410 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



or else it must be imported ; for certainly, it is much used 

 after being reduced to a liquid form, to which is added a 

 few hops. And I wish it to be distinctly understood, that 

 I am not of the opinion that this is the only drink made 

 use of by the Canadians. I certainly do believe the pre- 

 vailing habit of excessive drinking is one, if not the cause 

 of want of energy to improve the agriculture and manu- 

 factures of the province. It is a misfortune that rests 

 incubus like upon the great body of the people ; and I do 

 most respectfully suggest to agricultural societies, to 

 offer premiums to all farmers who will dispense with the 

 use of all intoxicating drinks upon their farms, as one of 

 the means best calculated to arouse a spirit of improved 

 agriculture. Another important consideration should be 

 to induce farmers to read. This may be done in some 

 degree by giving agricultural papers and books with all 

 premiums, and to all who become members, as is now the 

 case to a limited degree. 



I met, at Kingston, with Mr. Marks, the acting presi- 

 dent of the Colonial Agricultural Society, a very respect- 

 able and worthy individual, no doubt, but altogether too 

 much of the ''ancient and honorable fraternity" of Auld 

 Lang Syne, for a station that requires vigor of body and 

 intellect, and a little "book knowledge," to infuse a spirit 

 into the farmers that no amount of money which parlia- 

 ment may grant will ever accomplish. One of the curious 

 things one sees here, contrasting with towns in the states, 

 is the military, pacing up and down before one's house, 

 as sentinels, or in squads, at every corner, or occupying 

 many a bar room, or drinking shop, of which there is no 

 scarcity. I witnessed a march of somewhere near a thou- 

 sand of "Her Majesty's Rifles," through the street, on 

 Sunday, going to church; all stout, athletic young men, 

 and I could not help thinking what an amount of human 

 food might be produced by the well-directed labor of all 

 these eaters of the bread of idleness. 



A Big Dairy Farm. — While leaving Kingston, one of 

 the Thousand Islands we passed, was pointed out as a 



