REPORT OF MR. A. MAC KAY. 375 



summer in breaking the force of winds and in the garden plots were invaluable in pro- 

 tecting vegetable and other seeds from destruction. 



The following is from my report of 1893 on wind-breaks or hedges, which I beg to 

 again submit to those who may desire to sow or plant wind-breaks in the North-west 

 Territory : — 



" The wind-breaks already set out demonstrate that one row of Artemisia or Willow, 

 with plants two feet apart in the rows, is ample, and one row of Maple or Poplar is 

 also sufficient if the trees are cut back several times each season for a few years, so as 

 to allow them to thicken up at the bottom. ' 



" I desire to call the attention of those in the North-west who may wish to have a 

 small and pretty hedge on their lawn or elsewhere, to the fact that the Native Wolf 

 Willow (Elseagnus argentea) and Native Snowberry (Symphoricarpus racemosus), 

 both found in abundance on the prairie, are excellent for that purpose. Either grown 

 from seed or transplanted, they are cheaply and easily obtained and in two or three 

 years, with pruning can be made attractive as any eastern hedge. 



" Two hedges made from transplanted plants of these shrubs, attract attention of 

 visitors to the farm, and besides being ornamental are useful as a wind-break around 

 the flower-beds and other plots." 



To the foregoing may be added that one row of maple-seed sown about 1st May 

 will make the best wind break around buildings and along roads, when appearance and 

 labour are taken into consideration. If maple is used for gardens, etc., not more than 

 one row should be sown or planted together, as even one row absorbs a great dqal of 

 moisture from land in immediate vicinity. 



Artemisia Abrotanum (Russian) has made the best wind-break and by far the best 

 snow-gatherer for gardens yet tried on the farm ; and although not very ornamental, 

 except when green, should be around every garden in the North-west Territories. 



For two years back a number of Norway spruce and Scotch and Riga Pine have 

 been transplanted from former plantations, and in both years those transplanted in 

 June have lived ; while those set out in May have died with very few exceptions. 

 Winds which are usually worst in May caused the loss amongst those planted early, 

 they not having had time to take root before being almost blown out of the ground. 



Tree Seeds sown, and Trees transplanted, 1894. 



In May last a good sized plot was sown with maple-seed and from this there are 

 now from 15 to 25,000 seedlings ready for distributing or transplanting next Spring. 



As stated elsewhere, seven acres were planted with maple-trees. In addition to 

 this, 572 trees were set out along roads, and blanks were filled up in avenues and other 

 places. The avenue trees transplanted were drawn from a plantation set out in 1890 

 and were from 5 to 7 feet high. The trees planted in new plantations were two years 

 old. Avenue trees were all planted in holes dug large and the roots of trees placed a 

 little deeper than where grown. 



For plantations drills are made as deep as can be made by plough going twice in each 

 one. If drills are long, two men follow, carrying an armfull of trees and planting them 

 at the proper distance apart in bottom of drill, then covering roots by drawing earth 

 with their feet from each side. When planting is finished, the drills are filled in by 

 plough, using one horse. One man, with team and three men assisting, can plant from 

 3 to 4 acres in this way in a day. 



Summer fallowing is the best preparation for tree planting, as it affords moisture 

 for the young trees after the dry season sets in. If fallow is not available, stubble 

 land may be used but will require more cultivation the first year than the fallow. It is 

 wasting time and trees to plant in sod or in land that can not be properly cultivated. 



In 1893 there were between 115 and 120 thousand trees of all sorts on the 

 Experimental Farm ; consisting chiefly of native maple (Negundo). During the past 

 season this number has been greatly added to by seedling-maples which will be ready for 

 distributing or transplanting next spring. 



