Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-30
or will it be exhausted by overcultivation.
Scientific agriculturists explain that while

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Scientific agriculturists explain that while
wheat is the principal crop grown by the
prairie farmers for the first five or six
start, the rotation of crops and the rest
ing of the soil by allowing the fields to
lie fallow for two or three seasons will
be universally adopted very soon. The
financial condition of the Canadian farm
ers is so much better than that of the
pioneers who settled our new states that
they can afford to treat their soil kindly
and not ask too much of It,, The almost
universal education of the agricultural
population in the Canadian provinces has
given the knowledge that is not only
power. but enables them to practice econ
omy and enjoy the advantages that fol-
low the application of scientific princi-
pies. The science of agriculture with
practical demonstrations is taught in
every Canadian school; there are sixty
two agricultural high schools in the three
provinces at which young men who can
not afford the time and expense required
cultural colleges may spend two win
tiers supplementing what they have
learned in the public schools.
The larger proportion OF the settlers OF
the three Canadian wheat provinces are
men Of education, and 40 per cent OF them
are sons of practical farmers in the
United States. born and reared in the
country and familiar with the most ap-
proved methods OF farming.
Hence, it may be expected that the SOIL
of Canada will not be robbed Of its enor-
nous store Of fertility, but that Its pro-
ductive power will be increased by scien-
tific cultivation. DR.. Robertson. presl-
dent of the Macdonald College of Agricul-
ture, in a recent speech. told the Seed
Growers Association that IL they had
cultivated their fields with as much care
as the experimental farms OF that college
are cultivated their crops would have
been twice as large last year ana worth
twice as much money.
Argument Against Reciprocity.
One of the most powerful arguments
against the ratification OF the reciprocity
arrangement was a fear lest the AIneri-
can invasion would deprive the Canadian
railroads of the traffic they are entitled
to, and thus prevent the expected results
of the investment of 1855, OOO, 900 that has
been expended by the Dominion govern
ment in promoting lines Of communica-
ton.
I have already told you in a previous
letter what the Dominion government was
doing to build up it's commerce on the
sea, but that is a mere trifie compared
with what it is doing on land to promote
the settlement Of its territory, to develop
material resources and to furnish the ar
teries Of commerce which are quite as
necessary to national existence as the ar
teries of the human bodies are to the life
of man.
The first railway track was laid in Can
ada in 1896. and for ten years the original
sixteen were not extended. In 1S4S fifty
four miles of track were added: in 1850
this had been increased to logs miles.
but there was very little advancement
during the next ten years. and in 1871 the
total milage of the Dominion was 1855
miles In 1880 this had been increased
three times; in 1890 the total was 13, 151.
In 1900 it was 1857, in 1905 it was 2O.-
4S7 and in 1910 it was a. 31. And there
will be a continued increase at the same
rate indefinitely. During 1911 at least
1900 miles will be added to the total by
the Grand Trunk Pacific and the Cana
dian Northern in the western provinces.
There are 1920 miles of railway in
operation in Manitoba, 1881 miles in
Saskatchewan and LASS miles in Alberta.
These extensions have been made by
government aid in the form of cash
subs: dies land grants and guarantees Of
interest upon bonds issued for construc-
ton This aid has come from three
sources, the Dominion government the
several provincial governments and the
municipalities through which the lines
pass.