scheme. The Hon. Mr. Pugsley, Attorney-General, commended the Company for not accepting the offer of $42,000. The lowest estimate for the construction of this warehouse was $87,500, so that the Government was only guaranteeing a portion of the cost, and at the present rate for 3 per cent. bonds only $50,400 would be realized, so that the Company would have to put up over $37,000 of their own money in any event-apart from the working capital necessary. "The rates would be under Government control. The practical result is that the public gets all the benefit of cold-storage at a low rate." Mr. Douglas Hazen contended in reply that there was nothing in the Bill to compel the Company to expend more than $60,000. Yet the Government now claimed that the enterprise would cost $87,000. He, himself, believed that sidings and other expenses would come to $15,000 more than the latter amount. He thought the control of rates was not satisfactorily assured. The measure passed in due

course.

On March 20th the Hon. L. P. Farris, Commissioner for Agriculture, reported to the House upon various matters connected with that interest. Three new Agricultural Societies had been organized during the year 1900, making the number 59, with a membership of 4,539, and subscriptions of $6,361. Six new roller mills had been erected, making a total of 19 now in operation. Of wheat, 504,301 bushels had been grown, at an average slightly over 18 bushels to the acre. The oat crop also showed an increase over the preceding year, and the total production was 5,281,690 bushels, or an average of 29 bushels to the acre.

The cheese factories in operation were 54, making 1,882,432 pounds of cheese, at a value of $189,706—an increase of $32,200 over the preceding year. There had been 33 butter factories in operation, producing 462,606 pounds, valued at $94,618. This was also an increase $36,124 in amount. Of the total value in cheese and butter produced, $170,000 worth was exported out of $284,324. In the matter of agricultural education there had been 73 meetings of Farmers' Institutes, attended by 10,322 persons. It was now proposed to extend the work of these associations. The House then passed, in Committee, $2,500 for Institute meetings, $4,500 for the encouragement of dairying, and some $3,000 for specified agricultural

purposes.

Six days later, Mr. James Russell, Chairman of the Agricultural Committee of the House, submitted a report expressing satisfaction at the growing figures of production and at the work done by the Farmers' Institutes. Pleasure was also expressed at the encouragement which was being given to the breeding of better stock throughout the Province. "Your Committee note with satisfaction the large and continued increase in the amount of cheese and butter manufactured in the Province, and the very satisfactory prices obtained for these products last year. By the instruction given to makers at the Provincial Dairy School, and the efforts of the travelling instructors, the quality of both cheese and butter manufactured in factories has

been kept up to a high standard, and consequently the product has sold for top prices both in the local and English markets."

This general growth in agricultural matters was a cause of occasional self-congratulation during the year, and on August 5th the St. John Gazette pointed to the fact that fifteen years before there had been practically no dairying interest in the Province and very little hope of an agricultural future. The adoption of improved methods of agriculture has removed any doubts that may have existed in this line, as it has been clearly demonstrated that agriculture under favourable conditions is a good paying business in this Province." There was still a large local market for oats and other cereals available, and though the production of wheat had been doubled in three years there was room for it to double again before this demand was met.

During the summer, on June 11th, the Commissioner of Agriculture, and the Hon. C. H. Labillois, Commissioner of Public Works, in the course of a general tour, visited Edmundston, in the county of Madawaska, and were presented with an Address by the local Agricultural Society, which declared that the wise assistance given by the Government to butter and cheese factories, to stock breeding and to the flour mills, was largely responsible for this development. Both members of the Government, in reply, declared that this policy would be continued, and Mr. Farris added an expression of belief that the work of agriculture in the Province was only just begun. He expected much from the agricultural societies and meetings, which would be steadily encouraged from year to year until the education along productive lines had brought the agriculture of New Brunswick up to the level of the other Provinces of Canada.

