138 Second Conference 



around them. Admirable improvements in this 

 direction have, however, now been made in Canada. 

 The question was taken up even earlier in the 

 United States, and it is a matter for congratula- 

 tion that Dr. Bickmore, who has done so much for 

 the education of his own country, is present at the 

 exhibition, and will take part in the conferences. 

 In Canada education rests with the provinces and 

 not with the federal government, and of late the 

 provinces have been actively at work on the whole 

 course, from the elementary schools up to the uni- 

 versities. I am glad to say that the system which 

 now prevails is held to be not inferior to that of the 

 mother country, and the universities in Canada can 

 take their place abreast of those in England. In our 

 different provinces, thanks to the great assistance 

 rendered by Sir William Macdonald, we have been 

 able to attach technical shops to many of the schools, 

 and we have also introduced instruction and training 

 in agriculture. Model farms have been established 

 by the government in each of the provinces, and 

 these have proved of the greatest benefit to farmers 

 in teaching them what are the best grains, the best 

 vegetables, and the best fruits for production in the 

 very varying conditions of the Dominion. Even 

 within the last three or four years the study of 

 Nature has brought about considerable improvement 

 Young as well as old are taking greater interest in 

 their work, and Canada is now producing foods equal 

 in quality to any produced in England. 



