REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 7 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Under date of December 19, 1908, Mr. Jones reports on the results of the experi- 

 ments conducted, also on the condition of the crops in the Fort Vermilion district. 

 He says : ' The past season was, on the whole, very favourable for crops of all sorts 

 in this locality. The spring opened up about the middle of April and seeding was 

 under full headway by the 1st of May. Wheat was fully ripe by the ITth of August, 

 and the harvest was general by the 20th of that month. None of the wheat grown in 

 this district was frosted.' 



Owing to delay in the mails, the seed of early-ripening wheat and other early 

 cereals, also seeds of many sorts of vegetables and fodder plants, sent to Mr. Jones 

 from the Central Experimental Farm at Ottawa for sowing, did not reach Fort Ver- 

 milion imtil June, hence they were held over to be sown in the spring of 1909. Mr. 

 Jones has given much of his time this season to the examination of crops grown by 

 farmers in the district, and has obtained samples from them which he has forwarded 

 to the Central Experimental Farm. He says that he thinks he is quite safe in es- 

 timating the wheat crop for the Fort Vermilion district for this year at 35,000 bushels, 

 with an average yield of 24 bushels per acre. The quantity of barley produced he 

 estimates at 5,000 bushels, with an average of about 60 bushels to the acre, and oats 

 about 4,000 bushels, making a total of about 44,000 bushels of grain for that district. 



Experimental plots of turnips sown by Mr. Jones have given crops of over 16 

 tons to the acre, mangels 15 tons and white carrots 12^ tons, to the acre. 



The hardy cross-bred apples produced at the Experimental Farm at Ottawa, also 

 some hardy Russian sorts, which were sent to Fort Vermilion in the spring of 1907 

 survived the winter of 1907-8, and have made good growth during the past season, 

 some of them as much as two feet. The plums which were sent at the same time have 

 made a still stronger growth. Mr. Jones says, when writing on October 15, 1908 : 

 ' Although most of our native trees have been stripped of their foliage by frost, the 

 leaves on the apple and plum trees are quite green yet.' 



About twenty-five varieties of black, red and white currants were also sent to Fort 

 Vermilion for test, with three varieties of raspberries and two of strawberries, and all 

 of these are doing well and making good growth. Many varieties of trees and shrubs 

 of the hardiest sorts suitable for shelter and ornament in northern districts were also 

 supplied. Those which survived the hardships connected with transportation and the 

 cold weather of the winter of 1907 — more than fifty varieties in all — are reported as 

 . doing well. 



Writing on August 29, 1908, Mr. Jones says : ' My garden vegetables are promis- 

 ing large yields. Some of my carrots measure now three inches in diameter, and I 

 have cauliflowers at present which weigh 10 pounds each, also tomatoes of good size 

 which are almost ripe now. The yield of potatoes will be large ; the earliest ones were 

 ready for the table on July 13.' 



The samples of wheat sent by Mr. Jones from Fort Vermilion were very fine, well 

 matured and very hea^•y• There were five samples in all and their dates of sowing and 

 harvesting were as follows : — 



Name of Variety. 



Preston . . 

 Ladoga . . . . 

 Ladoga . . . 

 Early Ri,c:a 

 Riga 



Date of 

 Sowing. 



May G... 

 April 31 

 May 4. .. 

 April 21 . 

 May 9... 



When Ripe. 



August 10. 



August 17 . 



Weight 



per 

 Bu.sliel. 



Lbs. 

 64i 

 04" 

 t)4 

 63 

 641 



Percent- 

 age of Ger- 

 mination. 



100 

 92 

 99 

 9(i 



ICO 



