FEBRUARY 2:. 1954

W

whither

Guest Thou!

Continued from page I

urces of available information, improved basic grafts. trt;f,::,d,,”,lf .i:..l..s, new marketing methods. availability of fer- :r0P '"dsub51,-med limestone SUDQIICII p:iCehlUDP0Tt:,bElliIli3I gtiliflr pro- lilizers, h 1.: be in 1 position 0 ave es a s e a pro- zctli” nagrimi-kgging processes on a level far advanced from that ltIC””l:'l1:nCenm,-y ago. If our production has not subsltantialiy in- if I , forced to the conclusion that our pro ucers in an -reasrd he 5” 1 cl behind their predecessors, and have not em- ai'cr-ajlln)”",::s.hi':1ival:i:i5;e the facilities and opportunities that have -. ce "9" nvmlflzllitical information herewith compiled from our most ac- The 519. the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, and the decennial NF!” 5.w')Cr,.'5'(-nied for the purpose of comparison and study. So also fmsusr ”i!servcd conditions obtained through close contact with con- "P meliiijhugil the years for almost a half century period. tililoni POPULATION ' loll last 93.728 98.429 ,,.,,, 55,475--a.v;'. 45.355-.cug FARM HOLDINGS 19ll 1951 14,113 10,137 Timi 101:3: pAI:,iaF,E?f,n,1! ' 1,397,760 acres l'i97,760 acres TO” U; ,,,,.,,,5 A 1,202,354 acres l,li95,.'i04 acres :::a”” UN pm. pm", 86 acres 108 acres .l il- CONDITION OF LAND 19ll 1951 VIN”, pmd acres 615,795 acres I,"'';”, ,.,.,,p; . , acres I2tS,'.Z10 acres I)"l(yc- llnprmcd Lilflfl acres . 449,509 acres Ivima. H”, at-res 346,191 acres (:,'M''', .,,,,,,,,..,,-(1 acres l01'.,fll8 acres l.lnd anti llulldilizs .- 337.153.1305

ilmir:l:v-nl- and lilacliiiler . M,,m,r;p per i'plIl'l'll .,..r,,.;o pPr Farm .,,, ...... it ... .. '1'ur 0 figures are significant in .:.lllt.-rl Llllll populntioll and the total nunlber lira Ill fnllns has also decreased, while the av ins still-hlntialiy increased. The change on tile nus uoliiii lllal

farm, but the figures as presented, corrrli. i'll(icr the

most l'Jil,Ii()0 acros less' improved land tiian in lime titwiti less acres untlcr crops. The figures pressixe advance in agriculture, but expected farm values of buildings. livestock, or

been a is-rydg the. quality o

in most, ilowever, in assessing ordinary far rrnu-mbt-r the tremendous difference in niark

implemen

that they indicate :4

16,261,195 4,720 1,604

23,048,000

drastically of occupied farms. The erage acreage per farm basis of taking the cen-

te some difference ill the number of farms, and size of nevertheless, are

comparatively

item "Condition of Land" we note that there are al-

l9il. and at the some do not indicate an im-

rather the opposite. As would be-

ts of machinery, and

Sconsidcrabiy increased. There is no doubt that there has reat improvement, particularly in the last few years, in farm buildings, and in the holdings in farm machinery.

in and livestock values at levels of 1951 when

mnlp.ll'oli with those of forty or fifty years ago.

FIELD CROPS

The following table covers production of l'cwi1V ihn same period:

