AGRICULTURE IN THE “GARDEN PROVINCE" 
     
    
   
   
    
     Its Importance 
     
    
   
   
    
     RINCE EDWARD ISLAND has been aptly termed a 
     
     “great million acre farm.” It is essentially an agri- 
     
     cultural province, not less than 80 per cent. of its total 
     
     population being interested in this industry. It is 
     
    

    
     the most thoroughly cultivated territory on this side of. the 
     
    

    
     Atlantic, and is one great garden from end to end. There 
     
    

    
     were according to the census of 1891, 718,092 acres of 
     
    

    
     improved lands of which 536,175 acres were under crop, 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     178,072 acres of pasture land, and 3,845 acres of gardens and 
     
     orchards. The total amount of farm land assessed in 1898 
     
     was about 1,267,876 acres. The average size of the farms is 
     
     75 acres, and the average value $1,000. In 1891 the total 
     
     number of farmers was 15,137, and including sons 20,227. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Agriculture is the mainstay of the Province and the im- 
     
     portance of the industry cannot be over-estimated. A larger 
     
     amount of capital is invested in this than in any other pursuit, 
     
     namely: in lands. buildings, implements and stock about 
     
     $22,000,000, as against $2,911,963 in trades and manufactures. 
     
     In the production of milk, butter and cheese alone, there is 
     
     invested in Prince Edward Island at least $1,325,600. 
     
    
   
   
    
     It is somewhat difiicult to determine the annual value of 
     
     the products of the farm in this Island, but the following 
     
     figures at current market prices are probably nearly correct :— 
     
    
   
   
    
     Field products - - $5,000,000 
     
     Live stock increase — - 500,000 
     
     Dairy produce - - 1,000,000 
     
     Orchard and Garden products - 100,000 
     
     Pasture — - - 400,000 
     
     Eggs, wool, honey, etc. - - 400,000 
     
    

    
     Total $7,400,000 
     
    
   
   
    
     The following is taken from a pamphlet on Prince Edward 
     
     Island issued by the Provincial Government in 1888: 
     
     “ The Island is noted for the fertility of its soil, and it may confidently 
     
    
   
   
    
     be asserted that, with the exception of a few hogs and swamps composed 
     
     of a soft spongy turf, or a deep layer of wet black mould, the whole Island