Vol. VIII. No. 87., 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[March, 1902.] 67 
Mensury, (51 bushels), Odessa, Trooper, Common, Royal, Oderbruch 
(45 bushels). The general average yield of all six has been 47 bushels 
per acre per annum. Out of over 70 varieties of spring wheat tried, the 
12 which have yielded the biggest average crops at the individual stations 
have afforded an annual average of 25 bushels per acre per annum at 
Ottawa, 28 at Agassiz, 32 at Nappan, 36 at Brandon, and 42 at Indian Head. 
The 12 varieties which have given the highest average annual yield per 
acre at all the farms together have been Preston, Wellman’s Fife, Monarch, 
Goose, Huron, Red Fife, White Fife, Hungarian, White Connell, White 
Russian, Rio Grande, and Pringle’s Champlain, the yields ranging from 33 
down to 31 bushels. The general average yield of all 12 has been 
32 bushels per acre per annum. Similar experiments have been made with 
maize, peas, turnips, mangels, sugar beets, carrots, and potatoes. 
A suggestion has been received by the Queensland Department of 
Agriculture for the adoption of the eland as a profitable animal for grazing. 
The hopelessness of successful cattle-raising in the scrub-covered country 
between the Overflow and the Bogan river, where neither fire nor water will 
eradicate the scrub, has suggested the idea of putting upon these lands an 
animal which will eat the scrub, whose natural food it is, who will fatten on 
it, will not require much water, and is able to travel for what it wants. The 
eland, it is claimed, is such an animal. This antelope, when fully grown, is 
as large as a two-year-old shorthorn, and has more the appearance of a high- 
bred bullock than an antelope. It can live on the hardest fare, and soon 
grows fat on good pasture. It is further claimed, as an advantage, that it 
becomes quite tame, and is easily acclimatized. In Africa the eland feeds on 
various kinds of acacia and on the “ kanna,” which appears to be identical 
with the Queensland saltbush. A long list of plants which are common to 
South Africa and Australia adds to the force of the contention that the con- 
ditions of the island continent would suit the eland equally well with those of 
its African home. The hope is expressed that wealthy and enterprising 
people interested in the Australian meat supply may see their way to 
commence introducing the eland. 
India. — Prompted by the idea of the possibility of some addition to the 
duty on tea imported into the United Kingdom, a deputation representing 
the interests of the growers of tea in India and Ceylon waited on the 
Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 4th ult. in order to assure him that any 
such addition, if made, would have an injurious effect on that industry. The 
Times expresses no sympathy with the tea-growers in this matter. Every tax 
that can be proposed, it states in a leading article on the subject, is invariably 
met by a loud outcry from some trade which pretends that its very existence 
will become problematical if that particular tax is imposed. The tea 
deputation conformed very accurately to the common rule — their industry is 
of so peculiar a kind that an increase of duty is not handed on to the consumer 
according to the well-known economic law, but is paid by the producer, with 
possibly the exception of a small fraction, expressed in quality rather than in 
price. Yet, though the consumer does not pay the duty, he is presumed to 
be so sensitive to its imposition that he at once reduces his consumption of 
tea, so that the poor producer not only pays the duty for him, but loses his 
custom into the bargain. When twopence was taken off the tea duty in 1890 
the consumption increased, and, though by parity of reasoning the producer 
and not the consumer got the benefit of the reduction, that increase of 
consumption is ascribed entirely to the reduction. But when in 1900 the 
twopence was re-imposed, the consumption does not seem to have fallen off — • 
at least the deputation did not venture to assert so much, even when that 
rather serious flaw in the argument was pointed out by the Chancellor of the 
Exchequer. There are very good reasons for the depression in the tea industry, 
and these reasons must operate, no matter what the duty may be. The chief 
reason is over-production. More tea has been put on the market than the 
public want to buy, and the price has fallen as a matter of course. Not only 
so, but it is admitted by the deputation that the planter can at will produce, 
within certain limits, more tea of a poorer quality or less tea of a better quality. 