1950

("W Y"? Ac". Ymd Ar” Ymd was almost considered a dis , grace for a farmer to have to buy extra grit" "” 4i'g;(2) :' feeds above that which he raised. The quantities indicated, too, are 03:.” 1910 184000 e2oo'ooo bus: 9s'ooo ac 34oo'ooo mg" by no mean: total supplies coming, into the Province. These are only m" V mm 15.000 59.m00 bus, 63,000 M 2.7061000 bus the supplies ondwhic: Freiriilit Alssistadncethis paid, and Iareflgiht Assiit- Buckwheat 1910 2438 43600 bus. 245 ac. 3325 bus. "ME 5 Mt 9” ”" ”"' ” "””' "" ” " 9'” em ”" '39 5””? mm, (min - 7695700 hm 5108' 825 bus merits. It may very well be assumed that these supplements would in- . , . . ,. , . . . p Hay lV7& 1910 215.000 256.000 tons 196.000 ac. 197,000 tons ""5: ”” "','f1h'”,"';)”3f bf; ”””',:f”m”"'y,h20 ””,; "."i' 1'. iii” is .m" Potatoes .- 1910 30,510 5,010,166 bus. fat”, it; 'h ,”5 ' ,3”; 25l;;1"0o0'""',l, ” ”,'h'fl:,”'tf ”" j':,”, R , 5113' "I :"s' Prince" Iildlnd perodiiction. 'Thvee ctystulnones-om: ygtirguio DEF M” ”"""'” lbw '8'000'o00 bus" ' ”' i - "5" Island producers in feeds and fertilizers would be well up to 5 mil-

i ' ' ' "s' lions of dollars.

These figures indicate the cha crops during the period under revi durtion of wheat has deteriorated, dance of revival in late years.

There has also been a very considerable lowering in the prodtisctlcin

uc t- has almost disappeared. It almost 8 million bushels of grain, compared with something over 6 million in tho1950 crop. In the intervening years production of grain crop: rose Above or fell below these indicated levels. For instance. W8 M5 8-'i ushels of oat! alone in 1914. In the

the Province has been very favor- something over 6,600,000 bushels. In reduction of grains on an acrea e basis we cannot yields. This has

of oats, and a corresponding increase in that what, which was once I substantial crop.

is interesting to note that in 1910 we had a

estimated production of 7.596.000 b past year oilr grain production in able. in 1952 our production was looking over the is

say that there has been very much of a change remained fairly stationary. In comparing these figures we must again refer to our opening suggestions, that improved varieties and other lood husbandry influences should have created a substantial improve- ment in this respect. The figures do not indicate that this assumption

is correct.

at far as potatoes are concerned, this crop has been extremely variable in its productive capacity, but disregarding the past two very favorable production years improvement in yields per acre is scarcely

discern lbie.

Attention is drawn to our hay production which has gone down very materially below the level of earlier years. What is true of hay would also be true in relation to our grass lands pastures. To those of in uho hnie watched our records. there has been an obvoius deter-

ioration in our clover production and in our g

It should be pointed out in connection with our yield of field "OD: that in addition to the farm crops indicated there was in the i'l”"'l' lieriod a substantial production of field peas, field beans, rye, winter. and hay at-ed. Large quantities of vegetables, such as carrots, idhitaizci. and beefs, were also grown. and shipped by vessel out of ”" Prtmnvc. In addition gooseberries, currants, maple sugar, and even

W"! tobacco was produced.

field crops over prac-

(1950 census)

nge that has taken plice in grain ew. As is to be expected our pro- altllough there is some slight evi-

of mixed grains.

production of

rass lands generally.

LIVESTOCK iosi Ham a 19,000 Fall in 97,000 Shun 34.000 Swine , -12,000 PW" rv - 761,000 1,000,000 "i "1 213,000 lbs. 109,000 lbs

Fur Farming-supplied a revenue of upward of 83,000,000 in some

If HIP best years.

Ti" Story in connz-ctlon"with our livestock ll 1" i" txlrertcd, horses have very greatly decreased in numbers.

Iiliiic population, however, is below formt-r l 1”? lenrs it was larger than indicated at the " VIFW of the great recession in horses "We Dopulation should be nearer to 150.000 i

'i.””i0". Fox farming. which brought in a tremendous revenue at one

”'"f- H almost now a negligible factor.

