202 REPORT OF THE No. 3 



The quantities estimated to be required were: about 1,500 tons of hay, 

 27,000 bushels of oats, and 10,000 bushels of corn. The prices which farmers 

 were willing to pay were not to exceed $30 per ton for the hay, 75 cents per 

 bushel for the oats, and $40 per ton for corn. The hay was purchased in the 

 Bar River District, delivered by rail to Little Current; at Sault Ste. Marie, 

 delivered by scow to Gore Bay; at Lion's Head, delivered by boat to Providence 

 Bay; at Owen Sound, delivered by barge to Kagawong, and West Bay; and 

 from various points in the counties of Grey, Bruce and Huron, delivered to 

 Owen Sound, and thence transhipped in part by the Dominion Transportation 

 Company boats to Little Current, Gore Bay and Meldrum Bay; and as to the 

 larger proportion, special arrangements were made for collection and storage 

 on the dock at Owen Sound, and trans-shipment by tug and barges to various 

 docks on the island. The corn and oats were purchased at the elevators at 

 Tiffin and Midland; and this grain was shipped by the specially chartered tug 

 and barges used to transport the hay from Owen Sound. 



Considerable difficulties were experienced in the transporting of the feed 

 to the Island. The necessity for importing such large quantities of fodder 

 was unprecedented, and the ordinary means of transportation were inadequate; 

 farmers from whom the hay was purchased were not anxious to dispose of their 

 stocks, owing to the general failure of crops throughout Ontario, and higher 

 prices were anticipated; bad weather during the shipping period interfered with 

 the arrangements made, and postponed delivery until the passage of heavily 

 laden barges across the Georgian Bay became hazardous and slow. The whole 

 of the shipping operations were, however, successfully concluded by the second 

 week in November. Agents were appointed at the various receiving docks, 

 and the feed was immediately available for distribution to the farmers. 



The total quantities purchased were 1470 tons hay; 27,000 bushels No. 2 

 C W. inspected Oats; 13,571 bushels No, 2 Yellow inspected corn. 



The prices charged to the farmers were: Hay, $29.00 per ton; corn, $1.77 

 per bushel, or $36.00 per ton; oats, 74 cents per bushel. 



A feed shortage also became evident in the Mattawa District, towards 

 the end of the summer, and four carloads of hay, containing 43 tons, have 

 been shipped there, to partially meet the needs of the farmers in that locality. 

 This hay is being sold at the rate of $27.00 per ton, under the same conditions 

 as feed was supplied to Manitoulin Island. 



The feed thus supplied to farmers in affected areas, has been of the greatest 

 benefit in enabling them to avoid disposing of their stock at greatly reduced 

 prices, and it is hoped that, with an average production in the season to come, 

 they will be re-established upon a normal basis. 