In the Legislature, on March 30th, the matter of the Maritime Provinces Agricultural College was discussed. The Hon. Mr. Tweedie stated that it would be located in Nova Scotia, and that the Province would pay all capital expenditure on buildings, etc. It would cost $10,000 a year to maintain, and of this New Brunswick would contribute $4,000, with the privilege of sending as many students to the College for free tuition as it desired. The course would be shorter and less ambitious than that of the Guelph Agricultural College, but, he believed, equally efficient. It would be a better institution than if established by only one Province. Mr. J. K. Flemming did not like its location outside of New Brunswick. The Hon. Mr. Pugsley stated that the grant would continue seven years, and then, if satisfactory, could be discontinued. The Province would be represented upon the Board of Governors.

The official Report of the Hon. Mr. Farris for the year 1900 contained a large amount of information in this connection, and was issued at Fredericton under date of January 1, 1901. The Commissioner commenced by reporting "a successful year for every branch of industry," and that the Province "seems to be in the most prosperous condition it has been in for years." The South African war had brought a great demand for hay and oats at fair prices, and cheese

and butter had found a ready market in England. In fact, since the opening of the war "every manufacturing industry in Canada, making goods wanted by England, has had a preference over other countries." Buckwheat had been a light crop for two successive years, and fruit raising had been steadily developing. "There is no reason why this Province should not take one of the first places as a fruit producing country." The increase in the output of porkpacking establishments had been marked, and every effort was being made to encourage the production of the bacon hog as bringing a better price than heavy pork. More attention had been given to the hitherto neglected matter of poultry raising; and chicken fattening stations had been formed in different parts of the Province. The following were the chief agricultural products during the year as compared with 1899:

Agriculture

Edward

Island

At a meeting of the Charlottetown Board of Trade in Prince on March 7, 1901, a lengthy resolution was passed recapitulating the dependence of the Province upon its agricultural resources; the suitability of the soil and climate for raising the best kind of sugar beets, as demonstrated by experiment and analysis; the fact that a company had then formed for the development of this industry and had announced their intention to establish a factory in the Island provided that the Federal Government would pay them a bonus of one per cent. per pound; the benefits which would accrue to the farmers, labourers and business men from such a policy as well as from the expansion of trade and the consequent increase in transport over the Island Railway, which is a Government property. It was, therefore, resolved: "That in view of securing to the Island the establishment of a beet-sugar factory we urge upon the Dominion Government the necessity of a bounty of one per cent. per pound for a term of three years, on the beet sugar manufactured within this Province, in order to foster and sustain this contemplated industry during the preliminary stage.' The Federal Government, however, would not go farther than the admission of machinery free.

On April 4th, the Hon. Mr. Rogers, as Commissioner of Agriculture, presented the following motion to the Legislature: "Resolved that it is desirable to introduce a Bill to provide for the appointment of a Professor of Agriculture with annual salary to be fixed by the Lieut.-Governor-in-Council; and for the organization of agricultural societies throughout the Province; and for the encouragement of the various branches of the farming industry of this Island by an annual grant of public money to be distributed to such societies in proportion

to the number of their paying members." In this matter, the Commissioner said, the Government was following the policy of other Provinces and the recent advice of the Hon. Mr. Dryden, of Ontario, to consider chiefly in connection with agriculture the three points of organization, education, and co-operation. The plan was experimental and would combine the systems of Nova Scotia and Ontario. Each agricultural society must have a membership of fifty, paying a fee of fifty cents, before the Government grant of $50 was paid. Their estimate was that thirty-nine societies would ask for this grant and involve an expenditure of $1,950. The Professor of Agriculture had already been appointed at the Prince of Wales' College, and his duties would be the giving of instruction in the College, the management of the Government Farm, the giving of lectures throughout the Province, the improvement of stock-breeding and filling the post of Secretary of the Department.