R”KardinR dairying. there is some

"mnaiion in this respect. In the earlier years there 7'” quantity of milk going into home manufacture. With all the de- ”1”Pm"nt that has taken place in improvement of dairy herds the in- T852 in total milk production in the Province within recent years

""1 Impressive. As a matter of fact, the milk production in many

eveis, and in so

beginning of the period

and sheep numbers, our up the dmflfhcy. Sheep numbers are actually less than one-third of earlier. "'”"'!- A! a matter of fact in 1881 the census estimate on sheep was 155.000. Swine is considerably above former levels, but the figures Pfucntcci nrc not the total yearly production, but rather the number iii farm! at the time the survey was made. Our poultry population Is "Her. and wool, as is to be expected. very much below earlier pro-

n order to make

difficulty in securing first hand

was a tremend

"a" "ii to the 1940': was considerably less than in 1910.

in making the general survey. and comparing conditions, and in through emiums

”"W "V the tremendous amount of encourage

"M ”'V'CEs. new and improved breeds and varieties, and pr figures would indicate that the H remodelling of our Wm Programs. An additional Incentive within recent years that must ht" ignored la the demands set up through world conditions and Ullporta that have been provided most farm products out 't-nuel of the country. an influence entirely absent in early

I" llualif

Mummy and grades. the

preaenta a need for a very caref

nation.” 5 ” ""9 rm mm

W rt” have not accurate figures on the number of abandoned farms rlnrn Edward Island. but we do know that many forms have and a large percentage of others are only operated at

"" "blndoned Darlial ,mc,mc'y-

lidere little uh '1-'1' l;il W-Ville: an 3,,

out the use of commercial fertilizers. ic fertilizer was utilized previous to

""5"? thought

men t. rendered

over-al ul

Tdcre are one of two other factors. however, which must be con-

in relation to our productive processes. In 1910 we knew rev: a . 1920, when modernistic 1 in Pol-Ila production took possession of our people. Illld it that the mtilenium in farm economics had

As a, matter of

disappointing. As is Our

mo NIF-

'1'!-IE GUARDIAN. CEIARLOTTETOWN

arrived. Let us then study this for a while. Here are the figures of fertilizers imported in the Province:

' same or namazaaa .('tona)

193 1929 1930 1931. 1932 1963 H. M. , 27.071 18.929 22,!!!) 26.494 12.56 7.025 M

1934 1935 1936 1937 9,644 11.440 10.167 10.759

F. . 1.155 4.005 11.429 7.523 3.127 6.200 7842 5.301 7.759 11.292 Totals 28.226 22.934 33.634 36,317 15,993 13.225 17.486 16.741 17.926 22.651

I-f. M.-Home Mixed; 1'. M.-Factory Mixed. 1938 1939 1940 1941 1 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 . 12,925 12,725 10,415 11,934 6,690 11,534 11,351 8,035 6 942 6,510

. 8,692 8,124 13,358 11,011 15.866 27.358 31.889 40.019 49:78.3 45,280 21,615 20,349 23,773 22,975 22,556 39,392 43,240 48,054 56,725 51,790

fifty years ago.

There is another important factor, however, that should have ma- terially added to the incidence of production. and that is our activi- ties in the import and export of feeds. In the earlier years there was a large export of grains from the Province of Prince Edward Island- too much possibly for the maintenance of fertility. At the same time large amounts of grains were consumed at home particularly in the horse and. hog feeding. In these days, fertilizing supplements by a population who were not afraid of work were also secured. Vast quan- titles of seaweed. kelp. marsh and swamp mud, and shell mud, out of rivers, were saved, and supplemented the usual manure resources. Cow yards wre very often filled three and four feet deep with these mater- ials which effectively saved the seepage, and which provided a labour task that would appal our present-day producers. These practises have generally been discontinued. Export of grains from the farms ilas practically ceased, and the tide has turned the other way, with huge quantities of imported feeds entering the Province of Prince Edward Island. The figures,in this connection since 19-it based on claims under the Freight Assistance Policy, provide interesting details, Up until October 31. 1553, Prince Edward Island imported 473,694 tons of feed on which Freight Asssitance amounted to 54.448.303.23 vvns paid. The following is the breakdown:

Quantities of Animal Feeds Imported Since October 1341 to October I953 l'nder Frcgiht Assistance Policy

TOTALS .- 2 ,2 . 5. E -,5 E .3 T 0 ., E g '5 if 5 .2 to .2 " r at E 3 .o 117,279 tons 79,904 132,023 149 6,036 138,303 473,694 3,909,300 bus 4,700,000 5,546,000 5,322 241,440 5,532,120 20,934,182 Plus 20 per cent extra for other feeds. 520,433, 25,121,018

This import averages over 2,000,000 bushels per year for the period under review. In some of these years the figures would reach over 2,300,000 bushels.

