REPORT OF TEE DIRECTOR 35 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



IRRIGATION AND 'DRY FARMING' CONVENTIONS. 



ft 



On August 11 and 12, 1908, I attended the Annual Convention of the Western 

 Canada Irrigation Association, which was held at Vernon, B.C. The meetings of this 

 association were large, and much practical information on irrigation was given. Mr. 

 W. H. Fairfield, Superintendent of the Experimental Farm at Lethbridge, was with 

 me. At the close of the meetings a series of excursions was arranged, which gave the 

 visitors an opportunity of seeing many of the finest orchards in the Okanagan valley. 

 The marvellous extension of the fruit interests in that valley was a great 

 surprise, and several days were spent in looking over some of the most important fruit 

 areas. Some of the earlier-maturing varietLes of peaches were rii^e at the time of our 

 visit, and abundant opportunities were afforded of testing the quality of these fruits, 

 which was pronounced excellent on every hand. The trees seemed healthy and vigor- 

 ous and gave good promise for the future. 



From September 29 to October 3, I was present at the ' Sixteenth National Irriga- 

 tion Congress ' held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. This congress was largely 

 attended by representatives from all parts of the United States, also from many 

 foreign countries, but the main part of the attendance was from those sections of the 

 country where the rainfall is scanty and where it is necessary to use every possible 

 means to economize the rainfall in order that crops may be grown. Exhibits were 

 made in connection with this meeting of various agricultural and horticultural crops 

 which had been grown under dry-farming conditions. Much useful information was 

 comiiivinicated at the meetings and a great deal of enthusiasm manifested. It was a 

 profitable gathering, and many facts learned there will serve a useful purpose in time 

 to come. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 



My grateful thanks are due to all the members of the staff for their kind co-opera- 

 tion with me in the various branches of the work conducted both at the Central Ex- 

 perimental Farm and at the branch Farms throughout the Dominion. The present 

 report is largely the result of their earnest efforts to render service to agriculture in 

 their different spheres of labour. 



To those members of the staff who have aided me in those branches of the work of 

 which I have personal charge, I also tender sincere thanks ; to the farm foreman who 

 has carefully supervised the special tests of fertilizers on field crops and recorded the 

 results ; to the foreman of the distribution branch for his watchful care over the 

 distribution of the sam.ples of seed grain sent for trial to farmers in all parts of the 

 Dominion ; to the foreman in care of the lawns and ornamental grounds at the 

 Central Farm, for the taste and industry he has displayed, and to the foreman of the 

 greenhouses for his careful management of the plants and shrubs under propngation, 

 also for the useful work he has done in testing the vitality of seeds and in the taking 

 of meteorological records. I desire also to bear testimony to the faithful services of 

 my secretary. The employees also of all the farms have my thanks for the interest 

 they have manifested in their work and the careful manner in which they have dis- 

 charged their respective duties. 



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