THE EEPOET UPON No. 13 



what it produces for our benefit. We frequently hear of farmers leaving their farms 

 on the plea that the land is played out. Land will never be played out if it receives 

 common sense honest treatment. All sewage should be treated by an intelligent 

 system of interception works, the solids from the tanks should be pulverized, put 

 into coarse sacks and sold to farmers at cost of production. This may not have 

 been practical when alum was used as a purifier, but with the substitution of 

 lime, the residue so treated would have a considerable commercial value as fertilizer, 

 and would do much in preventing land starvation. All deleterious waste products 

 from manufactories should be destroyed by those producing them, on the same 

 conditions as owners of sawmills are compelled to destroy sawdust. The recent 

 deplorable events in the capital of the Dominion wias one of Nature's severe warn- 

 ings, the deduction from which is that neither collectively nor individually can we 

 ignore her laws with impunity. When such an unfortunate state of affairs prevails 

 in what should be one of our most enlightened cities, with all the appliances known 

 to Science at their command, what better can be expected from the farmers or 

 dairymen who locate their stables and cattle sheds contiguous to their wells or 

 springs, even though the results of so doing resemble those that occurred in a vil- 

 lage near Manchester, England, a few years ago, when many of the inhabitants 

 died from typhoid fever, resulting from the use of milk from cows having access 

 to water polluted with sewage. The vexed question of defilement of public waters 

 can be settled permanently only by making it too expensive for those who continue 

 endangering the public welfare. Unrestricted sewage has already destroyed many 

 of the best spawning grounds in the Great Lakes and rivers. With increased popu- 

 lation, of course, there will be an increased demand for fish. Then everything pos- 

 sible should be done to put a decided stop to anything having a tendency to decrease 

 the supply of this most valuable commodity. 



Game laws originated in England, where it was decided that game was the 

 property of the Crown, who granted the privilege of hunting game exclusively to 

 the owners of large estates, and of course when game laws were enacted they were 

 drastic and unduly oppressive. These arbitrary laws were modified during the 

 18th century, but even now game is protected in England for the exclusive benefit 

 of the land owners. What a contrast to the above are the game laws in this man- 

 maldng country of ours. When there were many less people in the Province, and 

 more game and fish, game laws were not considered necessary; but now, with the 

 large increase in the population of the Province, and consequent decrease of game 

 and fish, and also of fur-bearing animals, it is imperative that corresponding re- 

 strictive and protective measures be enacted. License fees should be required for 

 killing any kind of game, also from trappers. It is alleged that the annual value 

 of game birds and game and fur-bearing animals in the State of New York 

 is $750,000. If this is correct for the State of New York, with their restricted 

 forest lands, the annual value of the above-named animals and birds in Ontario 

 will no doubt be worth to the Province at least $3,000,000. This is worth consider- 

 ing, and those receiving the lion's share of it should be required to pay the cost of 

 conserving it for them. 



It is a difficult matter to effect the desired reduction in the number of permits 

 annually issued, enabling the holders thereof to take insectivorous birds and their 

 eggs. In many cases the applications come for permits from those who desire to 

 shoot birds for amusement. It is impossible to say how many of these applications 

 come from men and boys that honestly require the permits for bona fide scientific 

 purposes. To prevent the numerous applications, and consequent destruction of 

 our beautiful feathered songsters and the farmer's best friends, I strongly advise 



