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Archival description
Only top-level descriptions Agriculture--British Columbia
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Land records related to leases

  • GR-0385
  • Series
  • 1865-1955

This series consists of records of the Department of Lands and Forests, Lands Service, primarily relating to leases of Crown land for various purposes. Records include cancelled or expired leases for oyster beds (including leases by the Government of Canada), hay meadow, summer resort, stone quarry, mill, coal mining, grazing, agriculture, cattle ranching, and pastoral purposes. This series also includes final agreements for sale and purchase under Soldier's Better Housing Scheme for City of Victoria lots (includes rebate applications and discharge certificates) and licences of occupation.

British Columbia. Dept. of Lands and Forests. Lands Service

Registers of brands (cattle and horses)

  • GR-1487
  • Series
  • 1873-1914

This series contains registers of brands (for both cattle and horses) kept by district recording offices prior to 1914. Registers pertain to brands registered in Cariboo, Similkameen, Okanagan, and Nanaimo districts. This series may be used in conjunction with other district brands registers (GR-0409 - GR-0412) and with post-1914 brands registers (GR-1488). A regulated system of branding or marking livestock in British Columbia began with the Cattle Ordinance of 1869 (32 Vic., No. 114) which established a procedure whereby cattle brands and other distinctive markings could be registered with district magistrates for a fee of 25¢. The system developed further with the Cattle Marking Act, 1875 (BCS 38 Vic. c.14) which defined "cattle" to include "horses, mares, fillies, foals, geldings, colts, bulls, bullocks, cows, heifers, steers, calves, sheep, hogs, mules and asses." Recording officers were appointed by cabinet for each electoral district and were authorized to keep a register of brands and markings; local justices of the peace were empowered to ensure that brands were not duplicated, obliterated, or defaced and penalties were set for infractions. In 1881 the registration fee was raised to 50 ¢ (Cattle Brands Act, 44 Vic. c.4) and in 1888 provisions were made for regional cattle districts, whose boundaries were not necessarily identical to those of electoral districts. A distinction was also made in 1888 between the Mainland and Vancouver Island: in Mainland districts, brands were to be registered by an "authorized recording officer" usually the local Government Agent while on the Island brands were to be recorded by district magistrates. These distinctions were abolished in 1894 by the Cattle Act Amendment Act which confirmed Government Agents as "authorized recording officers" throughout the province. The procedure of registering brands was streamlined and centralized by the Brand Act of 1914 (4 Geo. 5 c.9). With this act, provision was made for a Recorder of Brands (responsible to the Minister of Agriculture) and a three man Board of Brand Commissioners. After 1 July 1914 all applications for brand registers or transfers were made through the Recorder's office in Victoria. The fee for brand registration was increased to $1.00 and henceforth all brands were to be renewed annually at a cost of 50 ¢. GR 1487 consists of brands registers and indexes kept prior to 1914. In most cases, the registers show the name and address of brand owners, the date and certificate number of the brand registration, and a description of registered brands and markings. Registers pertain to both cattle and horses. Since the districts covered by the registers were not rigidly defined, researchers may have to consult more than one volume to locate specific brands or brand owners. This series may be used in conjunction with GR 0409 GR 0412 (Registers for Cariboo, Lillooet, and New Westminster, 18701913) and with GR 1488 (post1914 brands registers and indexes).

British Columbia. Recorder of Brands

Inspector of Dykes administrative records

  • GR-0972
  • Series
  • 1874-1981

This series consists of indexes to records relating to dyking and drainage held by the Inspector Office, Surrey, B.C. Records include subject file lists of correspondence regarding dyking districts and general administration, 1871-1881; index of maps, plans, topographical maps, etc. regarding dykes and dyking rights-of-way; index of engineers' drawings, Fraser Valley Dyking Board. These file lists and indexes were created between 1974 and 1981, but they make reference to records dating from 1871 to 1981.

British Columbia. Office of the Inspector of Dykes

Correspondence and other material

  • GR-1197
  • Series
  • 1893-1897

This series contains official correspondence, reports, and related papers of Premier John H. Turner. Records include correspondence pertaining to provincial railway charters (1893-1897), agriculture, and mining; also includes B.C. Agent-General's Report (1895), applications for employment, and miscellaneous letters.

