Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-12-17
MkaIT0BA'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 so 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, 1t was found that having to pur-
chase his meat, his milk and num-
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 creaneries 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.
scarcely farmer today but has real
lied that the growing of grains alone
mas a precarious side, and that posi-
i've security can only be assured by
uIVerslned farming, and securing the
latest modern and most economic
methods. Therefore timothy, clover,
afalfa, 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,
Wh1le 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-
meet the remarkable progress that Is
being made in dairying and in the
beef and pork industry. In 1913 bronze
grass was sown on 24,912 acres, rye
grass on 21,917 acres, timothy on
llS,712 acres, clover on 5,32S acres, al
falfa on 4,709 acres and fodder corn on
20,223 acres. In 1914 the respective
acreage under those crops were 25,444
acres, q, 100 acres, 165, 800 acres. 1912
acres, and 0,250 acres and 30,43O acres.
Alfalfa particularly is coming into it's
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 it at an
earlier stage than did Manitoba. Sas-
katchewan, too, is following rapidly
in the same direction.
Then, as her fodder crop and root
crop acreage indicate, there have been
increases in the holdings of all kinds
of live stock during the past twelve
months. according to the correspond
ent for the Toronto Globe. Beef cattle
number $4,000 head this year. as
against $4,000 last year: mich cows
are 160,474 head, as against 157.963
head; pigs number 325, 600 as against
z4o,ooO, sheep NUMBER i0,UOU as
against $4,000; and there are 325 900
horses, as compared with 100000 at
this time last year. These are the
latest Provincial figures. and they
show that despite the great eflux Of
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.
Dairvino ic tha in6,Ictrv bovovor