EXPERIMENTAL FARM FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA 



REPORT OF THOMAS A. SHARPE, SUPERINTENDENT. 



Agassiz, B. C, 30th November, 1894. 



To Wm. Saunders, Esq., 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith my report for 1894, being the sixth 

 annual report of the work done on the Experimental Farm at Agassiz. 



The season just passed has been a most trying one for the farmers in this province. 



The winter although not a severe one, was very wet, and the cold rainy, cloudy 

 weather, continued nearly to the middle of June. 



Up to this time, owing to the cold and wet, vegetation had not made as rapid pro- 

 gress as usual, but with the coming of warm sunshiny weather, there was promise of 

 abundant crops, of the most important grains, roots, etc. The weather in the interior 

 had been cold in the spring, and as a consequence of this, the snows had not melted to 

 any considerable extent on the mountains, until late in May. Then the weather became 

 unusually warm and clear, and the rapidly melting snow brought such an unusual supply 

 of water from all its tributaries that the Frazer River rose to a height never before expe- 

 rienced, since the settlement of the country. The land in many important agricultural 

 districts was overflowed, destroying crops, and carrying oil bridges, fences, and in some 

 cases buildings and cattle. 



The experimental farm was not overflowed, but a portion of the Canadian Pacific 

 Railway dump across the upper end of the Maria slough was washed out, tilling that 

 water course full, and overflowing a large portion of the lands south of the experimental 

 farm, and on account of the coarse gravelly subsoil the water rose from below, and 

 rilling the soil, filtered through to the surface on all low spots, and small patches on the 

 farm were covered with water in this way. 



A number of the experimental plots of grain, roots and vegetables, were more or 

 less injured, but fortunately, very little damage was sustained by the fruit trees, although 

 a few of the pear and apple trees, stood in water for eight days, they do not show any 

 appearance of injury on that account, and have since made a strong growth. 



On the whole the season has been an average one on the experimental farm. The 

 grain crops, where not injured by water, have been fair, the roots good, and apples and 

 plums a good crop. 



Although we are not troubled with early autumn frosts in British -Columbia, yet 

 it is just as advantageous, and as necessary, to sow grain as early in spring as is practi- 

 cable, as it is in the Territories where early frosts are feared. The weather in the coast 

 region of British Columbia in the latter part of the summer is mild, and the ripening of 

 grain is not hurried forward, and in consequence the harvesting of late sown grain, is 

 likely to be delayed, and the crop injured by rains. 



The rains and chilly weather in the spring sometimes prevent the perfect fertiliza- 

 tion or development of the blossoms, of some varieties of fruits, and on this account the 

 crop is sometimes thus diminished. 



8c— 25£ 



