The early part of June was dry with high temperature; but in the latter
part of this month rain was more plentiful, especially in the western
part of the Province. The rainfall in July was below the average, and
the temperature lower than usual. Harvesting was general by the middle
of August.
The excellent condition of the land at seeding time, the favourable
weather during germination and growth, and the ideal harvesting and
threshing weather, exercised the greatest influence in determining the
high grade of all grains as well as materially reducing the cost of
harvesting.
=Mixed Farming= has become quite general in Manitoba, practically every
farmer now having his herd of cattle or flock of sheep. His fattened
hogs find a steadily increasing market at good prices, while poultry is
a source of revenue. The vegetable crop is always a success; wonderful
yields of potatoes and roots are regularly recorded. Many portions of
the country, partially wooded and somewhat broken, which were formerly
overlooked, are now proving desirable for mixed farming. These park
districts have sufficient area for growing grain, hay, and grasses.
The poplar groves scattered here afford excellent shelter for cattle
and, in many cases, furnish valuable building material. The district
lying east and southeast of Winnipeg is rapidly being settled. It is
well served by the Canadian Pacific, Canadian Northern, and Grand Trunk
Pacific Railways. Rainfall here as elsewhere throughout the Province is
adequate, and well water easily secured. Much of this land is available
for homesteads, while other portions may be purchased at a low price
from the railway and land companies. This applies to Swan River and
Dauphin districts.
Hon. George Lawrence, Minister of Agriculture, says: "Conditions in
Manitoba are excellent for livestock of all kinds, and the money-making
possibilities in producing all manner of food are beyond question.
"The output of the creameries last year was close to 4,000,000 pounds.
They cannot, however, begin to meet the demand. It is the same with
eggs, poultry, beef, pork, mutton, vegetables, and all foodstuffs. The
opportunity for the man who will go in for mixed farming in this
Province is consequently obvious."
=Dairying= yielded about 3-1/2 million dollars in 1913 for butter, and then
failed to supply local demand, a quantity of milk, cream, and butter
being imported. Winnipeg alone used over three-quarters of a million
dollars' worth of milk and cream in 1913. The demand is increasing with
the growth of the cities throughout the west, and splendid opportunities
exist in this field. Cheese sold in 1913 at 12-1/2 cents per pound, dairy
butter at 23.4 cents, and creamery butter at 27.5 cents.
Dairy schools, under control of the Agricultural College are well
equipped and under the guidance of professors of high standing.
=Businesslike Farming.=--Nowhere on the continent more than in Manitoba
has farming advanced to the dignity of a thoroughly businesslike
occupation. Here the farmer works, not merely for a living, but for a
handsome profit. Instances are frequent where large areas under wheat
have given a clear profit of over $12 an acre. All the labour of
ploughing, seeding, harvesting, and marketing is included at $7.50 per
acre with hired help. Even allowing $8, it is a poor year that will not
yield a handsome margin.
The greatest monopoly of the future will be land.
Wheat is the greatest food cereal. Lands suitable to the growth of No. 1
hard wheat are extremely limited. While the demand for wheat is
increasing, the wheat belt of the United States is decreasing yearly in
acreage and yield, with the result that within a few years the United
States will have to import and scramble for a lion's share of the wheat
crops of the world.
The following tables give the acreage, average and total yield of wheat
oats, barley, and flax for the last seven years. Provincial government
returns,
WHEAT OATS
Year Acreage Average Total Acreage Average Total
Yield Yield Yield Yield
1907 2,789,553 14.22 39,688,266.6 1,213,596 34.8 42,140,744
1908 2,850,640 17.23 49,252,539 1,216,632 36.8 44,686,043
1909 2,642,111 17.33 45,774,707.7 1,373,683 37.1 50,983,056
1910 2,962,187 13.475 39,916,391.7 1,486,436 28.7 42,647,766
1911 3,350,000 18.29 61,058,786 1,625,000 45.3 73,786,683
1912 2,823,362 20.07 58,433,579 1,939,982 46.0 87,190,677
1913 3,141,218 19.30 62,755,455 1,939,723 42.0 81,410,174
BARLEY FLAX
Year Acreage Average Total Acreage Average Total
Yield Yield Yield Yield
1907 649,570 25.7 16,752,724.3 25,915 12.25 317,347
1908 658,441 27.54 18,135,757 50,187 11.18 502,206
1909 601,008 27.31 16,416,634 20,635 12.26 253,636
1910 624,644 20.75 12,960,038.7 41,002 9.97 410,928
1911 760,000 31.5 21,000,000 86,000 14.00 1,205,727
1912 962,928 35.0 33,795,191 191,315 13.06 2,671,729
1913 1,153,834 28.0 33,014,693 -- -- --
=Education.=--Manitobans expend a greater percentage of public funds for
schools than for any other purpose. Private schools, business colleges
and public libraries, as numerous and as well equipped as those in
similar communities anywhere, are established in all important cities
and towns and these with the excellent public schools afford educational
facilities equal to those of any country. There are also a number of
Catholic parochial schools.
