TEMPERATE SURPLUS-PRODUCING REGIONS 53 



of butter, for the extraction of cream and for consumption as whole 

 milk. In the years prior to 1914 Canada, while exporting cheese 

 to the United Kingdom and cream to the United States, had begun 

 to import butter in considerable quantities. 1 



It cannot be too clearly borne in mind that since the abolition 

 of the United States' tariff duties on meats, cream and milk, and 

 their reduction on butter and cheese, 2 the two countries are practi- 

 cally one market for all these products, as railway transport is well 

 developed between them. In fact, there is not much doubt that 

 the reduction in the American tariff was partly aimed at tapping 

 the Canadian surplus, to assist in supplementing the growing 

 shortage in the United States. 



It is quite certain that the conditions of supply in the United 

 States will be reflected in Canada, notably if a shortage arises n 

 the former. Now the possibility of a serious shortage in the near 

 future in the United States has already been pointed out above. 

 It is to be expected, therefore, that an increasing proportion of 

 any Canadian surplus of animal foodstuffs will be diverted thither. 3 

 On an average of years during the last decade Canada has not, on 

 the balance, been an important producer of animal food products 

 for overseas export, 4 and has shown a tendency to reduce such 

 exports in recent years. 



However, changes seem to be at work in the animal industries 

 of the country that may cause an increase in the exportable surplus 

 of animal produce. Into these it is necessary to inquire in more 

 detail. 



In the first place, the encroachment of cereal crops upon the one- 

 time cattle-ranching lands of Alberta, though still in progress with 

 the assistance of dry-farming and irrigation, seems nearly to have 

 reached its limits, as it has done in the corresponding region in the 



1 In the fiscal year, 1913, Canada imported nearly 8 million Ibs. of butter, 

 and exported less than 1 million Ibs. 



2 The American tariff duties in different animal foodstuffs before and after 

 Oct. 4th, 1913, are as follows : 



NEW SCALE 



2 cents per Ib. 



20% ad. val. 

 free 

 free 

 free 

 free 

 free 



3 This has already happened in the cattle trade. Till 1912 nearly the 

 whole of the Canadian exports of cattle went to the United Kingdom, but in 

 the years 1914 and 1915, averaged together, over 95% were sent to the United 

 States. See U.S. Daily Commerce Report, Oct. 5th, 1915. 



4 British imports of Canadian animal produce (cheese and bacon) have 

 been considerable. It will be readily seen, however, that if Canada has im- 

 ported butter from New Zealand, mutton from Australia, and sheep and 

 maize from the United States while exporting, or in order to export, cheese 

 and bacon to Great Britain, her real importance in animal industries is to be 

 measured by net, rather than by total exports. 



