Ibeef cattle; very few pigs are raised; a few farmers grow an acre or lo of turnips for the early fall market to bring in some ready cash. The ereage of grain has increased greatly, but potatoes are definitely the lain cash crop. This year, 1972-73, has been a good one for the farmers with ofatoes bringing the best prices in many years, and beef and pork also ery high. Economically it has been a good year for the farm industry, nd consequently for all other types of business on the Island. Many of s have seen the change over from horse-drawn machinery to mechanical factors, combines, potato harvesters, etc. This, along with all the other lodern equipment around the farm has truly revolutionized farm life. POTATO GROWING Although small plots of potatoes were grown on Prince Edward sland since the late 1700's, it was not until about 1915 that the seed otato industry came to the forefront in this province. It was in Augustine Cove that the late John B. and Edward Mac ¬ Fadyen pioneered in the early stages of potato production, and much of >\m fame as a potato-growing province can be attributed to the early fforts of these two men. (See story on John B. MacFadyen elsewhere n this book.) In those early days of farming horses were used in all types of aachinery employed in the producing of crops. Many farmers imported lorses from . These would be brought in by train in ar-lots. One of the greatest problems to potato farmers in those early days vas that of transportation. Today, a half century later, it is still a con- entious issue, but in a much different way. As there were no motorized vehicles for hauling, all products had o be moved by horse-drawn vehicles to the nearest rail centres of Cape traverse or Albany. Considerable produce was shipped by water from he port of Victoria. Due to these conditions, farmers were handicapped n disposing of their crop, and it was not until the inauguration of the erry service in Bordon in 1917, and the widening of the railway gauge ;hat the potato industry began to expand. This area soon became a very important centre in the potato indus- |ry f°r_ the following reasons: the foresight of the early promoters, the ;nthusisam and initiative of the farmers and the suitability of the soil °r growing potatoes. In 1926 Edward MacFadyen had a large storage warehouse built at ^arleton Siding which was capable of holding a crop of about one hundred "id fifty (150) acres. That Augustine Cove is a prosperous potato-growing district is ^videnced by the presence of many large potato houses in the community. 'ese warehouses are owned by: Gerald Murray , George Murphy , Eldon | Gordon Dawson , Clair Carruthers , Eldon MacWilliams, Elmer and 37