REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 



75 



the older and well established trees did not appear to have suffered permanent injury. 

 This will not, however, materially affect the general fruit interests of the province for 

 the reason that a large proportion of the orchards newly planted are on highground. The 

 settlers have shown a most praiseworthy degree of energy in their endeavours to repair 

 the damage done, and this part of the country will no doubt soon resume its wonted 

 appearance of luxuriant fertility. 



VISIT TO CALGARY. 



On the return journey a day was spent at Calgary where the irrigation ditch and 

 flume recently constructed by Mr. G. Alexander was visited and examined. The water 

 had been turned on the day previous and was flowing through the channels provided for 

 it over a large area of land. The ditch which takes the water from the other side of 

 Bow River is about five miles long, and the flume which carries the water across the 

 river on a substantial bridge is barrel-shaped, three feet in diameter and has a length of 

 2,000 feet. This water supply will now be available, it is said, for the irrigating of 

 2,000 acres of land on the plains near Calgaiy and with some further extension of the 

 work it is believed that this area can be doubled and 4,000 acres sufficiently supplied 

 with water from this ditch. Other irrigation ditches are iti progress of construction in 

 that district and the results of the crops of next season under these favourable conditions 

 as to moisture will be watched with great interest. 



SECOND INSPECTION OF BRANCH FARMS AT INDIAN HEAD AND BRANDON. 



Continuing eastward the farms at Indian Head and Brandon were again inspected. 

 The grain crops at Indian Head had been harvested, but on account of the drought the 

 yield had fallen considerably short of that of previous years. The fields and plots at 

 that time threshed of wheat, varied from 15 to 22 bushels per acre and other cereals in 

 proportion. North of Indian Head where on some farms local showers were had during 

 the critical period of growth the yield has ranged from 20 to 30 bushels per acre, while 

 south and west of the town and in other districts not favoured with local showers the 

 yields of grain have been very light, averaging much less than those realized on the ex- 

 perimental farm. 



At the Experimental Farm at Brandon the yields of all sorts of grain had been 

 more satisfactory, and better than was expected at the time of my visit in July. Wheat 

 on the Experimental Farm was turning out from 22 to 30 bushels per acre and oats and 

 barley in proportion. An encouraging feature in connection with the crop this year 

 throughout the west is the unusually fine quality of the grain produced. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



The following is a summary of the letters received and despatched at the Central 

 Experimental Farm from November 30th, 1893, to November 30th, 1894, also of the 

 bulletins and reports distributed by mail during the same period. 



Director 



Dairy Commissioner and Agriculturist . 



Horticulturist , 



Chemist 



Entomologist and Botanist 



Poultry manager 



Accountant 



21,814 



18,651 



