[Transcribed from the P.E.Island Agriculturist 7 August 1943]
ADVANTAGES OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND SET FORTH IN INTERESTING RADIO DIALOGUE
Deputy Minister of Agriculture W. R. Shaw, J. J. Trainor, President of the P.E. Island Federation of Agriculture, and Lincoln Dewar, Well Known Farmer, of New Perth, "Tell the World" Over CBC Enlightening Facts Pertaining to the Island Province.
Boyle: This is Harry Boyle of the CBC Farm Broadcast Department. Tonight I have a story to tell you, or rather I should say, I have three men who are going to tell you the story of a Province. I visited Prince Edward Island for the first time, and coming in by plane saw it in all its summer splendour - it truly looked like "The Garden Province." Canada was born in Prince Edward Island and it seemed like a logical thing now that the country is involved in a world war to see just where the Birthplace stands in the light of present day events. With the question in mind about the status of Prince Edward Island in wartime, I went to see the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, W. R. Shaw. He introduced me to Mr. Jim Trainor, who is President of the Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture, and Lincoln Dewar, one of our successful farmers in the eastern portion of the province. I asked them the question, "Where does Prince Edward Island stand?" and because their answers were so enlightening, the idea of this broadcast was born. Let us listen now to what three Prince Edward Island farmers have to say about their province. How about you starting the conversation off, Mr. Shaw?
Shaw: We are glad to know that Mr. Boyle recognizes this as the "Garden Province of Canada" by his first view of the Island from the air. The Indians originally called it "Abegweit" meaning "Nestling in the Waves". Our Province is the smallest province in Canada. So small, in fact, that some people scarcely know it exists. Nevertheless we feel that true greatness comes from the territorial expansion, but from the hearts and souls of the people. What do you think of that idea, Jim?
Trainor: In my humble opinion, we have much to thank God for in the healthy and happy surroundings of our people in this Province. For a number of years my work took me to all corners of Canada, many points in the United States and Mexico, and on my return journeyings, when drawing near our Island home, my heart expanded with a thrill as the red sand stone cliffs of the Island came in view, and I have never met an Islander who is absent from our Province for any length of time, who did not express a sincere wish that they might at some time be spared to return and take up their permanent residence here.
Dewar: Yes, that is all right, but there is something more than that to our Island people. Composed as they are of four great races, English, Irish, Scotch and French, they have exemplified frugality, an intensity of purpose, and a keen knowledge of business that has helped them to develop to a very high degree the one industry of this Province, Agriculture. In this respect they have shown a leadership that is rather outstanding.
Shaw: That is perfectly true. We have not only given birth to Canada, but we have contributed in a great many respects to the general well being of Canada. We produced in this Province, a new industry, the Fox industry, which has spread throughout the world. We have taken a leadership in the production of certified seed potatoes, and produce approximately one-half of Canada's total production.
Trainor: We were the first province in Canada too, to develop co-operative marketing of eggs. We produce the finest certified seed potatoes in the world.
Dewar: Yes, and we also have the finest oyster in the world, the Malpeque oyster.
Shaw: By the way you might mention that we lead Canada in the production of "Select" hogs.
Trainor: Someone may think we are tooting our own horn too much.
Shaw: Well, we are only a small place, and we have to have a big horn to be heard over this big country.
Trainor: That is alright from the material standpoint. Walter, but do not forget that this farm province has produced men and women of education and culture, who have filled positions of leadership in church and state all over this continent.
Dewar: I hope, Jim, that some of the old boys and girls from the Island, and some of the thousands of people who have come as visitors hear this broadcast, because I am sure that it will recall pleasant memories of the many happy hours they have spent at our lovely beaches and in the blue waters surrounding our shores.
Trainor: I will always remember what one visitor said about our Island. He said the climate was the finest, the ladies the fairest and the gentlemen the most courteous that he had ever been privileged to meet.
Shaw: Yes, and I heard another one quite recently from a visitor, who said that the water is the bluest, the soil the reddest, and the people the whitest of any place on earth.
Dewar: But, all this is not getting back to our question of Agriculture, and by the way, this is practically the theme of our discussion.
Shaw: Just where do we stand with relation to Agriculture in this province at the present time. Now, Mr. Dewar, you are a dairy farmer, possibly you might give us a few ideas.
