10 OPENING ADDRESS. 



the best conditions under which to labour. The delegates in all 

 represented forty-six nations, and assembled in the magnificent 

 marble palace in the grounds of the Historical Villa Borghese. 

 The Institute was opened by King Victor Emmanuel, at whose 

 suggestion the International Institute of Agriculture 

 was formed. This Institute has for its principal object 

 the collection of complete and reliable information concerning 

 farm crops in all parts of the world. A number of special depart- 

 ments or bureaus were erected, each to have charge of some par- 

 ticular branch of the work, such as the gathering of crop statis- 

 tics, the obtaining of information about the prices paid for farm 

 work, new diseases of vegetation, and the effective remedies, 

 agricultural co-operation, insurance and credit, simplification of 

 weights and measures. This is evidence of the great interest that 

 is being taken in the agricultural problem. 



Great assistance is given in our own Dominion for the pro- 

 motion of this industry. Experimental farms have been estab- 

 lished m all the provinces. Practical men have been sent out to 

 lectui'e and educate the farmer. 



I would like to see this association take an interest in the agri- 

 cultural advancement of this Province, and particularly of this 

 section. 



If we had a. gentleman of the ability of Dr. Baxter to give his 

 whole time and attention to matters that might well be taken 

 hold of by this association, good results would follow. For 

 instance, one great drawback to intelligent, not to say scientific, 

 farming is the lack of knowledge of the requirements of the soil. 

 If the fai*mer could bring samples of his land to this Society and 

 have the same sent forward to Ottawa to be analyzed, so that he 

 might be informed as to what material the soil lacked and the 

 partic lar fertilizer snitable for it, it would of itself be of great 

 advantage. Of course sufficient salary would have to be provided, 

 but I have no doubt that if the matter were properly pressed and 

 brought before the Federal and Provincial Governments a grant 

 might be made for the purpose of assisting the farmers in this 

 locality and bringing them more closely in touch with the Experi- 

 mental Farm and the agriculturists at Ottawa. 



Again take the Forest. Lands — the great asset of our Province. 

 How many men in the Province know or can give a correct esti- 



