trade to supply the town of Kenora, which has a population of about far as plant food is concerned, is as productive as surface soil. ed a demonstration farm adjoining the town of Dryden. colony of Germans at Waldhof. . "while many of the later varieties are frequently caught by the carly frost, * The following table gives the average dates of the last and first frosts for THE DRYDEN" OBSERVER Agricultural Conditions in Kenora District Surveyed for the purpose of a Building Programme. (Preparec. by M. F. COOK, Agricultural Representative) Note---The figures in this report in most cases have been taken from the census report of 1920 and are the most aceurate available. INTRODUCTION IN preparing a report on Agricultural conditions for the purpose of building a work programme, one of our first considerations is our location. which is the farthest west and north districts in the Province of Ontario in which Agricul- ture is being carried on. On the south we are bounded by the district of Rainy River, at approxim- ately the 49th parallel, and on the north the English Rver and Lac Seul, at approximately the 50th Parallel; on the east by the District of Thunder Bay, at 91 degrees longtitude; on the west by the Manitoba boundary, at 95 degrees longtitude, and are approximately nine hundred (900) miles north of the city of Toronto. {AREA---This District is roughly one hundred and thirty-six (136) miles in width by one hundred and eighty-four (184) miles in length at its widest points and comprises a total land area of 11,616,000 acres. ~ It is estimated that 800,000 acres of this is suitable for agricultural purposes, while at the present time 118,000 acres are occupied, or a little better than one eighth. J This agricultural area is divided into two separate parts by a ridge of rock about fifty (50) miles in width, commencing about six miles east of the town of Kenora and running to about a couple of miles west of Vermillion Bay. This agricnitural area is divided into two separate parts by a ridge of The land around Kenora is divided into nine (9) townships, two of which are organized as one Municipality, The farms in this section are badly cut up with rocks and numercus small lakes and streams. The soil is very productive and splendid crops of grain and hay can be grown, and a few market gardeners are able to produce, on a small scale, a few of the hardier varieties of some of our tender fruits. Mixed farming is carried on here, as well as dairying for the whole mili 7,000 The eastern section of the District, of which Dryden is the central place business, is comprised of twenty-five (25) townships, seventeen, (17) of which are open for settlement, or have been settled; the balance has not as yet beer opened, or is held for veteran claims only, SOIL--The soil for the most part is a good clay loam, sufficiently rolling fo { machine in to thresh their grain. and it is expected that withina few years this work will be completed. There are numerous gravel pits, which makes road building comparatively easy, as a coat of gravel is put on the roads as soon os they are built, which - exception of about ten miles, which it is expected, will be finished this summer. There are numerous cross-roads as well, leading to the farms on the back con- helps te keep them in shape. with dairying on the increase. ping in good cattle on easy terms. principal cash crops. Total land area _ : cessions, and several more require to be built, as there are irstances of farmers | who have been living here some years, who have been unable to get a threshing Work in this line is being rapidly pushed AGRICULTURE--Mixed farming is the general practice being carried out, This has been greatly encouraged by the build- ing of a Creamery in Dryden, and the co-operation of the Department in ship- Clover seed and seed potatoes are the AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS OF KENORA DISTRICT, 1921. 