RURAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 



33 



162,190 acres was the estimate of possible farm land. These figures 

 indicate how great are the land resources of the Dominion, and give 

 some idea of the scope and need there is for efficient government organ- 

 ization, so as to secure the best conditions of settlement for such vast 

 regions, and how the lack of such organization may lead to great 

 loss. 



Profits of Farming and Values of Farm Products 



The most direct cause of rural depopulation in all countries is 

 the fact that farming does not yield enough profit to the farmer to 

 make the industry attractive. Unless a farm yields interest on the 

 capital invested, combined with a satisfactory wage to the farmer, 

 it cannot be regarded as being put to economic use. The farmer is 

 often blamed for this unsatisfactory condition where it exists, but he 

 is to a large extent helpless to improve it. In so far as he has lack of 

 capital and experience the same may be said of many who start 

 industries in the cities and succeed in spite of their deficiencies. Can- 

 ada has a large population of men who have succeeded as farmers, 

 although possessing little or no experience or capital at the outset. 

 Until better conditions of settlement and improved organization are 

 provided to control and direct land settlement it is not right to blame 

 the farmer for a situation that is due to want of opportunity. 



The following comparative table shows values in three lead- 

 ing industries in 1911: — * 



Agriculture 



Manufactures 



Railways 



(Steam and 



electric) 



Total value of farm property and 

 of capital in manufactures 

 and railways 



Total value of products and earn- 

 ings 



$4,231,840,630 



Products 

 (Cereals, etc.) 



$597,926,000 



(Stock,) 



$615,457,833 



$1,247,583,609 

 Products 



$1,165,975,639 



$1,640,221,548 

 Earnings 



$209,090,446 



Between 1901 and 1911 the total value of farm property other 

 than land more than doubled, indicating a general prosperity which 

 disposes of any suggestion that the industry of agriculture, taken as 

 a whole, has suffered from depression in Canada. The develop- 

 ment of the dairy industry has also been satisfactory, the 

 total value of cheese, butter and condensed milk produced 



'Canada Year Book. 



