33 



The year's importations of fresh meats, including bacon and ham, mutton 

 and lamb, pork and lard, total $1,260,091, whilst beef cattle, sheep and swine 

 were imported to the value of $1,260,510. 



In the past year there has been a* noticeable increase in the consuming- 

 capacity of Prairie markets, due mainly to increased population, and also to 

 the fact that a late and wet season there furnished an unusually favourable 

 market for early vegetables. 



There has also been an increased demand for British Columbia apples from 

 Australian houses, and for all fruits and vegetables from Coast markets. 

 The home markets, however, fall far short of being supplied, and in the year 

 1911 the Province imported the following fruits and fruit products, etc., 

 chiefly from the United States : 



Apples, other fruits and berries $547,284 



Preserved fruits 255,367 



Jellies, jams, etc 111,856 



Pickles . 59,443 



Total $973,950 



Similar products totalled $542,107 in the year 1910. 



The greatest increase in consumption of food products during the past year 

 has been in bacon and ham, mutton and lamb, pork, eggs, and poultry. 

 The value of dairy produce (exclusive of milk) importations amounted to 

 $1,609,614, and the value of dressed poultry and egg importations amounted 

 to $2,115,868. 



The home production of dairy produce (exclusive of milk) amounted in 

 value to $985,462, or 61 per cent, of the market demand. The demand also 

 for dressed poultry and eggs was $1,234,472 in excess of the home supply. 

 A satisfactory feature of the year has been an increase in the supply of home- 

 produced milk, valued at $3,295,000, and eggs, valued at $255,112. Eggs. 

 however, show a still greater increase in importations from the United States 

 and Canadian Provinces, the increase from the former being 312.8 per cent., 

 and from the latter 280.7 per cent, on the values for 1910. 



The rapid growth of city population has resulted in an increased demand 

 for milk, which has affected the quantity of butter manufactured. 



The increased demand for mutton and pork has not been met with a 

 corresponding development in the raising of sheep and swine, the numbers 

 of the former showing a lessened production during the year. 



As in the past year, the heaviest importations in live-stock have been in 

 horses, beef cattle, and sheep, the United States imports of horses showing 

 the very large increase of 300 per cent. 



