50 EXPERIMEN'TAL FARMS 



^ ' 5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



CLEARING LAND. 



In addition to freeing land, already broken, of roots and stone, 17 acres in 

 green stumps were cleared and ploughed. This land for the most part is covered 

 with hardwood stumps and large hemlock and spruce stumps. The hardwood has 

 made a thick sprout growth which keeps the root^ green and renders the task of 

 clearing doubly difficult. It is necessary to use considerable dynamite, and hand 

 stumping machines are also employed. An eSort was made to have the work, or 

 part of it at least, done by contract, but no one could be got to undertake it. 

 The large-size Manitoba brush breaker is used to plough the land, and three pair 

 of oxen are necessary to break the thick network of roots. One 10-acre area cost 

 $218.75 per acre. The other seven acres cost $282.40 per acre. 



Ten acres were brushed over during the summer at a cost of $20 per acre. This 

 will be burned over next spring and it is thought that by cutting in the summer 

 and burning it about the middle of June, the stumps vpill not make sprout growth 

 and will rot rather than remain alive as at present on the acres being cleared. 



DYKING. 



Dykes to the extent of 2,525 feet were constructed around the marsh area during 

 the summer. It is proposed to put the 8 acres enclosed by this dyke into good shape 

 next season by draining and ploughing. 



OVERFLOW WATER. 



Since the areas at the rear have been cleared up, trouble is caused in the spring 

 and after much rain by the heavy flow of water from the fields which damages the 

 crops and carries the top soil from the upper to the lower areas. Three hundred 

 feet of 15-inch drain was put in at one point to carry off this water, and much time 

 has been spent in constructing surface stone drains and catch basins. It is hoped 

 that these may in part overcome this trouble. 



APIARY. 



An apiary has been started and four colonies of black bees were carried over 

 the winter. 



BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED. 



An ice-house 16 by 20 feet was put up during the summer. Seven poultry colony 

 houses 8 by 12 feet each were also built. A building 8 by 12 feet was erected near the 

 apiary for apiary supplies and a workroom. 



STOCK. 



In addition to the six working horses and one driver, three pair of oxen are 

 kept during the summer for breaking land. The ox teams are better than hor^eJ 

 for this work as they are much more steady on the uneven ground. Eleven Short- 

 horn cows and one bull were purchased; four have given heifer calves and one a bull 

 calf. This stock is all in excellent condition. Eighteen steers were bought in 

 jSTovember at a cost of 5|- cents per pound, live weight, and were sold the last of 

 March at 7^ cents per pound live weight. They weighed at the start 18,905 pounds, 

 and, when sold, 22,910 pounds, a total gain of 4,005 pounds. 



