we te
Our Agricultural Interests.
Impressions of an Agricul- tural Professor.
———
THE McKINLEY BILL. How it Will Affect Us!
Beef, Mutton, Pork and Cheese
——
In the British Markets.
——$—$_—$$—
{Lerrer From PRroressor Suaw. |
| wave been requested by some of the members of your Exhibition board to give to your readers somewhat of my impres- sions regarding the agricultural capabilities of your Island, and also to refer to any of the methods by which its agriculture may be improved. It affords me unmingled pleasure to comply with the first of these requests. I fulfil the second only because I promised to do this, and I assure you I do so with some misgivings, for it is oiten hazardous for a stranger even to suggest improvement in matters pertaining to agri- culture unless in the most general way. I will not presume to tell the Prince Edward Island farmer what he ought to grow, but [ hope he will see fit to listen patiently while I venture some suggestions as to the form in which the agricultural products of your Island may be grown. I would like tirst to say to your readers that I am simply CHARMED WITH THE QUIET BEAUTIES OF
YOUR LANDSCAPE,
and that I have formed a high estimate of the wonderful capabilities of your soil view- ed from the standpoint of agriculture. Doubtless, your people don’t require to be told that they own a country singularly blessed with agricultural capabilities. These are manifest on every hand. It reminds one of the luxurious richness of the most favored portions of Ontario, as Waterloo or Huron, and the resemblances of confor- mation are striking. Your soil is singular- ly uniform and productive, and unlike some of the rich prairie soils of western lands, is happily capable of producing a very great variety of produce. This to the farmers of any country is a great blessing, as it enables them to adapt the lines of agriculture to which they give the most pro- minence to the changing condition of the markets. In addition to uniformity your soil possesses richness, magnificent tilth, and drainage properties that I believe are almost unrivalled. This richness is manifest in the density of the vegetation covering the soil. We see it in the abundance and luxuriance of the ferns, in the density of forestal growth, in the abundance of the grass blades of the meadows and pastures, and in the burrowing of the roots of the golden rod in the cuttings of the railway which in many lands are bleak and bare. The fine tilth of the soil is apparent in the quick step of the horses drawing the plough, and the manifestly easy attitude of the fortunate ploughman. Indeed, | see nothing in the way of the general use of the two-furrow plough, if only drawn by heavy horses. The extraordinary natural drainage facilities of your soils are manifest in the fewness of the surface furrows required in cultivation, the clear water in the streams, and in the uniformity of vegetation which appears almost everywhere. Your water- courses run in deep indentations, and as a consequence there is very little broken land. The almost entire absence of
BASEMENT BARNS
arrests the attention of an Ontario farmer. This is owing doubtless to the scarcity of stone, but it should not be forgotten that basement barns can be built quite as cheap- ly without stone by simply using wood and tar paper. These barns have many advan. tages for those who are seeking milk pro- duction or beef production in best form.
I have already said to the people of Prince Edward Island that I believe some modification in agricultural production is necessary to meet the changed conditions arising out of the passing of
THE MCKINLEY BILL.
No folly in the business world perhaps can exceed that of persisting in the production of products for sale where there is no profitable market in which to dispose of them. Where the McKinley tariff serious- ly wounds our farmers they should consider at least if some modification of system should not be made. The passage of the McKinley bill will surely in some sense effect adversely ourtrade in horses, eggs and potatoes. We may not feel the full force of this the present year, but we will feel it. Some of our people say that the Americans will pay the duty on their pro- ducts. I wish | could take so sanguine 4 view. They msy pay a part of it, but that they will pay us four cents more per dozen on eggs than they would pay were there no duty, and twenty cents more per bushel on barley is surely more than we can hope for. As stated by Mr. Haviland at the opening of your Exhibition, your export of eggs in 1889, amounted to $309,153, pota- toes, $84,030, sheep, $33,411, and horses $26, 306. Now, while the new American tariff must to some extent effect adversely the profits arising from these various indus- tries, it should be borne in mind that in several respects, we are not really hurt by this tariff. There are still good markets open to us, and if we only enter into them and take possession of them, the passage of the McKinley bill may prove a blessing in disguise.
