HOW THE PROVINCES RESPONDED 



Ontario — The reports received by the Provincial Department of Agriculture 

 indicate that never before was such a genuine effort put forward by the farmers to 

 adopt the best methods of cultivation and the best varieties of seed, in fact to do every- 

 thing in their power to assure the maximum supply of food stuffs. Aggregrate yields 

 show considerable increases in almost every crop. There is no doubt that the patriotic 

 appeal was one of the most influential factors in this regard. 



First let us look for a moment at what the records for Ontario show. Wheat is as 

 you all know one of the fundamental staples and yet it is quite true that this Province 

 during the many years past has been gradually decreasing its wheat acreage. The 

 reasons for this are not hard to find and need not be dwelt upon here. The point I 

 wish to make is that in the year 1915 under the stress of the present war, Ontario 

 increased its wheat area by 40 per cent, and produced a crop 75 per cent, greater in 

 amount than that of the previous year. Furthermore only once in the last thirty years 

 has such a crop of wheat been produced on Ontario farms as that which was produced 

 in 1915. Nor was this accomplished by sacrificing other crops. Oats gave an increased 

 yield of 25 per cent., barley of 15 per cent., hay of 15 per cent., and so I might continue 

 through the list of the different branches of our varied agriculture in like manner. 

 Dairying showed an increase of 25 per cent, and enjoyed by all odds the record year of 

 its history in this Province. Without going into live stock and other important branches, 

 it may suffice to say that the total value of the field crops in 1915 was $12,000,000 

 greater than in 1914, when we had good crops and high prices, and $54,000,000 greater 

 than during an average of 10 years. This is a splendid record for Ontario and shows 

 vitality which promises to keep it the banner Province of the Dominion. 



— W. B. Roadhouse, Deputy Minister of Agriculture. 



Manitoba — Manitoba's 1915 grain crop stands as a record in the history of the 

 Province. Authentic reports are in many cases astounding. Wheat yields of 30 to 

 35 bushels per acre for a district are reported from every section, while yields averaging 

 40 bushels per acre for whole districts are not uncommon. Individual fields on summer 

 fallow, potato land, etc., have gone as high as 60 to 70 bushels. Oats in several districts 

 are said to have averaged 80 to 100 bushels. 



These phenomenal yields can be attributed to no single cause, but among the reasons 

 advanced these appear to be most important: First, more land was well prepared in the 

 fall of 1914 than had ever been the case previously. This certainly had a beneficial 

 effect on the crop. Second, a liberal rainfall in the month of June was also advantageous. 

 Third: the wheat crop this year bore a wonderful bloom. Practically every cell of the 

 wheat head was fertilized, and each head filled wonderfully well. 



— A. J. McMillan, B.S.A., Deputy Minister of Agriculture. 



Alberta — During the past year our farmers responded to the Empire's call for 

 "More and more production" in a manner that reflects on them great credit. A splendid 

 effort was made, not only to enlarge the area under crop, but to increase live stock and 

 all other productions. This effort, combined with an unusually favourable year, 

 resulted in producing what is perhaps the greatest grain crop ever grown anywhere. 

 Fifty and sixty bushels per acre were quite common, and in not a few localities, seventy 

 and even eighty bushels of wheat per acre were vouched for. The potato area was 

 five thousand acres with a total yield of nine million bushels, thus meeting the deficiency 

 in Eastern Canada. Other root crops showed a very large increase and on the whole 

 the year's harvest was away and beyond all previous records. 



— Chas. S. Hotchkiss, Publicity Commissioner. 

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