Papers in this series are those of the Honourable John Herbert Turner (1833-1923), premier of British Columbia from 4 March 1895 to 8 August 1898. Since Turner's administration was characterized by rapid industrial development (notably in railways, mining, and agriculture), and by no little political controversy, his official papers are especially valuable.

Most of the reports and correspondence in GR-1197 originated while Turner was the province's chief minister and, as such, they have been included in the archive's collection of Premier's Papers. As will be seen, though, some of the papers pertain to Turner's tenure as Minister of Finance and Agriculture, a portfolio he held from 1887 to 1898.

GR-1197 may be regarded as a supplement to GR-0441 (British Columbia - Premier: 1883-1933), Series II, volumes 2-13, which also contains official correspondence of Premier Turner. Researchers may find that Volume 354 of GR-0441 (Index to Official Correspondence, 1895-1897) will assist them in locating other related records.

British Columbia. Premier

Dairy Branch minute books and other material

  • GR-0510
  • Series
  • 1894-1932

This series consists of records of the Dairy Branch. Records include minute books, 1894-1910, correspondence, reports, account books, receipts and subscriptions of the Dairymen's Association of British Columbia, and Dairymen's and Live Stock Association of British Columbia.

British Columbia. Dairy Branch

Inspector of Dykes records

  • GR-1011
  • Series
  • 1895-1974

Correspondence, general files and accounts files relating to dyking and drainage districts, improvement districts, flood control and agricultural development in the Fraser Valley, 1917-1974. Minute books of dyking districts; Pitt Meadows, 1895; Nicomen, 1912-1930; South Westminster Dyking District, 1920, 1923, 1928.

British Columbia. Office of the Inspector of Dykes

Sharon Rempel fonds

  • PR-2189
  • Fonds
  • 1897-2008; predominantly 1987-2000

The fonds consists of records created and accumulated by Sharon Rempel in the course of her work as an agricultural and garden heritage consultant in Alberta and British Columbia ca. 1987-2000. The files include research and project files with the headings: Horticultural history, Heritage gardens, Agriculture and Agricultural history. The files also contain copies of Sharon's published works and copies of reference publications relating to agriculture and garden history she used in the course of her work. Other files includes class work and research material relating to her studies at York University and other institutions ca. 1989-1994. The fonds also includes approximately 660 colour slides, 14 audio cassettes, four VHS cassettes and 1 minidv cassette that contain interviews with Sharon regarding the grist mill and other issues relating to heritage gardens, heritage seeds and food security.

Rempel, Sharon, 1956-

Tax assessments and financial records kept by the Inspector of Dykes

  • GR-1988
  • Series
  • 1898-1976

Tax assessment rolls for South Westminster, Sumas, Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Matsqui, Chilliwack, Nicomen Island, and Nicomen Dyking Districts, 1898-1976; general expenditure journals, voucher records, receipts, and financial statements, 1917-1974.

British Columbia. Office of the Inspector of Dykes

Dept. of Agriculture lantern slides and negatives

  • GR-3599
  • Series
  • [between 1900 and 1915]

The series consists of 214 photographs, mostly glass lantern slides and glass negatives, created or collected by the Dept. of Agriculture sometime between 1900 and 1915.

The lantern slides contain images of fruit trees, orchards, farms, packing boxes, greenhouses, crops and other agricultural activity. A few have descriptive labels which indicate that they were taken in Victoria, Kelowna, Nanaimo and Summerland, and some have photographers identified (D.J. Dwyer, J. Howard A. Chapman and Edgar Fleming). These photographs may have been used for a variety of purposes including public lectures and as illustrations for reports. Some of the slides have been hand coloured. These slides are from accession 198012-018.

The glass negatives from this accession consist of two files. The first file contains 13 negatives identified as being from Atkinson's mushrooms; images of mushrooms and fungi from book on same and appear to have been photographed directly from George F. Atkinson's 1901 books called "Studies of American Fungi". The second file consists of 24 negatives identified as Morris Middleton pruning lecture. Middleton was an assistant horticulturalist for the Dept. of Agriculture and gave pruning workshops and lectures.