If it diminishes the export of barley it will also tend to lessen the exhaustion of our soils, for we will be led to grow some- thing else and feed it upon the farm; and that something, whether beef, pork or mut- ton, will doubtless pay us as well as our barley does now. The passing of the Mc- Kinley Bill will arrest our trade in the ship- ment of store cattle to the United States. We should be thankful that it will do this —that trade should never have existed. Cattle, sheep, lambs and swine should never leave our shores but in the finished condition. It is just in the putting on of a proper finish that the profit in meat pro- duction is obtained. There are still many courses open to us in the line of production. Our duty, then, is, clearly, to modify our
ar
a
*
present system, and supplement it with another which will bring us larger gains.
I have already said to the people of your Island that there are several lines open to us which are not materially hurt by the McKinley tariff. These are the growth of beef, mutton and pork of the nmght class, and the production of milk and milk pro- ducts. Ontario has entered into nearly all of those markets, and is now reaping a rich reward. Why tho farmers of Prince Ké- ward Island have not done so is not very clear to me. Let us look at these items one by one.
It has been said by many of the farmers of Ontario that
BEEF-MAKING
does not pay the farmer. Many of them say so now. But what are the facts ? Why, Ontario sends about 60,000 fat cattle an- nually to Great Britian, which average the farmer from $80 to $90 per head, and the export of fat cattle from Ontario is not de- creasing. An experiment was carried on in fattening steers last winter at the Ontaric Agricultural College farm, with the result that a satisfactory cash profit was received over and above the return that was obtained for fertilizing the soil. This profit was ob- tained quite as fully,when the animals were fed on mval and corn ensilage only as when they were fed on the ordinary fatten- ing ration of hay, meal and roots.. Why cannot Prince Edward Island do what Ontario is duing in this matter? Your far- mers can grow hay, roots, oats and barley quite as well as ours, yvour winters are no longer, nor are they more severe, and your country is one thousand miles nearer Liver- pool than ours. The only reason I can see why this class ‘of meat has not been produc d is, that the attempt has not been made to produce it on the same lines. Pure breeding an proper feeding alone are not sufficient to produce meat of this class. It can only be produced through the use of a certain class of pure-bred sires, the progeny of which are properly fed from birth.
THE MARKET FOR MUTTON of a certain class is without any limit. While it 1s true that the McKiniy tariff has hurt the trade in store sheep, it has really not hurt the trade in lambs, that is, in good lambs, for 75 cents duty on a good lamb is not more than 20per cent. on the same. Lambs cannot be gut in Ontario at the present time for $4 per head. At Christmas time our farmers will aver- age $5 to $6 per head on their grade lambs at their own doors. We fatten our lambs in Ontario on rape, and in the fields where it is fed off by the lambs. Why can- not this be done in Prince Edward Island ? lam much mistaken if your farmers can’t grow better rape than ours, fur you grow better turnips, and your climate is more humid. While journeying from Summer- side to Point du Chene to-day, my atten- tion was called toa lot of lambs on the boat, about 200 in number. On inquiry, | was informed that these lambs were going to St. John to be there slaughtered, and in the dead meat form they were to be sent on to Boston. I believe they were pur- chased on your Island for less than $2 per head. I went into the lot, handled a num- Der of them carefully, and found that they averaged in weight about 60 to 75 pounds each, and in condition they were also lean. Now, fellow-farmers of Prince Edward Is- land, allow me to say to you that as long as you send such lambs to Boston, living or
dead, you will never capture the market there. Nor will you ever get good prices. You must in the
first place improve their beeeding, and in the second, fatten them fit for the mar- ket. The indicrions of defective breeding were painfully manifest in these lambs as they alwayr are when a number in each
flock are jet black, and where it seem; a matter of indifference whether the tail is left on or off.
