veloped new railroads, country roads, school houses, churches and towns, all of which must be paid for chiefly by the community itself.

THE ATTITUDE OF THE FARMER

In a Dominion office the following conversation took place:

"What is to be your production campaign for next year? After an experience of three years upon what are you going to place the greatest emphasis? What have you undertaken which, it was found, did not work? It would help us to know. It might prevent us from making the same mistake."

The government official said:

"We are just now most concerned with the psychology of the farmer. The farmers have been given a good deal of information which they have mistaken for advice and resented it as such. The government has fixed the maximum price which the farmer may receive for his wheat. At the same time there is a tariff of 40 per cent on farm machinery and other manufactured products.

"For instance, he pays more for Ford autos in Canada than does his brother-farmer across the border. The Canadian farmer does not object to supporting his government but since the automobiles he buys are manufactured in Canada he feels that he is making Mr. Ford a present. Indeed, it is argued that it is more patriotic to buy goods manufactured in the United States, since then part of the purchase price goes to the government which needs the money for war purposes, instead of into the pockets of profiteers."

"Then the farmer feels he is getting a 'raw deal?'"'

"Well, to say the least, he thinks the government is not being run in his interest. The problem just at present is to get the farmer in a better frame of mind-less resentful to the government. It is proposed to do this by sending men to groups of farmers to explain to them the true

seriousness of the war. Things can be told at these meetings that cannot be published. When the farmer understands the real situation, I have no doubt he will respond."

In other words, this official thought the important thing just now was not to tell the farmer how to raise more crops but to bring home to him the dangers overseas. All these suggestions must be judged in the light of the fact that Canada was then about to have an election which had some of the aspects of a presidential campaign, where the incumbent is up for a second term.

On account of the political campaign then raging one would read and hear all manner of opinion concerning the status of the Canadian farmer, but when the whole matter is summed up it is safe to say that the farmers have a greater purchasing power than ever before in the history of the Dominion. That is to say they have not only received more money during the past three seasons but they have been able to exchange their crops and their animals for more commodities. This is, of course, particularly true of their pre-war debts. They can now pay off their mortgages with about one-half the products heretofore required. If they are wise enough to pay their debts instead of buying non-essentials or more land at inflated values, their position is going to be greatly strengthened to weather the storm in future years.

WHAT CANADA HAS DONE

In October Canada had already placed 5 per cent of her population under arms and had spent a sum of money which is comparable with the spending of forty billions by the United States. If French Canada be omitted, which has not been loyal to France, Great Britain or to Canada herself, Canada's contribution to this war was proportionately equivalent to our placing seven million men under arms. Since then she has conscripted an additional body of men in itself relatively equal to our present army.

In addition to the 428,000 under arms, an official state

ment gives the number of men employed in munitions at 350,000. If these statements are true, and it seems necessary to accept them as they are official, then there are 758,000 men either in the army or in munitions. The census of 1911 gave the male population of Canada of all ages as 3,821,995. The number of men of military age, 18 to 45 years, was 1,720,000. The total male workers of any age numbered 2,358,813. It seems, therefore, that there could not have been more than three million men in Canada at the outbreak of the war. It follows, that one male out of every four of working age had gone to war or was engaged in munitions work. Notwithstanding the fact that these figures were apparently unassailable, I felt some hesitation in accepting them. These data were presented to a prominent business man in Winnipeg with the request that he think over his acquaintances and state whether one in four of the men he knew had either gone to war or was working in munitions.

He replied: "To tell you the truth, I do not know many persons who are working in munitions factories, but I belong to a church of 1500 men, women and children. Three hundred and fifty men enlisted in the army from this church."

Fearing this might be a sporadic instance, it was reported to an official at Ottawa. He replied, "I belong to a church with a membership of 700 men and women. Two hundred men have enlisted from this church. There is not an educated family in Canada," he continued quietly, "that has not contributed some one to this war."

