94 The Illumination of Joseph Keeler, Esq. 



productive, through increased crops and increased cattle, 

 through better drainage, more labour, and better implements; 

 and, if loaned for cooperative undertakings as packing houses 

 for fruit and other storage, will insure more abundant and 

 better food to the consumer. Remember the example of Den- 

 mark we have spoken of before, and compare the resources of 

 reconstructed Bulgaria to maintain the struggle against effete 

 Turkey." 



"Well," said Mr. Keeler, "John has determined that the con- 

 ditions down on the lake can and must be improved, and I am 

 seconding in every way his efforts to secure cooperation 

 amongst the farmers; he is succeeding admirably in the cold- 

 storage company and in seeing the old apathy disappearing 

 and the farmers busy in extending their acreage under culti- 

 vation and intensifying the methods of production." 



"Well," said the professor, "it is, indeed, amazing that our 

 business men have not till now seemed to realize the intimate re- 

 lation between rural production and urban prosperity, and that 

 it is to their personal interests to see that just such undertakings 

 as you have been engaged in should be made general through- 

 out Ontario? And I am ashamed to say that, until you brought 

 all the facts before me and have indicated the way to the solu- 

 tion of the problem, I too have failed to realise either the real 

 situation or the necessity for its improvement. Indeed, I have 

 sadly failed in my patriotic duty, as an adopted Canadian." 



"I cannot imagine anything more worthy of the best energies 

 of a trained scholar, lawyer and business-man like your son is, 

 than taking up this work just in the manner he is doing and car- 

 rying it on with enthusiasm. His personal influence must con- 

 stantly increase, and the good which will result will extend far 

 beyond the immediate field of his operations. If other capable 

 men would only take the work up seriously in different districts 

 and bring their united influence and knowledge to bear on our 

 Legislatures, we would soon be seeing agriculture developed into 

 one of the most exact sciences. Let us hope that the boys and 

 their sister may continue to beautify their lives by further 

 devotion to the splendid work, and that both Mrs. Keeler and 

 yourself may derive nothing but the purest pleasure and satis- 



