57 



fruit and vegetables. The results of the experience gained during the past few years, 

 both in Canada and the United States, with the hardier foi-ms of Russian apples, and 

 the particulars regarding the quality and relative hardiness of the diffex*ent sorts, 

 will be read with much interest by those who desire to cultivate apples in the more 

 northern portions of the Dominion. The remarks on hardy sorts of plums, pears 

 and cherries will also repay a careful perusal. 



The veiy full notes given by Mr. Craig on the many varieties of grapes which 

 ■were ripened on the Central Farm last year will be very valuable to those engaged 

 in growing this fruit for market, as well as to amateurs, and to many readers it 

 wil^no doubt be a revelation to learn that so many fine sorts of this refreshing fruit 

 can be ripened at Ottawa. That portion of the report which treats of the different 

 varieties of small fruits will, it is hoped, be acceptable also to a large class of readers. 



The comparative tests of varieties of beets, cabbage, celery, pease, peppers and 

 tomatoes, as well as the results of the influence of certain fertilizers on the latter 

 vegetable, will be a valuable guide to many. 



Details concerning the distribution of seedling forest trees to the settlers on the 

 North-West plains and to some other remote points for test will also be found in this 

 report, with a brief summary of the results as far as they have yet been reported. 

 Reference is also made to a fui-ther distribution of tree seeds and of small fruits for 

 test in the raoi-e remote districts, where they are less easily obtainable through the 

 ordinary commercial channels. 



A report is also given of further experiments which have been carried on during 

 the past year, with the use of fungicides, in the treatment of apple scab and grape 

 and gooseberry mildews ; also on the effect of using Paris green for the apple worm, 

 mixed with the fluids to be used for the scab. Plain instructions, which any intelli- 

 gent fruit-grower can follow, are given for the preparation of the various mix- 

 tures recommended. 



REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



The first division of this report gives the results of the analyses of 24 samples 

 of soil from differents parts of the Dominion, many of them representing large areas 

 in the localities from whence they were taken. One represents that part of the 

 alluvial soil in the valley of the Fraser, in British Columbia, known as the delta lands 

 Two analyses are reported on from the North-West Territories, one of black sandy 

 loam, which is a sample of the black soil in what is commonly designated the 

 fertile belt, the other the underljnng subsoil. This formation is more or less con- 

 tinuous over a wide area of country from the western part of Lake Manitoba, 

 through Prince Albert and Edmonton to the foot-hills of the R)cky Mountains. These 

 samples are from Yorkton,Assa. Three others are alkaline soils from Manitoba and 

 the North-West Territories. There are also included in the list soils from Ontario, 

 Quebec and Nova Scotia, 



Swamp mucks, muds and peats are referred to in Part 2, where the results of 

 the analyses of twenty-one samples are given. These show that both muck and 

 peat are usually of considerable value as fertilizers, and especially is this the case 

 when they are composted with manure from the stable or barn yard. An analysis 

 of gas liquor is also submitted, and its probable value as a fertilizer discussed. A 

 considerable number of analyses of roots used as food for cattle are reported on, 

 viz., of carrots, turnips, mangels and sugar beets. The results of some further work 

 on corn are also given, showing its comparative value at diftercntj stages of growth ; 

 samples of ensilage have likewise been examined and their constituents determined. 



The component parts of several samples of "condensed milk" of the most popular 

 brands have also been ascertained. Tests have been made of the character and rela- 

 tive purity of twenty-nine samples of well water from farmers in different parts of 

 the Dominion and information of much value furnished. Practical tests have also 

 been made with mixtures of solution of soap and Paris green, with the view of 

 determining whether a combination of this sort would lessen the poisonous eff'ects of 



