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For a great many Canadians in rural areas, agriculture was a full-time occupation, and for the others a way of helping to feed the family or making a little income on the side. Before the establishment of agricultural colleges in the middle of the 19th century, only a few books were published to teach children the principles of agriculture (see the section on Children's Literature and Education). Even then, most people believed that being raised on a farm was enough to make anyone a good farmer. Later in the century, and certainly during the 20th century when agriculture became a large business, publications concerning new methods or new crops became more plentiful.
As in the case of agriculture, most trades were learned on the job and not from books, and it was not uncommon for Canadians to hold two or three jobs to make ends meet. The books exhibited here include mathematical tables used by lumber merchants, accountants, and owners of small businesses. The development of manufacturing and retailing called for skills such as stenography, the ability to compute wages, profit margins and interest rates, along with the books and manuals needed to both acquire and use these capabilities. As the economy grew, broadsides advertising manufactured goods, agricultural products, and land sales became common sights in market areas and storefronts.
Unlike most almanacs, which contained only general information, this one was intended for farmers, and included a long article on the wool industry, potato farming, and of course the plea for temperance. Next to each month, were printed memorandum pages which the owner of this copy used to record the weather.
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The Canadian Farmers' Almanac, for the Year of Our Lord 1836...
Sherbrooke and Stanstead, L[ower] C[anada]: Walton & Gaylord, [1835].
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An advertisement from a distributor of horse-drawn farm machinery located at St. Gabriel Locks in Montreal in 1857. To enhance its ad, the company used a wood engraving by John Henry Walker (1831-1899) who had recently established his business in Montreal. Walker also provided numerous illustrations for periodicals and magazines.
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John Smith
Combined Mowing and Reaping Machines...: Farmers, Send Your Orders Early...
[Montreal, 1857]. |
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