60 TOURING QUEBEC AND THE MARITIMES

from Rev. Mr. Campbell, the Mayor of Sydney, the Presi- dent of the Board of Trade, and others, who enlightened us on the resources of Nova Scotia and her problems. “We are handicapped,” said one speaker, “by our geographical position,——for example, our mines are inactive when the St. Lawrence is frozen. Our chief products are coal, iron and steel. Another handicap is our proximity to the United States. Our young men have drifted there, with the result that we have six thousand vacant farms in Nova Scotia. Today there are more Nova Scotians in the New England States than in Nova Scotia. We import meat, eggs, butter, etc. This should not be, but I am glad to state that our province is on the upward grade. We are educating our young men to the dignity of agriculture. NoVa Scotia is now as never before, relying on the efforts of her own people.”

Another speaker referred to the coal mines of Nova Scotia. “We have the greatest coal mines in the world,” he said. “There are more lines of railway underground than above. Streets also extend through the mines, out under the ocean. Just fancy seeing flowers and mushrooms growing in the mines two hundred feet below sea level!”

After lunch we were honored by the officials of the great Steel Works in being taken through the plant. This was an experience never to be forgotten. Two flat cars had been prepared specially for us the day before, and mount- ing these, we were off on a real educational jaunt. Space does not permit to tell all that we saw that afternoon. Suffice it to say that we followed all the processes through which molten ore passes, before the finished products are turned out,—steel rails, nails, wire, etc. Steel products are made from iron ore, limestone and coke. It cost $250,000 just to reline the big blast furnace with fire brick. One