82 EXPEUIMEXTAL FAHMS 



5 GEORGE v.. A, 1915 

 EXPERIMENTAL STATION FOR THE SAANICH PENINSULA, 



Sidney, B.C. 



The climate of this part of Vancouver island is very mild and equable, extremes 

 of temperature being rarely met with. While the precipitation during most of the 

 growing season of 1913 was very light, only .05 inch falling from April 2G to 

 August 16, the atmosphere was humid, and the crop yields satisfactory. 



WORK CARRIED ON. 



Clearing operations were vigorously pursued on 78 acres partly cleared and 

 reported on last year, and also on the 47 acres left uncleared on March 31, 1913. 



The roots, windfalls and logs were piled by a donkey engine in several piles 

 100 feet high, with a base GO feet in diameter. The bottom of each pile was closely 

 packed with logs of from 2 to 8 feet diameter. In thcse, 150 holes were bored and 

 150 sticks of stumping powder jjut in singly. These were fired simultaneously. The 

 vibration packed the whole mass and shook the dirt from the roots. The heaps 

 were then fired, leaving only some 7 per cent to rcpile. This clearing operation cost 

 $220 per acre. 



After the piles v.cre burned out, clearing the land of rocks and roots was 

 commenced. Dynamite was used to break up the large boulders, some of which 

 weighed over 10 tons. The amount of rock removed averaged 50 tons to the acre 

 and its removal cost $105 per acre. The material was used to bed new roads, make 

 railway and road crossings, bridges and retaining walls on ihe sea beach. 



A general survey was then made and levels taken- for ditching, grading, road- 

 making, fencing, etc. This work was then proceeded with, the labour connected 

 with the various items costing as follows: — 



Per rod. 



Ditching (after being cleared and stoned) $1 00 



Draining with 3, 6. and 8-inch tile 1 00 



Roadmaking for farm purposes 110 



Roadmaking for transiiortation (team, grader, and labour) 3 00 



Fencing, including cedar posts 1 08 



AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE. 



As soon as the land was cleared and drained, the breaking plough was put in, 

 further clearing of rocks and roots was done and the disc harrow, leveller, grader 

 find roller applied. These were' followed by the walking plough, spring-tooth harrow 

 and smoothing harrow, after which the soil was ready for the disc seeder. The 

 cost varied according to the nature of the soil, which comprises good loam, quick- 

 sand, turf, and bog, with seams of strong clay containing iron oxide. This thorough 

 preparation cleaned the ground well and got the soil into good condition for after- 

 cultivation. 



ROADS. 



The 66-foot wide East vSaanich road running through the centre of the Experi- 

 mental Station has been prepared to make a boulevard; tulip trees have been 

 planted 40 feet apart on each side. These will be protected by a border of Kentucky 

 Blue grass. 



In July, the service road w;as made through to the sea beach, giving ready 

 access to the British Columbia Electric and the Canadian Northern stations. These 

 are named " Bazan Bay " and are situated in the centre of the Experimental Station. 



The 2h miles of new road? now on the Station are well crowned, both sides are 

 channelled to take away surface water and they are in good condition for trans- 

 portation purposes. 