A SUGGESTION. And here 1 would like to suggest to the
directors of your exhibitions to offer no more prizes for grade males of any class of cattle, sheep, or swine. It is surely the duty of no organization to encourage the farmers in any line of practice which is seriously hindering their prosperity. Up- grading can only be done on certain well defined principles, which the successful stockman cannot ignore. Those who use grade sires will accomplish nothing definite and those who are attempting to improve by continually changing the breed will accomplish no more. In _ successtul up- grading our line of breeding must be chosen and adhered to, and in such a case where care and judgement are exercised in selections, improvement is rapid.
There is also an open market for sheep which the farmers of the Dominion have scarcely, as yet entered, and it is a wide one I refer to—
THE MARKET OF GREAT BRITAIN. Here again your farmers havea great ad- vantage over ours in facilities of transit, that is to say, they can put their sheep at once on board ship and send them to Liverpool. Only good sheep will serve this purpose here as in the other instances named. The market of Britain is inviting us to send our pork into it. Our pork is preferred to that of the Americans since it is not corn fed. There is money in feeding pork judiciously, and the facilities of your farmers for producing it are good, though not so gvod as ours, as you do not grow peas so readily. In a test carried on at our farm last winter the net profit on feeding swine for 77 days wes 27 percent. Of course the conditions as to food and tem- perature were all favorable in this case. Another splendid market that is open to us is THE CHEESE MARKET
of Britain. Ontario has captured this market as all good markets only can be captured, by excellence of the product entering them. Ontario has captured it to the extent of about $9,000,000 a year, ‘it is equally accessible to your people. Or if you prefer the butter market, It also is open. No Province of Canada has as yet done much to secure the market for butter in Britain, but when once it is secured it should prove of much value to us all.
I am not quite sure if your facilities for dairying are equal to ours, especially in winter. I notice your corn is ominously green for putting in the silo. No doubt it can be kebt in the silo if property put in, but thera is at least a doubt as to whether it will prove as valuable as with us where it is more matured. Your farmers have the advantage over ours in raising soiling pro- duce and in growing grass, and fodder corn for soiling purposes can doubtless be grown in finest form. It is a question, in my
mind, if the Government could confer upon the Island at the present time sec great a
VAIL Y EXAMINER,
boon in any other form as would be given it in the establisement of AN EXPERIMENTAL There are many q'-stions looming up in the agriculture of the near future, the value of which can only be determined by such stations. The grain experiments carried on by the ether Provinces will prove of but little service to the people of
FARM.
your Island. These must be determined for each locality by actual experiment within its borders. secause of this the
farmers of Ontario are agitating for several small stations where similar experiments will be carried on to those conducted at the Guelph College Farm, and under like con-
ditions. Those smaller stations wiil be under the control of the establishment at Guelph, at least it is so proposed. Ex-
perimenta! work of this nature is tov ex- pensive for the individual farmer, nor in- deed can he carry it on with suflicient accuracy from lack of facilities. One such station would probably do for the whole Island, the conditions of soil and climate are so nearly alike throughout the same. Agriculture is the dominant interest of your Island, and therefore should receive much consideration at the hands of the Government. THE GREATEST PUZZLE
that I met in the Island was the curvatures in the railroad, running from Charlotte- town to Summerside. The reasons for these violent curves must be a mystery at all times to the stranger. The most plaus- able explanation occurring to me _ was, that this road was built for the purpose of train's young engineers ia the art of whir).ag trains over violent curves without ups. (ting them.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND has undoubtedly an important part to play in the agriculture of the future. Her
splendid capabilities in .this respect render her at once the gem _ of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the
pride of Britain's possessions Gown by the Eastern seaboard. She will one day be- come a powerful rival to Ontario in the markets of England, if her people are fully alive the extent of the possibilities that lie before her. To enable her to attain to this position they have but to remember that while agriculture is the greatest of all the industries, stock-raising is the right arm of agriculture. THomaSs SHaw. Moncton, Oct. 2nd, 1890.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
on SD
A Suggestion.
