REPORT OF TEE DIRECTOR 41 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



tlie summer all the grain and fodder crops were light. Hay was 20 to 25 per cent 

 below the averacre, while oats, wheat and barley had also given eoiiiiiderably less than 

 an average yield ; the quality of the grain, however, was good. Indian corn was not 

 a heavy crop and had been cut by a severe frost which had lessened its weight. The 

 crop of turnips was heavy, giving from 30 to 40 tons per acre. 



The stock was in good condition, the steers under feeding tests were making satis- 

 factory progress and the dairy cows milking fairly well. 



The apple orchards have made good progress, and a large proportion of the trees 

 have borne good crops. Pear trees have given very little fruit daring 1904, some of 

 the varieties look very healthy, while others have made but a short and feeble growth. 

 Similar variation was noticeable among the plums and some of the European sorts had 

 fruited fairly well, but the American plums seem to be of little value here. 



Of cherries the Bigarreau varieties in the older and more exposed orchard have 

 suffered much from winter killing of the wood, whereas in the younger orchard in ths 

 shelter of the woods they have mostly escaped injury. Many of the Morello's and 

 Russian sorts, have made good growth, but have had very little fruit this year, prob- 

 ably because of the killing of the blossom buds during the severe winter of 1903-04. 

 Some seedlings of the Kentish cherry, which is found in many parts of Nova Scotia, 

 have been planted and are making promising growth. A large proportion of the 

 cherries raised by the farmers of Nova Scotia are from seedling trees of this character, 

 which are very generally distributed, are very hardy and usually bear good crops. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 



Grateful acknowledgments are due to those who have rendered me special service 

 during the year. To the Director of the Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plains, Mass., 

 for seeds of many different sorts of trees and shrubs, also for a fine collection of speci- 

 mens of Crataegus and other rare trees for the Arboretum at Ottawa. To the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, for many favours, including samples of cereals, 

 seeds of fodder crops, &c., for test from foreign countries. To the Director of the 

 Royal Gardens, Kew, England, for seeds of many sorts of trees, shrubs and plant-s. 

 To Prof. John Macoirn and Mr. J. M. Macoun, both of the Geological and Natural 

 History Survey of Canada, for seeds of rare Canadian plants. 



To the officers of the Central and Branch Experimental Earms my thanks are due 

 for their earnest co-operation in carrying on the different divisions of the work. 

 Grateful acknowledgments are also due to those members of the staff who have aided 

 me in those branches of which I hav?, had personal charge. To Mr. John Eixter, the 

 farm foreman, who has taken charge of the special tests made with fertilizers on farm 

 crops and aided me with practical suggestions. To Mr. George Fixter, to whom I am 

 indebted for his careful supervision of the distribution of samples of seed grain. To 

 Miss M. Hager, for valuable help in the taking of field notes and in the compilation 

 of records in connection with work on the several experimental farms. To Mr. James 

 Taggart, for the care and good judgment he has displayed as foreman of the ornamental 

 grounds, and to Mr. Wm. T. Ellis, who has done careful work in testing the vitality 

 of seeds, the management of the plants in the green-house and in propagating useful 

 plants for outside decoration. Mr. Ellis has also rendered useful service in the taking 

 of meteorological records. 



I also take pleasure in bearing testimony to the faithful services of my secretary, 

 Mr. Malcolm C. O'Hanly. The employees also of all the farms have my thanks for the 

 interest they have taken in their work, and the care with which they have discharged 

 their respective duties. 



WM. SAUNDERS, 

 Director of Experimental Farms. 