This huge quantity of feeds is something that was not experienced at the beginning of the period under review. As a matter of fact, it

I would like to stress this particular situation: That from 1900 to 1910 we exported quite large quantities of raw products from the Pro- vince, and, at the same time, .on the basis on which our agriculture was then conducted. we maintained a much heavier livestock pop- ulation with the use of little or no commercial fertilizer, or the im- portation of feeds.

' Conservation or Weston

A great deal has been said about conservation of late years. It is a very respectful and dignified term, and our scientific and research men take a particular delight in tripping off the term very frequently in our discussions. Without entirely discarding the word "conserva- tion", I will nevertheless deal with the following items under the term "wastage", Not long ago a man looking ,at one of our rivers when the tide was out, queried: "Where does all this mud come from, anyway?" I waved my hand at the adjacent farms, and said: "Your fertility has contributed to that. The mud is due to faulty farm prac- tices. and has wasted into the rivers carrying with it your resources of barnyard manure and purchased fertilizers. These marshland areas build up in somewhat the same manner." Needless to say he looked at me with I searching glance of amazement. It is estimated that we have lost at least four to five inches of our top soil, and oilr prac- tices to hold fertility and hold our loll together have deteriorated rather than improved. We need not go into detail at this time in re- spect to this. We need only travel throughout the Province of Prince Edward Island and see what has taken place with production, our hillsides, our grass lands, hay and clover yields, feed supplies for our livestock, and to the numbers of livestock which farms are capable of maintaining, to convlca ourselves that our conditions can be improved. Where do some of these weaknesses occur? It is impossible to go into a detailed examination of tillage practises. They are too obvious to need much comment. We would refer this group to a very excellent treatise on these matters prepared by the Island Branch of the A.I.C. The story is accurately and graphically told.

Let us move on. then, to a few other specific instances of wast- age. What about our manures? What is the estimated financial loss in manurea through careless handling? In the older countries, even on small farms, every barnyard has a cement cistern to preserve the liquids. and these are either sprayed directly on the crop, or interred beneath the soil surface to prevent evaporation. Every ounce in both the solid and liquid excrement il saved to the extent that it is hum- anly possible to do IO. Only a very small percentage of our farm people are doing a really top Job in the conservation of barnyard man- ure. As a matter of fact, manure is frequently left In an outside pile, and is not moved, maybe for two or three years. Frequently nianurc plies are taken to the field and dumped indiscriminately in raggy piles one hundred feet or more long. There is little attempt at con- servation. As a matter of information the following table on manure production in the Province of Prince Edward Island is herewith pre- seated:

COMPOSITION VALUE OF MANUIIIE Yield on P. E. Island-Solid Ext-roment, Llqulda, and Bedding

i I 1 3 E 3 3 5 3 33 E! :1: all SEE ass .2: Horse .-.. 13.2) 4.40 use 3.05 150,000 3 488.000 3?.”.'f." 33?? 3:? 3233 - 321'.” -. .333 13:3 2.133 iifd '1-ISE Tdtlatig) .. .. 15,767,(m 4,&3.KX) 12682.4(” 1,307,000 33,511,030

It is difficult to state how much manure is applied natilraliy in the land on pastures. Possibly not over 30 per cent is saved directly in this way, and even much of this is wasted in pasture corners or where cattle congregate at night. There is no doublt that tremendous quantities of manure are lost on roadways, in yards. fence corners, bush, and waste land. In many sections of the country young cattle and sheep are paatured during the whole summer on waste land which la never cultivated. We are assuming that at least 65 per cent of our manure is produced under atabllng conditions and in yards. roadways,-bush, fence corners, and waste lands. The figures dealing with the production of manure are conservative on the basis of ton- nage produced per animal. The money value of manure is based upon the valuation of commercial fertilizers in 1951. It is evident that there la a tremendous total valuation from a fertilizer liftndpoint in our manurn. Another valuation, however. that in not involved in the esti- mate. is included in the uemendoualy important physical factors of manure on the soil. in retentive characteristics in binding soils to- gether, and thin combatting the usual procenea of erosion, its in- fluence: on bacterial life, its po ealion of minor elements. and other factors. For the purpose of this -article. we estimate a loan of 60 per cent on our total manure valuation, which means that 9,460.31) pounds

