ECOXOMIC CAUSES OF DEPLETION 61 



Tradesmen such as these have as a class ahnost dis- 

 appeared from our present-day industrial world. Their 

 going deprives the countryside of a variety of openings 

 in life for persons of different tastes, and confines the 

 choice of occupations to one, that of agriculture. ' It 

 has removed varied types of life from the comninnity, 

 reducing social groups to the monotony of a single class. 

 It has withdrawn an intelligent, capable, prosperous 

 and contented population from the country. 

 ■ This loss is reflected in our literature: 



This river of azure with many a weed in 



Its pools is as fair as those famous of old; 

 Its wash Is the same as made blossoms in Eden, 



And still it remembers their crimson and gold; 

 As lovely this valley with forests around it, 



As vivid the evergreens shading the hill; 

 But manhood has gone from the cottage that crowned It, 



And alders are growing at Atkinson's Mill. 



The stream Is the same with Its tinting of azure. 



Yet the old bridge Is moved from Its mooring of stone. 

 Departed are those who once made It a pleasure 



To sail here, or skate when the summer had flown. 

 This pathway through cedar Is trampled no longer 



By feet that went dally to school 'gainst their will; 

 The fraerrance of hope In the springtime was stronger 



And sweeter than summer by Atkinson's Mill.* 



One of the chief steps in this process proved a serious 

 blow to the prosperity of the Maritime Provinces — the 

 cessation of the ship-building industry when the sailing 

 vessel with wooden hull was replaced by the steel-built 

 steamer. Before that time Canada bad become fifth in 

 rank among the mercantile maritime nations, Britain, 



* Andrew Ramsay. 



