REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 11 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



and Quebec, he entered ^Xfacdonald College, specializing in Animal Husbandry in 

 his ianal year. He graduated in 1913, and was appointed to the position he now 

 holds, made vacant by the resignation of Mr. R. Whiteman. 



Mr. Victor Matthews, B.S.A., Assistant to the Superintendent, Experimental 

 Station, Lethbridge, Alta., was born in Newfoundland, where he received his early 

 education and agricultural training, receiving an A A certificate from the St. 

 Johns' Methodist College. 



In 1908, he came to Canada and farmed in Ontario until the autumn of 1909, 

 when he entered Macdouald College. He specialized in Animal Husbandry during 

 his course there and, graduating in 1913. was soon after appointed to his present 

 position. 



Mr. G. E. Parham, Superintendent of the Experimental Station at Invermere, 

 B.C., was b'om at Melton Farm, Gillingham, Dorset, England, and received his early 

 agricultural training at his home, a large sheep and dairy farm. 



He then took a four-years' course at Reading College, and received the diploma 

 of agriculture, specializing in horticulture and dairying. He managed an experi- 

 mental farm for the late Sir W. Palmer, M.P., in connection with the Reading 

 College, and published in book form the results obtained. He was then appointed 

 Agricultural Lecturer and Demonstrator to the Bucks County Council, resigning this 

 position to take that of manager of tho experimental farm and lecturer in agricul- 

 ture at the Reading Ccllege. In 1908, he came to Canada and joined his brother 

 in a fruit farm in the Okanagan valley, British Columbia, where he remained until 

 appointed Superintendent of the Invermere Station. 



Mr. Angus Mackay, Superintendent of the i^Kpcrimental Farm at Indian Head, 

 Sask., since its establishment in 1887. was this year made Inspector of Western 

 Experimental Farms. 



Mr. Mackay's long experience in Experimental Farm work, his familiarity with 

 agricultural conditions in general in the west, and his recognized position as an 

 authority on good farming make his appointment as Inspector an excellent one. 



The worth of his work as Superintendent of the Experimental Farm at Indian 

 Head in furthering the agricultural interests of the prairie provinces, and those of 

 Saskatchewan more particularly, can scarcely be overestimated. 



He undertook the task of managing the Indian Head Farm in 1887, when 

 settlers on the prairies were few and correct cultural methods for the region unde- 

 termined, and henc^D the crop-producing value of the prairie lands very problematical. 

 ITis faith in the country was perfect, and he has i-howu wonderful devotion to the 

 tasks set him of working out methods of crop production suitable to local soil and 

 climatic conditions, of testing for suitability and productiveness the infinite variety 

 of cereals, legumes, forage crops, fruits, trees, etc., possible of cultivation in Saskatch- 

 ewan. His judgment in these matters has been most excellent, and his courageous 

 and concise advocacy of what experience has shown him to be right have combined 

 to make his name and his opinions honoured and respected by farmer and town- 

 dweller alike, throughout his adopted province and far afield. 



The Experimental Farms system and the poultry interests of the Dominion at 

 large, suffered a great loss in September last through the death of Mr. A. G. Gilbert, 

 Poultry Manager at the Central Farm since its establishment in 1887 until the 

 winter of 1912-13, when ill health compelled him to give up active work as head of the 

 Poultry Division. 



Mr. Gilbert was one of the pioneers in poultry improvement in Canada, having 

 made it a study for years before entering the Government service, and his work has 

 laid a firm foundation for future experiment along these lines. 



In his capacity of poultry manager, his efforts were untiring in educating the 

 Canadian farmer in profitable poultry keeping. His interest and work were directed 

 to aid the farmer rather than the fancier and to establish poultry raising as a profit- 

 able part of our farm industries. 



