7

in sufficient quantity, or when good dressings of the oyster deposit are applied, these foreign aids may well be dispensed with, at least for many years.” Of this deposit Professor Sheldon speaks as follows : “ The Island possesses one advan- tage which is unique and very valuable. I refer now to its thick beds of “ mussel mud ” or “ oyster mud” which are found in all bays and river mouths. The deposit, which is commonly many feet thick, consists of the organic remains of countless generations of oysters, mussels, clams, and other bi-valves of the ocean, and of crustaceous animals generally. The shells are generally more or less intact, embedded in a dense deposit of mud-like stuff, which is found to be a fertilizer of singular value and potency. The supply of it is said to be almost inexhaustible, and it is indeed a mine of wealth to the Island. A good dressing of it restores fertility in a striking manner to the poorest soils—clover grows after it quite luxuriously, and, as it were, indigenously—by its aid heavy crops of turnips and potatoes are raised, and, indeed, it may be regarded as a manure of great value, and applicable to any kind of crop. Nor is it soon exhausted, for the shells in it decay year by year, throwing oifa film of fertilizing matter.”

Of late considerable improvement has been made in raising farm stock. The Horses of the Island enjoy a high reputation, much attention having been bestowed on their breeding. Owing to early Government importations of thoroughbred and cart stallions, which have, m<re recently, been followed by many private importations, the horses of Prince Edward Island are now regarded as among the best in America, and command ready sale at good prices. Clydes- dales, Shire horses, Percherons and Standard Bred Trotters are the breeds gener. ally raised. For sheep also the I. ' “J is especially suited, the mutton being of avery fine flavour, and the export of sheep and lambs to the other provinces and the United States is assuming very large proportions. The Shropshire Downs, Leicesters and Cotswolds are favourite breeds. The increased quantity and superior quality of the fodder caused by the application of mussel-mud to the land, has also produced great improvement in the quality of Cattle. Pure bred herds of Short Horns, Ayrshires, Jerseys, Holsteins, Galloways and Guern- seys are raised in the province, and are used in improvingthe native stock. The Provincial Government maintains a Stock Farm, which is devoted to the breeding of horses, cattle, sheep and swine. The yearly surplus stock is distributed between the three counties. The extraordinary ease and abundance with which turnips, potatoes, oats and barley are raised, added to the excellence of the hay crop, marks Prince Edward Island as a country rarely well adapted for cattle feeding. The importation of store cattle from the adjoining provinces, for feeding during the winter, is now being undertaken, and, it is believed, will prove remunerative. This system of farming if generally adopted will be found much more satisfactory than the sale of the more bulky products.

On these points Professor Sheldon writes : “For sheep, particularly, the Island appears to be well adapted, for the soil is light, dry, and sound, growing a thick-set, tender, and nutritious herbage. For cattle, too, it is suitable, though, perhaps, less so than for sheep.

“For horses the Island has been famous for a long time, and American buyers pick up most of these there are for sale. It is not improbable, in fact, that, taking them for all in all, the horses of the Island are superior to those of any other province ; it seems to be, in a sense, the Arabia of Canada. The sheep, as a rule, are fairly good, but open to improvement."

The following table shows the principal farm productions of 1880, compared with those of1870, as extracted from the census :—