The 27 glass negatives from accession 198410-027 show farms and farm buildings, fruit and berry growing as well as fruit packing and pruning classes in Creston, B.C. in 1914 (F.B. Turner photographer) and photos of apple growing medals presented to the Government of British Columbia in 1909.

British Columbia. Dept. of Finance and Agriculture

Brands register and other material

  • GR-1491
  • Series
  • 1906-1959

This series contains a brands register (interim or working copy) covering the years 1916-1918. Other records in this series include minutes, correspondence, and reports of B.C. Stock Breeders' Association from 1906-1918 as well as minutes of B.C. Brands Commissioners from 1930-1959.

British Columbia. Recorder of Brands

Inspector of Fruit Pests letterbook

  • GR-0413
  • Series
  • 1908-1909

36 page letter book from the Inspector of Fruit Pests, 1908-1909.

British Columbia. Dept. of Agriculture. Inspector of Fruit Pests

Commission to Investigate the Affairs of the Fruit and Produce Exchange of British Columbia Ltd. (1909)

  • GR-0745
  • Series
  • 1908-1909

This series consists of the records of the Commission to Investigate the Affairs of the Fruit and Produce Exchange of British Columbia Ltd., 1909. Records include a supplementary report, correspondence, transcripts of evidence presented at proceedings and exhibits, and some Fruit and Produce Exchange records.

British Columbia. Commission to Investigate the Affairs of the Fruit and Produce Exchange of British Columbia Ltd. (1909)

E.A. Weir and E.W. White fonds

  • PR-1448
  • Fonds
  • 1911-1913

The fonds consists of correspondence, a diary, a report, a meteorological observation journal and a photograph album created by E.A. Weir and E.W. White between 1911 and 1913. The records in the fonds documents the agricultural survey of the Northern Valley area contiguous to the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, undertaken by Weir and White on behalf of the Dept. of Agriculture.
Weir and White were both students at the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph and they spent the summer of 1911 travelling by boat, foot and pack horse investigating the agricultural condiitons and possibilities in the valleys between Prince Rupert and Fort George.

Weir, E.A.

Commission on Agriculture records

  • GR-0324
  • Series
  • 1912-1914

This series consists of records of the Commission on Agriculture from 1912-1914, including, proceedings, record books, transcripts of evidence, tabulated evidence, statistical data, and returns by the assessors of the Province, showing persons assessed as owners of real property amounting to 5,000 acres or more.

British Columbia. Commission on Agriculture

Dairy Branch statistics and other material

  • GR-0509
  • Series
  • 1912-1947

This series consists of records of the Dairy Branch, 1912-1947. Records include statistics, reports and miscellaneous data regarding cream, butter and milk production.

British Columbia. Dairy Branch

Provincial Horticulturist correspondence and reports

  • GR-0400
  • Series
  • 1912-1922

The series consists of general office files created by the Provincial Horticulturalist between 1912 and 1922. The files contain correspondence and reports on horticultural matters of provincial significance.

British Columbia. Dept. of Agriculture. Provincial Horticulturist

Report on the physical features, soil conditions and agricultural possibilities of the N.E. section of the Province of British Columbia...

  • C/D/30.9/C24
  • Series
  • 1913-1915

The series consists of a report collected by the Dept. of Agriculture in 1915. The report was written by Agricultural Surveyor W.H. Cartwright and contains information on the physical features, soil conditions and agricultural possibilities of an area just north of the Peace River Block, recorded between April 1913 and October 1914. The report is illustrated with 22 black and white photographs and is accompanied by meteorological readings and some correspondence between Cartwright and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture.

