REPORT OF MR. R. ROBERTSON 269 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



SHEEP. 



Sheep are not kept in large numbers, only 23 being now in the pens. Two breeds 

 are kept, namely, Shropshires and Leicesters, and their grades. 



There are 11 Shropshires, as follows : 10 aged ewes and 1 ewe lamb. 



There are 7 Leicesters, as follows: 6 aged ewes and 1 aged ram. 



There are also 4 aged grade ewes and 1 grade ewe lamb. 



Owing to the small area of pasture the flock has not been materially increased, 

 only the desirable ewe lambs have been kept, the others were sold. 



POULTRY. 



The breeds of poultry on the farm consist of Barred Plymouth Eocks, White 

 Wyandottes, White Leghorns, Black Minorcas and Buff Orpingtons. 

 The pens are made up as follows : — 



Cocks. Hens. 



8 B. P. Rocks 704 88 



W. Wyandottes. 1 4 



W. Leghorns 1 10 



Blk. Minorcas 1 6 



The number of eggs laid by the different breeds during the year. is as follows: — 



Eggs. Average. 



8 B. R. Rocks 704 88 



4 W. Wyandottes 300 75 



6 W. Leghorns 444 74 



3 Blk. Minorcas 210 70 



4 B. Orpingtons 268 67 



BEES. 



This past winter the bees did not do well. The mild weather in the early winter 

 kept the temperature of the cellar above 50° until February, causing more or less 

 disturbance among the bees, producing dysentery, with which all hives were more or 

 less affected, and forcing us to put them on their summer stands at the first 

 opportunity. This was done on March 24, one month earlier than is usual with us. 

 Abundant stores were in most of the hives, yet, although containing a good number 

 of bees when put out, during the latter part of April and May, a great many bees 

 died, leaving us ill-prepared to take advantage of one of the best clover seasons we 

 have had in Nova Scotia for many years, the month of July being especially fine 

 bee weather. From five hives, spring count, 210 lbs. honey was sold and some kept 

 on hand to stimulate the bees at brood-rearing time, if needed. 



To gather some data on the difference between wintering bees on the coarser 

 honeys stored by them in the fall, compared with sugar syrup, six colonies were 

 experimented on for this purpose. 



Three colonies were left alone with their own stores, and three colonies had their 

 stores extracted and had sugar syrup fed them, by a Miller feeder. 



At the present time, March 31, all colonies are quiet, and notes will be taken on 

 the effect of the different feeds during the early spring and brood-rearing time. 



On a bright mild day in early March, the colonies were all taken from the cellar 

 and given a cleansing flight and put back in the cellar the same day. 



APPLES. 



Last season proved favourable for fruit trees. The absence of spring frosts was 

 followed by a good setting of fruit, and th-e open fall assisted in the ripening of the 

 late varieties. The apple crop on the farm was a fairly good one, the fruit was clean, 

 well coloured and of good size, especially the winter varieties. 



* Not mentioned above. 



