consequently further to the south; and although there certainly is an extensive tract of very valuable land in that quarter, and situated, too, between Quebec and Montreal.

The country in the neighbourhood of the river Chambly does not yield to the others either in fertility or beauty. This river has two names; sometimes it is called Chambly, sometimes Sorel; places thus named being situated upon it. This river is of great value to Canada, because it has its source in Lake Champlain, from whence great quantities of valuable produce, particularly ship-timber and pot-ashes, are annually introduced from the United States. Indeed, it is the only channel acknowledged in law for the commerce of the States with Lower Canada. Hence, at a place called St. John's, on this river, near the lake, we have established a customhouse, which takes cognizance of whatever passes to and from the United States.

There is a fort at Chambly, and another at St. John's: neither of them are very formidable; that at Chambly is built of stone -that at St. John's of wood. We gene

rally have some troops at St. John's, as it is the frontier town. The officer who commands the detachment generally examines those who pass either way: way: it is a kind of check on evil-disposed subjects, but a very ineffectual one, as experience has proved. Those who do not wish to be known, can find many ways of getting from the one country to the other without going by St. John's.

The Canadians are but poor farmers.Indeed, they are generally so, in more senses of the word than one. They are accused of indolence, and an aversion to experiment, or the introduction of any changes in their ancient habits and customs, and probably with reason:-it is the characte ristic of the peasantry of all countries.— The improvements that have taken place in Britain have not originated with the peasantry. Commerce has introduced wealth among the middle classes of society. Gentlemen, who farm their own grounds, or wealthy farmers, have generally been the inventors or promoters of useful improvements: now, in this country, you have few men of this description. It is true

very

the land is the property of those who cultivate it but their capitals are generally so limited, and their farms so small, that they cannot afford to make experiments: and when, to this, you add their total want of education, and consequent ignorance of every thing that does not come within the scope of their own limited observation, you cease to be surprised that the country should be so badly cultivated.

Some places, however, deserve to be mentioned, as exceptions to the general rule. I remarked some farms on the rivers Quelle and de Sud that would not disgrace Norfolk or Northumberland.

The Canadian farmer is not sufficiently aware of the value of manures, and of artificial grasses: nor does he seem to reflect, that it is more advantageous to have a small farm of good land in high cultivation, than a large farm half laboured or neglected.He ploughs the same field, and sows in it the same sort of grain, twenty times over; he does not think of a routine of crops, nor does he renovate the exhausted soil by the addition of manures; the only remedy he knows for land so exhausted as to yield

little or no return, is, to let it lie fallow for some time. It is in vain to endeavour to convince him of his error: nothing but example will produce any good effect.— This they begin to have. Some of the farmers are a little more enlightened than the generality of them: they have ventured to listen to reason, and to reflect upon the comparative value of different modes of treating their lands; and they begin to make innovations in their ancient systems of farming.

One of the principal causes of the poverty, not only of the Canadian farmer, but also of all ranks amongst them, is the existence of an old French law, by which the property of either a father or mother is, on the death of either, equally divided amongst their children. Nothing seems more consonant to the clearest principles of justice than such a law; yet it assuredly is prejudicial to society.

In this country (or indeed in any other) an estate, with a good house upon it, convenient and appropriate offices, and a good stock of cattle, may be well cultivated, and support, creditably, a numerous family.

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If the head of the family dies, leaving half a dozen children, the estate and whole property is divided amongst them, which happens here every day. Each of the sons takes possession of his own lot, builds a house, marries, and has a family. The value of the whole property is very much lessened. He who gets the lot, with the dwelling-house and offices, which served for the whole estate, gets what is out of all proportion to the means he now has of employing them : he can neither occupy them, nor keep them in repair. The other lots are generally too small to supply the expences of a family, or enable their owners to support that state of respectability in the country which their father did; so that, instead of one respectable and wealthy head of a family, who could protect and assist the younger branches, giving them a good education, and putting them forward in the world, you have half a dozen poor dispirited creatures, who have not energy or power to improve either their lands or themselves. Without great industry, and some capital, new lands cannot be brought into