Dewar: At the present time I would say that the dairy industry is probably expanding due possibly to better prices for products and also to the increased demand for improved breeding stock. We have in this province a number of fine dairy herds representative of the four most important dairy breeds.
Shaw: These have won at royal showings and at National Exhibitions.
Dewar: As a matter of fact Canada's first private master breeder of Holstein cattle is a Prince Edward Island farmer. It appears to me that with our rather light sandy soil that the dairy industry is particularly important here.
Shaw: There is another thing Lincoln, we have a wonderful opportunity on account of great freedom from disease in livestock. We are now about complete with a general test in this province and up to the present we have only ten (10) reactors in the whole province in bovine tuberculosis test. The same could be said with regard to Bangs disease, and it is questionable if any other area over the whole world could show a record of this kind.
Trainor: No doubt after the war the demand for disease free breeding stock will bring a good many buyers to see our Island farmers.
Shaw: Our production in l942 was over one million pounds of cheese and three and one-half million pounds of creamery butter. In the past year there was a tremendous increase in our production.
Trainor: This increase took place notwithstanding a loss of farm labour to the armed forces, war and other industries outside the province which shows the patriotic spirit of its people.
Dewar: Actually Prince Edward Island leads all of Canada for the number of enlistments per capita. I would say we have lost 50% of our able-bodied men.
Shaw: Our potato acreage has expanded during the present year by about 10%. Our hog industry has gone up 25% and our poultry industry 30%. How have farmers accomplished this, Jim, with the great shortage of labour?
Trainor: By working long hours and using every member of the farmer's family and the production of all those essential commodities asked for by the nation.
Shaw: Most efficient organization of farmers' programmes has assisted.
Dewar: What is the picture Walter, in regard to poultry and hogs in the province?
Shaw: Labour is, of course, the main factor in production but another essential factor is that of foods. Within the past year, we have imported approximately one million bushels when converted on grain basis under the Free Freight Policy.
Dewar: Has the supply been adequate?
Shaw: At sometimes, "no". The vital problem to be solved at the present time is the storage of adequate quantities of rough grains within this province to be used as required by our feeders.
Dewar: Now, Jim, that brings up the question of transportation; always vital on an Island.
Trainor: At the present time we are serviced with one ferry boat between Borden on the Island and Tormentine on the mainland. Prior to the war we had the advantage of coastal steamship service that carried our products, particularly our potatoes to the southern U.S.A. and our livestock to Newfoundland. This provided us with two-way service in bringing in supplies and exporting our farm commodities.
Shaw: As a matter of fact this province was the center of ship-building at one time. Our lumber was used in our own home made ships which served to carry our products across to the Old Country where the ships were often disposed of to good advantage and new ships built to take their place. At the present time we have only one boat to carry products off the Island to the outside world and import our needs.
Dewar: So that an Island may overcome some of its handicaps, it is essential that we have smooth working transportation facilities. It appears to me that air traffic will solve many of these problems, in future. In spite of the fact that pigs have never been known to fly we have in the past fall shipped to transport plane to Newfoundland quite a number of these ungainly birds. The possibility of shipping dried milk, cream and dehydrated vegetables in this way are apparent to everyone who considers the possibility of air traffic.
Trainor: When I go to Toronto I hope to be in a position to demand Island cream on my morning cereal.
Shaw: And don't forget the P.E.I. Irish Cobblers.
Dewar: When I go traveling I am going to demand P.E.I. oysters as part of my daily meals.
Trainor: They will go well with Montreal beer.
Shaw: What about P.E.I. lobster, halibut and other fish?
Trainor: In the meantime we have to depend on that one boat and may the Lord preserve the rest of Canada if they become isolated from us.
Dewar: One disadvantage would be that the sparkling clarity of much Canadian beer would be impaired through lack of Irish moss produced in this dry province of Prince Edward Island.
Shaw: It seems to me we have no beer and lots of Irish on this program, Irish Moss and Irish Cobblers - and Irish Jim Trainor.
Shaw: With regard to Irish moss this is a new industry. Last year we exported over one and one-half million pounds of dried Irish moss which is used in the brewing industry in paints, for gelatins and a great variety of other processed articles. Plans are now under way to grade the product and stabilize this as a permanent Island industry.
Trainor: Possibly our listeners would be interested to know that Irish Moss is a product of the sea and is gathered from the shores as it is carried in by the surf. It is also raked from the rocks.
