REPORT OF THE CHEMIST 199 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Chilliwack is essentially a dairying district, and liere two days were spent in in- 

 specting many of the good farms in the neighbourliood. There are two creameries in 

 operation and each, I was told, had its full quota of patrons. Oats are extensively 

 grown, but the chief crops are roots and clover, though the area in Indian corn is yearly 

 increasing. This is essentially one of the most thriving and prosperous of the districts 

 ■visited. The crop yields are reported as excellent. Velvet Grass, already referred to 

 is, however, taking possession of some of the fields owing to poor methods of farming. 

 In "certain portions of this district the soils were found to be sour and in a measure 

 unproductive, owing to insufficient drainage. I, therefore, spent considerable time in 

 discussing with the farmers such means as might be practicable for lowering the water 

 level, which I feel sure is essential to nLaking such soils profitable. There arc certain 

 areas here covered with muck soils, and we, therefore, devoted some time to their care- 

 ful inspection and the outlining of such treatment as we considered desirable for their 

 improvement. 



Ladner and the Delta Districts. — Between two and three days were spent in visit- 

 ing the farms of the Delta, which for the most part are devoted to dairying and are 

 in a thrifty and prosperous condition. Clover, grasses, roots and oats, all give large 

 yields on this excellent soil, which, at many places on the lower Fraser, has been 

 formed by the deposition of rich silt brought down by the river. 



Though good pastures were seen that had not been re-seeded for 10, 15 and, in 



^ne case we saw, 30 years, my opinion is that still better results could be obtained 



if they were broken np from time to time and resown. One reason for this opinion 



is that the Velvet Grass and Buttercup (Ranunculus acris) have in many fields taken 



such possession as to crowd out to a very large extent the clover and good grasses. 



A general neglect of the orchards is noticeable in this district ,the trees showing 

 want of pruning and care, the soil being uncultivated and the Tent Caterpillar very 

 common. This po,st had in many places stripped the trees of their foliage. 



A large number of fine milch cattle in excellent condition were seen here, as at 

 Chilliwack. 



Most of the land is of a heavy, plastic nature and would, we believe, be improved 

 by more thorough drainage and an occasional liming. 



The district is on the whole in a thriving condition, the only serious drawback 

 being the scarcity of really good water. Nearly all that is used is taken from the 

 ditciie.'^ between the dykes. The difficulty in this water problem lies in the fact that 

 much of the land is below the level of the river. A system of supply that would convey 

 water from the higher lands and distribute it over the Delta would prove a great 

 blessing. 



THE DRY BELT. 



Spence's Bridge and Nicola. — Up to this time I had never visited the Dry Belt, 

 and beyond what I had read and had been told, my impression had been formed from 

 what could be observed from the carriage window in passing through on the line of 

 the Canadian Pacific Railway. These impressions, from the agricultural point of 

 view, I am willing to confess, had not been very favourable. The general aspect is 

 forbidding, the apparently barren soil bearing a scanty growth of sage brush and it 

 is indeed difficult to realize tliat the country is one adapted to agriculture. A closer 

 acquaintance, however, with those parts cultivated under irrigation was destined to 

 dispel this impression and to make one astounded at the truly marvellous results ob- 

 tained on this sterile looking soil merely by the aid of water. Crossing on the ferry 

 at Spence's Bridge, I had the opportunity of personally examining for the first time 

 the results of irrigation, and these results were certainly a revelation- The farms of 

 Mr. Clements and Mr. Smith are veritable oases. The crop of clover and timothy 



