6

NATURAL RESOURCES OF QUEBEC

ties that flourish in southern Ontario. Strawberries are grown in large
juantities and the famous musk melons of the island of Montreal are in
jemand at high prices in the United States.
Tobacco has been grown since the early days of the colony and a
tobacco manufacturing industry has been developed. In the manufacture
of maple sugar Quebec stands first among the provinces. Bee-keeping

A corner of the Ouebec country where farmers enjoy prosperity

s growing in importance, favourable conditions for this industry being
available throughout the province, especially in the southern Laurentian
olateau.
In the following sections the main branches of agricultural industry
in Quebec will be treated in some detail.

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE TO AGRICULTURE Co

Agricultural Societies.—Government assistance to agriculture has
peen especially generous. Grants have increased from $609,962 in 1913-14
to $1,928,784 in 1927. This is expended for the maintenance of agricultural
 schools, for a staff of lecturers and other officials and for the support
of societies and 797 farmers’ clubs having an aggregate membership of
52,084. There are in addition numerous other agricultural associations
of a co-operative character, grouped under one central ‘“‘Federated Cooperative
 of Quebec,” with a reported membership of 14,563 in 1927.