Dewar: I have just been thinking of the many places to which Prince Edward Island products go. Our certified seed potatoes are sold particularly in the United States and some also in Canada itself.
Shaw: Our dairy products are exported chiefly to other centers in the Maritime Provinces, which are a deficiency area with the exception of the Island in importance of these products. Poultry products also go to the other Maritimes, and to some extent to the Old Country. We have also a substantial export in live cattle to the United States and to Newfoundland.
Trainor: We have enhanced the beauty of grand ladies the world over with our dazzling fox furs.
Dewar: Trust an Irishman to notice the beauty of the ladies.
Trainor: Now gentlemen, we have exported a large number of products, but there is something else that we have exported along with these products and that is a great deal of the fertility of the Prince Edward Island farms.
Dewar: Do you think, Walter, that our people are alive to the fact and to the necessity of repairing the damage done to our soil by cash crop systems of farming?
Shaw: I think that necessity compels certain lines of production.
Dewar: Sometimes an economic pressure has forced our people.
Shaw: We can state it this way, that economic pressure developed a system of export of our products for many years in this province. At the same time, I am convinced that the Island farmer has a deep and abiding love for the soil and wishes to conserve and maintain his investment there. That is illustrated today by a change in our system of agriculture to a well balanced mixed farm basis. The development of cash crops in the farming of potatoes and turnips, if conducted within reason, should increase our soil fertility because of the intensity of cultivation and the addition of commercial fertilizers.
Trainor: By the way, Walter, what is the average size of an Island farm?
Shaw: About 90 acres, Jim, and it is interesting to note that practically all our farms are operated by the owner.
Dewar: Due to the fact that our soil is very easily cultivated and that our seasons are char - our soil is very easily cultivated growing conditions, our people have been able to derive their living from the soil with greater use than on many other harsher types of land. Our red soil has none of this hard granite rock to annoy the farmer and break his machinery and his back. He has only the light easily broken sand stone to contend with.
Shaw: I think people would be interested to know that the bulk of our soil is naturally drained, and it grows great crops of clover when enriched with lime, which, incidentally, comes in by a Government Bonus Policy.
Trainor: Visitors to our province invariably comment on the beauty of our well-kept farms, painted homes, white washed buildings, and orderly arrangement of fields.
Dewar: This would indicate, Jim, that the average Island farmer has an eye for beauty, a love for the soil, and a pride in his home.
Shaw: Yes, and the red roads winding over the hills and through the valleys past there farm homesteads, adds to the general attractiveness of the scene that helps to keep so many thousands of visitors coming back every year.
Dewar: Do not let us give the impression, Walter, that we have only farms on Prince Edward Island. We have numerous small, beautifully kept towns and fishing hamlets.
Trainor: These are really agricultural towns, dependent on the farm country, and in some cases, the fishing villages, which surround them in a number of picturesque hamlets throughout the coastline.
Dewar: I hope that we have given the listeners a picture of conditions in this agricultural province with its small farms and happy contented people.
Shaw: Yes, we are justly proud of the accomplishments of our people particularly during this time of National crisis. Our farmers, their wives and families have made a courageous attempt to meet their responsibilities in a national way. Our chief concern is that that contribution may be as large and as valuable as possible. After the struggle is over, we are looking forward to even better things for this Province. We do not wish to leave the impression that we have a paradise on this Island, free from all worries and cares, which beset farm people right across the Dominion. We have these problems and we expect to tackle them in the same courageous way after the war is over as we are now attempting to handle the more immediate and important problems. No doubt, new conditions will be established in the years that are to come. Where we have been somewhat isolated in this Province from the rush and anxiety of the more heavily, populated areas, it is to be expected that with new systems of transportation, particularly by air, which will bring the world nearer to our doors, we will have new problems to solve. We believe that the sound, innate common sense of our people, which comes to a very great extend from their deep love of the soil and their proximity to the mystery and majesty of the sea, which is always within their vision, will direct and guide them in their duties and responsibilities, and will enable them to double these contributions not only to their native province, but to Canada as a whole.
Boyle: And so, there you have the story of Prince Edward Island as given by three of her farmer sons. They know and love their province and appreciate her position in the national scheme of affairs. I hope that you have profited by this word picture on the "Garden Province."
