84 QUEBEC. 



winter, leaving them free to farm in summer. Lumbering 

 in Lower Canada does this to a certain extent, but only to 

 a certain extent. Lumbering operations, including stream 

 driving, &c., last till near midsummer, and are commenced 

 again early in the fall. Besides, the lumberman as a rule 

 has no greater liking to farm drudgery than the sailor 

 has. The raw materials in Lower Canada are varied arid 

 abundant; besides the products of the vast forests there 

 are many different sorts of minerals, but manufactures to 

 use up this raw material are scarce. Iron ore is mined in 

 Canada, sent to the United States to be smelted, and 

 bought back again by Canada. Want of capital and 

 want of labour, though helping to explain this state of 

 affairs, do not quite account for it. We must look for the 

 reason outside of Canada. The commercial relationship 

 between Canada and the United States is unsatisfactory in 

 the extreme. Canadian manufactures are shut out from 

 the American markets by an insuperable barrier protec- 

 tion. But even that is not all. When any commodity 

 happens to be manufactured in the United States in excess 

 of the demand, then the overplus is thrown, into the 

 Canadian market and sold off at a sacrifice. This is 

 very hard upon the Canadian manufacturer who is under- 

 sold, but it is a decided convenience to the American 

 manufacturer, who, by selling off his surplus produce 

 in a foreign market, keeps up the prices in his home 

 market. 



The fisheries of Canada are of twofold value ; firstly, as 

 affording a most valuable article of export, second only in 

 value to the lumber ; secondly, as breeding a brave and 

 hardy race of seamen. The mother-country being of 



