RKl'ORT OF MIL S. A. BEDFORD 313 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



RHUBARB. 



On page 437 of last year's report, a descriptive list was given of the nineteen 

 varieties of rhubarb now growing on this farm, together with the weight of a single plant 

 of each variety, pulled on a certain date. This was repeated during the past season, and 

 the following list gives the weight from the plants taken on June 10, 1902 : — 



Lbs. 



Early Scarlet 10^ 



Early Prince 15^ 



Sangster's Prince of Wales Uj 



Tobolsk 10^ 



Paragon 11^- 



Prince Albert 13^ 



Magnum Bonum 1 6| 



Brabant's Colossal 



Early Ciimson 16 



12^^ 



Lbs. 



Scarlet Nonpareil 10 



General Taylor 4^ 



Royal Linnaeus 12^ 



Giant Vl\ 



X. L. C. R. (new) 2 



Royal Albert 9 J 



Strawberry 1 0| 



Tottle's Improved 11 



Victoria lOi 



It will be seen by comparing this list with last year's report, that the weight is 

 considerably less this season. This was no doubt occasioned by excess of water. A test 

 is in progress to detei-mine the amount of rhubarb that can profitably be pulled during 

 the season without iniuring the vigour of the plant. This will be reported on later. 



POTATOES TEST OF SETS. 



This test was continued during 1902, in order to obtain information regarding the 

 most suitable size of set, with the following results : — 



Size of Set. 



Seed ends . 

 One eye . 

 Two eyes . . 

 Three eyes 

 Four eyes 



Whole ... 



tc 



'S 



o 



Lbs. 



mi 



7i 

 12.1 



12^^ 

 13-| 



18 



Productiveness. 



[Moderately regular. 



It 

 'Very rcpiilar. 

 Moderately regular. 

 Regular. 



Very regular. 



THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



The flower garflen this season unfortunately suffered severely from the excessive 

 floods prevalent in this locality. A considerable portion of the lower lands was under 

 water until well into the middle of July which occasioned very late planting, and the 

 sour condition of tl.e soil after the water had receded, rendered the successful growing 

 of bedding plants impossible. A large number of perennials which were planted in this 

 location were completely destroyed, which greatly spoiled the effect an'l altogether the 

 carden was much below the average. Forty varieties of annuals were sown in the 

 hotbed between April 1 and 14, and although the weather during April was very un- 

 propitious for hotbed work, on account of coolness and lack of sunshine, the plants 

 turned out well and were in good shape by planting out time. 



