conduct it as much as possible by groups reuniting all its element* 

 together, and not allowing them any longer to venture in isolated 

 bodies and thus to be without power in the country ; leading them 

 when thus grouped, to settle on good farms, and then assisting these 

 new settlements to furnish themselves with creameries and cheese- 

 factories. 



For the execution of these projects, I fortunately find rushing to my 

 aid many powerful associations ; otherwise, I should not dare to hope 

 for success. 



The Farmers' Clubs, 



four hundred and eleven in number, have ardently entered the arena. 

 Their power for good is very great ; unlimited, indeed, and is already 

 making itself cogently felt. I may say incidentally, that a great cattle 

 breeder of the Island of Montreal, Mr. Andrew Dawes, wrote to me 

 the other day, that " The farmers' clubs will soon change the face of 

 the country ; since they started, I have not been able to supply the 

 demand for thoroughbred stock." 



The law of last session establishing these clubs, has, we may say, 

 satisfied a real want. It was the beneficent Agricultural Decentralisa- 

 tion, permitting the different groups of the rural population to organise 

 themselves in a convenient manner, to derive advantages from all 

 those who, generally speaking, guide the opinion of the people of any 

 locality; to make of them devoted advisers, thoroughly trusted, and 

 leading them gently but firmly along the paths, new to many, of 

 sensible and remunerative agriculture. 



The members of any one and the same club, from their mutual 

 vicinity, can render to each other all the good service of generous 

 neighbors ; a costly implement, purchased by the club, will be used, 

 from farm to farm in turns, by the whole parish ; interesting discus- 

 sions will take place, which will be frequented by large numbers, 

 and it will not be very inconvenient to attend them. When the agri- 

 cultural missioner or lecturer announces his arrival, there will be a 

 crowd to listen to him. 



The agricultural societies cannot supply all the local wants. Their 

 members have more trouble to assemble together on account of the 

 long distances they have to travel ; so they confine their work to the 

 holding of exhibitions, competitions of best cultivated farms, and 

 ploughing matches for a whole county. 



