EASTERN TOWNSHIPS. 81 



than the bite of a dog. The poor creatures conform to the 

 habits of the moose, which animals, when tortured by these 

 pests in the months of June and July, plunge into the 

 lakes and rivers and remain there during the heat of the 

 day with nothing but their heads above water. As a set- 

 off to the plague of flies in summer, the back settler is 

 well situated as regards the cold of winter. He is 

 sheltered from all winds by the surrounding forest, and 

 fuel in profusion of the choicest quality is ready at his 

 hand. The back settler's life is a life of toil, but it is one 

 also of great independence. Every hour's work he spends 

 on his clearing makes him a richer man, every acre he 

 ploughs, every stump even he takes out, makes his farm 

 more valuable. All his work bears fruit, and at the end 

 of ten or fifteen years it is wonderful to see what a trans- 

 formation the industrious back settler has made in the 

 forest. 



In the eastern townships of Canada there are very good 

 farms. This district is most favourably situated as regards 

 markets. Its staple products are beef, mutton, pork, 

 and butter, and for all these articles there is a great 

 demand in the adjacent New England State?, where they 

 sell at even higher prices than they do in England. The 

 farming season in the eastern townships is somewhat 

 longer than in other parts of Lower Canada, and the land 

 when cleared is well suited to grass and stock raising. 

 Improved farms with buildings can be bought in the 

 eastern townships for from 4COZ. up to 1200?., and about 

 half as much more capital as the price of the farm would 

 enable an immigrant with a good knowledge of farming 

 and stock to do very well there. 



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