The Dominion Experimental Farm at Brandon is doing much to educate the
farming population of the Province. Accurate records of all practical
experiments are kept and the information is given to settlers free.
Dairy schools, farmers' institutes, livestock, fruit growers,
agricultural, and horticultural associations also furnish free
instruction as to the most successful methods practised in their
callings.
=Railways= have anticipated the future, so that few farmers are more than
eight or ten miles from a railway. Manitoba now has 3,895 miles of
railway as compared with 1,470 miles in 1893. The Canadian Pacific has
1,620 miles, Canadian Northern 1,809, and the Grand Trunk 366, and
extensions will be made by all lines this year. Railway lines being
built to Hudson Bay will make large mineral deposits available. When
this territory is surveyed there will be opened up a wonderfully rich
area, capable of maintaining an immense population. This added territory
gives a port on Hudson Bay, from which vessels can carry the farm
produce of the West to old country markets.
=Climate.=--Unlike some other provinces, Manitoba's climatic conditions
are uniform throughout. There is much sunshine the year round. The
summer is pleasant, warm, and conducive to rapid and successful growth.
The long autumns are usually agreeable, ploughing weather sometimes
extending to the end of November.
The winters rarely last more than three or four months, and because of
the dry atmosphere, the low temperature is not as much felt as in
countries with more moisture. The snow is never deep, and travel in
winter by team or rail is rarely impeded by drifts. The annual
precipitation is 21.4 inches.
The crop season in Manitoba extends from April to October, inclusive.
Seeding frequently starts early in April, and threshing usually lasts
through October. The mean temperature for the period, April 1 to
September 30, in 1913 was 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The mean temperature in
October was only 34.40 Fahrenheit, but threshing can be done in cold
weather as readily as in warm, with no injurious effects. The total
precipitation in the Province was smaller than usual--for the growing
season 9.67 inches, but rain was well distributed: May 1.04 inches; June
2.34 inches; July 1.70 inches; August 3.56 inches, and September .68
inches. The average sunshine was 7.3 hours daily. The mean temperature
of the country is 32.7; January 5.2; July 66.1.
[Illustration: Here is a usual scene in Western Canada during the
harvesting season.]
[Illustration: The raising of hogs is a highly profitable industry in
Western Canada. They are easily fattened on barley, oats and alfalfa.]
=Picnicing on December 11, 1913.=--The mild weather of the past few months
has been general throughout the Province of Manitoba. At Melita, on
December 11th, the citizens suspended business and had a picnic at River
Park on the outskirts of the town, and there was no discomfort from heat
or cold.
=Fruit.=--Small fruits did well in 1913. Apples are not grown extensively,
but several orchards in the Province were well laden. The orchard of Mr.
Stephenson, near Morden, was the most notable, and produced a crop of
several hundred barrels of apples, as well as an abundance of crabs,
cherries, and other fruits. At the recent Land and Apple Show in
Winnipeg, native apples compared very favourably with those from
Provinces which pride themselves on their horticultural possibilities.
=Sugar Beets.=--In growing sugar beet, Manitoba has had success. Syrup
produced from sugar beets grown at Morden was of good consistency and
the colour indicated that good sugar could be manufactured from it.
=Game and Fish.=--Manitoba's fishery output represents an annual value of
over one million dollars. There is plenty of good fishing. Wild ducks,
geese, and swans haunt the lakes and rivers, while on the prairies are
flocks of prairie chicken.
=Manitoba Farm Lands Year.=--In addition to circumstances which point to
next year as an important one to farming interests, there is one great
factor which will undoubtedly have much to do with the sale and
development of farms. This is the fact that the people of Manitoba
realize the necessity for mixed farming. This means the breaking up of
large tracts of land into smaller farms and therefore a largely
increased population. Even while the present year has been one of some
financial stringency the demand for farm lands has steadily increased.