388 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



About twenty acres of new land has been ploughed for the first time this yeai', and 

 part of it has been planted out in apple trees, and about six acres more have been 

 grubbed and is nearly ready fur the plough. 



The large field which has been used for a pasture, has been partially cleared of 

 brush, and fallen timber, and sown with mixed grass seeds, and thus the pasture has 

 been greitly improved. The seed has made a good catch, and will, I trust, give good 

 feed next year. 



A tank of 20,000 gallons has been put up on the mountain, for the purpose of sup- 

 plying the stock and buildings, with pure spring water. This will be a great boon and 

 prove very convenient for watering the stock at the stables, and will be a safe guard in 

 case of accident by fire. 



At the time of your annual visit of inspection, the cattle on the farm were tested 

 with tuberculin, and five head which when tested showed symtoms of the disease 

 slaughtered, all of which, were on examination found to be affected with tuberculosis. 

 The balance of the herd, consisting of two Shorthorns, five Ayrshires, three Holsteins 

 and two grades, are in good health and condition. 



The Berkshire sow had a litter of nine fine pigs, two of which, — one boar and one 

 sow — have been sold for breeders. 



Both Dorset ewes had lambs last spring, but all were bucks. One of this year's 

 and last year's were sold to breeders, and two are on hand yet. One of the ewes died 

 during the summer. 



One of the horses was ailing last spring and was at one time thought to be in a 

 dangerous condition, with careful treatment he has recovered and is now all right. The 

 other horses are and have been in good health and condition. 



The material is on hand for a new poultry house, which it is expected will be built 

 this winter, when the chickens will have better protection. With the present imperfect 

 accommodations they have been exposed to depredations by hawks, skunks, minks and 

 rats, which have caused the loss of quite a number of them. In spring several settings 

 of eggs of different breeds were received from the Central Experimental Farm, but owing 

 to delays or careless handling on the way, none of them hatched out. 



The Osage orange and Arbor-vitas hedges have made very satisfactory growth this 

 year, but the Osage orange continues growing so late in the fall, that the wood does not 

 ripen, and the ends of the branches kill back considerably every winter. 



The rows of sample hedges of ornamental and flowering shrubs and evergreens have 

 all made a fine growth and look well. 



The avenue and shelter belt trees have done extremely well, and are very satisfac- 

 tory, with the exception of the elm, these grow so rapidly, and carry such a weight of 

 foliage, that from time to time during the summer, large limbs split off, injuring the 

 appearance of the trees. 



The shrubs planted on the lawn, and about the buildings, have grown well, and the 

 flowering varieties produced a constant succession of bloom from early spring until frost 

 in the fall. 



The splendid collection of seeds and bulbs sent from the Central Experimental 

 Farm, together with the collection of considerably over one hundred and fifty varieties 

 of roses, and other flowering shrubs on the farm, gave a beautiful and abundant supply 

 of flowers from early spring up to the present date, there being pansies now in bloom in 

 the garden. 



There is a continual and increasing interest taken in the farm by people, not only 

 in this province, but in other provinces of the Dominion, many letters of inquiry are 

 also received from the United States, Great Britain and other countries, and we have 

 had many visitors. 



The August meeting of the British Columbia Fruit Growers Association was held 

 at Agassiz, which was attended by several hundred people, and papers of interest to 

 horticulturists were read. There is a prospect of the summer meeting of the same society 

 being held here next season. 



In October we had the honour of a visit from His Excellency the Governor General 

 of Canada. His Excellency was unfortunate in the weather, it being wet during his 



