12 



THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The number of bushels per capita varies greatly in the different countries. 

 Great Britain and Ireland together only produce 6.1 bushels per capita, but Ireland 

 alone produces over 29 bushels per capita, which is a higher quantity per capita than 

 any other country. Potatoes are therefore, without a doubt, a most important crop 

 as far as the agriculture of that country is concerned. 



POTATO PRODUCTION IN CANADA. 



In studying potato production in the Dominion of Canada the following informa- 

 tion is obtainable for the five-year period 1915-19 : 



TaMe IV. 



The production of potatoes in Canada is approximately 20 per cent, of the 

 production of the North American Continent and about 1.3 per cent, of the world's 

 crop; a production which equals that of Asia. 



The average yield per acre is 10 bushels lower than the average yield of the 

 more important potato-producing countries, and the number of bushels per capita 

 is aoout 1 bushel lower than the average for the same countries. 



The distribution of the potato-crop in the various Provinces of the Dominion 

 is given below: 



Table V. 



* 6.1 tons. 



t 94,998 tons. 



That British Columbia is not a heavy producer of potatoes will be readily seen 

 from studying Table V. The acreage of potatoes in British Columbia is approxi- 

 mately 2.5 per cent, of the acreage for the Dominion, and the production 3.6 per cent. 

 In yield per acre, however, British Columbia stands above all other Provinces; 

 therefore the production of potatoes in this Province is relatively higher in com- 

 parison with acreage than it is in any other Province, a factor which is worthy 

 of interest. Furthermore, the average yield per acre compares very favourably 

 with that of Great Britain and Ireland. 



It will be noted also that higher average yields per acre are obtained by all the 

 Maritime Provinces than are obtained by the inland Provinces. 



That the potato is a very important crop in Prince Edward Island is very 

 noticeable, the number of bushels per capita being greater there than in any other 

 Province and almost double that of any country. 



Table VI. shows the acreage, average yield per acre, total yield, and total value 

 of the potato-crop in British Columbia for the ten years 1910-19, inclusive. In order 

 to obtain more definite information as to whether or not the potato industry is 

 progressing here, comparison is made of the five-year period 1910-14 and 1915-19, 

 inclusive. 