Sir,—Could not the Steam Navigation Co. be induced to hold the steamer at Pictou on Wednesday until the County mxhibition and races are over, say 6 oclock p. m. If they would do so I have no doubt that 100 people would take in the excursion, and the business people would not mind the mail being a few hours late for once.
MERCHAXT.
~~ —_ <-- +
Information Wanted.
Sir,—Will you kindly inform me how was it that the tickets were changed at the exhibit of Native Birds at the Exhibition. For one whole day a second prize ticket stood to the gaze of everybody when I was awarded first prize.
SAMUEL N. EAr.e ——_eo A Query?
Sir,—Who does Mr. Seaman mean by ‘**The Supreme Being” in the resolution he proposed on Mr. Montgomery's death? If he means Almighty God why does he not say so? If he does not, whom does he mean ?/
A TEACHER. October 4.
e+e
The Lyceum.
Sir,—lf in future the rows of seats and the individual chairs are not placed farther apart, and if some better ventilation is not secured than at the Balmoral Choir con- cert, this usefull hall will soon be avoided by concert goers. Quiz.
— i Gree ——™
Natural History Society. The following articles have been pre- sented to the Natural History Society :
Bear’s paws, skull of walrus—Mr, R. H. McDonald, St. Eleanors.
Large skull of walrus—Mr. Grant.
Prize collection of insects—Master H. Cam- eron,
Shark’s head—Mr. R. K. Brace.
Pipe fish—Dr, Finlay.
Base of Calamas Gijas—Mr. Francis Bain.
Specimens foliage native trecs—Hon. D. Laird.
Specimens native wood—Mr. John Newson.
Salamander— Mr. John Newson.
Flying squirrel—Mr. John Anderson.
Also to the Secretary—Cocoon American Emperor moth—Mr.G, H. Haszard. Cater- pillar of same—Hon. D. ferguson.
James E,
All of which are acknowledged with thanks. Gifts of natural history speci- mens, curiosities, and all objects of historical or general interest will be thank- fully received ard duly acknowledged by the Secretary, Mr. Lawrence W. Watson.
EriscoraL Visit. — The Lord Bishop of Nova Scotia is expected to arrive in Charlotte- town on Tuesday, Oct. 14, and will visit the following places :
Wednesday, Oct. 15—Summerside, Confir- mation, afternoon; St. Eleaner’s, Confirma- tion, evening.
Thursday, Oct. 16—New London, Confirma- tion, afternoon ; Irishtown, confirmation, even- ing.
Friday, Oct. 17—Kensington, Confirmation, morning; Springfield, Confirmation, after- noon.
Saturday, Oct. 18—Crapaud, Confirmation, morning.
Sunday, Oct. 19—Charlottetown, St. Paul's, induction of Rector, 11 a. m.; St. Peter’s, Confirmation, 7 p. m.
Monday, Oct. 25—Alma, Confirmation and Consecration of Church, afternoon.
Tuesday, October 21—Alberton, Confirma- tion, morning; O’Leary, Confirmation and Consecration of Church, afternoon ; Alberton, meeting of Clerical Association, evening.
Wednesday, Oct. 22—Alberton, Ordination of Priest, morning ; Port Hill, Confirmation, evening.
Thursday, Oct. 23—Lot 11, Confirmation, morning.
: Friday, Oct. 24.—Cherry Valley, Confirma- tion, afternoon,
BT ATUOTIOWN,
~ .
290
| i
T SALESROOM, on TUESDAY, Ucto-—
d ber 7th, at 2 o'clock, p. m, :—
1 Parlor Suite, new, ] - * second-hand, 1 Bedroom new, ] Oil Tank, second-hand, lL Set Scales, ” 30 Stoves, "
R. BEAIRSTO,
Auctioneer,
oe
oct4
Apples | Apples !
BR’ AUCTION, on WEDNESDAY, Oct Sth, at 10.30 o'clock, a. m,, in front of our Auction Room :
50 Barrels GRAVENSTEIN APPLE dered to be sold at any price to close. gains for householders.
EK. H. NORTON & CO., Auctioneers.
