i6o 



Canadian Agriculture. 



to the opening up of this trade, large numbers of horned 

 stock were exported over the border, and this traffic con- 

 tinued to be of some importance until it was practically 

 extinguished by the high duties imposed under the 

 McKinley tariff. The number of cattle exported annually 

 during the past six years has been nearly a hundred 

 thousand head, of which all but a few thousand were 

 consigned to the United Kingdom. For some years prior 

 to 1890 about 40,000 head of Canadian cattle were sold 

 annually in the United States. 



The United States has hitherto formed the chief outlet 

 for Canadian sheep, of which the exports have averaged 

 about 300,000 yearly in the past five years. Before 1895 the 

 numbers sent annually across the Atlantic had not exceeded 

 60,000 head for many years, and in 1893 and 1894 it dropped 

 to less than 20,000. In 1895, however, the consignments to 

 the United Kingdom amounted to 138,000 head, while those 

 to the United States dropped to 147,000 head. There is 

 practically no external trade in live swine, but bacon and 

 hams have been sent in increasing quantities in recent years 

 to British markets, which practically have a monopoly of this 

 trade with the Dominion. Hitherto, fresh and salted beet 

 and mutton have been exported from Canada in compara- 

 tively small quantities. 



On the whole, it would appear that the prices of the past few 

 years have not been such as to induce farmers in the Dominion 

 to turn their energies to increasing the production of beef for 

 export, and in some districts the cost of feeding cattle in the 

 winter, coupled with the fall in the price of meat, has reduced 

 profits to a very low level. There can, however, be little 

 doubt that, under suitable conditions, the production of meat 

 of all kinds could be considerably increased, and in this 

 connection it should be remembered that this branch of 

 farming has as yet received little attention in the newly- 

 settled territories.* 



* Mr, Whitley, of the Canadian Department of Agriculture, writing in 1892, says 

 of Manitoba, " all kinds of stock thrive remarkably well in this province, and almost 

 every breed of cattle is represented. Beef cattle in certain districts are in special 

 demand, and though the Manitoban farmer may only receive ^6 los. for a steer which 