Every industry in Canada has prospered during the period of this war, except building trades and city real estate. I repeatedly asked whether so comprehensive a statement could be made safely. I was assured that while there might be special and individual exceptions to such a generalization that it was a fair presentment of the situation. Notwithstanding the fact that one-fourth the men have been withdrawn from the usual civilian activities, Canada has carried on her essential occupations.

HOW HAS THE FARMER RESPONDED

Fortunately this question is capable of answer.

The year the war broke out the Canadian farmer had planted 10.3 million acres to wheat from which were obtained 162 million bushels. Last year 14.8 million acres of wheat were sown. According to official figures handed me while in Canada, the yield of wheat was 249 million bushels. Later estimates make the yield of wheat 234 million bushels. If the population of Canada is taken at eight millions, then there were raised somewhere between 29 and 31 bushels of wheat per capita while the United States raised less than 7 bushels.1

Special attention should be called to the year 1915, the first crop season after war was declared. Not only did the farmer increase his acreage, but that year crop yields were obtained such as were never known, and as stated by a competent observer, may never again be known. In 1914 the yield of wheat was less than 16 bushels per acre. For purely climatic reasons in 1915 it was 26.1, while in 1916 it was a trifle over 17 bushels per acre. It shows what an enormous influence the weather exerts on the destinies of the farmer and the country. The consequences of this great gift were very happy. Not only did it give a great surplus of wheat for the Allies but it furnished the farmer the money which enabled him to maintain and even extend his operations. This last fact was particularly emphasized. It deserves to be, since it explains what many people find it difficult to understand. A farmer cannot increase his activities without funds. The most effective capital is that which the farmer himself earns. Give him a chance to earn it and he will do the rest.

In order to determine the actual energy applied to agriculture in Canada, its best demominator is not the harvest gathered but the acres planted. Canada's three great farm

1 Canada has revised her official figures twice since this address was written so that some of the figures here given do not correspond with figures previously published.

crops are wheat, oats, and barley. They are more or less interchangeable. One season's climatic conditions may favor a little more of one or a little more of the others. The acreage of the three combined therefore indicates what effort the tillers of the soil contributed to this great adventure. In 1914 the Canadian farmers harvested in round numbers 22 million acres of these three staples. The next year, the first cropping season after war was declared, they harvested 28 millions, the next year 28, and the last year 30.5 millions. If the year 1914 is compared with the year 1917, then the acreage has increased 40 per cent while production has increased 35 per cent. If it be considered more accurate to compare the average of the two years 1913 and 1914 with the two years 1916 and 1917 then the acreage has been increased 31 per cent and the production 18 per cent. In any case this is certain, Canada has not only raised sufficient food for her own population but she has raised an increased supply for her Allies. Furthermore it is freely predicted that if the season is favorable this coming year, she will raise the greatest acreage of these crops in her history.

We may go a step farther and show the acreage and value of all field crops, the principal addition to the above

2 This paper was submitted to the Dominion statistician in order that all figures used might be officially verified. The Chief of Agricultural Statistics makes the following comment and corrections:

"There is, however, one statistical pitfall-a quite natural one under the circumstances-into which Mr. Hunt appears to have fallen. He writes that 'If the year 1914 is compared with the year 1917 then the acreage has increased 40 per cent, while production has increased 35 per cent.' The year 1914 was notable for extreme drought in the West, and the non-productive acreage was so large that we deducted over 1.5 million acres as land which was sown to wheat, barley, and oats in the Prairie Provinces, but which failed to produce any crops. Consequently the yield was calculated upon the producing area and not the sown area, which in 1914 for the three crops was 23,434,100 acres. The sentence would be correct if it were made to read: 'If the area sown in the year 1914 be compared with the year 1917 then the acreage has increased 30 per cent, while production has increased 35 per cent.' '' It will be noted that while the area planted in 1917 was only 30 per cent greater, the area harvested was 40 per cent greater.