RURAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 105 



The following part of the address is quoted* as an excellent presen- 

 tation of facts relating to this problem and their bearing on specu- 

 lation: 



"Let me give you a few figures: — 



"As at Sept. 30, 1916. Total area granted in homesteads is 

 51,012,550 acres. Military homesteads, pre-emptions and purchased 

 homesteads increased this to 62,775,510. The following statement 

 shows estimate of areas under crop in the three Prairie Provinces in 

 1916, according to the Census and Statistics Monthly, of the Depart- 

 ment of Trade and Commerce : 



July, 1916: Acres 



Wheat 10,493,200 



Oats __ 6,283,000 



Barley _ 936,000 



Other grains 487,290 



Total acreage.. 18,199,490 



"In proper farming a portion of the cultivated land should be 

 rested; allow then one-third more for fallow, making a total of 24,265,- 

 000. Add one-third more of last mentioned acreage for pasturage 

 making a total of 32,354,000 acres.f 



"Can you estimate the loss to the Prairie Provinces by reason 

 of the non-use of over 30,000,000 acres of the very best land specifi- 

 cally granted to persons for residence and cultivation? That is 

 not all of this mistaken policy, for the Crown has alienated other 

 lands: 



Acres 

 Railways, Hudson's Bay Company, school lands 



sales 36,647,996 



Sales, special and halfbreed grants 7,129,066 



Mining lands sold 101,701 



Mounted Police, etc 33,078. 



43,911,841 

 Less H. B. Co. mining land 6,881,601 



37,030,240 



"Total, without Hudson's Bay Company mining lands, 99,- 

 805,750 acres. Of this arable land in the three provinces granted in 

 freehold, only about 32,354,000 acres are used for farming— less than 

 one-third of the granted land. 



"Manitoba and all its citizens should recognize the fact that the 

 useful occupation of the land is the chief of all its economic questions. 



"The same damage results from speculators securing posses- 

 sion of our other natural resources — for example, our water-powers, 

 coal fields, minerals, fishing rights, and the like. Surely these natural 



• The Credit Men's Journal.— February, 1917. f See also figure 2.. 

 19 



