219 



To ihorou^hly test the suitability of the diflPerent varieties of trees for this pur- 

 pose, and to ascertain the proper distance to phint tiaem, ten plots have under your 

 directions been laid out, and several varieties of ti-ees planted at varyirg distances 

 around each plot. By this means it is expected that some light may be thrown on 

 the question of suitable wind-breaks for this country. 



AVENUE TREES. 



The planting of avenue trees on the roads as far as made was completed this 

 year by the setting out of 59 ash-leaf maples on the main avenue. I have pleasure 

 in reporting that only one out of the 919 ash-leaf maple avenue trees planted on the 

 farm died during the jiast year; all are in perfect health, and making a large growth 

 each 3^ear. 



As many enquires arc made as to the proper manner of setting out large trees 

 for avenue purposes, the method which has been adopted here will be given. Trees 

 about six years old and 8 feet high were purchased from the nurseries near 

 Brandon, but dug by our ovvn men, so as to get as much root as possible, carx) being 

 taken to protect the roots from wind and sun until planted. In planting, a hole a 

 foot deeper than is actually required and somewhat larger than the roots require is 

 dug; the bottom foot of the holes is then filled with surface soil, the tiee planted 

 and surface soil packed around the roots. Unless the season is unusually dry no 

 water is used, but all weeds are kept down for 4 feet on each side of the trees. If 

 the above method is adopted the loss ehould not in an ordinary season exceed '6 per 

 cent. 



FREE DISTRIBUTION. 



Last winter a large number of applications for trees were received from farmers 

 throughout the province. 



In early spring over 20,500 trees and tree-cuttings were distributed by mail. 

 They were sent in packages containing 100 trees, as follows : — 



EXPERIMENTS WITH VARIETIES OF CABBAGE. 



As no test of the relative merits of the different varieties of cabbage for this 

 climate had been published, it was thought advisable to test a number of the leading 

 sorts. The seed of twenty-eight varieties was obtained last winter and sown in a 

 hot-bed in early spring. The season here was very unfavourable for this vegetable 

 and the returns small, but all were treated alike, and the experiment as a comparison 

 of varieties may be considered fairly reliable. 



