32 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



The number of farms in 1901 was 544,688, and by 1911 they in- 

 creased to 711,681. Thus the new farms occupied during the ten 

 years amounted to 166,993 of an average size of 277 acres. The greater 

 part of this increase took place in the western provinces, and there 

 was an actual decrease of 2,427 farms in Nova Scotia. 



It will be observed from these figures that, whereas the number 

 of farms increased by 166,993, or about 30 per cent, the acreage of 

 land occupied increased by 46,354,747, or over 73 per cent, indicating 

 a considerable increase in the size of ownerships. Three thousand 

 townships, of 36 square miles (23,040 acres) each, have a total area 

 of 69,120,000 acres, and, allowing for forest, swamp, etc., this area 

 would probably have accommodated the increase of farms. Thus, 

 with the rapid growth between 1901 and 1910, about three hundred 

 townships, or an average of fifty in each of the six largest provinces, 

 would require to be surveyed and settled each year. The num- 

 ber of farms surveyed by the Dominion Government alone in the above 

 period was 401,246, comprising a total area of 64,199,360 acres. 

 It is estimated that an area equal to this has been surveyed in excess 

 of the area in occupation. An effort should be made to limit the 

 surveys to an area approximating to the area likely to be settled each 

 year and to use the surveying staff in making a detailed topogra- 

 phical survey and land classification of the territory as it is opened up. 

 The changes which have taken place in the ownership of land 

 and the extent of speculation is indicated by the estimate which has 

 been made that out of 129,710,680 acres disposed of about 42,058,400 

 acres have been cancelled. This figure is the total, and includes 

 lands which have been cancelled more than once. 



A more concentrated and detailed survey, and the proper plan- 

 ning of the roads and farm boundaries, would probably involve an 

 increased staff and expenditure, but the advantage to be gained would 

 be enormous.* By this means a valuable topographical map of the 

 areas could be gradually prepared, which would enable government 

 departments to exercise better control over the development of the 

 land, and save large sums in isolated surveys. 



Out of the total area of 977,585,513 acres in the nine provinces 

 in 1911, f 109,777,085 acres were occupied as farm land, and 358,- 



* A great many returned soldiers, especially those with engineering experience, 

 could be employed in making topographical surveys with great profit to the coun- 

 try. The valuable ordnance survey maps of Great Britain were prepared from 

 surveys made by military men and no work has been carried out in the Old Country 

 which has been more appreciated or of greater utility in connection with land de- 

 velopment. 



t This area was increased to 1,401,316,413 acres in 1912, and the possible farm 

 land is now computed to be 440,951,000 acres. 