British Columbia. Dept. of Finance and Agriculture

Registers of brands (cattle and horses)

  • GR-1488
  • Series
  • 1914-1947

This series contains registers of cattle brands and horse brands, 1914-1947. Includes Brand Owners' Index [Horses] 1914-1930, and "Old Brands" Register [i.e. alphabetical listing of all brands registered in British Columbia between 1871 and 1914]. This unit may be used in conjunction with GR-0409 - GR-0412 and GR-1488 (registers of cattle brands, by district).
A regulated system of branding or marking livestock in British Columbia began with the Cattle Ordinance of 1869 (32 Vic., No. 114) which established a procedure whereby cattle brands and other distinctive markings could be registered with district magistrates for a fee of 25 cents. The system developed further with the Cattle Marking Act, 1875 (BCS 38 Vic. c.14) which defined "cattle" to include "horses, mares, fillies, foals, geldings, colts, bulls, bullocks, cows, heifers, steers, calves, sheep, hogs, mules and asses." Recording officers were appointed for each electoral district and were authorized to keep a register of brands and markings; local justices of the peace were empowered to ensure that brands were not duplicated, obliterated, or defaced and penalties were set for infractions. In 1881 the registration fee was raised to 50 cents (Cattle Brands Act, 44 Vic. c.4) and in 1888 provisions were made for regional cattle districts, whose boundaries were not necessarily identical to those of electoral districts. A distinction was also made in 1888 between the Mainland and Vancouver Island: in Mainland districts, brands were to be registered by an "authorized recording officer" usually the local Government Agent while on the Island brands were to be recorded by district magistrates. These distinctions were abolished in 1894 by the Cattle Act Amendment Act which confirmed Government Agents as "authorized recording officers" throughout the province. The procedure of registering brands was streamlined and centralized by the Brand Act of 1914 (4 Geo. 5 c.9). With this act, provision was made for a Recorder of Brands (responsible to the Minister of Agriculture) and a three man Board of Brand Commissioners. After 1 July 1914 all applications for brand registers or transfers were made through the Recorder's office in Victoria. The fee for brand registration was increased to $1.00 and henceforth all brands were to be renewed annually at a cost of 50 cents.
GR-1488 consists of brands registers and indexes compiled after the passing of the Brand Act of 1914. Volume I of this unit, the "Old Brands" Register, was one of the first records created by the new Recorder of Brands. This volume consists of an alphabetical listing of all brands (cattle and horses) registered in the province between 1871 and July of 1914. The volume was based on older, regional registers [catalogued in BCARS as GR-0409, GR-0410, GR-0411, GR-0412 and GR-1487]. The remaining volumes in this unit (vols. 216) were compiled over the years by staff at Recorder's office from applications received by stockmen throughout the province. Volumes 2 to 12 record brands registered between 1914 and 1930, while volumes 13 to 16 pertain mainly to the period 1930-1947. The Brands Registers in GR-1488 provide the names and addresses of brand owners, brand certificate numbers and dates of allotment, and a detailed description of the various brands and markings. The registers also show when brands were transferred from one owner to another, as well as the status of the brands (i.e. in current use, reissued, or lapsed).

British Columbia. Recorder of Brands

Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands crop reports

  • GR-3639
  • Series
  • 1914-1965, predominant 1926-1965

The series consists predominantly of fruit and vegetable crop reports and figures for District I, Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands, for the years 1926-1955. Other records included in this series relate to crop production and climate on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Also included in this series is a partial run of the annual Department of Agriculture publication “The Climate of British Columbia” (1924-1945). Some records also document the involvement of the Chinese community in the operation of greenhouses and market gardens.

Some of these records were created by Alan Littler, who served as District Horticulturalist for Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands (District I) between 1952-1971 (from 1971-1981 he served as Supervising Horticulturalist for the Coast). However, the majority of the files were created by Littler’s predecessor, E.H. White, who also served as District Horticulturalist for District I. The District Horticulturalist for Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands was responsible for monitoring and reporting on fruit and vegetable production, primarily on southern Vancouver Island.

British Columbia. Horticultural Branch

Dyking records

  • GR-1569
  • Series
  • 1916-1975

The series consists of the records of the Sumas Drainage, Dyking and Development District created between 1916 and 1975. The records conain general files, orders-in-council, financial statements, engineering reports, assessments, purchase agreements, minutes, history. In addition there are 73 photographs and maps.

British Columbia. Office of the Inspector of Dykes

Agriculture Clippings book

  • GR-0387
  • Series
  • 1918

Scrap book containing newspaper clippings relating to agricultural issues and events.

