39 



you. and in sonio respec-ts \ve tlilnlc we have improved on what we got. We 

 changed it and adapted it to suit our own conditions, and it has lieen the great, 

 potent intlnence in helping ns to develop tlu> great agricultural interests of our 

 rrovini-e. It was the tirst nicjiiis wliereliy as a department we got a grip upon 

 the farmers of our Province. It was the first means wherelty we set into oiiera- 

 tion those forces and movements which have i)een s(» heliifid in developing that 

 great industry. Up to that time agriculture was more or less carried out in a 

 sort of perfunctory way. The interest was of a mild type. It is only since 

 we have begun to develop the farmers' institute movement that, so to speak. 

 we have put life into the agriculture of our I'rovince and have brought it along 

 the line of high development and prosperity, about which 1 shall sjieak to you 

 for a few moments. 



The farmers' institute movement has been the key to any success we have had. 

 We have adai>ted its means and methods to other lines of organization. 

 Through.it we have made our agricultural college the most progressive and 

 most successful educational institution in the country. Through it and by it 

 we have organized those special organizations, associations that have been 

 given special work, and by it, as I have said, we have at last a grip upon the 

 farming conununity and have got their confidence, so that any undertaking we 

 now have in hand we can carry out knowing that we will have the hearty 

 cooperation and sympathy of our farming community. 



The history of agriculture in the Province of Ontario has been very much the 

 history of agriculture in some of your northern States. Briefly, let me refer 

 to it — and you will pardon me if in my address to-night I seem to be talking a 

 little more than, perhai)s to some, might seem necessary about our own work, 

 but it is one's privilege, and I suppose one's duty, to talk about that with 

 which he is best acquainted. 



When the Province of Ontario was first settled it was, like the Northern 

 States, a forest wilderness, and those who went in to make their homes had 

 to cut them out from the primeval forests. In the early years — in the early 

 decades — in the early generations, in fact — the products of the forest were to 

 a large extent the products of the farm. As. however, the forest melted away 

 before the pioneer's ax and the fields became cleared so that they could be 

 sown with different crops, then wheat became king where the forest had 

 reigned supreme before. Gradually, however, as the population increased, but 

 especially as there came from the lands across the sea an increase to our people, 

 there sprang up — there was added to our grain production — the great live-stock 

 industry, which gradually grew and assumed such large proportions. This 

 was (juite a step forward. And then, succeeding that, we began to specialize. 

 And just as we were getting nicely under way and our agriculture was appar- 

 ently making satisfactory headway, something happened which, perhaps, now 

 we can refer to even on this side of the line wltliout any hesitation whatever, 

 l)ut which, at that time, was a very sore point with us. .Just as our agricul- 

 ture was apparently. I say, getting into a prosiierous condition there was raised 

 between your country and ours that high wall of separation which still 

 remains— the great tariff wall. On account of the raising of that wall the 

 farmers of Ontario were ])laced in a somewhat desperate condition. They had 

 built uii a large market in the American cities for their barley, a large market 

 in sheep, a large market in eggs, a large market in horses. They had been 

 looking continually to the cities to the south for their market, and all at once- 

 all in a day. so to speak— that market was cut off by the rearing of that tariff 

 wall. Our farmers naturally were very nuich disturlied in their condition, 

 and their future at first seemed to be almost hopeless. It was at this time, 

 however, that our farmers' institute work was making very rapid progress, and 



