31 



THE REPORT OF MR. W. H. DEMPSTER, 



Mjllbrool- Lodge, Clarbeston Road, R.8.O., South Wales. 



In response to an invitation from Sir Charles Tupper, Bart., G.C.M.G., 

 C.B., High Commissioner for Canada, to report on the agricultural 

 resources of Canada, I have visited nearly all the principal territories, 

 chiefly in the North-West ; and after travelling a distance of 10,000 

 miles, I think one is justified in giving an opinion as to the present and 

 future prospects of that great country. Taking into consideration the 

 Union Jack flying in the air, and the Word of God represented by 

 ministers of all denominations, a new settler cannot but feel — whicl) 

 is also my candid and unbiassed opinion — that peace and happiness, 

 truth and justice, religion an '. piety, have already established themselves 

 in that land. t.- ^r, : ' , ^ 



---f V - 'i: ' After going carefully through the different methods 



Grain-Growing. of farming, I find that grain-growing alone no longer 



occupies the position it did, and if the farmers are 

 well advised they will turn their attention more to mixed farming, 

 especially dairying and hog-raising. 



The useful hints that may be obtained by visiting the Government 

 Experimental Farms leave no doubt on the minds of farmers as to 

 what is best suited for the soil : the different branches of agriculture 

 are carefully studied and worked by very competent men for the benefit 

 of the farming community. 



In many parts of the North- West I noticed the majority of 

 Farming farmers hardly work their farms in a methodical manner — 

 Methods. that is, from our point of view. Where they waste their 



manure and small grain, burn their straw, and buy their 

 hogs ready fattened, a man would tell us that farming is not pros- 

 perous; whereas his neighbour, with a fine lot of poultry and about 

 50 h' hogs, a good lot of cattle, and nothing going to waste, seems to 

 be doing wonderfully well, — and what wonder? he has no rent to 

 pay, no rates or tithes, and only very nominal school taxes. Then, 

 again, his crops are raised by one ploughing, with no manure bills, and 

 an excellent harvest may be expected. 



Unfortunately, there are a number of young English 

 Unsuccessful gentlemen, brought up in the lap of luxury, who perhaps 

 Farmers, first turned their attention to Army, Law, Church, or 



other professions ; and then, not being successful, went 

 in for farming in the North- West, with perhaps £1,000 capital, thinking 

 that it required no skill or practical knowledge — which is a great mistake. 

 The result is, they get into the hands of confidential friends (as they term 

 themselves), and get fleeced in all shapes — simply ruined; and, in nine 

 cases out of ten, the country is blamed. Unless a man is prepared to 

 turn up his sleeves and go to work in right earnest, he had better lemaiu 



