whole of this year's crop into the scales, it represents some $281.25 for each man, woman 

 and child in the province. 



Luxuriant was the only word to describe the growth of grain crops, alfalfa, timothy 

 and other grasses in Western Saskatchewan last year. Foliage in the lower portion of 

 the province is not profuse, but if the Garden of Eden looked as enticing as did 

 Saskatchewan during the past summer, it is difficult to understand why the Garden 

 was forsaken so soon. 



ALBERTA'S BIG WHEAT CROP 



Latest provincial estimates place the average wheat yield for Alberta at about 

 33 bushels per acre: Acreage, 1,563,700; production, 51,355,000. Though all parts 

 of the Province have contributed to the increased average and grand total, it is 

 in the southern part of the province where both the yield and the acreage have been 

 increased. 



The large crop is the result of natural and controlled causes combined. When 

 moisture is not too plentiful, it is important that it should be available during the 

 growing season. In 1914 the records of precipitation at the Experimental Farm in 

 Lethbridge for the months of May, June and July show a total of only 3.7 inches. In 

 1915 the total for the same period of three months was 11.31. This practically insured 

 a crop as far as moisture was concerned, independent of the use of methods of culti- 

 vation for moisture conservation. 



At the same time the improvement in yields must be ascribed largely to the summer- 

 fallow. A succession of lean years has established the need of summer-fallowing, in 

 the area under the characteristic influence of the Chinook, every other year, or at least 

 once in three years. In the fall of 1915 there was a large area of summer-fallow. There 

 was also such precipitation as made fall ploughing possible on practically all kinds of 

 land, and the country responded actively to the call for increased production. There 

 was little crop to harvest in the autumn of 1914, so that the land was clear and the farmer 

 was not busy. Yields of a phenomenal kind are reported on summer-fallowed land. 

 The partial failures of the two or three years previous and the rich returns for work on 

 the land in 1915 will no doubt establish better tillage practice in all of the southern 

 part of the province. 



Another reason for the heavy yields was the large quantity of heavy yielding vari- 

 eties of wheat sown — i.e., Marquis. Considerable seed was supplied by the Federal 

 Government. It was obtained from the best supplies available and was of a grade 

 that was satisfactory to the Dominion Department of Agriculture. 



— J. McCaig, Editor of Publications, Edmonton. 



A Great Change 



Mr. J. T. Gordon, one of the West's foremost cattle men, and who is also president 

 of the Standard Trusts Co. and a director of other financial institutions, says that 

 "three years ago, the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba were import- 

 ing their horses, a great deal of their fresh meat, I should say 75 per cent, of the hog 

 product, their poultry, their eggs, their cheese, butter and everything that was wanted 

 in large centres for the maintenance and support of the masses. What do we find 

 today? Instead of these provinces importing and sending money into a foreign country 

 where we never got any benefit, as it never came back and circulated, they are exporting 

 every one of the items I have mentioned, with the exception of cheese and mutton. 

 Within two years, we shall be exporters of those products. You will understand now 

 why it is that interest payments have been so well met, up to the present time." 



18 