11,616,000 Area of occupied farms 117,693 In farms, 1-4 acres 46 patural drainage, There are also areas of s nd & rock, with occasion 1 out- kropping of rockin some of the clay soils. The divisions of these soils ar2 fairly well marked. From Eagle River the sand runs in a north-western direction, following the Wabigoon River to about three miles south of Quibsll, on the G.T.P. to a south-eastern direction about two miles north ef Waldhof, {hen continuing through the couthern part of Aubrey and Van Yiorne Townships. Th's roughly divides the rocky and sandy' land from the clay land nerth-east of it, This sandy pertien is supposedly an old lake shore, during the glacial period, while the clay land was the old lake bottom, which Las since been elevated to its present altitude. The clay in this District lies in strata, laid haerizentally against the sloping surfaces of the rock. At Quibell on the G.T.P. there is quite an area of clay soil, but farther north the rocks again predominate. Prospectors who have travelled northward from this point to Lac Seul, report large ~aveas of arable land, mest of which they elaim still has the rich black surface epil, untouched by forest fires. The rock and soil arc e-orated very theroughly, for where there is good soil stones are very rare. four .. The predominating soil is clay and the sub-soil is unvaria- bly the sac. 'ending down in many cases as far as one hundred feef. . The soil is undoubtedly of an alluvial nature for it is stratified in layers of quarter to half inch in thickness. It is yery rarely shallow and fields can be cultivated right te the edge of every steep rock, as they dip dewn very abruptly, The spl theugh a fairly heavy clay lpam, appears to be quite friable when exposed te the action of the frost and air, and soil taken from wells and cellars, co The higher knolls appear to be composed of a mixture of quick-sand and clay with a clay sub-soil. This soil appears to be lacking in lime, as eraps respond to a remarkable extent by this applicatipn of land plaster, . This soil in its virgin state is covered with spruce, jack pine and peplar, and a number of vears age severe forest fires have eccurred, which has caused a great loss of timber as well as plant feed, Hewever, there appears te be an abundant sup- ply of mineral congtituents where legumes do well. Wherever red clover and alsike ave seeded, they have up to the last few years gained excellent returns and od still in new soil, however on older culi- vated fields, red clover seed has not Feen setting sufficiently te make it a very profitable crop. This would lead pne to believe that there'is a lack of hesphates in the spil, The lower laying seil of the District has not as yet been cultivated, owing to the lack of drainage. In order to do this no excessive drainage schemc- would be necessary as there is plenty of fall in most cases, but as there has been plenty of high land which is niore easily cleared, this work has been neglected, ~ oy ft ig estimated that abbout fifteen per cent. (15 p.c.) of the soil in the Dryden area is of muskeg nature, with about five per cent. (5 p.c.) of an out- | cropping of rock. | POPULATION--The first step towards creating an interest along agricultural lines around Dryden, were taken in 1895. At that time the Hon. John Dryden, who was Minister of Agriculture, making a trip to the west, and on stopping off here noticed that clover was growing along the track and also threugh the bush. The next year he induced a few settlers to come up here and also start- Since then the District has gradually increased until at the present time, according to the 1920 census, there are 19,659 of a population; 8,880 urban and 10,779 rural. The] people are for the most part from the British Isles, Norway, Sweden, and a § { H These people have made good settlers in their up-hill fight in pioneering | this new courtrr. Of late vears a number of settlers have come in from the | west apparently niore for the purpose of taking off wood than for actually | making homes and fairs. Any cf these who intended making theih homes here, | have made