Canadian Agriculture. 
261 
Live-stock throughout the Province appears to be almost free 
from disease, and, with the exception of some isolated cases of 
glanders among horses, nothing was reported last summer. In 
the preceding winter cattle were in a few places troubled with a 
swelling on the jaws, which, however, disappeared with the 
appearance of spring. Many sows and litters were lost, owing 
apparently to over-feeding before farrowing, the abundance of 
inferior wheat on hand having been supplied to the sows not 
wisely but too well. Mr. Acton Burrows very significantly 
remarks, "the country possesses many young and inexperienced 
farmers who will have to make their calling a study in every 
respect if they expect to get on and prosper." 
The total number of farmers in Manitoba last summer was 
{)815, and the average number of acres occupied by each 
was 279. 
The condition of the labour market in Manitoba last July 
may be briefly stated. There was a good demand for labourers 
in many localities, particularly in the older counties. In many 
places help was needed from the beginning of spring work till 
the ending of fall-ploughing and fall-threshing, the greatest 
demand being during hay-making and harvesting. In a few 
cases help was required during the entire year, but in the more 
newly settled townships, where farmers are few, work is ex- 
changed, and in this way, assisted by such implements as may 
be available, the harvest operations are got through without hired 
help. The wages paid to farm hands per month, with board, 
vary from 3/. 12a-. to 6Z., the average being 4Z. 18s. It is very 
difficult to obtain female servants on farms, their apparent 
desire being to get into the cities and larger towns ; wages vary 
from 1/. 14s. to 4Z. per month, the average being 21. As. 
The distribution of timber in Manitoba is very irregular. 
While a great many townships possess none, others have supplies 
capable of lasting from one or two to fifty years, and in some 
cases for all time, if protected from fires. Wire fencing being 
so generally used, comparatively little timber is required for 
this purpose. In several instances wood has to be drawn long 
distances, and in some cases the supply of wood for fuel is 
becoming a serious question ; but, so far as Southern Manitoba 
is concerned, the difficulty will cease when the South- Western 
Branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway is extended to the 
Souris Coalfields. The following are the most abundant varieties 
of wood, named in the order of their frequency of occurrence, 
those that are most generally distributed being named first: — 
poplar, oak, ash, elm, balm of Gilead fir, maple, birch, willow, 
spruce, tamarac (the American larch), cherry, basswood (the 
American lime-tree), pine, hazel, plum, thorn, and ironwood. 
