46 CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

The government of British Columbia early recognized the importance of
reclaiming the rich alluvial meadows in the Fraser River Valley and to
that end established a system of dykes, which has rendered over 100,000
acres fit for cultivation. -These reclamation works represent an expendi-
ture of $981,000. The government undertakes the redemption of dyking
debentures issued by the municipalities and which are payable in forty
years. In West Kootenay, from the International Boundary a tract of
meadow extends to the south end of Kootenay Lake, a distance of about
35 miles, comprising about 40,000 acres. These lands have been partially
reclaimed by dyking, and are very productive, but the greater portion is
still one vast hay meadow. Fronting the west and north east of Vancouver |
Island is a very large body of land, which could be made available for
mixed farming and dairying by inexpensive dyking and drainage. The
extent of this land is estimated at over 150,000 acres.

LIVE STOCK.

Cattle raising on a large scale was once one of the chief industries
of the province and the large ranches are still making money. The
tendency of late, however has been for small herds and improvement
of stock. The British Columbia Dairymen’s, Stock Breeder’s, and
Poultry Associations are doing much to encourage and develop the
their respective industries. The two former associations assist their
members in importing pure bred stock into the province and the
Poultry Association is carrying on educational and other work in the
interests of poultrymen. Ss

Prices of live stock of all classes are variable, but the following may
be taken as a standard:

Draught horses, $500 to $800 per team; farm teams, $300 to $500; road-
sters, $150 to $300 each; hackneys, $200and up; Clydesdales, Percheron
and Shire Stallions, $800 to $5,000 each. Ranch cattle, 344 to 5 cents
per pound live weight; dairy cows, $50 to $75 each; calves, 714 cents
live weight. Sheep, 514 to 64 cents per pound, live weight; $4 to $6
per head; wool 18 cents per pound. Net annual profit per ewe, from
$4,40 to 5,40. Live hogs sell at 6144 to 74% cents per pound.

Splendid specimens of British Columbia Horses.