280 EXPERIMEXTAL FARJilS 



64 VICTORIA. A. 1901 



I also attended the fat stock show at Guelph, Ont., December 10 and 11. 



At least the usual number of people visited the farm both as pic-nic parties and 

 singly, the Pictou County Farmers' Association pic-nic, on August 16, being the 

 largest gathering of the season, with many from adjoining districts, numbering some 

 1,200 people. 



It affords me much pleasure to again state that Mr. Thos. Coates, foreman, and 

 Mr. R. Donaldson, herdsman, have performed their work in a satisfactory manner, 

 their assistance having been of great value to me in keeping records of uniform test 

 plots, and of experiments with stock. 



I have the honour to be, sir. 



Your obedient servant, 



R. ROBERTSOX, 



Superintendents 



WEATHER. 



The winter of 1899 and 1900 was an exceptionally mild and open one, with very 

 little snow. The thermometer registered below zero only four times : January 18, 7" 

 below ; February 3, 6° below ; Febuary 17, 3° below, and February -27, 7° below. 



December came in quite mild, with practically no frost in the ground. On the 

 2nd, cold weather followed, coming in mild again about the middle of the month. The 

 remainder of December was broken, with very little snow until the last of the month, 

 which made the first sleighing. 



January opened with a snow storm on the 1st, followed by cold weather, which 

 continued, with one exception, until the 10th, when wet weather set in and continued 

 until the 12th. The snow was pretty well all off in places at this date, making travel- 

 ling difficult. Snow, however, began to fall on the 13th. The weather continued 

 irregular, with occasional snow falls, until the 19th, when a thaw commenced and all 

 the snow went off. It continued mild to the 27th, then again freezing up. Slight 

 snow fell during the next few days, but all disappeared once more, having had another 

 rain on the 29th. 



Cold weather kept on until Februarj^ 5, when it moderated, and continued open 

 until the loth. A low temperature remained until the 23rd, when rain fell, taking off 

 the snow that fell on the 19th, which had made three days of good sleighing. Mild 

 weather continued until the 27th, when cold set in, keeping up until March 1. 



March started moderate, with snow, followed by rain, and cold again on the 4th, 

 which continued, with one exception, until the 9th, when mild weather and rain again 

 followed. The 12th was cold, and the 14th was moderate, with rain, hail and snow 

 falling in succession, and freezing up. Sleighing continued gDod from this date until 

 lhe l7th, when a heavy warm wind took the snow all off. The remainder of the 

 month continued moderate, with not enough snow for sleighing. 



April commenced with a snow storm and wind, followed by fine mild weather. 

 On the 7th a heavy snow storm, with wind, made it necessary to break out the roads. 

 Sleighing was good for a few days. The remainder of April was exceptionally fine, 

 with an occasional rain storm, but no very cold weather. 



The first week in May was wet and cold The balance of M{\y, until the 24th, was 

 liackward and broken weather, consequently seeding was late. The first seeding was 

 (lone May 17, but no more again until the 2Gth. The season continued quite fine after 

 May 24, and June and July were favourable to growing crops. 



