Markets for Canadian farm produce and their relation to agricultural development in western Canada

Abstract

New or pioneer areas do not have distinct or stable types of farming. The manner of conducting the operations of a new homestead is necessarily a compromise between the developed type of farm which will yield highest returns and the undeveloped homestead. The extent of the compromise will depend on the means the homesteader has for making improvements. However, Western Canada has now many areas which are old enough to be completely developed and to show trends and tendencies in their production. They have passed the stage where the value of land increased rapidly enough to ensure a good return for the farmer's efforts, and have reached the stage where the income must be derived from farming operations. Hence the land must all be put to its most economical uses. The three prairie provinces have developed many peculiarities of production which are difficult to understand unless one has an understanding of the background of the development and of the modern forces which tend to shape Western Canadian Agricultural production to an unusual pattern. It is such an understanding that this thesis attempts to provide. The purpose of the investigation involved in this work was to determine the effects of markets on development. Other factors are mentioned also because they are known to have an influence on the progress of settlement, and to assume that agricultural advancement is entirely, a function of the markets provided would present an erroneous picture...