The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1914-12-17
MANlTOBA'S AGRICULTURAL
INDUSTRY
REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENT IN
THAT PROVINCE DURING THE
PAST FEW YEARS.

The past year has shown that the
Province of Manitoba, the Premier
Province of Western Canada, stands
out prominently in point Of wealth in
her agricultural productions. Mani
toba had an excellent yield OF wheat
in 1914, the oat crop was not Sc good,
and with the high price received, every
farmer was placed in a good financial
position.
For some years, as Is probably the
case in all new countries, Manitoba
went largely into the growing of
grain, and while this paid well for a
time, It was found that having TO pur-
chase his meat, his milk and a mum
Der of other daily requisites, the farm
did not pay as it should. Now, there
is another side to it. Fodder crops
are grown. cattle are being raised,
cheese factories and creameries are
established, and the result is that the
financial position of the farmers OF
Manitoba is as strong as that of those
in any other portion of the continent.
N1lN a ldlllNl NOuAS puN ht3 ANSa
lied that the growing of grains alone
has a %precarious side, and that posi-
tive security can only be assured by
diversified farming, and securing the
latest modern and most economic
methods, Therefore timothy, clover,
alfalfa, rye grass and fodder corn are
universally grown. Most wonderful
success meets the efforts OF the farm
ers in the cultivation of these grasses,
and the yields compare favorably
with those Of many older countries,
while in many cases they exceed them
1t is worth while recording the acre,
age of these crops this season as com
pared with last, because the figures re-
fleet the remarkable progress that is
being made in dairying and in the
beef and pork industry. In 1913 bronze
grass was sown on 2f,9l2 acres, rye
grass on 2l,9l7 acres, timothy on
11S,712 acres, clover on 5,32S acres, al
falfa on 400 acres and fodder corn on
20,223 acres. In 1914 the respective
creage under those crops were 25,4i4
acres, 27,100 acres, 165,990 acres, 1912
acres, and 10,250 acres and 30,430 acres.
Alfalfa particularly is coming into its
own, the acreage having been more
than doubled last year.
1t is simply the natural process OF
evolution from the purely grain farm
ing which Manitoba knew as the only
method twenty years ago to the more
diversified forms of agriculture that
is responsible for the development
along these other lines in this Prov
ince. Alberta is coming to 1t at ar
earlier stage than did Manitoba. Sas
katchewan, too, is following rapidly
in the same direction.
Then, as her fodder crop and ROOF
crop acreage indicate, there have beer
increases in the holdings Of all kinds
of live stock during the past twelve
ent for the Toronto Globe. Beef cattle
number AZ 1000 head this year, as
against $1,000 last year; mich COWS
are 160,474 head, as against 1876
head; pigs number $4,000 as against
24S, 900; sheep number $4,000, a.
against $1,000: and there are $4,000
horses, as compared with 5000 a.
this time last year. These are tho
latest Provincial figures, and they
show that despite the great efIlux o.
live stock to the United States since
the opening of that market to Can
ada, the capital amount of live ami
mails has increased instead of hav
ing decreased through the extra de
mand.
Dairying the Principal Industry.
Dairying is the industry, however
which is making dollars for the Mani