7-8 EDWARD VII. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1908 



REPORT OF TPIE AGRICULTURIST 



J. ir. Grisdale, B. Aqr. 



Dr. Wm. Saundkrs, C.M.G., 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



•Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith reports upon the horses, cattle, sheep, 

 Bwine and farming operations under my supervision during the past year. 



I have to report a fairly successful year in connection with live stock, but the 

 crop returns in 190G fell very considerably below the average, due largely to exceptional 

 winter weather which destroyed all clover plants in addition to ruining the timothy 

 catch on most new meadows. This most serious state of things was rendered still worse 

 by a too great abundance of moisture in June, drowning about 20 per cent of the 

 grain crop in spite of an excellent drainage system. And to still further injure 

 crop returns July, August and September were months of exceptionally light rain- 

 fall, so permitting only light crops of com and roots and practically allowing of no 

 growth of grass at all. The reports of the returns from the different fields under 

 cultivation attached hereto show clearly the disastrous effects of the varioiis condi- 

 tions which united to render the husbandman's returns unusually small in this part 

 of Canada in 1906. 



The work in my division was as usual carried on with the efficient co-operation of 

 Mr. John rixter, farm foreman, Mr. C. T. Brettell, herdsman, Mr. Jos. Meilleur, 

 dairyman and Mr. Geo. O. Morisset, secretary, all of whom have lent me their 

 energetic and interested assistance. 



Mr. John Fixter having found it to his advantage to assume similar but some 

 what more onerous duties at the Macdonald College, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, 

 has, X regret to say, left us. His long and faithful service in this division will ever be 

 remembered and appreciated by myself as well as by the farmers of this country. 

 His place has been taken by Mr. Daniel D. Gray, formerly of Point Fortune, Que, 



During the year I attended a number of meetings in various parts of Canada 

 and took part in various short courses for farmers and farmers' sons in addition to 

 my regular duties on the Central Experimental Farm. 



From April 1, 1906, to March 31, 1907, 2,973 letters were received, and 4,140 des- 

 patched by the Agricultural division. 



I have the honour to be, sir. 



Your obedient servant, 



J. H. GRISDALE, 



Agriculturist. 



LIVE STOCK 



The live stock now (April 1, 1907) occupying the different stables and i)ens under 

 my charge include horses, cattle, sheep and swine. 



HORSES. 



The horses are kept for labour exclusively, although some experimental feeding 

 is usually under way to gain some information as to the most economical methods of 

 feeding draught horses, as well as experiments to determine the comparative values 

 of different foods as forage for the same. 



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