REPORT Of MR. THOMAS A. SHARPE. 395 



Green feed. 



Two plots of y 1 ^- of an acre each, were sown with mixed grain for the purpose of 

 cutting green, and curing as hay, with the following results. 



Mixture No. 1. — 6 lbs. of Golden Vine Pease, 5 lbs. of Prize Prolific barley, and 3| 

 lbs. of Banner oats, mixed and sown together on y 1 ^ acre plot equal to 1 bushel of each 

 per acre. Sown April 17, up May 4, cut July 27. Barley in early dough, oats in milk, 

 and Pease about fit for table use. Weight when cut 1,550 lbs. ; weight when thoroughly 

 cured C50 lbs., making 7 tons 1,500 lbs. green and 3 tons 500 lbs. cured fodder per acre. 



Mixture No. 2.-6 lbs. Golden Vine Pease, 5 lbs. Red Fife Wheat, 3J lbs. Banner 

 Oats, cut when oats and wheat were in milk, and pease were a little too hard for table 

 use. Plot y 1 ^ acre, weight when cut 1,925 lbs., when cured 750 lbs., or at the rate of 9 

 tons, 1,250 lbs. per acre green and 3 tons 1,500 lbs. when cured. 



The plots were sown side by side, soil and treatment the same, showing rather better 

 results this year than last, mixture No. 2 being somewhat the heaviest. Last year No. 2 

 was a little the lightest. Both years, the stock appeared to like this feed very much, 

 and milking cows gave more milk while feeding on it, than on grass similarly cured. 



Hybridizing. 



The hybrid grains mentioned in my last report have been sown and harvested this 

 year, and some of them, especially the barleys and pease, are very promising, some of 

 the former being over four feet high with very fine heads, and bright stiff straw. They 

 sported a great deal, but they were carefully harvested and the most promising varieties 

 kept separate for future sowing, with i good prospect of useful results. 



Out of a number of potato seedlings, twenty four were chosen and planted in 1893. 

 These have been reduced to six, selecting the most promising to try again. 



A little hybridizing was done with grain this year, and those produced last year 

 were sown, with, in most cases, satisfactory returns. 



Some efforts have also been made, in the way of producing new varieties of fruits 

 by cross fertilization. 



Hops. 



A small experimental yard of hops has been started. A hundred roots of the 

 Kentish Golding, having been procured from Capt. Moore of this place, and a hundred 

 of the California Cluster from Mr. Meeker of Puyallup, Washington Territory. 



The roots received from Capt. Moore were exceptionally fine, and have made a very 

 fine growth. The others too, have done well, and will be poled next season when a 

 crop may be expected. 



The hop crop in British Columbia has been a medium one, and some very superior 

 samples have been putup in this neighbourhood but prices have been low, owing to exten- 

 sive plantations in other countries, and heavy yields. 



Hop growers have perhaps not suffered in this respect, more than other producers, 

 and they have many reasons to feel hopeful for the future. The soil and climate in 

 many parts of British Columbia have proved to be favourable to the production of 

 large yields of hops of a superior quality. 



Turnips. 



Twelve varieties of turnips were tested on land that had been in hoed crops the 

 previous year, and was manured in the spring with a light dressing of stable manure. 



Two sowings of each variety were made in rows 30 inches apart, and the plants 

 thinned to 6 inches in the rows. These plots were above high water, and the turnips 

 were very good. 



The Elephant and Rennie's Prize Purple Top, are, as in previous years, the finest 

 shaped and best turnips we have tested here. 



