COMPETITION. 87 



they can be induced to occupy them, are unequalled for 

 competitive farming. The production of cereals is in- 

 creasing by leaps and bounds, and the lands of the older 

 provinces are rapidly giving up the contest in this branch 

 of husbandry. 



Manitoba now bids fair to become the banner potato- 

 producing province. The Canada Pacific Railway's 

 reports state that the yield, per acre, runs up from 300 to 

 800 bushels. The Maritime Provinces, which have 

 hitherto borne the palm in the production of this tuber, 

 fall far behind in their yield per acre, 200 bushels now 

 being considered a good average crop. The surplus yield 

 of potatoes in Manitoba, in 1888, was estimated at two 

 millions of bushels. 



In 1864, twenty-five years ago, the Upper Provinces sent 

 to Nova Scotia beef, pork, hams, butter, lard, and cheese to 

 the trifling amount of $8,269. This was at a time when 

 trade was perfectly free of tariff restrictions. Since the 

 operation of the railways between these provinces, the 

 shipments of farm produce from the Upper Provinces to 

 Nova Scotia have developed to about $100,000 yearly.' 

 According to Mr. A. C. Fairweather, an authority on 

 this subject, $[05,000 in cheese, cured meats, and butter 

 alone, were sent from the Upper to the Maritime 

 Provinces in 1884. 



THE BIG FISH CONSUME THE LITTLE. 



The principle of the big fish consuming the little is 

 well exemplified in many of the anomalies connected 

 with the subject of the present competition in husbandry. 

 Some great central interests get all the advantages in re- 

 gard to freights, and others get other favors. The fruit 

 region of Nova Scotia is eight hundred miles nearer to 

 ' Including grain and flour, aliout !ih2, 500,000. 



