'- NEWSY

“LLAU DIUS THE GOD”

A historical novel, by John Graves, now in we Public Library, charlotietown. This is that an. peror Claudius who. a century after Cessarb abortive invasion of Bri- tain. completed the conquest of the southern tribes under Car-actacus, in AD. 50. The great battle in which Carsdoc (to use his British name) was defeated, is depicted by me novelist as an encounter in which terror produced by ele- phants. camels, and something very like gunpower. playedaa import- ant. part.

As all good historical tales should be "Claudius the God" in based upon contemporaneous writings; venas it may hardly be termed fic- ilon. The character of the notorious lifessaluia wife of Claudius, so well kxown to students of ancient his- tory. need not be considered over- drawn; for Rome especially amongst its ruling classes, was de- cadent. and in a ‘state of moral bankruptcy. Mesalina for ten years deceived the unsuspecting Claudius (who seems on the whole, to have been a rather decent Emperor for those times) and when the truth comes out, is slain by his order. whereupon Claudius married his w dowed niece Agrippina, who not long after poisoned him to help her sun, Nero. to the throne (A.D. 54). Fir away, across Europe and the Channel, the Britons oi Colchestc built a temple in the Emperor's hcnor and worshipped him as a‘ Cod.

That is the bricfest history of Claudius; it has been expanded by the genius of author Graves into s fvrly long story told-except the f;nale-by the Emperor himself. There are many passages in it which are" strong meat" and can- not be quoted in a newspaper; but they are given in such a matter-of- fict. way that they are free from 31y emotional bias. Sharecroppers are Fewer, Says the New York sunday News. some of my readers may recall the film (or the story) o: "Tobacco Road," which is. among other things, intended to show the degradation and degeneracy brought about by iLe sharecropping system of farming. In the story the share- croppers-represented by the worth- less old Jeeter Lester-scrape along in a state of semi-starvation, by karaiving the money for fertilizer and seed and giving up s. share oi tlze crop to repay the debt. A bad hirvcst. or two or a bad market loves the unfortunate sharecrop- pn- in a state oi bondage from rt ich it Ls next to impossible to es- cape. Here again a moral bank- ruptcy follows, and makes possible the incident so startingly narrated in "Tobacco Road." And the W075i of it l; that the average Canadian farmer is taking the first step down that road. as a very little consideration will disclose.

The Census Bureau at Wash. D.C. found that there are 541.291 share- croooers in 18 States durln! 194°? which is 234,987 less than in i930- The decline was attributed to the increased use of power machinery which ens-bled somelandlords and mortgage companies to dlsltohtlnlle lcasirg out their land and to work it themselves; and to rehabilita- tion programs assisting share- croppers to buy their own land.

‘MUSIC HAS CHARMS"

Music is supposed to soothe the savage breast, according to the old sayins. and it. is generally accept- ed as an enjoyable and peaceful art. In my youth I sang in several ch12: u choir; organizations where ore would expect to find the 09°- ifylng qualities of most in their grcaest perfection: but sad to say the choristers seemed to have more than their share of jealousy and uncriaritableness. in that remote but interesting era I had heflfd 0f choirs going on strike and other- wise "cutting up," but our choir only showed a little insubordlna- tion when the funds at the V108?! disposal were not enough to pro- vide ior the annual choir picnic: Hipplly this was not often the case. Our chairmaster, a genial redhaired Scot, named Telford, it is true had many a headache from the rivalry '- 01 his two leading sopranos, both

good singers. Ari anthem with l

treble solo was certain to offend

one oi them who sulked ad lib

when she didn't get the

chance to "star". ‘Ilse canny Scot.

met the situation by selectins

anihms with solos for first and

second sopranos, and this worked

fairly well. I have one of these

anthems at hand now. thoush it

1s half a century since I left that

choir,

Prom the Norman conquest down

through the centuries the parish

church tad occupied the place in

the daily life of the people, that is how occupied by ‘I e civic or town hall. I‘. was the centre oi the M1151 life and even legal enactments and proclamations to be published by attaching them to the church door. Often meetings, with public objects 1n view. were hcld in the churrli- Ytrd. Bomeihing of all this still survived in our village when I was a boy. though the new District Council Chambers have in modem time: changed much of that. We cholrbors would not. for the world have missed ‘practice night" thwtii we got no salary for our attendance as dd the boys ‘n Durham Oaths- d -' and St. N'choias‘s Newcastle. Dr. John Bacchus Dykes, one of the most noted of Anglican composers. lived only twenty miles awly- 111d Mr. Tcllm-d often had us singing 1118,1111‘!!! long before they found their way into the bymnaries.

