The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-27
Reciprocity and
 The Farmers Market

The fact UflaL the ReclprOClLy ASTee- ment between Canada and the United States is intended to enlarge the mar ket for the agricultural products of the United States, is sometimes lost sight of in the general discussion of the benefits arising from the improved trade relations between the two coun- tries. But the American negotiators had the market for the farmer in view all along. The fact is. that Can ada is not only a growing market, but it has almost unlimited posslbll- itieS for many products of the Amer1- can farmer which heretofore have had a limited sale, owing to the tariff du- ties.
 The Canadian market is especially valuable for the products of mixed farming. The greatest opposition that has been aroused in Canada has come from the fruit and the vegetable grow CTS. Under the new conditions which will be created when the Reciprocity Agreement is made effective, the Uni ted States will be certain to sell Can ada very large quantities of fresh veg etables. since these article already form an important export commodity, reach ing something like S1,000,000. This in cludes all classes of vegeta bles, from potatoes to what is generally known as garden truck. Tn fresh fruits the advantage is very largely in favor of the United States and this covers every section of the country. Last year the United States sold to Canada,
 under various rates of duty, fresh fruits to the value of $1,2710 900, while
 the exports of fresh fruits from Can ada to the United States were only $233, ,0OO. It is a safe prediction that the first year after the Reciprocity Agreement goes into force the exports of fresh fruits from the United States a hnn xI- E-or I. vegetables will approach nearly the same figure.
 The benefit which farmers who grow cotton will receive from the free listing of cotton-seed oil are notable. The present duty, which is IF 1-2 per cent ad vaIorem, is heavy one, yet the figures are climbing so that the exports to Canada of cotton-seed oil, which now reaches s1.100,0 900 and up- wards, are likely to be doubled when the duties are removed.
 There is a pretty general agreeme ent that the free listing of live stock is one of the most important features of the agreement. Secretary Wilson, of the Department of Agriculture, has explained how the western corn grow CTS will have the opportunity to fat ten Canadian cattle. But since the terms of the Agreement were publish ed it has developed that the free en- | | line is going to be one of the most advantageous features. Nobody objects | to this free entry. yet heretofore a heavy duty has hampered a trade which is a most important one. Out | in Montana it has been found that a | very great advantage will be derived | by the farmers from the opportunity | to drive their sheep further north dur | ing certain seasons and then bring
 them back across the line without the l payment of duty.
 The market for grass and other seeds l in Canada is one which the farmers
 along the border are in a splendid
 othy seeds can be raised profftably in | many sections. and in certain seasons, l if they can be sure of a market not | too far away. Canada takes much | larger quantities of clover and tim-
 othy from the United States than she
 sends to this country, but heretofore,
 she has levied a duty of 10 per cent
 on these products They will now go
 in free. as will garden and field seeds | generally.
 Some decided advantages are derived | by nt1rserymen under the terms of the Agreement. The negotiations found
 that mutual lowering of duties on grape Tines, gOoseberries, rapsherry
 and currant bushes would be beneficial ! to both countries, and this was done. 1 The American negotiators, however,
 went further than this, and persuaded 1 the Canadian Commissioners to lower
 the duty on horticultural stock from 1 the United States, This includes ap pie cherry, peach. pear, plum and | quince trees. Canada imports more
 than s500.O00 of these trees from this
 country and under the reduced duties
 the importations are pretty certain to
 increase