a substantial portion of this fertilizer in a wcii-balanced judicious farm

of potash are wasted annually, with a monetary ion of at least 82.- 181000. And while this loss, a great percentage of which could be controlled, is suffered by our producers year after year, the slack is taken up by importation: of necessary fertilizers to supplant the wast- age. I submit, too, that there is a very definite wastage in our fer- tilizer applications. From our information in 1953 applications at least, 83 per cent of the imporatlon was potato fertilizer. and we can assume that the bulk of the tonnage was used for this purpose. As a matter of fact in some sections almost 100 per cent of the fertilizer went to potato crops, and in these same areas there is a tremendous deficiency in grass, pastures, hay. and grain Crops. In many sections the livestock population that has been under gradual contraction for years requires. in most years in mldwinter, the imporaiion of hay, sometimes costing between 530.00 and 540.00 per ton, to keep animals alive. The use of

program, involving improvement in pasture, hay, and grain crops, would gradually build up, not noiy the fertility of the soils and the number of livestock of the communities involved, but also the eco-

for the potatoes alone, and do not usually burned, or the condition in

pressed, when the pialit food value

or its effect as an absorbent under view of this value the nttraction of night sky of burning straw stacks fascinating attraction for malty of

lake, in other words, the influence o

materials to livestock which

Tile wastage in the potato crop producers scramble to grade. handle, when compared with prices for gra animals. For instance, during the

value of potatoes has been weight for the graded product. Cru

tatoos for hog feed. The argument

labor in handling potatoes for feed,

and feed mills. Forty years ago at

keted as a finished product. In the

divert large quantities of potatoes in

1-log production as stated in the at one time was carried chiefly on control prices on feeds, and on the

in the ration. and their liliiization,

feed.

Tile returns secured through on

Oats No. of samples collected 97 No. graded No. 1 11 No. graded No. 2 . 12 No. graded No. 3 i5 No. graded Reject 551

Rejected for:

Germination . . .. 1 Primary noxious weeds to Secondary noxious seeds 1 Excess other weed seeds 31 Cultivated crop seeds ............ -,g 9

The weeds foiind in the samples submitted ran the whole gamut. of

weed production, and included primary noxious. secondary nox- foils, and many other weeds. In

one-pound grain samples as llinllv as 2,240 weed seeds were found in the samples selected in l953, or a totnl of 228,480 weed seeds per acre, while in previous years the number would riln nlilch higher than this level.

Olie can readily ililderstanri the seriousness of this ahortaiglltc-ti practise in clrrtailing production. The use of it little care in clean- ing wollld ilndolibtediy have creat- ed a great difference in grain yields in these cases. Not only is there a general disregard of weed control in it large percentage of cases, but then: is very little rc- gard for the wastage created by some of our more serious wood in- fcstntions such as wild radish. mustards, and sow thistle. Control measures. at least for the former. are now within reach of practically every farmer at a very low cost. Custom spraying has been initiat- ed, and should be encouraged to the fullest possible extent. .'l'hc following weeds are found to have

been needed in our grain crops: Bladder Canlplon. Couch Grass. Ox-eye Daisy, Perennial Sow

Thistle, Wild Mustard, Wild Rad- ish, Common Ragweed. Curlcd Dock. Purple Cocirlc. Wild Oats.

August Flower, Barnyard Grass. False Wild Oats. Flcabane, Green Foxiali, Yellow Portaii, Homo Nettle. Knotwecd. Lady's Thumb,

Immbta Quarters, Loosestrife, Pinn- tain, sorrel, Spurrev. Wild Buck- wheat, Wild Vetch. Canada Thistle, False Flax. Bamyard Gram, Ewe-

ning Primrose. Forgot-me-not, Stitchwort, Tartlirian Buckwheat. Yarrow.