British Columbia. Dept. of Agriculture

Photograph album

  • GR-3580
  • Series
  • 1919- [ca. 1922]

The series consists of a photograph album created between 1919 and ca. 1922 by the Land Settlement Board. The album contains 166 black and white photographs which depict various agricultural development areas and drainage and dyking projects.

The first 10 photographs in the album are 8 x 10 prints taken by Leonard Frank which show dredging activities. The last 10 photographs in the album are duplicates of these. These photographs are numbered with Leonard Frank's own negative number scheme and have his embossed imprint.

The rest of the album is divided up into districts and projects and most have identifying captions. The districts and projects are as follows:
Bulkley Valley and Francois Lake - 42 photographs (including 1 loose photograph which may be unconnected)
Nechako Valley - 18 photographs
Prince George district - 13 photographs
Merville development area - 21 photographs
Creston development area - 13 photographs
Kootenay flats - 3 photographs
Fernie area - 2 photographs
Cranbrook Slough drainage project - 3 photographs (1 panorama made of 2 prints)
Sumas dyking project - 31 photographs

Some of the photographs have come away from the album and have further identification on the back.

British Columbia. Land Settlement Board

Statistical returns from the Orchard Survey

  • GR-0417
  • Series
  • 1920

This series consists of Provincial Horticulturist statistical returns from the Orchard Survey, 1920.

British Columbia. Dept. of Agriculture. Provincial Horticulturist

Select Standing Committee on Agriculture proceedings

  • GR-0764
  • Series
  • 1925

This series consists of the Legislative Assembly Select Standing Committee on Agriculture proceedings of meetings held December 3 t0 10, 1925 to review a bill on the Sumas dyking. Extensive testimony was given by Premier John Oliver.

British Columbia. Legislative Assembly. Select Standing Committee on Agriculture

Okanagan Valley irrigation reports

  • GR-0316
  • Series
  • 1926-1927

This series consists of 16 volumes of reports on irrigation districts in the Okanagan valley from1926 and 1927. Volumes include one summary report for the Okanagan and two copies each of detailed reports on the following irrigation districts: Black Mountain, Glenmore, Naramata, Peachland, South East Kelowna, Vernon, and Westbank. The reports include a history of the project, and statistical information. There is also an appendix to the Scotty Creek irrigation district report included in the series.

Volumes 2-8 are signed by Major J.C. Macdonald, Comptroller of Water Rights and are illustrated with b&w photographs and have maps. The duplicate volumes 9-15 contain holographic alterations and are initialed by J.W. Clark, Inspector, Water Rights Branch.

British Columbia. Water Rights Branch

Deputy Minister of Agriculture files

  • GR-0493
  • Series
  • 1927-1971, predominant 1955-1971

The series consists of the records created by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, mostly between 1955 and 1971 with some earlier dated material found in select files. The Deputy Minister between 1955 and 1963 was William MacGillivray and from 1963-1971, it was A.H. Turner.

The files include correspondence to and from the Deputy Minister, reports and articles, memoranda, administrative records and subject files all to do with the daily operations of the office and its functions.

Responsibilities of the office included: apiary activities, cattle brands, beef and dairy cattle, fruits and vegetables, poultry, sheep, horticulture, field crops, Milk Board, soil and plant and animal disease.

British Columbia. Dept. of Agriculture. Deputy Minister

Commission to Enquire Into the Economic Conditions in the Several Areas under Irrigation Projects

  • GR-0314
  • Series
  • 1927

This series consists of the records of the Commission to Enquire Into the Economic Conditions in the Several Areas under Irrigation Projects from 1927. The enquiry examined the following areas: Glenmore Irrigation District, Grand Forks I.D., Heffley Creek I.D., Naramata I.D., Peachland I.D., Rutland I.D., Scotty Creek Development District, South East Kelowna I.D., Vernon I.D., West Summerland, Westbank I.D., and Winfield. The records include 4 volumes of submissions to the commission, two copies of the Commission's final report, and 1 volume of exhibits.

British Columbia. Commission to Enquire Into the Economic Conditions in the Several Areas under Irrigation Projects, 1927

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