PROCEEDINGS FOR 1903 XXIX 



practical valus. The reports of its trained officers have been before us 

 for many years, but familiarity should not blind us to the long and 

 patient antecedent researches, the practical results of which alone we 

 are apt to recognize. In addition, we have now in the Dairy Commis- 

 sion, a movable agricultural college bringing home to our producers, 

 by object lessons, model factories and lectures, the most approved 

 methods and submitting them to actual working practice before their 

 eyes. In this way, and by inquiring into the conditions and require- 

 ments of distant markets and teaching our farmers to adapt themselves 

 thereto, the value of our agricultural exports has increased to a sur- 

 prising degree in the last few years. These results are not the less 

 scientific because they are practical, and if in eight years the export of 

 butter from the port of Montreal increased sixteen fold, the improved 

 processes of production and transportation which caused so rapid a 

 growth, were applications of scientific principles patiently investigated 

 and carefully applied. 



A movement has been inaugurated and is gathering strength to 

 introduce into rural schools, a knowledge of these principles. It is a 

 promising and praiseworthy effort, for it will tend to enliven with a 

 new interest, the monotony of rural life and help to counterbalance the 

 attractions which are drawing the youth into the cities. 



26. Committee on Geological Nomenclature. 



Eeferring to pages xxxix and xli of last year's Proceedings, it 

 will be seen that the Committee on this subject waf continued. A 

 provisional report was then sent in and appears in the Proceedings. 

 In continuing the Committee, power was given to add to their number. 

 The Council has reason to believe that progress is being made, but 

 no further report has been made. 



27. Geographic Nomenclature. 



The commission on Geographical Nomenclature appointed by the 

 Dominion Government three years ago continues its useful work. In 

 the Northwest its functions are most important in settling the many 

 new place-names which are incessantly being added to the map. 



Most of these names are from the Indian languages. They were 

 given by the Indians because of some marked physical feature which 

 attracted their observant eyes. Indians are born geographers and the 

 Commission is doing good service in preserving their significant names 

 and fixing them on the map in intelligible orthography. 