excellent showing in the short time they have been here. CLIMATE--Our climate here has a very great bearing on the Agriculture that _is carried on, and in selecting crops to grow, earliness is one of the chief factors that must be considered. ~~ Most early varieties of grain do well and ripen, Potatoes, Peas and Clover do exceptionally well and are our chief cash crops. years 1922-23 and 24: The average date of last frost, Kenora, May 22; Dryden, June 1st. The average date of first frost, Kenora, September 17; Dryden, September 6th, making the average growing season for these thre years, for Kenora 118 days and for Dryden 98 days. The average rain fall for these two places is 24.9 fox Kenora and 24.5 for Dryden, while the snow fall for Kenora is 53" anr for Dry: " Eh the present time there is no road leading out of the Kenora Dist- there a road between the western section of the District at Ke- section 'at Dryden, however, around Dryden there are d, the main road being about seventy (70) miles rict neither is nora and the eastern the In farms, 5-10 acres 84 In farms, 11-50 acres 1,232 In farms, 51-100 acres 7,145 In farms, 101-200 acres 62,501 In farms, 201-299 acres 20,409 In farms, 300 acres and over 26,276 Occupied by owner ¥ 110,450 Occupied by Manager 1,415 Occupied by Tenant 2,412 Occupied by part owner, part tenant 3,416 Total owned or managed 114,310 | Total rented : 3,383 Condition on Farm Land, 1921. Improved _ = 17,766 Pasture i 3,008 Idle or fallow 643. Field Crops es i 127,39 Market Garden 17 Orchard an 1 Small Fruits ___ 2 Unimproved 99,927 Woddnng een 50,183 Prairie or natural pasture ____ 28,613 Marsh or waste land .._ x --r 1,101 Farm Values, 1921 Total _ = 2312572 Land" ==. - -- : 1,067,636 Buildings ite 631,264 Implements and Machinery _ 276,435 Live Stock 337,237 farm Expenses, 1920 Expenditure for Feed $ 80,005 Expenditure for Seed 16,679 ¥xpenditure for manure and fertilizer 1,807 Farm Labour--Cash 63,392 Farm Labour--Board ei 11,747 Value of Farm Produccts, 1920 : Field Crops _ $ 335,825 Vegetables 682 Fruits and Maple Syrup 682 Forest Products 148,197 Steck Sold Alive 26,070 Steck Staughtered 52,397 Animal Products, total value a $143,367 Total Area of Crop Fields --12,739 acres Fall Wheat _ ; i ~ { Spring Wheat 178 Barley __. 393 Oats 3,583 Rye ...- ns 27 Peas = 28 Flax for Seed - 6 Mixed Graing 83 Hay = 7,721 Grains for Hay : 150 ©. Other Forage Crops is 36 -. Potatoes 465 : Purnips im 49 Other Field Crops 13 Area & Yield of Seed Potatoes, Roots, Hay and other Forage Crops for 1920 Flax for Seed--6 acres yielded _: 35 bus. Grass Seed 4,464 Ibs. Clover Seed -.. 309,360 Ibs. 6,267 tons, Hay--6,729 acres yielded o ee 328 tons of heering hay. Clary T0F Foran on rma D ACCES ms 11 tons. Grains cut for Hay.-..-_..324 acres 288 tons. Other vorage crops -------- 438 acres 98 tons. Potatoes: ai 404 acres _ 40,919 bus. arnipy ...oa sila 42 acres 15,637 bus. Other field roots__.._... 4 acres ..... ie 39 tons Forest Froducts of Farm in 1920 Total Value o.oo) aritmme wm -$148,197 Used on farm Kral eRe att 35,331 Sold = - 112,866 Used on Farm Frewood--6,604 cords -- -$28,644 Fence Posts--11,980 posts, valued at Sei and Rails--19,729 valued at = 2,191 3,662 Logs for Lumber--6,795 valued at Logs for Lumer--3,892, valued at Sold-- Firewood--5055 cords, valued at -.--. $28,644 Fence Posts--T750 posts, vauled at _ 79 Railway Ties--387,212 ties, valued at 21,765 3.791 58,412 Telegraph poles--6,090, valued at Live Stock-- $337,237 Value of all Live Stock Horses,iooo curiam No. 985 __ 165,281 several miles of first class roa in length, and runs practically through the whole agricultural area, with the Colts under one year 37 Colts from one to two years 21 Mares two years and over 341 Geldings two years and OVer __. owe 578 Stallions two years and over _ ooo 8 Mules-- No., 3 Valued at 3 420 Cattle--No., 2,696, valued at _ 135,152 Under one year 709 Heifers, one to two years 348 Steers, one to two years 104 Cows & Heifers, two years & over --_--_....