REPORT OF MR. AXGUS MACK AT SW3 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



SWINE. 



There are now two breeds of swine kept on the farm, Berkshires and Large York- 

 shires. There are* at present 14 pigs, 5 Berkshires and 9 Yorkshires. 



Since November 30, 1905, there have been sold for breeding purposes, 4 Berkshire 

 boars and 4 sows, 7 Yorkshire boars and 14 sows, and 1 Tamworth boar and 1 sow. 



POULTRY. 



Four breeds of fowls are kept. Black Minorca, Barred Plymouth Rock, Light 

 Brahma and BuiT Orpington. 



Settings of eggs and young fowls are sold to applicants as far as they are avail- 

 able. 



SEED SELECTION SPECIAL. 



During the winter of 1906, from January 5 to March 2, it was my privilege to be 

 present on the Seed Special Train the greater part of the time, and address the 

 farmers of 97 districts out of 143 through which the Seed Special passed. 



The object of sending the Seed Special over such a large portion of the three 

 prairie provinces, was to overcome, if possible, the serious injury caused by smut and 

 weeds. 



The train consisted of two, and at times three, passenger cars, in which the speak- 

 ing was done, and special cars for the speakers were provided by the Department of 

 Agriculture, Ottawa, the Canadian Pacific and Canadian Northern Railways. 



Usually 6 speakers were available for all points, each speaking 20 minutes where 

 the attendance required the use of two cars. At overflow meetings, or where three 

 cars were occupied, each speaker took from 25 to 30 minutes. 



The lectures were confined almost entirely to : — 



Smut and its eradication, 



The destruction of weeds, and 



The necessity of sowing clean and good seed grain. 



Two hundred meetings were advertised. Of these 107 were in Manitoba, 71 In 

 Saskatchewan and 22 in Albeji;a. Three extra meetings were held in Alberta ; two 

 of the Manitoba points could not be reached in time through snowdrifts, and three 

 points on account of the train being derailed. 



EXCURSION TO EXPERIMENTAL FARM. 



On July 19 and 20 last, excursion trains were run from all stations from Moos.o- 

 min on the east to Caron on the west, from Prince Albert on the north, and froin all 

 points on the Areola and Rcgina, and Soo and Estevan Railways. 



The excursion was under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture at 

 Regina, and the various agricultural societies of districts in the province adjacent to 

 the railways. 



Over 4,000 visited the farm from the outside districts, and about 1,000 from In- 

 dian Head and vicinity. A free lunch was provided on both days by the provincial 

 government, and served by the Indian Head hospital directors. In addition to the free 

 lunch, the department had speakers present from a distance, who addressed the people 

 on Stock Judging, Domestic Cooking, and Weeds. 



Fifteen teams, in addition to the farm's force, conveyed the visitors over the farm 

 during the two days. The farmers in the vicinity of the town, as well as many resi- 

 dents of Indian Head supplied conveyances, a kindness which was greatly appreciated. 



