10 Oct., 1918.] Agricultural Education in Canada. 591 



that of the county agent in the United States. No representative is put 

 into a district until the farmers ask for it and the County Council agrees^ 

 to put up 500 dols. per annum for expenses. As forty-seven counties; 

 out of sixty-eight in Ontario have county representatives, it indicates 

 that good work has been done by this organization. The main purpose 

 of the District Representative's office is to act as a clearing house for 

 the dissemination of agricultural information. He attends as many 

 meetings of farmers' societies, gets to know their needs and endeavours 

 to supply their wants. This year there has been a tractor drive in 

 Ontario, and 155 tractors have been placed on farms during the past 

 three months. The Dominion Government bought 1,000 of these 

 tractors and allocated 200 to the Ontario Government. 



Each District Representative conducts short courses in agriculture 

 for farmers' sons. The courses extend over four weeks. The repre- 

 sentative attends all the farmers' clubs in the county, assists in giving 

 demonstrations on farms throughout the county. 



I visited one of the county agents at Brampton. He had just put 

 on a " Save the baby campaign." He had arranged with the four local 

 doctors to hold a free Baby Clinic for two days. The mothers brought 

 their babies and children up to three years of age to the town for free 

 medical inspection and examination. The death rate for infants in 

 Ontario is 104 per 1,000. As a result of the free clinic over 300 babies 

 were brought into the medical officers during the two days. I visited 

 the clinic at the end of the second day. There was a large hall filled 

 with interesting exhibits on the management and feeding of infants, 

 prepared by the Health and Medical Departments of the Government, 

 and demonstrations were given by competent nurses and science teachers 

 on the preparation and types of food for infants and young children. 

 Then there were some interesting educational work in the hall. " Being a 

 baby is a dangerous business. A soldier in Erance is safer than a baby 

 in Brampton." " A new-born baby has less chance of living a year than 

 a man of eighty." Such were the types of placards bringing under the 

 notice of the people the high infantile mortality in Ontario. 



An amusing model was an automatic procession of babies bearing, 

 on their backs signs such as the following: — 

 " We want sensible mothers." 

 " We want good water." 

 " We want pure milk." 

 " We want fathers who think." — &c. 



In chatting with the local doctors I found that many of the children 

 were suffering from preventable ailments. One doctor said 90 per cent, 

 of these cases would not come before them except at a free clinic, such 

 as this. 



Of course a " Baby Clinic '' has not much to do with agriculture, 

 but if the saving of a horse is worth, say, £50, what is the saving of a 

 future farmer of Ontario worth ? Figure it out, and I think you will 

 find that the good done by that Baby Clinic would be sufficient to pay 

 the cost of the salary of that enterprising District Representative many 

 times over. It was a novel " stunt," and made possible by the co- 

 operation of the Agricultural and Public Department and the local 

 doctors. 



(To he continued.) 