, S, or-
Bar
oct6—dy 2i
New Tannery.
LONG OROS.,
Tanners and, Curriers,
DEALERS IN——-
Hides, Calfskins, Sheepskins, Horse Hides, Tail-Hair, ete.
Market Rates paid for Hides, etc.
MALPEQUE ROAD, Opposite Ch’'town Woolen Mills,
oct6—3m eod
ee ED
Prime Herring. 10
Barrels and 60 Half Barrels of Prime Herring just received, and will be sold cheap for cash, Wholesale and Retail. GRANT & CO.,
oct6—dy 3ieod wy li Queen St.
FOR SALE.
BELL ORGAN, slmost
sold at a big discount, CHAS. I. MORRISON,
106 Queen Street.
new, will be
£
oct6
APPLES.
_—_—_——
NICE LOT OF APPLES just received, and will be suld on WEDNESDAY, the 8th inst. CHAS 1, MORRISON,
oct6 106 Queen Street.
Mortgage Sale.
To be sold by Public Auction, on TUESDAY, the Eleventh day of November next. A. D. 1890, at the heur of Twelve o’clock, noon, in front of the Law Courts Building in Charlottetown, in Queen’s County, in Prince Edward Island :—
At that tract, piece Or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in Charlottetown, in Queen’s County aforesaid, bounded and described as fol- lows, that is to say :—Commencing on the west side of Great George Street, at the north-east angle of a piece of land sold by Richard Heartz to Joseph Jackson; thence north along Great George Street to Kuston Street; thence west along Euston Street one hundred and twenty-four (124) feet; thence south adjoining the land of Philip Large eighty-five feet ; thence east for the distance of twenty-four feet ; thence north along the western boundary line of Joseph Jackson’s land to the northern boundary of said Jackson’s land; thence east along the north boundary of the said Joseph Jackson’s land to Great George “treet aforesaid, at the place of commencement, being part of Town Lots Numbers Sixty-cne and Sixty-two, in the Fifth Hundred of ‘'own Lets in Charlottetown aforesaid.
The above sale is made under and by virtue of a power of sale contained in an Indenture of Mortgage, bearing date the Seventh dav of July, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty-Seven, and made betweer John Coombs, and Ada C, Coombs, his wife, of the one part, and William Toombs of the other part.
For further particulars apply at the office of Bayfield & Blanchard, Solicitors, Charlottetown.
Dated this Sixth day of October, 1890.
WILLIAM N. TOOMBS, Assignee of Mortgagee.
oct6—dy law (Mon) tl sle
Sailing Hour for Remainder of Season is 4 o'clock, P. m., on Thursday of Each Week.
ao received on Wednesday and up till noon on Vhursday— positively no later—as time is requived to make out ship's papers before sailing. CARVELL BROS, sept27—2w (sat tues) pat Ave.ta.
FOR SALE.
tiem desireble Brick Residence situated
on the north side of Hillshoro Square. The House is frost-proof throughout. Coach House, Stable and Coal House on the _pre- mises. Entrance from Weymouth and Rich- mond Streets. The property ruis back 160 feet, and is 48 feet wide.
For further particulars apply on the pre- mises to
MRS. KENNEDY. june27—dy
CAR.
DR. H. D. JOHNSON,
Physician and Surgeon, sts
CHARLOTTETOWN.
OFFICE; Kent Street, next door to Eldon Mays tf
House.
}
}
OF ALL KINDS go to BEER BROS,
‘We Ask Special Attention
——TO OUR—~—
Astrakan Jackets,
Never before have we shown s0
QUALITY
: is our strong point, and Ladies desir.
large or so fine a stock,
: ing a Garment that shall give them
: SATISFACTION, should buy from
us. Note particularly the Color, Finish and Fit
: OF OUR GOODS.
