The labour problem on the farm, as a result of enlistment, will be, both in the East 

 and in the West, an acute one. Financial difficulties, especially in the West, have not 

 been wholly solved by this year's big crops. Hay and clover and other important crop 

 seeds will be high. Fertilizers, which are an absolute necessity in the East, have 

 advanced 20 per cent, and more. But despite all of these difficulties the farmer, if he 

 can feel reasonably certain of his market, will do his share. Nevertheless he needs the 

 assistance of the financial men, the bankers, of the country. He needs the aid of those 

 who are in a position to direct the marketing of surplus products of the farm. 



One wonders if the commercial men of Canada are giving the farmer the credit 

 he deserves. Just now, we fear that the glamour of the artificial trade in munitions has 

 tended to direct the eyes of the country away from the most important man in the 

 community, the producer of real wealth. In this we may be mistaken. But be that 

 as it may, our message to the farmers of Canada is "Greater production than ever in 

 1916," and in presenting this message we urge every citizen of Canada, whether directly 

 engaged in agriculture or not, to give his sympathetic support to those measures which 

 our governments, both Provincial and Federal, as well as other big bodies of men, are 

 making to promote the fundamental industry of Canada — agriculture. 



WE MUST HAVE A BIG CROP FOR 1916 



To Arms and To Agriculture — The True Calls of Patriotism — Better 

 Organization Necessary 



In 1916 The World will reap a big harvest. How big it will be, no one can tell as 

 yet. The most able authorities that have expressed opinions doubt if it will be as big 

 a crop as that of 1915. In Canada, we have farmers, plenty of them, who state that 

 they never saw such crops as those of 1915 in all their lives, and they do not expect ever 

 to see such crops again. But it is of immense import to Canada that our crops should 

 be as big as they were in 1915 — bigger, if possible. What are we going to do about it? 

 Able authorities have placed the value of Canada's agricultural production for the past 

 year at about one billion, one hundred million dollars. It is a record. It is a big 

 record per acre, big per capita of our population, and biggest of all per farmer, or per 

 man. 



For Canada this crop did wonders. It came amid hard times. It has left Canada 

 prosperous. It came when our leaders in agriculture were impressing us with the plain 

 facts of Canada's position. We had debts upon which the interest totaled up to about 

 one hundred and fifty millions of dollars annually. We were borrowing some two 

 hundred millions more just then. Since that time we have loaned one hundred millions 

 of dollars and are preparing to make another flotation of three hundred millions. And 

 for next year there will be bigger drams upon our finances, our armies and people will 

 have to be fed; fed and clothed and financed. It is quite true that if we don't produce 

 the foodstuffs that the world needs, other nations may do so. But meanwhile what of 

 the situation at home? What of the financial necessities? Last year's big crop "saved 

 the credit of Canada," according to the statement of Sir Thomas White, Minister of 

 Finance. It will have to be saved over again for the year 1916. Yes, we have got to 

 grow another big crop for next year. The facts are plain and simple. We have got to. 



How Canada can do this is a question not easy to answer. Few people expect such 

 cereal crops for next year, the signs that tell of the acreage of wheat, for example, 

 indicate a smaller acreage than that of 1915. Our ablest authorities do not assume 

 that we can even equal our 1915 performance in live stock products, or exports. In 

 butter, cheese, eggs, and possibly in fruit, we may even exceed the records of 1915, big 

 as they are, granted propitious climatic conditions. But the more doubtful the pros- 

 pects are that we shall equal or surpass the performances of last year, the more urgent 

 the need that every effort should be bent to that ta#k. 



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