STARVING OUT MOUNTAIN RACE-COURSE. 139 



the country was flooded by the rain of the previous day. The 

 whole surface bore evidence of want of draining, and how 

 essential knowledge is to improved agriculture. In many in 

 stances, soil of the best quality did not yield more than two 

 seeds of wheat, while the crops were intermingled with truly 

 luxuriant indigenous tares, thistles, and white clover. I had 

 often heard of the French Canadians clinging to their farms 

 until starved from them that is, till the soil did not yield 

 them food to subsist on, and I had here evidence of the 

 process and result of such an agricultural system. The 

 ravages of the wheat-fly were everywhere evident. 



The appearance of the population^ houses, and gardens, 

 resembled that of Terre Bonne, excepting that the floors of 

 many dwelling-houses were raised two or three feet above the 

 ground, the result, doubtless, of the wetness of their situation. 



After dining at Montreal, we visited the nursery grounds of 



Mr C , which were by far the cleanest and most productive 



of any we saw in America, on our way to the mountain. The 

 mountain is about 700 feet high, situated at a short distance 

 from the town, and one of its chief ornaments. From its 

 summit is seen an immense extent of diversified country, to 

 gether with the waters of the St Lawrence and Ottawa flow- 

 ing in their various channels those of the latter, by dividing, 

 form the islands of Montreal and Jesus. The mountain is 

 altogether destitute of public walks or carriage drives, although 

 admirably adapted for both, being covered with trees, and 

 affording some truly interesting views, which change at every 

 step. 



Next morning, in company with our kind and attentive 

 friend, , Mr D and I rode in a gig round the coun 

 try lying to the north and west of the mountain, calling on 

 different individuals, and examining several farms for sale. 

 During our drive, we visited the race-course at St Pierre, 



where we saw three horses belonging to Mr get a gallop. 



One was particularly small, and none of them seemed to 

 possess racing merit. On leaving the race-course, we drove 

 to Lachine rapids, and returned by the river side to Mon 

 treal, much gratified with our excursion. 



A young thriving hedge of English thorn was observed at 



