# 1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Prince Edward Island

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​PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND (see 22.344).—The pop. of this Canadian province in 1911 was 93,728, having sunk from 109,078 in 1891. It is the most densely populated province in Canada, with 42.92 persons to the square mile. In 1911 the origin of the people was: Scots 36,772; English 22,176; Irish 19,900; French 13,117; all other nationalities 1,763. Charlottetown, the capital (pop. 11,198 in 1911), standing on one of the best harbours in America, is celebrated as the birthplace of the Canadian Confederation, the first conferences having been held there in 1864.
The Legislative Assembly is composed of 15 councillors elected on a property qualification, and 15 members elected on a popular franchise. The Executive Government consists of nine members.
The superintendent of education acts as secretary to the board and administers the system through school inspectors. In 1920 there were 468 schools, 597 teachers, and a total enrolment of 17,861 pupils; the expenditure was $268,547 in 1919.
Prince Edward Island has been aptly described as the garden province of the Dominion, more resembling an English shire than a Canadian province. The population is almost entirely agricultural, and practically the whole island has been cleared and brought under cultivation. The soil of the island is best suited for oats and potatoes, which are the staple crops. Wheat is grown for local purposes only. Maize, for fodder, and barley are grown. Cattle and hogs flourish. The total value of field crops in 1920 was $18,530,400. Poultry-raising and dairying are extensively and profitably carried on. Beef and bacon, as well as fruit, poultry, butter, cheese, eggs and potatoes, are exported in large quantities to neighbouring provinces, Newfoundland and the New England states. Coöperative dairying was begun in 1891 and the growth of the industry has been rapid. A new source of revenue began in 1910 with the breeding of black foxes and the industry of fur-farming was developed. About $10,000,000 had already been invested in this industry in 1918, in which year the sale of fox pelts realized over $750,000. In 1919 300 fur ranches sold skins and live animals to the value of $1,500,000, and in 1920 there were approximately 11,000 pairs of black foxes on the ranches of the island.
The once celebrated Malpeque oyster has almost become extinct through disease. The lobster industry is also on the decline. The value of the fisheries in 1919 was $1,536,844, the catch including cod, herring, mackerel, oysters and lobsters. The men employed in the industry numbered about 6,000.
No mining is carried on. Manufacturing is connected chiefly with the preparation of foods such as butter and cheese. Pork-packing and lobster-canning are large and growing industries. The value of manufactured products was $3,136,470 in 1911.
The strait of Northumberland separates Prince Edward Island from the mainland, the distance across varying from 9 to 31 miles. At the narrowest point a railway-car ferry established in 1918 by the Dominion Government connects the Canadian National railway system of the mainland with that on Prince Edward Island, and affords continuous connexion summer and winter across the strait. This is the principal highway of transportation to and from the island province, but the ferry service is occasionally interrupted by ice and the substitution of a tunnel has been advocated.
    (W. L. G.*)