The Hon. Mr. Gordon, in speaking for the Opposition, declared that agriculture was the chief industry of the Island and that "the Government should provide good markets." He considered that the farmers of the Island were now making rapid strides and setting the pace, in fact, for the other Maritime Provinces. He was not, however, sure that this measure would do much good. The Hon. Mr. Farquharson stated that his Government was carrying out their promises to the people. Immense quantities of produce were now being exported. With the present state of the market, and provision for steamers and cars fitted with cold storage, there must be still brighter prospects.

The Hon. Mr. McLeod thought that the best men should be appointed to control the agricultural development of the Province. The recent visit of the Hon. Mr. Dryden, of Ontario, had done much good, but the new Commissioner would have a difficult task before him. He hoped the Stock Farm would be improved and eventually merged into a Dominion Experimental station. Mr. D. P. Irving supported the measure. On April 9th, the debate was continued and Mr. A. J. McDonald declared that the Stock Farm was not only running into debt but was running in opposition to the local breeders. He thought it was of no service to the Province. Farmers' Institutes were hard to keep together and, while he hoped for the best, he considered the chances were against their doing much good in this case. He considered that the true policy would have been some encouragement to the Dairy industry.

In this connection Mr. J. A. Mathieson followed and thought that a Stock Farm aided by Government should not be continued in competition with the very men who had in the earlier stages benefitted by its efforts. He doubted whether the farmers would approve of further taxation for the purposes of the resolution. Mr. J. F. Whear thought the proposed appropriation was not large enough. On April 10th, the discussion was resumed and Mr. George Simpson expressed his belief that the Government was not doing enough for agriculture. He charged the Opposition with opposing an expenditure of $2,000 upon the chief industry of the Island and

yet supporting an expenditure of $130,000 upon Education. Captain Reid pointed out that in Nova Scotia $35,000 a year was spent upon Agriculture. The Premier stated at this point that systematic work was their object and it could only be obtained by organization. The finances were in a satisfactory condition and this sum could be well spared by the people. Moreover the Commissioner of Agriculture could not possibly look after all these varied matters himself and without assistance. Mr. A. J. McDonald followed and claimed that the Farmers' Institutes could be formed without this expenditure. Mr. M. Smith, as a practical farmer, supported the Government and the debate closed by the Opposition Leader stating that they did not oppose the resolution but the appointment of two men-the Commissioner and the Professor-where one would do. It then passed unanimously and a Bill founded on the resolution was presented and ultimately became law.

During the discussion which followed in the press, Opposition papers urged that this Act would interfere with and upset the existing Farmers' and Dairymen's Associations and the Island Horticultural Society. They were doing good work, and, according to the Examiner, there was no need to introduce new organizers. Following this legislation, Mr. E. J. McMillan was appointed Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Superintendent of the Stock Farm. In the latter institution he found some seventy-five head of pure-bred cattle, and to it he soon added the work of an experimental farm. At the same time the Commissioner of Agriculture went through the country organizing Farmers' Institutes, and on September 9th there appeared in the Guardian a lengthy article from his pen describing the resources and progress of the

Island in this connection.

His first statement was of interest. "With the exception of about a million dollars annually from the fisheries, the total wealth of Prince Edward Island may be said to be produced on its farms." Commerce and manufactures were dependent on the farms, the forests had gone and there were no mines or minerals. The Island farmer was now selling more of finished products, such as butter, cheese, beef and bacon, than of raw materials like hay, grain or potatoes. The country was specially adapted for dairying, and much credit for existing progress was due to Professor J. W. Robertson, of the Experimental Farm at Ottawa. They were now supplying their own market with beef and exporting considerable to the neighbouring Provinces. Sheep-raising was becoming a paying business and hograising had been greatly stimulated by the good prices of the past two years, and the new packing-house in Charlottetown. Horses had been a staple commodity but were now insignificant in production. The trade in dressed poultry was slowly growing. He urged improved methods, a more extended system and more cultivation of orchards.

Meanwhile, in March, official statistics were made public of the work done by the cheese and butter factories in 1900. The figures showed 59,901,455 pounds of milk received; 4,431,739 pounds of