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Seay SAAD Sd] Total Canadian farm acreage decreases during last 5 years An increase in the number of farms with 760 acres or more in area and a sharp decrease in the number of smaller ones featured the fifth in a series of reports on the 1971 Census of Agricul- ture issued last week by Statistics Canada. Total land area used by Canadian farmers dropped to 170 million acres from the 174 million reported in 1966, to produce the lowest acreage figure recorded since 1931. Despite thisreductionin total acreage the trend to larger farms continues. Of the 366,128 farms covered by the census '17 percent were 760 acres or more in size, compared with 13 per cent five years earlier and 11 per cent in 1961. Farms with less than 760 acres accounted for 83 per cent of the 1971 total, . down from 87 per cent of the farms in 1966 and 90 per' cent in 1961. ; For the first time Manitoba and Saskatchewan reported decreased acreage in com- parison - with' the previous tensus, - although the de- creases were - relatively 'slight. Manitoba's farm lands were some 75,558 acres below the "1966 figure and Saskatchewan's by about 352,488. Alberta and British Col- umbia continued to show increased farm acreage, following their trends. Newfoundland also reported an increase as the result of unimproved land being brought into- agri- .. culture for the development of community pasture land. The acreage of improved farmland held steady at 108 * million acres virtually un- changed from 1966. Im- proved farmland includes land cultivated and sown to crop for harvest in 1971, farmland cultivated and seeded for. pasture use in 1971, summerfallowed land with no crop harvested in 1971 but being cultivated or worked during the year for weed control and-or for moisture conservation, plus historic - other land used for barn- yards, home gardens, lanes androads onthe farms. Since there was a smaller number of farms in 1971 than five years earlier, the average acreage of improved land per farm in the six eastern provinces rose from 99 acres in 1966 to 108 acres in 1971. In the four western. provinces the improved acreage of the average. farm increased from 406. acres in 1966 to 463 acres in 1971. . The area of cropland, one of the components of im- proved farmland, at 69 million acres, was only slightly less than in 1966. The four western provinces ex- perienced an increase in cropland which was how- ever, more than offset by a decrease in the other pro- vinces. Improved pasture land increased over past censuses toa peak of 11 millionacres in 1966. The 1971 Census reports a decline to 10 million acres with increases reported only in Newfoundland, Saskatch- ewan and Alberta. Summerfallow acreages have shown small fluctua- tions since 1941. In 1971 there was an increase to 27 million acres from 26 million in 1966. Unimproved land on Cana- dian farms, which has de- creased steadily since 1941, "fell to 62 million acres last year, Of this total, 12 million acres were woodland and 50 million acres cqhisisted of unimproved hay land, native pastures, marshes, etc, - "Detailed information con- cerning size, area and use of Canadian farmlands, by pro- virices and census divisions, is contained in Census of Agriculture 96-721, The report is available from the Publications Dis- tribution Unit of Statistics Canada or the Publishing Division of Information Canada, both in Ottawa. Complete tooth decay control within 20 years The following is an infor- mation release from the Canadian Dental Associa- tion. Proper care of teeth and the mouth is a vital health topic these days, and because of this the Star will be carrying articles from the Dental Association on a regular basis. We hope they will be interesting and bene- ficial to our readers, Dental scientists are optimistic that complete control of tooth decay can be a reality within 10 - 20 years. One study recently reported involves the use of an enzyme called dextranese to control decay. The experiment has yet to be conducted with humans. The exzyme apparently attacks a bacterial product associated with decay. This product is called dextran and is involved in the forming of tartar. Tartar sticks to the teeth, irritating the gums and providing a nest for bacteria which produce the acids that attack the teeth. Scientists believe that the enzyme can destroy dextran, causing tartar to break down and cause fewer cavities and gum disease. Several other studies in- volve the use of multiple fluorides to prevent decay. Fluorides have been proven highly effective against tooth decay. Countless studies show that children who have been drinking fluoridated water since birth have as much as 65 percent less decay than children who do not receive the benefits of fluoridation. Fluoridated water, supple- mented by fluoride solutions painted on the teeth and regular b rushing with a fluoride dentifrice, have slashed decay by up to 90 percent, Mr. Ivan Law has had a long association with the Port Perry Fair. Now 86, he took up wood carving eight years ago, and exhibited some of his work at the Fair this year. He is seen here holding a horse and sleigh, one of several he carved last winter. He lives in Oshawa and does his carving in the basement of his home. Report No. Fu PORT PERRY STAR ~ Wednesday, Sept. 6,1972 -- 19 i ] { 4 By | ht v He may have got a little wet, but he comes up smiling. Port Perry Rod and Gun Club "'Dunk-em" was a most popular spot at the Fair. Mr. Ruddy Alexander, a member of the Club took his turn above the large barrel of water and was finally dunked by a hard-throwing young man who vowed he wasn't going to give up until Ruddy was in the water. Idea of the "sport" is to throw ball into bulls-eye, which knocks platform out dumping victim into barrel of water. Tired little community gets new face-lifting Petrolia, Ontario -- The main street of this tiny but historic little community is receiving a badly needed facelift this summer from eight young men with a $7,000 federal Opportunities for Youth grant. With scaffolding, brushes and paint, they are rejuvena- ting the tired old face of a sleepy little town that was the oil capital of Canada and a thriving community of 10,000 at the turn of the century. The oil has long since disappeared but spacious old mansions, shops and a 600- seat opera house--all con- structed during the boom years long ago--remain from the past. The population has slipped to 4,000. ¢ Old brick shops along main street are being done over in hues of blue, lime, yellow, and brown--all color co-or- " dinated to 'accentuate the unique architectural features of the: buildings which include rarities such as stained glass windows, fluted concret columns and ornate, hand-wrought iron- work. * "Atfirsteverybody in town was really suspicious of us", says 19-year-old Ian Smith, project leader. 'But after we did our first storefont, the response was tremendous. Now practically everybody wants to get their store done.' A rejuvenation for the or (8 main street of the town -- 10 miles southeast of Sarnia -- isnot a new issue. For almost six years a facelift has been talked over among towns- folk. - However, due to the high cost of initiating such a venture with commercial painters, the plan never got underway. "I think that we're doing a better job than a commercial painter would", says Ian. "We aren't under any pres- sure to get the job done in a hurry. We can take our time. We've got all summer and we're doing it at a fraction of the cost." Paint and some of the equipment have been dona- ted by the merchants. Pro- ject workers hope to com- plete the downtown core of approximately four blocks by the end of the summer. The job will require three of four houndred gallons of apint. "I've lived in Petrolia al my life, but I really never noticed these buildings", continues Ian. "They were just crunimy old stores before, but now I can see that architecturally they are really beautiful." "I need my eye glasses."