Value of Agricultural In 1915 the estimated value of the field crops of Canada was $825,370,000, but this was a year of exceptional abundance. For 1916 the total value was $886,494,900, owing to the high prices caused by the war. The average annual value of the total agricultural production of Canada may be placed at about $782,000,000, including field crops $650,000,003, dairy prod ucts $70,000,000, wool $2,000,000, poultry and eggs $25,000,00, and fruits and vegetables $35,000,000. The total value of horses, cattle, sheep and swine estimated at $903,686,000 for 1916.
Agricultural Associated effort for the improvement of agriculture is largely directed and controlled by the state. There is not only a strong and many-sided De partment of Agriculture of the Dominion gov ernment, but each of the nine provincial gov ernments has also a department of agriculture serving local needs. Since 1911 an important advance has been made by the Dominion Par liament in appropriating large sums annually for the encouragement of agriculture under the Agricultural Instruction Act of 1913. The funds thus available are divided amongst the nine provinces and administered in close co operation with the provincial departments of agriculture. The amount now annually appro priated under this act is about $1,000,000. A great deal of the work of the Dominion depart ment is carried on through the experimental farms and stations which are situated in dif ferent parts of Canada. A central farm at Ottawa and four branch farms in Nova Scotia, Manitoba, the Northwest territories and Brit ish Columbia were originally established in 1886 under the Experimental Farm Stations Act. These five farms continued in operation for 20 years when their usefulness became so apparent that steps began to be taken for their extension; and two new stations were established in Alberta in 1907. Since then development has been rapid; and in 1917 the experimental farms and stations of the Dominion government originally five in number with a total acreage of 3,472, number 21 with an acreage of 11,148, not count ing seven smaller substations at points in British Columbia, Alberta and the Northwest territories. The more strictly scientific work of the farms is organized at the central farm, Ottawa, in 13 divisions, comprising field hus bandry, animal husbandry, horticulture, cereals, chemistry, forage plants, botany, poul try, tobacco, economic fibre, illustration sta tions, apiculture, extension and publicity. Amongst the results of greatest general influ ence upon Canadian agriculture, due directly to the experimental work of the farms, may be mentioned the practice of early sowing, the adoption of summer fallowing and the distribu tion of improved varieties of seeds of cereal and other plants, especially in the West. Phenomenal success has indeed attended one branch of the work of the experimental farms by the introduction of the Marquis variety of hard wheat. This wheat, which possesses all
the good qualities of the Red Fife with the added advantages of an earlier ripening habit and superior yield, leaped into fame by taking the champion prize for the best hard wheat at the first American Land Show, held in New York from 3-12 Nov. 1911. Since then it has taken many similar prizes, and is now in proc ess of rapid distribution throughout the west ern grain-growing area in replacement of the Red Fife. The work of the Dominion De partment of Agriculture extends over many other important fields, including the seed branch for the analysis of seeds in respect of germination and purity; the dairy and cold storage branch; the fruit branch; the health of animals branch under a veterinary director general ; the live stock branch for improvement of farm live stock; and an entomological branch. All these branches not only administer laws affecting the subjects with which they deal, but also carry on scientific investigation at field and other laboratories. Important work in the improvement of farm seeds is be ing accomplished by the Canadian Seed Growers' Association, who work in close asso ciation with the seed branch of the department. The maintenance of pedigree registers of pure bred live stock is in charge of a National Record Board which receives special grants, facilities andprivileges from the Dominion government. Under the Live Stock Pedigree Act, 1900, the pedigree records of live stock were both unified and nationalized. Each of the breed societies in Canada, while remaining responsible for the local management of its own affairs, is represented upon the National Record Board for the issue of pedigree certifi cates, which before issue are certified by an officer of the live stock branch of the Depart ment of Agriculture; so that every pedigree certificate has behind it a government guarantee of accuracy, a matter of considerable advantage in connection with international trade. Only the Holstein-Freisian Society of Canada re mains outside this scheme. Much is being done to test experimentally the varieties of tobacco best suited to the Canadian climate and the best methods of cultivation, curing, marketing, etc. Canada is an adhering country of the In ternational Institute of Agriculture, and an offi cer of the Department of Agriculture acts as Canadian commissioner of the Institute. The publications of the various branches of the de partment, most of which are issued gratis, are voluminous and diverse; so much so that within recent years a special branch of the de partment has been organized for their more effective distribution. This branch also issues monthly the Agricultural Gazette of Canada.