Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-12-06
Fer tho VERMONT FARMER.
fer thO VERMONT FARMER.
MANUFACTURES IN THE EAST
ERN TOWNSHIPS.

Many nave wondered why the Eastern
Townships have acquired such reputation
for prosperity, thrift, and good husbandry
over the rest of the Province Go where
you may, you will hear the Eastern Town.
ships spoken of as ranking first among Cana
dian agricultural communities. Aud why2
The soil is probably no better adapted by
nature to the raising of profitable crops than
that of many other localities. The climate
is no less rigorous the winters are as long
and as hard the summers are as short; the
frost remains as long in the spring, and
makes its visits as early in the autumn.
The secret lies in the fact that there is in
the Eastern Townships that which is, in
considerable measure the great want Of Can
ada, viz manufactures. The great draw
back to Canadian agriculture is the want Of
home market for the products of the soil.
Cattle, butter, cheese sheep, WOOL horses,
grain and whatever the farmer has to sell,
must all seek market outside Of the De-
minion The manufacturing population of
Massachusetts furnishes the most readily
available market, and before reaching these
consumers the cost of freight, duties, &c, is
so great that the farmer really receives only
from one-third to oue-half of the price paid
by the consumer. Then much of the ma
chinery and many of the simplest utensils
used by the Canadian farmer are subjected
to corresponding tariffs before they can be
placed in his hands. Free trade, or rcci-
procity, it is true, would lessen this burden,
but the springing up Of manufactures in Can
ada will do it much more effectually.
Until within few years, not mower,
horse rake, tedder, reaper, or even many of
the simplest utensils, were to be seen in the
Province without foreign trademark. But
within short time in the past moving ma.
chimes, horse-rakes, horse-hoes, tedders, hand
rakes, hoes, forks, shovels sewing machines.
and almost every implement in use on the
fran or in the household, have begun to be
manufactured in Canada, but more especially
in the Eastern Townships than elsewhere.
Yet even here the supply from home produc-
ton falls far short of the demand. Thou
sands of dollars are annually sent to the
United States by the farmers to buy ma
chimes and tools, which, if these had been
manufactured at home, would have found its
way back to the farmers pockets in return
for the produce which the manufacturers
would consume. Under the existing state of
affairs, a large percentage of this money
finds its way into the Golfers Of railroad
companies and the custom house depart
ment. Though manufactures are springing
up all around, "yet there is room" Pos
sessing abundant natural facilities in the way
of water power, timber, &c, this section of
country bids fair to vie, in industry, thrift,
and intelligence, with the best manufacturing
districts in New England, and that in short
time--much shorter, believe than many
even dare to hope. Coaticook, probably the
most prosperous and rapidly increasing vii.
lage in the Province of Quebec, owes its
prosperity entirely to the development of
its manufacturing facilities. And this is but
a fair sample of what many villages scatter
ed over this fair Dominion may (shal not
say will be in short time, if similar en-
terprisng public spirit is manifested by their
citizens. In this village already the demand
for supplies from the surrounding country
has become Of such importance that regu-
lar market has been established by the au-
thorties whicn is considered great benefit
to all concerned, as it brings the producers
and the consumers together, without the in.
tervention of any middle-men to claim their
percentage. W. II. w.
BdraiStoR, II. O., Noe 20.
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