NOTES -

l7 AGIDOLA

One of my first f to tbs Island was tolionlnof £33: Ind than I was requested to you; the choir. It was a country mum, :01!!! distance from worm bu; m, 01h were very neighborly and w;

1W1 who very Pleasant choir Practices. Then for five year; I P11?" the orsan: 1n fact. till 1

1°" 918i Dirt of the country, we had some good concerts too; will. Popular music such as Gounod’; "Boldierv Chorus" from Faust. and so on. I had however to be very cautious in introducing new hymn. tunes. I found. They preferred tlze monotonous old tune called "WNW" for "Jesus, lover of my 80111." when I would have liked in teach them Dyke's “Hollinsldefl a much superior composition, But. 1 "flwwd- “My. and perhaps their parents before them, had sung this tune and it bad acquired a. ggnfl. mental valus that I must, not d3. turb. In the same way they sang the tune “Coronation" to the word; '5“ 111111 the Dflwer oi Jesus’ Name," vitzereas I thought “M11”- hue" (by w. Shrubsolc) s much better tune. Rather than rsise a dlssi. den" hr removing my neighbor's sentimental landmark, 1 taugh; lip,- newer and better hymns to u... children for Sunday school use, with the hope that one day tiiev would sing them in church.

In place of the "Anthem" o: the Eflslish choirs. our choir- rang a "selection" from one of the numer. ous "Gospel Hymn-books,’ etc, f-hflt Poured from the commercial printing houses in a ceaseless stream. I had an intense dislike to that class of music, but felt that when one is 1n Rome it is guid Pfllky to do as thc_ Romans do! 'I‘hese 100013 85g! fllle had one or two tuneful pieces included, but the rest of the tunes were mere "pad- ding," with a trifle oi something like fugue thrown in for (lie rc- frains. It was the tuneful piece that sold the book. but the rest had to be used up by that thrifty gene:- ationi These books retarded vhe growth of musical culture in the rural districts and their influence had not yet died away.

And now here is a spot of trouble in the choir that happened a lung time ago, to wit, in 1083 AD. “This year." says tire monklsh chronicles. "arose the tumult st Glastonbury betwixt the Abbot 'I'hurstan and his monks. It proceeded first from the abbofs want of wisdom, that he this-governed his monks in many things. But. the monks meant well to him; and told him that he should govern them rightly and love them and they would be faithful and obedient to him." The abbot however would not. listen to them, “but evil untreated them and threatened them worse." One day he called them into the chapter- house (a sort of council chamber) and after what we should call "bowling them out," he attempted “to mislad them" in the service. A footnote makes it clear that l-ie was tryln! to introduce a new-tangled . crant, brought from Feschamp ln Normandy, instead oi the Gregor- ian chants to which they were ac- customed. When the monlu re- fused to sing the new music. the abbot sent after some laymen, who came, fullyarmed, into the chapter house. The monks (who did not like the way things were going) "shot. foward into the church" and locked the door after them. "A rueiul thing happened on that day." says he who told the story: the Frenchmen (i.e., Normans), broke into the choir. and hurled weapons upon the hapless monks massed round the altar. Others (trey were said to be knights) mounted to the open gallery in the upper story oi the choir, and shot arrows incess- antly downwards, "so that oh the crucifix that stood above the altar they stuck many arrows.” The wretched monks lay about the altar and some crept under. and "earn- estly called upon God. imploring his mercy, since they could not ob- tain any at the hands of men.“ ‘Ilten the others broke down the doors and rushed into the cnoir. slaying some oi the monks and wounding others "so that the blood came from the altar n90" the steps, and from the steps on the flood," Three there were slain to death. and eighteen wounded." And then, u men bananas in these old-time stories the narrative ends bruptly, leaving us in ire dark u; to the ultimate result oi the energetic music-teacher's efforts.

“BENNETT? A LORD NOW," said a friend to me the other day. and he said it. as if Bennett had committed a heinous crime against society. Another friend, who never had a good word for Mr. Bennett when he was in Parliament, said oi him (to my surprise) that he was the best statelman Canada had produced in recent years. That. was after he had gone to England. of course, when party politics did no matter.

Men like to be rewarded for their efforts; most set up the possession oi money as the goal oi their am- bitlon. Msmrrion is their god. and in ninty-nlne cases out of a hund- red hs leads them by "Bhldy" Why! u; hi; temple. Some mg seek for power, s dangerous possessi as all the world knows. Others crave applause, a fickle matter at hes’. and too easily diverted. But if s man sets honor as his supreme good, with a title as the insignia of it: if he works for his OOIIM-‘y wi'l"out thought of money. WW9!‘- or vain applause: Ind ""11" "1' title sufficient rcward. then et him have it. Of all rewards it is the only one with the motto "Noblesse

~ l

Obllge."

rpm: cuARLoTTETpj/ggi cyagrpiaiv

I CONSERVATION I

A m‘ COLUMN OI PRACTICAL OPINIONS OI I‘!!! VITAL ISSUES AFFECTING ‘l’!!! USIA AND ABUSIS OI NATURAL RESOURCES BY

IIFIKLD

HI- I-UDIDW JENKINS

REPORT FROM PRINCE ED- WARD ISLAND TO CANADIAN CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Submitted by (Prof) Wm A. Reddln, Prince of Wale; College, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Is_

land Contributors: M; ILudlow Jenkins, Marshfieui

Mr. W. A. Gaudet, Pres. P. E. Fish and Game Protective Associa-

tion . Experi- Provincial

Mr. David schurman, mental Fa .