It seems that the growers have put quantity before quality, and have spoilt 
their own market. The remedy rests with themselves, says the Times. Let 
them consult at once their own interests and those of the consumer by 
growing less tea of a better quality. 
Foreign Countries. — The wheat crop of Argentina last season was, 
for the first time in fifteen years, sown on a reduced, instead of an increased, 
area. The official figures are 8,141,300 acres for 1901, against 8,347,980 for 
the crop of the previous season. The greatest expansion of the wheatfields 
took place between 1892 and 1898, in which period the area nearly 
doubled. Since the latter year there has been no considerable advance, 
and this year may be the first of a series of years of decline, for, with a poor 
yield, the financial condition of farmers will be critical, especially as the 
once promising maize crop has been badly injured by drought. A good 
deal of the land that has grown wheat continuously for several years must 
be partially exhausted by poor farming, and the only chance of recovery lies 
in the cultivation of new soil. Evidence of this is afforded by the superiority 
of the yield in the Province of Buenos Ayres to that of Santa Fe in the 
last two seasons, the latter province having by far the larger area of old- 
farmed land. 

Emigration to CANADA. — In consequence of the large number of enquiries received from 
persons who contemplate settling in Canada this spring, the Canadian Government has made 
arrangements whereby a series of parties, accompanied by an experienced official, will be 
despatched from Liverpool at regular short intervals, commencing on March 13th. Full details, 
handbooks of Canada, and other information will be furnished on application to the Curator, 
the Canadian section, Imperial Institute, S.W. 
The following are the dates of sailing of the different vessels leaving Liverpool and Glasgow 
for Canada during March, April and May. Those who decide to join any of these parties 
must book their passages through the usual channels. 
From Liverpool : — 
1. March 13th . Allan Line s.s. Parisian, in charge of Mr. John Webster. 
2. March 25th . Elder Dempster Line s.s. Lake Superior, in charge of Mr. Robert Johnston. 
3. April 3rd . Allan Line s.s. Numidian , in charge of Mr, G. H. Mitchell. 
4. April 15th . Elder Dempster Line s.s. Lake Champlain , in charge of Mr. C. F. Just. 
5. April 22nd , Elder Dempster Line s.s. Lake Manitoba , in charge of Mr. E. O’Kell)'. 
6. May 1st . Allan Line s.s. Tunisian, in charge of Mr. W. L. Griffith. 
7. May 13th . Elder Dempster Line s.s. Lake Megantic, in charge of Mr. A. F. Jury. 
From Glasgow 
1. March 21st \ Allan Line s.s, Sardinian , n charge of Mr Thomas Duncan. 
LABOUR RETROSPECT. 
United Kingdom.— -No little stir has been caused in labour circles by 
the actions at law which have arisen from the decision in the House of 
Lords making the funds of trade unions liable for the acts of their officers 
and members. Firstly, the Taff Vale Railway Company are suing the Railway 
Servants’ Union for ^24,000, as damages sustained through the strike in 1900. 
The Welsh coal-owners claim ^70,000 from the South Wales Miners’ Federa- 
tion for ordering “ stop-days.” At Blackburn also a firm of cotton-spinners 
is suing the Weavers’ Union for alleged damages through a strike. The 
proposed new agreement in the engineering trade has not come to pass, the 
employers’ terms having been refused by the men by an apparent majority of 
two to one. The result of the ballot shows 9,714 votes in favour of and 
16,563 against the agreement, but it is pointed out that there are 110,000 
members of the three unions concerned, and only one-fourth of them have 
voted. Trade unionists always vote in strength when deeply concerned about 
any matter submitted to them ; the reasonable inference seems to be, there- 
fore, that the other three-fourths are not opposed to the measure, and 
probably did not take the trouble to vote because they thought their 
executive would receive all the support it needed. The men’s objections are 
supposed to be due to the absence of provision for the payment of the day- 
work rate of wages' to those asked to do piece-work. The employers, how- 
ever, proposed a guarantee of “ increased earnings for increased production 
due to additional exertion.” In view of the foregoing considerations there is 
every possibility that further discussion of the terms may bring about an 
agreement. An improvement in the conditions of employment of railway 
servants should result ultimately from the motion passed recently in the 
House of Commons. It was “that the Government should exercise their 
power to call for returns of the hours exceeding twelve worked by railway 
servants, and of cases where work is resumed with intervals of less than 
nine hours.” 
