70 DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



when the weather was very bad. Notwithstanding these conditions, the 13 

 sows wintered in this house. They were fed about 150 yards away from, 

 the colony house, and the oats were fed to them on the ground. They had 

 to walk there from the colony house. A dry, warm place in which to sleep, 

 exercise at least once a day, preferably twice a day, proper feed, and the 

 sows came through the winter in excellent shape without losing any of their 

 litter, which goes to prove that a cold winter does not necessarily mean 

 an unhealthful condition for livestock. 



Second illustration: The college bought a number of range ewes and 

 put them in winter quarters at the College Farm on an eighty acre field 

 without shelter or protection of any kind. Their forage was just what they 

 could pick up around the field and for water, they got snow. Towards 

 spring they were given some wheat screenings, one pound per day to each 

 ewe. Later they were put on rye, later on alfalfa, and these ewes averaged 

 one lamb and a half each. So, if the three conditions are fulfilled, a dry 

 place to sleep, exercise and proper feed, the winter is not detrimental to 

 the raising of livestock. 



Another misconception is that we have a very wide range on our dry- 

 farm region for pasture. We do not have satisfactory and dependable sum- 

 mer pastures. Oats' and barley are our main dependence in the way of 

 feeds. We will go into competition with the world in the growth of large 

 crops of extra quality of field oats. Then, in the matter of forage, we • 

 are rapidly getting into alfalfa and there is no part of the province where 

 we cannot grow alfalfa and successfully. We haven't yet got very far 

 along in the way of silos. I do not believe there are any silos erected on 

 private farms, but the College has put up several on the College Farm. 



As to the very necessary marketing end — I have sought to indicate that 

 we have everything that is required for satisfactory producing — I may say 

 that at the present moment, our position is about this: We are producing 

 an oversupply of hogs. Canadian bacon has come down considerably in 

 price. In talking with the manager of Swift & Company of Winnipeg, he 

 states that they are shipping out from Winnipeg just as much as two or 

 three years ago they were bringing in of pork and pork products. While 

 cholera has invaded our province, it is, in a great measure, controlled by 

 the cold climate which tends to eliminate the disease. 



In the matter of horses, we are probably self-supporting at the present 

 time. In the, matter of cattle, we are probably not self-supporting. I believe 

 that dressed beef is brought into the country still. In sheep we are very, 

 very far from being self-supporting. In poultry we are self-supporting, 

 but not in eggs and butter; but I think the Canadian West will soon produce 

 enough to supply us. 



You may ask what is the drawback? Why does the country continue 

 to grow wheat and oats so extensively when livestock will do so well and 

 is more profitable? The first drawback is the matter of capital, as many 

 who come into our province are comparatively without capital. The cost 

 of living and the cost of development have been high, and in consequence of 

 it, it has left the vast majority of our farmers handicapped, many in debt, 



