56 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2-3 EDWARD VII., A. 1903 

 REPORTS FROM SABLE ISLAND IN 1902. 



The fii'st letter received in 1902 was written May 26. In this Mr. Boutellier says *■ 

 ' I will give you the latest news of the trees. Our winter has been very mild ; not 

 much snow and not much frost. When a cold snap occurred it was followed by enough 

 mild weather to take all the frost out of the ground. March was very mild ; April 

 was cold and windy, and that has continued up to a week ago. Many pines that seemed 

 to stand the winter went red in March and April, and many that turned colour have 

 recovered and are putting out new buds. Survivors of Austrian, Mountain and Maritime 

 pines are the most promising, and those that are now doing well are the small speci- 

 mens ; nearly all the larger ones planted are killed. A few spruces of all kinds survive, 

 but they are not promising. Of the arbor vitae only a few are living. Juniper of both 

 kinds nearly all dead ; perhaps four or five survivors.' 



' Of the Maritime pines raised from the seed you brought, these were killed wherever 

 they were scattered on the bare ground, but where they grew up among the grass they 

 are growing finely in this shelter, and there are thousands now green and putting out 

 new buds. When sowing these I put them in thick, and after they came up I thought 

 that in spots they were too thick ; but this was their salvation, as the winds subse- 

 quently killed those on the outside, while those in the middle of these bunches were 

 protected and have remained green.' 



' The deciduous trees were killed down from the top, some to the ground, others 

 killed outright but there are no exceptions, all are killed at least half way down — 

 Included in these are Pyrus jjrunifolia, P. baccata, Caragana arhorescens and Silver 

 Poplar. All these deciduous sorts put out leaves a month ago, but lately we have had 

 very high winds and all the leaves are more or less blighted and some of the gooseberry 

 and currant bushes are stripped. As I have mentioned before shelter is necessary here 

 to success.' 



' An exception I forgot. Ampelopsis quinquefolia which made vines three to six 

 feet long, they laid on the ground and are alive to the tops. Lycuim Europeum did 

 well but it grows more upright and was partly killed. The strawberries came through 

 well and look fine, roses with a few exceptions are growing, raspberries and blackberries 

 killed down but are starting vigorously from the roots. After everything grows that 

 will grow I will send you a more complete list of the casualties.' 



' I kept about 10 lbs of the seed of the Maritime Pine sent last year and this I 

 have planted this spring along with the seeds of other shrubs and trees you have sent 

 me since, in rows in different places more or less sheltered. I also gave small lots to 

 the three station keepers in other parts of the island. From the experience gained 

 last year I think I shall be able to protect these seedlings next winter as well as other 

 specimens . shelter from the winds is the main point here. Many Manitoba maple 

 seedlings ', ave leaved out and although they are killed from i to | down they are 

 putting up a vigorous growth.' 



• I hav e moved a few lilacs and Virginia-creeper to the edge of my platform at the 

 house where I can train the:n over the rail this season. I have also given a few lilacs 

 to the other stations, to whet their appetite for this kind of thing.' 



' Speaking again of the need of shelter you will remember that there were three 

 patches planted inside the home field in which the house stands. Two of these were long 

 narrow strips which were ploughed before planting and subsequently cultivated. Of the 

 tress planted on these plots there is not one survivor. In the front a plantation was made 

 of about 1,000 trees in almost pure sand in which the sand binding grass was growing. 

 When the grass grew up I had some of it cut out with a grass hook, and intended 

 having it all cut, but more than half of it was left. Where the grass was left the trees 

 are nearly all alive and thrifty, where the grass was cut 90 per cent are dead. In this 

 grass are some nice specimens of Finns strobus, White Pine, which did not stand expo- 

 sure at all. About 300 trees are now growing in this plantation. Of the few sample bags 

 of seed potatoes you brought me of 3 lbs. each I raised about five bushels nearly enough 

 seed for my planting this spring.' 