Colonies. — The commission from Canada sent to induce emigration to 
the western provinces of the Dominion has been so successful that about 
3,000 persons are starting this month, and others are expected to follow at 
the rate of 4,000 a month up to the end of the half-year. Under the 
arrangements now completed a would-be emigrant can join a personally- 
conducted party, which will be under the charge of an agent of the Dominion 
Government from the time of leaving Liverpool or Glasgow until Winnipeg 
or some still more western point is reached, the total cost of the journey 
being less than Arrived at his destination, the emigrant could remain 
in one of the various “ homes ” set up by the Government until he had found 
employment, or had settled down, merely paying for his board, and if he took 
out wife and children the entire family would be so accommodated. No 
doubt is entertained that anyone wishing to obtain work on a farm would be 
able to get it almost at once, with the help of the local agent of the Govern- 
ment, which help would be freely placed at his disposal. Should he be in a 
position to take to farming on his own account, the Government would grant 
him an allotment of 160 acres, free of charge, but subject to certain conditions 
as to residence and cultivation. There is a great demand for farm labourers, 
and the wages paid in Western Canada are about the same as in the United 
Kingdom, but the difference is that in the former case the agricultural 
labourer would get his 160 acre allotment in addition, and should, in course 
of time, be able to set up a farm of his own. Those who are contemplating 
emigration, might draw a lesson from the encouraging attitude of the Finns, 
Germans and Scandinavians. These settlers, many of whom have chosen the 
district of Sudbury, are sending passage tickets for their connections and 
friends in their old homes in order to induce them to come out. Part of the 
Welsh settlement, who have endured such hardships in Patagonia, are desirous 
of migrating to Canada, and a deputation waited on Mr. Chamberlain, with the 
object of obtaining aid from the Imperial Government in reaching their new 
destination. The Colonial Secretary stated that he had been under the 
impression that the Welsh colonists wished to settle in South Africa. Had 
this been the case, the matter could have been dealt with by his Department, 
and it would have been his duty to further their wishes. It was Lord Milner’s 
intention to prepare and submit to the Imperial Government, a scheme of 
colonisation and settlement under which the new colonies would undertake 
considerable liabilities. Colonists would, no doubt, be offered suitable land 
and assisted with loans. It was with an idea of this kind in view that he had 
• 
consented to receive the deputation, for he should very much rejoice to have a 
colony of loyal Welshmen in South Africa. But the fact of these settlers 
wishing to emigrate from Patagonia to Canada put him in a position 
in which he was powerless to render assistance. For many years 
the Government had not assisted emigration to self-governing colonies. 
He had no doubt these people would find a happy and prosperous home 
in Canada. Possibly the Canadian Government might favourably consider 
an application for a loan, to be devoted to transportation purposes. 
Failing this, Mr. Chamberlain suggested a subscription list being opened. 
This was accordingly done, and a generous response was the result. 
With respect to the demand for skilled artisans in Natal, and the 
agitation regarding the immigration laws, Sir Walter Peace, the Agent- 
General, has made a statement. He says the system at present in force 
applies only to the families of men who are already settled in Natal. 
They nominate the women and children ’'they wish to be introduced, adults 
being allowed ^5 each, and children under twelve years of age £2, 10s. 
each. He had received a telegram from the Prime Minister, informing 
him of the great demand in the colony for artisans in the building 
