582 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Oct., 1918. 



of McGill University, Montreal. It gives a four-year course for the 

 degree of B.iS.A. 



I visited tlie Oka Agricultural Institute and the Macdonald College, 

 Quebec. The Oka Institute is controlled by the Order of Trappist 

 Monks — a curious brotherhood — the laymen of which have to take the 

 vow of eternal silence. 



The institute has a large area of land, and recently the Government 

 of Quebec erected a four-story building capable of accommodating 200 

 students. Over 150 students were taking a four-year course of agri- 

 culture for the degree. The working monks (120), in their quaint 

 mediaeval robes, with a sprinkling of " fathers " with white hoods, and 

 the towering monastry in the background, made a curious setting for an 

 agricultural college. There was very little experimental and research 

 work undertaken at the Institute. The work in the poultry and horti- 

 cultural departments, however, was decidedly good. 



At Macdonald College may be seen one of the finest groups of build- 

 ings, and one of the best laid-out colleges in ISTorth America. It is but 



View of Buildings, Ontario College of Agriculture, Guelph, Canada. 



ten years old, and is destined to play an important part in the agricul- 

 tural development of Eastern Canada. The College was founded, 

 erected, equipped, and endowed by Sir William Macdonald, a wealthy 

 merchant of Montreal, at a cost of £1,500,000, for advancement and 

 dissemination of knowledge with special reference to the needs of the 

 rural population. The property consists of 700 acres of good farming 

 land, 20 miles from Montreal. It has within it three schools — - 



1. School of Agriculture. 



2. School for Teachers. 



3. School for Household Science. 



The staff consists of 24 professors and lecturers in agriculture, ten 

 in the school for teachers, and six in the school of household science. 



Two courses are provided, a two-year course, very practical in 

 character, and specially arranged to meet the needs of farmers' sons 

 who purpose returning to the farm, and a four-year course for the degree 

 of B.S.A. 



