6 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



a decided increase in profits, hence, our dairy campaign. And 

 so we might go on along other lines. The more intelligent use'cf 

 labour is the key to success in Ontario agriculture. 



How the Now let us see how the Ontario Department of 



Department Agriculture is trying to assist in this movement. The 

 Does its Work Ontario Agricultural College was started in 1874. 

 For many years it led a precarious existence. It had few students 

 and few friends. It did not get a grip upon the agricultural com- 

 munity. To-day and for some years past, it has been full to orer- 

 flowing. I have seen it with 134 students. For some years, over 

 1,000 have taken courses of one kind or another. How was this 

 brought about? First, the members of the teaching staff went out 

 from the College to address farmers' meetings and to become person- 

 ally acquainted with the farmers and their work. Second, the ex- 

 perimental work of the College was extended to several thousand 

 farms through the work of the Experimental Union. Third, farmers 

 have been brought to the College, 40,000 every year, to see for them- 

 selves what is being done. In short, the College in isolation was of 

 little use ; when, however, College and farm were brought into direct 

 contact, sympathy, support and co-operation followed. 



Let me give you another example. Ontario has become a great 

 dairy province, noted for its production of cheese. Ten or tvelve 

 years ago its cheese could be classed as good, bad and indifferent. 

 There were dairy schools, there were dairy associations, there were 

 dairy reports and bulletins. These were necessary and effective as 

 far as they went, but the trouble was they did not go far enough, 

 they did not reach the unprogressive, indifferent cheese maker and 

 milk producer. For some years we have had over thirty trained ex- 

 pert cheese and butter makers going from factory to factory, de- 

 monstrating on the spot, giving that help which can be effective only 

 when it is personal and applied at the critical time. Vhat is the 

 result? Those who are in the trade tell us that Ontaric cheese and 

 Ontario creamery butter never graded higher than it 4id in 1910. 

 Moreover, we have been able to enact a law that after/January 1st, 

 1911, no one can have charge of a factory as chief m?ker unless he 

 holds a certificate of qualification, and every f acton' is registered. 

 All this is a direct result of taking the best dairy methods right into 

 the factories and gradually we are bringing our instructors right 

 into the dairy barns of the milk producers. 



It is a natural sequence from this experience that 



the* Farmer ^ we are to 8 et a ^ or a majority /f our farmers to 



drain their land, to sow the best see/, to care for their 



orchards, to test their cows, to raise only profitable stock, and, 



