The Portland daily press., 1881-07-19
Prince Edwards Island.

July II, 1880.
To the Editor Of the Press:
This beautiful Island is so far away from all
the usual lines of travel that very little is
known of ii by the public. I am here now for
fortnight, with q friend from New York,
travelling over it in every direction, and COM
ing into contact with the people everywhere.
The land is a rolling prairie, green through
the short summer as an English lawn, and is
fertile everywhere, with very little waste, and
unlike the Western praires, it is well wooded.
Its waters abound in>fsh, including salmon,
oysters and Holsters, and the "oanuing' of
some OF these is now an important industry,
employing great many people during the
season. Americans are here engaged in these
works; indeed they were commenced by them
Stock raising, especially of horses, Is now at
tracing largely the attention of the farmers,
and in few years the Island will DO we'll
known as a source Of supply for these animals.
Already many fine horses are sent away to the
"States''-especially of the best breed for
heavy work. Near Charlottetown the Provin-
cial government has stock farm, the object
of which is to promote the breeding OF the best
horses, cattle, sheep and swine. We visited
the establishment in company with the super
intendent, and found everything arranged in
the best way TO promote its objects. The ami
mails there are imported from England, and no
trouble or expense is spared in procuring the
best.
The Island affords beautiful drives in every
direction, the rural landscapes looking very
fine, and upon the norths rn shore especially
are many charming sites for summer villas,
which will abound here some day. While the
inhabitants OF our cities are fainting with the
torrid heat, the people hers are enjoying tho
fresh sea breezes that are always blowing in
upon the land.
The great drawbacks upon the Island ara the
long winters and the ice, which for some
months in every year, embarrasses and often
cuts off communication with the outside
world. Cattle must be fed eight months in
the year, which will always prevent the rails
ing of them from being profitable. But the
price Of fine horses in American markets will
always make the raising of them remunera-
tive employment; and to this the farmers will
devote themselves as a speciality.
The people here very much desire reciprocity
of trade with "the States;" it would be to
them great benefit, not only in affording
more profitable market for their horses, but
for other products of their farms. At present
the duties to which all these are subject re-
duces very much the amount of the returns
The people take special. pains with their
public schools, which seem to be numerous
enough to accommodate all the children. The
school houses in the larger towns are excellent
buildings of brick, and in the rural districts
they are all in good order and nicely kept
The most important thing the people have
done to stop the waste of their savings and TO
promote thrift, is the prohibition of the liquor
traffic. This is done by a law of the Dominion
government that is operative only in those
localities where it shall be adopted by popu-
lar vote. In this Island the measure has been
approved by the people, by a majority so large
that it was practically unanimous The liquor
traffic here has been on a scale very large in
proportion to the population, the effect of
which was to keep the people poor, as so large
part of their small earnings was wasted in
that direction. The practice among great
many farmers has been to go frequently into
the towns with very small quantities of butter,
eggs or other farm products under pretence of
"going to market" but really, to go to the
grog shops The result was the loss of day
in farm work, the expenditure OF money as
we'll as time and health. and q general deteri-
Grafton OF the character Of those who fell into
this bad habit.
The people have become so thoroughly i'm
pressed with the great mischief OF the grog
shops, that they have resolved, with great
uranimity, to try the experiment OF doing
without them. In the accomplishment OF this
the Catholics have been active and earnest,
the priests lending strong hand The object
OF my visit hero is to urge the people to Wig
oroas enforcement of the law, by showing
them the vast benefits in many ways that they
will certainly obtain by so doing.
NEAL Dow.