---1,302 Steers two years and over --..------em--mim + D2 Bulls, one year and over == 8} Cows in milk or in calf 1,180 Sheep--No., 279, valued at __..__. -$3,017 Under six months _ 113 id Ewes, one year and over _146 Rams, one year and over 19 "i ai ra a A Wethers, one year and over eee. 1 Swine--No., 803, valued at $14,441 Under six months 529 ! Sews, six months and over 121 : Boars, six months and over 16 Other Hogs, six months and over __.___.__..188 Poultry--No., 20,287, valued at $15,951 Hens and Chickens--No., 19,678, valued at 114,309 Under four memths, No. 9,283 Four Months and over No. 10,395 : Turkeys... No. 208, valued at $1,072 Under four memths__..__.No. 144 Lo Four months and over __. No. 64 : Ducks No. 129, valued at ........crmmmmss $129 Geese No. 222, valued 8t moore men $487 Bees No. of Hives 165, valued at ----.occe_..._.$2,975 Stock Sold Alive, Stock Slaughtered and Animal Produce on Farm in this District, 1920-- . Sold alive off farms on which raised $26.070 Domestic Animals 24,899 Poultry 1,171 Number of each hiad-- Horses 19 Colts ¥.3 Other Horses 6 Cattle 328 Calves 86 Cows in milk or in calf 124 Other Cattle _ A118 Sheep 12 Lambs 8 Other Sheep : y 4 Swine 290 Poultry, total 864 Mens, old stock 371 Chickensof 1920 ........ 5... a 2444 Turkeys _ = 23 Geese i. Ey 26 Stock Slaughtered op Farms ..__ _ -$52,397 Domestic Animals Se 47,791 POU EY a -------- 4,606 Number of each Kind-- Caitle, total © i Sp He etme --- b88 Calves 3. -- oO 310 Other Cattle -- 407 Sheep Sel h4 Swine ------ as7 Poultry, total 4,092 Hensand Chickens 2... 3,889 Turkeys 197 Geese ---- A301 Ducks 3b Number of Cows milked _.__.__..__.__.__. 1,006 Milk produced : _ 4,418,089 Ibs. Value of milk produced _--..__..----m-- ~ $100.949 Milk sold 836,140 Ibs, Cream sold '361 gala. Butter Fat Sold 260 ¥os. Butter made en farms ee eee. 85,225 hs. Butter sold off farms _ i... 34,262 Ibs Eggs s - Nuinbor of dozen produced ----.__.--... 61,963--valued at -- oe eem -$32,256 Nur Lor of dozen sold ----..._ CE anes +22 781--valued al oases 11,859 Chickens raised 8,496 Honey and Wax Honey produced v 2,856 Ibs. Wax produced 17 bs Value of Honey and Wax $ 865. Wool = Sheep shorn ow 179 Ms. Wool produced , 1,376 Ibs. Value of Wool $297 Rural Area Assessed-- > Acres of assessed land 84,920 Acres cleared __._ Lidia 208,794 Acres of Woodland _ - 19,524 Acres of Slash Land __._ -- : :-38,699 Acres of swamp, marsh or waste land roman 1T,008 Percent cleared -- rr 10.36 This land total refers only to the organized territory for 1924. Im this District we only have three organized townships, namely: Van Horne, Machin and Jaffrav & Melick. > Regarding the grading of Hogs marketedl in 1928 In April 79 hogs graded ! 71 thick smooth 6 heavies 1 extra heavy Ci moni Ss ge ea en 1 sow _Tetal hogs 19 Thick smooth__..__.-.--.--10 Shop = 9 May Dogh- msn 38 Selects a 8 Thick SMO --.comeririsem mre 15 N Heavy : : 1 Shop Hogs... irises a; 3 } SOWE iia ri 3 _....__These Hogs were practically all shipped from Oxdrift. . o.com Pure Bred Bulls :--Holsteins, 12; Ayrshires, 5; Short Herns, 4; Grades, 36; Poll Angus, 1; Jersey, 1. A number of these sires, especially the Holsteins, are owned by the Dominien Government and are loaned to cattle Associations. At least three Associations will be formed this spring, which will do away with a number of grades. TESTING CATTLE FOR TUBERCULOSIS-- A little over two years ago an attempt was made to clear up the District of PB. As we could not get under the Dominion Policy of a restrieted area, the wark was carried on under the supervised Herd Plan. Result of Townships Total Re-Asgters Aubrey Ras. 164 _ 10 Britton - Dryden ==-49 2 [4] Eton = et OND 0 IOREION ee = oe mmm BD mein Mulfie. oie aa 82. Melgund 5 28 i Redvers 7 al iar BR 7 STOR EA Tee Sarfard EL ia V2 iE hh me Soathworth 0 mT 9 ¢ Temple - im AS [] Var Home = i Se ID 1 Wainwright 125 ats ae 1 Wablgoon oo eri iia eri mein 46. in Rl | Rugby..--- Dt 4 ae é Zea znd 142 -- SAE | Sie. = Lookout in 50 i - 24 (Continued on page Faw) 4