Beer rvs,
CAPES —in Persian Lamb, Beaver, Astrakan, Opossum, Nutria, Hare. BOAS—in Bear, Alaska Sable, Goat, Hare, Fancy Furs and Ostrich Feathers.
STORM COLLARS—in Beaver, Persian
CAPS—in Persian Lamb, Astracan.
Lamb, Astrakan, Nutria.
MUFFS—in Beaver, Persian Lamb, Bear, Astrakan, Nutria, South Sea Seal,
Baltic Seal, Coney.
GAUNTLETS, etc., etc., in large variety. FUR-LINED DOLMANS.~—A large stock in all the new Shapes and Linings, MEN’S FUR COATS.—Racoon, Bokharan, Astrakan, Bear, Bulgarian, ete.
SILK SEALETTES —Very: fine value at
$5.50, $6.00, $7.70 and $8.80.
EDIsSOn
INCANDES UE
NT LIGHT
(x)
Please Note Carefully the Following Important Facts:
1. THE EDISON SYSTEM IS PERFECTLY SAFE. The whole dynamo cur- rent may be taken through the human body without injury.
2. THE ALTERNATING SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS.
Electrical aud Insur-
ance experts everywhere pronounce the Alternative System to be the most danger-
ous system now in use, for which reason
it was chosen by U. S. A. experts for
Government electrocution. Should the main street wires break from coating with ice or from any other cause when the current is on (as has occurred in other
places), instant death is caused from contae
_ 3. The Full Electric Co. will have an Edison Incandescent plant in two or three weeks, and are prepared to give a BETTER LIG
t with them.
in operation
HT at the SAME
PRICE AND TERMS as the Alternating Co.
4. The Full Electrie Co. is a purely been subscribed for in Charlottetown.
5. There would not have been Incandescent
Local Company,—all the Stock having
plant in Charlottetown. and the
price of lighting would not have been reduced to what it now is, if the Full
Electric Co. had not introduced a plant.
In consideration of these facts, the FULL ELECTRIC CO. claim that they should have the preference from all our enterprising citizens,
WALTER P.
Charlottetown, Oct. 6, 1890—3i pat
——————— _ ape ee
Removal
DOULL. Superintendent.
a
as —
~—=(x)—--—-=
“HE BAZAAR CO. have moved into the 4 don and China Tea Co.,
Store lately occupied by the Great Lon-
below Fraser’s Corner, and are now in a better posi-
tion to wait on their customers, having had the Store thoroughly fitted — ER
their convenience.
THAN BEFORE.
BOOKS !
BOOKS !
They have an entirely New Stock, and prices are even LO
BOOKS !
All the standard and late popular issues kept constantly on hand. Also a full
line of SCHOOL BOOKS and SCHOOL NALS and LEDGERS, BIBLES, HYMN
FANCY GCODS, Dishes, Cups and Saucers, Dishes, Tumblers, Goblets,
including Vases, Toilet Sets,
REQUISITES, DAY BOOKS, JOUR- BOOKS, etc., ete.
Jugs, Cheese and Buiter
Rose and Biscuit Jars, Mugs, Oi] Bottles, Preserve Baskets, etc., ete.
PLUSH GOODS, including Work Baskets, Jewel Cases, Dressing Cases, Cuft
and Collar Boxes, Glove and Handkerchief
Albums, Purses, ete., ete.
Among the thousand and one TOYS are Guns, Pistols, Jews’ Harps, Violins, Accordeons,
Tool Writing Desks, Work Boxes, etc. "4 Their Fall Stock of ROOM PAPER
‘attention.
|
|
You should call and examine their
Boxes, Autograph and Photograph
Banks, Mouth Organs, Chests, Horses, Carts, Dol!s, Games, and BLINDS is attracting particular
large stock of PLAIN and FANCY
TIONERY, WEDDING COMBINATIONS, VISITING CARDS, etc., ete.
DONT FORGET THE PLAUE,—
BAZAAR CO.,
octl
Next to the Dominion Boot and Shoe Store, Queen Street