REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 49 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



CROPS GROWN. 



Thirteen acres were planted to potatoes. Nine acres were sown besides the 

 experimental plots, but the yield per acre was only 117i bushels, the light crop being 

 due to the dry weather and the poor land on which they were grown. Ten acres 

 of corn planted gave 82 tons of ensilage for the silo. It was fairly well matured 

 when cut. Ten acres of oats averaged 38-6 bushels per acre. Other than the turnip 

 test plots there were 4 acres in turnips which yielded 2,362 bushels. One-half of 

 -these were grown on a piece of land that had been cleared of green stumps the 

 previous season, and commercial fertilizers only were used. The soil was very poor 

 and light. 



The hay crop was small owing to the area in grass being limited, consisting of 

 8 acres of dyke land and 3 acres in the ravine south of the ma'in road; 23 tons 

 were harvested. Fifteen acres were sown to buckwheat and ploughed under on the 

 newly-broken land. 



FRUITS PLANTED. 



Two trees each of 314 varieties of apples, pears, cherries, peaches, plums, 

 quinces and apricots were planted. In addition to this, several larger experimental 

 blocks were set to apples, plums, cherries and pears, making a total of 1,590 trees 

 planted, consisting of 800 apple, 336 plum, 16 pear, 134 cherry, 75 peach, 10 apricot 

 and 10 quince. There are 33 acres now planted with young fruit trees. Thirty- 

 one varieties of grapes, nine of gooseberries, thirty of currants, sixteen of black- 

 berries, eight of raspberries, ten of strawberries, making a total of 1,972 plants of 

 small fruits, were set. The fruits have, with a few exceptions, made good growth. 



LAWNS AND PLANTING OF SHRUBS AND TREES. 



About five acres around the buildings at the front of the farm are too rough 

 and broken to be of any value except for ornamental purj^oses; accordingly this 

 has been graded and planted in part with shrubs and trees. This area is veiy poor 

 and owing to the dry season the grass made a very feeble start, but gained some- 

 what at the end of the season with the favourable fall rains. The shrubs and- trees 

 have done well with the exception of the evergreens which were largely a failure 

 and which it will be necessary to replant. An avenue of sugar maples planted along 

 the principal road through the centre of the farm has made an excellent growth; 

 a grass plot 10 feet wide has been left at each side of the road. 



ROADS. 



The roads have been greatly improved by grading where necessary and new 

 roads have been constructed to the back of the farm. An approach was made to the 

 ravine half-way toward the south end. This was difficult to construct owing to the 

 abrupt character of the bank and to the fact that the sandstone lies near the surface, 

 which made it necessary to do considerable blasting with dynamite. 



FENCING. 



Nearly 2i miles of fence were constructed around the farm. Cedar posts were 

 set a rod apart and wire was used. The east fence was particularly difficult to 

 construct owing to the rough nature of the land along the upper edge of the ravine, 

 and also because of rock near the surface, which had to be blasted. 



16^ 



