Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-11-08
COMPETITION IN FARM PRODUCTS


Agriculture is our leading industry
and the basis Of all our commercial
financial and industrial prosperity
Consequently, not farmers alone, but
all classes Of people are concerned
in the development of our farming
interests, and the Sentry feels justified
an the occasional discussion Of its
important features.
That the United States is soon to find
n formidable competitor for its long
unchallenged supremacy is becoming
manifest to the thoughtful and discern.
ing. Some recently published figures,
for example, show how rapidly Canada
is advancing in the production of grain.
In 1900 the wheat crop of Western
Canada was not over 20,0OO,0OO bushels,
but in 1908 it was about s0,0O0,OO0
bushels. A vast area, estimated at
43,000,000 acres, is suitable for wheat.
On this area, at Manitoba's rate of
production, the crop should be over
S00,00O,000 bushels, or much more than
the United States produces.
The yield is high in Canada, often
reaching % bushels to the acre. In
1908 the average was for the United
States 1919 bushels per acre, for Mime
sofa l3.l bushels, for Northwest Can
ada 10 bushels, and for Manitoba 1863
bushels. Besides wheat, other grains
arc largely produced, as for example,
50,000,000 bushels of oats and 10000
900 of barley Development is rapid,
since farmers in the United States are
selling their hgh-priced land to invest
in the cheaper virgin soil of the North
west.
owe may therefore expect" is the
assertion made in paper read at the
National Grain Dealers association at
Milwaukee. "within comparatively
few years TO see the United States give
place to Canada as the chief wheat.pro.
ducing country of the world "
II will take time; il Will require a lot
of railway building and a great influx
of population and broad general devcl-
opment TO bring this about,
But evidently It is coming. Emi.
grants, of whom about onc.half are
Americans, are pouring into Western
Canada at the rate of more than 10000
year, "a large amount Of railway is be-
ing built and a second trauscontinental,
the Grand Trunk Pacific, will soon be
Mndor construction,
Canada : new schemes for the con
structiou of another trauscoutiuoutal
road are inspired by belief in the i'm,
monse agricultural resources of her
Northwestern territory.
Whether the swift flowing American
ization Of the Canadian Northwest shall
lead to closer trade relations or to act.
ual annexation, we may be assured that
our people viii in the end get most Of
the benefit from this development of "A
now and distinct area, heretofore most.
~ disrcgordod in the measurements of
cur country : resources
Tho United States may, in the future,
produce relatively less wheat, hut other
and perhaps more profitable products
will take It's place. The process has
been going ON for several decades, as
the center Of wheat production has
marched stead,ly westward, only 10 by
replaced by diversified agriculture
fruit growing, dairying, stock raising
etc.
Ii the ultimate home OF the wheat
plant shall be found in the fertil,
valleys Of the Saskatchewan and Ia,
Assinpiboine whore, under familiar
botanical law, it reaches its highest
perfection, near the most northern
limit OF its growth, our own farms viii