8 



a poor growth of wood and brush, yielding no return. No 

 farmer, rich or poor, but should find time during the year to 

 bring into cultivation at least one acre and more if he can, 

 each improved acre yielding a return, and help to improve 

 other acres and so keep on adding to the value and productiv*-- 

 ness of his farm. We cannot afford to have large wastes of 

 land giving no return. I am convinced that the one cause, or at 

 least the principal cause, of our not advancing or making such 

 advances in agricultural pursuits as the opportunities at our 

 disposal require, or keeping pace with other provinces of the 

 Dominion, having no greater natural advantages — the one 

 great cause I maintain is that we are purchasing from outside 

 the province too much and producing too little at home. One 

 acre of land will produce all the potatoes and other vegetables 

 required for an ordinary sized family for one year. Then why 

 should not every farmer raise all his own vegetables, and have 

 some to sell ; raise all his own oats, barley, peas and beans, 

 and have some to sell ; all his own fruit, and possibly have some 

 to sell ; all his own butter, eggs, cheese and poultry, and have 

 some to sell ; all his own beef, pork and mutton, and have 

 some to sell ; and our large farmers, by keeping improved 

 breeds of cattle and sheep and hogs maturing young, not only 

 supply our own market, but take a share in the export trade 

 to Great Britain as well as Ontario and Quebec ? It is a well 

 known fact that pouiuls of beef, pork and mutton can l>e laid 

 on younor animals clieaper ^han old ones ; hence a correspond- 

 ing increased profit. In beef breeds we have the Short Horns, 

 Polled Angus and Herefords. Either of these breeds can be 

 made to weigh from 1,200 to 1,500 lbs., live weight, at 20 to 30 

 months old ; thus it can be easily seen that the earlier we get 

 our steers to market, the more clean money we make. Having 

 briefly given a few hints on faiuiing and st )ck raising, [ will 

 now pass on to what I have a more practical knowledge of, 

 from ten years' experience. 



