For a great measure of her success in producing and marketing her food stuffs, Canada has to thank her Department of Agriculture, presided over by the Honour-able Sydney Fisher. Created in 1851 as the ” Bureau of Agriculture and Statistics of Upper and Lower Canada,” it ultimately became a distinct department, and after various changes has now become one of the most important departments in the Canadian Government. In addition to the central offices for general administration the Department is now divided into seven distinct branches dealing with practically all scientific agriculture, namely :
1. Experimental farms.
2. Dairy and cold storage.
3. Seed.
4. Live stock.
5. Health of animals.
6. Census and statistics.
7. Tobacco.
Beyond and above other wide functions comprised in this list is also the charge of five other miscellaneous sections, namely :
1. Patents.
2. Copyright and trade marks.
3. Archives.
4. Public health.
5. International exhibitions.
The total sums spent in all departments of the agricultural administrations are derived from grants by the Federal government, secured by special annual appropriation acts, and appropriations by the various provincial governments. The Federal grants are chiefly supplied for maintaining experimental farms and developing large schemes of national importance. The appropriations by the various provincial governments are devoted chiefly to agricultural education and the maintenance of agricultural colleges and schools.