat. Must be sound, well cleaned, 

 and weigh not less than 60 pounds a bushel. 



No 2. Spring Wheat. Same as last, only reasonably 

 clean, and weigh not less than 58 pounds a bushel. 



No. 3. Spring Wheat. Comprises all wheat fit for 

 warehousing, not good enough for No. 2, and weigh- 

 ing not less than 56 pounds to the bushel. 



Rejected Spring Wheat. Comprises all wheat fit for 

 warehousing, but too low in weight or otherwise un- 

 fit for No. 3. 



All good wheat, slightly damp, is reported "no 

 grade,'' with the inspector's notation as to quality and 

 condition. All wheat in a heating condition, or too 

 damp for safe warehousing, or with any considerable 

 admixture of foreign grain or seeds, or that is badly 

 bin-burned, is reported "condemned," with inspector's 

 notation as to quality and condition. Wheat contain- 

 ing "goose wheat" is graded "rejected." Wheat 

 containing smut or sprouted kernels, in however 

 slight degree, is in no case graded as high as No. 1 

 in its class. 



The average date of beginning to cut wheat 

 is August 27, and of ending, September 28. 



The following table exhibits the varieties 

 of grain sown, the dates of ripening, and the 

 average per acre : 



As compared with 1883, the oat-crop of 1884 

 is four bushels an acre below the average, and 

 the quality is slightly lower. In 1883 there 

 were sown 215,431 acres of oats, which yielded 

 9,478,964 bushels; in 1884, 128,487 acres, 

 yielding 5,107,079 bushels. 



Barley, in 1884, averaged two bushels an 

 acre more than in 1883. The acreage in 1883 

 was 60,281 acres, with an average yield of 

 thirty bushels an acre, or a total of 1,808,430. 

 This year there were only 40,936 acres, an 

 average of 32'83 bushels an acre, and a total 

 yield of 1,343,928 bushels. The falling off in 

 the acreage of both barley and oats is attrib- 

 uted to lack of facilities for marketing the 

 grain. Peas yielded well, though the area 

 sown is not large. Potatoes yielded 201 bush- 

 els an acre in 1884; turnips, 392 bushels ; man- 

 golds, 356 bushels; carrots, 223 bushels; and 

 beets, 275 bushels. Wild hops, " equal to the 

 best grown in Ontario or York State," are very 

 abundant on the prairies. They have been 

 picked for market in some districts. Nearly 

 all the garden-fruits are found growing wild 



in abundance. Many cultivated varieties of 

 them have been introduced. Apples have not 

 yet been very successful, chiefly because the 

 young trees were raised in southern climates. 

 Experiments have been tried with grafting on 

 native roots, and the results are very satisfac- 

 tory. Some large farmers have undertaken to 

 import apple-trees from Russia. 



Protecting Stock. A very strict veterinary 

 sanitary service is in operation in the prov- 

 ince, to prevent the spread of disease among 

 farm -stock. Several horses were destroyed 

 on account of disease. The inspectors travel 

 throughout the province, wherever called on, 

 and have done much to prevent the spread of 

 disease. 



Route to Europe. During the year the people 

 of Manitoba have directed much attention to 

 the proposed route to Europe ma Hudson Bay. 

 Experiments are being made, under the au- 

 spices of the Federal authorities, to test the 

 navigation of the bay and the straits, and there 

 is little doubt that they are easily accessible at 

 almost all seasons. The route to Liverpool 

 would be only 2,960 miles by water from Fort 

 York, several miles shorter than from Mon- 

 treal. As there is no immediate necessity 

 for the new route, it is probable that the 

 opposition of the older provinces will be suc- 

 cessful for some years in turning trade from 

 the bay to the Montreal or St. Lawrence 

 outlet. 



Property Value. During 1883 the prices of 

 property in Manitoba fell to their normal mar- 

 ket value. Prior to that date the prices de- 

 manded for property were high. At the re- 

 duced valuation the assessments show about 

 $100,000,000 to be the value of property in 

 Manitoba. 



New Railways. Railways to Hudson Bay are 

 projected, and one is actually under construc- 

 tion. The two points aimed at on the bay 

 are Fort York and Fort Churchill the former 

 at the mouth of Nelson river, the latter at 

 the Churchill. One railway is projected east 

 of Lake Winnipeg, another west of it. The 

 country traversed by the western survey is, on 

 the whole, suited for farming, and will proba- 

 bly be taken up by settlers as soon as the road 

 is built. Railways were also extended toward 

 the northern parts of the province. There 

 are two running northwesterly from the Cana- 

 dian Pacific Railway, through a well-settled 

 district ; these are the Souris and Rocky Mount- 

 ain Railway and the Manitoba Northwestern 

 Railway. Both are constructed, and the lat- 

 ter is in running order for many miles. 



Legislation. In 1884 the province was di- 

 vided into counties, with municipal govern- 

 ment for both counties and townships. The 

 School Acts were consolidated. The Medical 

 Act was amended in the matter of the forma- 

 tion of the board. Election laws were made 

 more stringent. A Bureau of Industries was 

 organized. And strict laws were passed con- 

 cerning diseases among animals. 