M1‘ W. R. Shaw,

at Agriculture. - . .S. H l ,0. .. Cffirlotteto , ffinlny?‘ P A l‘. Wm. A. Reddi , Pri i’ Willa College. n n“ o

Review oi Prince Edward Island 3x91319315 REEHFdIHg the Conserva- tion oi its Natural Resources;

"Soil wi'|i Relation u; Natural Resources "

When the first. white settlers. three French families, camg to Prince Edward Island (then r519 Ste. Jean) in 1720. the Island was covered with virgin forest to the water's edge. These and succeedino. French families cleared a small amount of land along the rivers 111d bays. After the Island came into the possession of the Eflgiish in 1763. a slow but steady immizra- lion or English. Scotch and nun

E. I. Fish and Game Protective Association the Agriculture Dept. 0f Pnnce 0f Wales College, and g number of private individuals are d.rec.in¢ their efforts. with, we 110M. some effect, towards "gettinr to .L.e general public the primary idea that “Soil“is inseparable from a number of other thsigs, not, only firm crops and pastures. but fish, dime. Wild life in general, and forests; that the indiscriminate and unmanaged cutting oi’ "pit-props" is bound to be disastrous: that the dzscructiion of forests and the neg- lect. oi forest growths is a serious situation, and has been resulting in. a d will continue to result, in, the drying up of our watersheds and river basins, and the disappear- ance of our springs and streams, and our native flora and fauna. Forest Conservation mean; more than the care of our wood-lot. it means also that we should not Blake a clean sweep oi the buuzes along our fences. By not clearing these s11 away we afford shelter for birds and protect our fields a- Bhinst 601d, drying winds. We must protect our forest growths.

At. Tea Hill forty years ago there were nine springs. today there is one. In the vicinity of I-Iartsville the land, formerly productive has been considerably "mined out." We have been goingback. We rnuststop and advance. In the district of Cullcden. much land that should

settlers took plate uni’! in 1339 the population had recur-ed 33.000 Prom 1830 to 1900, approximately m! Dfipulaticn rose steadily to a fisure of about iooooo. During fill this time (1830-1900) more and more of the primeval forest of b17011. maple, cedar spruce. pine, was cleared away Dllflllz {hi5 ppr- 10d three main industries were actively carried on —fishing. farm. ins. and ship-building. (at one time there were one hundred snip- Yhrds in Prince Edward Island, W911‘? a! St. Peter's Bav alore), At 1113f and for some years a!‘- of these were succcs=ful and the 1;- land flourished and 7:55 prggpgyu ous. Nature here had been overly Benerous. Tie rivers. bays anti coast-waters simply teeemed with fish. and the skv was at flares lit- erally biack with wild-fond cart- loads of lobsters. mackerel, etc, slfilghloids of geese. brant, etc. were taken. Great quantities of grain. particularly oats. were grown with little rte-fertilization. The forests of beautiful pine were stripped away to build schcouers Absolutely nn attempt at reforestration was made. Hundreds of schooner; built on the 15181111. notably along the Brudencll River, sailed away loaded down with Island groin to England and other places, both ships and grain revel- to return. ciLhcr dlrerily or j indirectly. Throughout all this period. little ‘appreciation oi the stuatlon,’ little foresight, was sl own. Perhaps it was too much to expect. Everything was too plentiful. Na- ture had been perhaps too gener- , ous. It was a case of “Eveijvthmsz '. Unlimited." To all but a very fczv l

zople the supply seemed inex-l halistible." But by i900 the tide. had turned. Fish and birds from then on became year after year less plentiful. The loss of soil elements. particularly phosphorus, through the export of grains. began to show itself zlirough a reduced yield, and through a consequent lessened abil- ity of the land to support livestock w th a resulting drop in the humus content of the soil, and a still fur- ther reduction in the fertility and productivity 0i the most of our soils. A considerable part of the land which had been cleared was not really suitable for farming and should have been left in forest To cite an instance, the southeastern part of King's Count-y, which at one time in the days of wooden ships. ras been set, aside as a "pine- prsserve" for the exclusive use of the Royal Navv. ls today an area of largely "suhmarginal" farm- land. and there is left only one small s‘and of pine (in the vicinity of Murray River). In short our natural resources of fish, game, soil fertility and pine forests have been. sad to relate. to B. grcnt ex- tent “mlncd out. "

