The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-05-24 00:00:00

AGRICULTURE IN CANADA.

One of the most interesting reports presented to
the Dominion Parliament every year is that of the
Minister of Agriculture. From the amount of infor-
mation it contains it is not only interesting to Canada-
din agriculturists but also to those in England.
The Department deals with the importation of cattle,
and with the prevention and spread of disease, immi-
gration and quarantine, patents and copyrights,
census and other statistics. During the last year the
expenditure amounted to nearly 479,507 dols., 420,761
dols. of which was for immigration purposes and
58,746 dols, for quarantine.
There has been a large increase in the number i)f
pure bra cattle imported during 1883, but the
number of sheep has consiaerably fallen off, the
importation being as follows: cattle, 2132; sheep,
623. The value of the importation of pedigree stock
and the consequent improvement thereby effected in
the Canadian herds, as manifested in the cattle
exported to Great Britain, is already perceptible.
The quarantine grounds at Point Lewis, where all
imported cattle have to undergo 90 days' segregation,
have been maintained in thorough order, notwith-
standing that on several occasions as many as 1200
head of cattle were there at one time. No disease of
a contagious nature has appeared.
The export cattle trade of Canada, which a few
years back was comparatively small, has now grown
to large proportions, and is one of the staple indus-
tries of the country. In 1877 only 6940 cattle and
9504 sheep were sent to Great Britain, while in 1883
these numbers had increased to 55,625 and 114,352
respectively. The value of the cattle export in 1883
was nearly 4,000,000 dols. and sheep 1,003,886 dols.
The immunity of Canadian cattle from contagious
disease is one of the main factors in its prosperity.
The importance of the quarantine system exercised
over animals imported for improving the breeds of
the country, and the critical supervision of all live-
stock exported to Europe, by a qualified inspector at
the port of shipnient, is demonstrated by the fa:ct of
Canada's continued clean bill of health.

The total number of persons arriving in the Domin-
ion during the year was 206,898, of whom it is
reported 133,624 were actual settlers. The emigration
to Manitoba and the North-West Territories was in
round numbers ascertained to be about 51,244 of
whom 8339 came from Europe, 25,301 from other
parts of Canada, and 13,998 from the United States.
The origins of the immigrants arriving in the Domin-
ion are only taken at Quebec. At this place 45,966
persons were recorded, of whom 21,897 were English,
12,095 Irish, 3980 Scotch, 1434 Germans, 4763 Scan-
dinavians. The immigration was far in excess of any
previous year, and for the purpose of comparison, it
may be stated that the total number of settlers in
Canada in 1880 was 38,505.

A plan for perfecting the system of crop reporting
in Manitoba and the North-West Territory has been
put into operation with initiatory results, which
promise success. The design is by establishing a
system of efficient and prompt collection of current
statistics to be able to present accurately the changes
in crop conditions, and in the production of agricul-
tural products, and of the results of agricultural
labour. The highest averages of wheat in any of the
provinces of the Dominion, in fact on the whole con-
tinent, are reported from the provinces of Manitoba
and the North-West Territory. This fact, in view of
the very large areas of wheat land open for settlement
and colonization, points to a large export in the future.
The total number of applications received for patents
during the year was 2641; in 2178 cases the request
was granted, while certificates were given in 291. The
blue book also contains the annual reports of the High
Commissioner for Canada and the emigration agents
of the Department in Great Britain and the immigra-
tion agents in Canada. It is reported that although
the emigration was very large last year all men,
whether Irish or of other nationality, able and willing
to work, found employment at remunerative wages,
and that the demand for labour in Canada was not
satisfie4 by the available supply.