REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 61 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



A new threshing outfit consisting of a gasoline engine and a thresher was purchased 

 during the past season to serve the purposes of the branch experimental farms at Indian 

 Head and Brandon. It is proposed each year to finish the tlireshing at one farm and 

 then ship the engine and thresher by rail to the other. It will be a great convenience 

 and save much loss of time to have a threshing outfit at command, as it has been very 

 difficult for some years past to get this work done promptly. The experimental farm 

 crops, consisting as they do of a number -of varieties are more troublesome to thresh 

 tlian those of the average farmer, hence it has been almost impossible to secure a threslier 

 until towards the very end of the season. 



While at Indian Head the editors of some of the leading newspapers of Great 

 Britain, who were travelling in a party through Canada, were met, and a good 

 opportunity given them of examining the several divisions of the work carried on at the 

 Indian Head farm, and of travelling through portions of the Indian Head district 

 where they were much impressed by the magnificent crops everywhere seen. 



AMOXG THE RANCHES. 



Several days were spent among the ranches on the plains. The season has been a 

 favourable one for stock. At Gull Lake, several large flocks of sheep were seen, at Crane 

 Lake some large bands of pure bred Clydesdale horses and at Stair a herd of pure 

 bred Galloway cattle numbering about 700. From Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and 

 other points many train loads of fine beef cattle were being forwarded to Great Britain. 



EXPERIMEXTAL FARM, AGASSlZ. 



Beginning with July 30 several days were spent at this farm. The crops were 

 found to be generally good. Hay had yielded well and had been saved in good con- 

 dition. Oats, wheat and barley were ripening fast and gave promise of satisfactory 

 returns. Field roots and corn were making rapid growth. 



STOCK . 



The herd of cattle consisting of twelve animals, all Shorthorns are doing well. Tlie 

 pigs are of three breeds, Berkshires, Improved Large Yorkshires and Tamworths, all of 

 which were thrifty and in good condition. The flock of Dorset Horned sheep consists of 

 13 females and several males, all healthy and vigorous. The fowl house is well filled 

 with specimens of several breeds. 



FRUIT. 



The apple crop was scarcely an average one, but pears were yielding well and the 

 crop of plums was good. Plum rot prevailed to a"' considerable extent which reduced 

 the proportion of marketable fruit and interfereo much with its keeping quality. The 

 plums grown in the orchards on the sides of the mountain were ahnost or quite free 

 from this disease. 



The orchards are increasing in interest as the new varieties come into fruit. At 

 the time of my arrival cherries were just about over, there were, however, several late 

 sorts of which fair crops were still to be seen. The Planchoury is a fine late variety, 

 large and of excellent quality, which was bearing abundantly and the fruit still in good 

 condition. Plums were beginning to ripen. The Clayton was one of the earliest and 

 was almost ripe, Peach plum and Saunders nearly ripa These are all good early sorts. 

 The plum and cherry trees in the valley orchards were looking well, but the apple trees 

 in several parts of the orchard were sufiering from " canker" and some trees had died from 

 this disease. The trees on the mountain orchards are healthier than those in the valley, 

 but even there the apple trees are not entirely free from canker. 

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