Excerpt from Vancouver Island, British Columbia Canada, the Treasure Island, Vol. 1: Agriculture, Timber, Mines and Fisheries; A History of Its Resources by Districts

Agriculturally, the Island has vast possibilities. It is not, and never will be, a grain-growing country of wide areas like the middle Canadian Provinces, although the cereals all grow well on Vancouver Island. But for mixed farming, fruit-growing, poultry-raising, berry and vegetable raising, the raising of sheep, cattle, and hogs, and for dairy-farming, it is not to be excelled, and scarcely equalled, in fact, in any country. The climate is particularly equable, without any extremes of hot or cold weather. In the southern half the rainfall is moderate, and there are seldom any thunder storms. In the districts farther north the rainfall is heavier, but there are no severities of climate in the winter season.

Excepting peaches and grapes, which grow in some localities, the entire Island is particularly adaptable to the raising of fruit. Apples, pears, plums, cherries, prunes, quinces, and other fruit flourish splendidly, the flavour and colouring of the different varieties being especially noticeable. Vancouver Island fruit has taken first prizes in national and international exhibitions, and experts declare that for apples, pears, cherries, and plums the Island cannot be excelled as a natural fruit-growing country.

For berries and vegetables the land is admirably suited. Vancouver Island strawberries and loganberries being famous. Vegetables grow to enormous size, and still do not get watery or hollow. All kinds of garden vegetables and field vegetables grow astonishingly, and irrigation is almost a thing unknown.

All grasses grow luxuriantly, and dairy-farming is a profitable occupation. Vancouver Island dairy stock runs almost exclusively to the highest grade, and high prices for butter from the principal Island creameries are main'

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