We have today several Fllhdfed abandoned farms, abandoned in most cases due to a loss of soil fertilit". We cannot afford through neglect of our basic industries to further weaken ourselves and so "lose the war at home "

What have we done about it here in our Island. "garden" province, what are we trying to do about it, what m“ we d0 Bb0lll. 1i? W611 W9 have done "somethinz." we are try- ing to do more. and._God wlling. we shall do much. First we mini to arrest. and reduce present destructive practices, and secondy we must. try to convert. through every available educational medium. more and more of our D9001‘! m the conservatonist. philosophy of living and attitude of mlnd- some corrective measures. government in- stituted. have been: s-ze limits and season limits on lobsters. some birds fish ,etc. Also the establish- ment oi‘ a Dominion Government oyster Experimental Station at Ellerslie, Prince Edward Island. This latter has done ‘remarkahle work towards re-establshing tt e important Malpeque oyster indus ry. , ttcmpis have been made by 5°- ciet‘es and individuals to moire lesser and cheaper. through im- proved harbor facilities. the im- portatlon of wcfirrfl 1PM Slams l‘ as to re-eet-biuii by any of mph‘ ura rather than commercial Per-t Vlizers our soil mineral con B." our so‘l ferfliiy. 'I'iiose o‘ ‘is “lav are interoswd are orelihfm 1° i" all our feeble annual-h lvill Perm‘- to enlighten our people wih rc- izard to the importance of hllfillfi in the soil. oi it: prime funcxlzin as a swing". a retirrer of soil m" i- ture. Can we convince in time our

l

i

11'?

rural people that the continued 1*" "

of humus will in a short while cm-ee on our island more than one “pa, sayuwq-v We“ u... ca“ ivvl 1110 rvmlnli-w htxn-"ltvmyal Farm at Chtrlcttetnwn, the Pro"-

1 b

a

never have been cleared mus, be re-foreeted and made to grow timb- er. as Nature intended it to do. Ma'"y of our farms are, from an Agricultural standpoint, worthless. ut they could be made to grow excellent stands of spruce. Farm 11nd: which forty years ago WETO covered with grey scrub b‘rch rave never been productive, and shOlllO be at once restored to their former condition This scrubbirch is not

of itself of much value, but would serve to hold snow, to retain mois- ture. and to afford protection for our wldlife. Many of our mill- dams have in the spring of the year great freshets of water pouring over them. and in the summer they practically o dry-all due to the unnecessary oss oi’ our water- sheds. It has been suggested that the swamp area at Wellington coula‘ be drained and planted to cedar a tree wh"ii is still quite pleaufv‘ on our Island west of Sumrnersice (not indicenous to the rest of Prince Edward Island ) Much of the farm area of south-east King's County, previously mentioned, could be re- planted with pine, and this, we think. would be economically wise. Likewise our largest wooded area namely from Forest I-lill to Elmira, never cleared for farming but to-

.day nearly all destroyed by forest

fire, should be reiorested.

Formerly Prince Edward Island had more brooks and streams per square mile than any other prov- irme. Whether we have today is doubtful. In short the locs of our for- est areas ihough negligence, self- ishness, or lack oi intelligence was reduced our watersheds and bur springs and streams. Consequently many cf our mill-dams have gone out, our streams have become more shallow, our smaller rivers and harbors are filling with sand so that many of them are no longer navigable to baits of any size. nor are they as suitable as spawning- izrounds for trout and salmon. The loss of many of their natural hab- itats has reduced the number of our birds and also of our animals. such as muskrat. and mink. some of our most beautiful scen- ery has been spo’led by the do- struction of our trees. At Bolgefs Park on the Wilmot River, former- ly every bend in ire river meant a surprise ahead, the thee; hiding the landscape just beyond. Now in places one can see a mile ahead. a"d the effect of the winding stream with its shady hanks is lost. All these things are no stimulus to our ‘mnortant tourist industry.

All this may seem like the 'blue" side of the picture. But we believe the first s?“ towards the soliltion oi anv problem is an unders-and- ing of the problem itself And we are confident that our people are realy. at last. becoming "conserva- tion mihded" and that there is a new slfrit abroad ‘n the land. Our Experimental Farm Pas been doing important work on "Soil Eros’on' for several years and has done much to educate the public in re its prevtntion. They suggest that the flood of water in spring ard fall (and in summer after thunder- storms) with consequent washing off of soil can be checked bv win- ter manure which adds fe re to the land and by the use of fall rye the roots of which help to hold the soil in the fall and spring.