DIVISION OF HORTICULTURE 553 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



EXPERIMENTAL STATION FOR PRINCE EDWARD 



ISLAND. 



REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, J. A. CLARK, B.S.A. 



Good progress was made with the work of beautifying the h;vvus, grounds and 

 the Station in general. Visitors who have been at the Station from year to year remark 

 that it hardly seems possible that so much could be accomplished in so short a time. 

 An increasing interest in the growing of flowers and in the beautifying of the homes 

 of the province was shown by the organization of the Floral Association of Prince 

 Edward Island, and by the great success of the Flower Show which was held in Ohar- 

 lottetown, August 28 and 29, 1913. 



The small fruits and vegetables attracted much attention and gave very satisfac- 

 tory returns generally. While this has been an off year with the larger fruits in the 

 province, at the Experimental Station good yields have been recorded. 



CHARACTER OF THE SEASON. 



The winter of 1912-18 was exceptional, as snow sufficient for sleighing only lay on 

 the ground from February 12 to March 15. The first part of February was very cold. 

 The frost entered the ground to a great depth, as it was not covered by snow. April 

 was unusually mild, the temperature reaching a maximum of 78.75° on the 26th. This 

 brought the trees and grasses much further forward than usual at that season. Cro- 

 cus, squills and one shrub (Daphne Mezereum) came into full bloom. May was cool 

 throughout, light showers of rain fell on twenty different days; this put vegetation 

 back quite as late as the season of 1912; which was much later than the average. The 

 moist weather was ideal for transplanting, and held the spring flowers, such as tulips 

 and narcissus, in full bloom for a long period of time. The temperature of June was 3° 

 below the mean average. A minimum temperature of 33.5° indicated that frost had not 

 occurred at the station buildings, although hoar frost was observed elsewhere on the 

 farm on four different nights. These frosts were so severe in some sections of the 

 province that considerable damage to the bloom of the fruit was reported. The fro- 

 <iuent showers and the moderate temperatures of July made it a very favourable month 

 for all crops. The almost entire absence of the Colorado potato beetle was noted. 

 Cut worms and root-maggots were, however, numerous and destructive. The Carrot 

 Rust fly occurred very generally over the province and with few exceptions destroyed 

 the carrot crop. August was a very favourable month for growth and for the matur- 

 ing of fruit and vegetables. With the exception of the second week in September 

 (^Avhich was wet) it was a very fine harvest month. A light frost occurred on the night 

 of the 30th which killed a few of the very tender plants. October was a month of snr- 

 l^rises. No frost was recorded at this station. The rainfall was excessive and almost 

 continuous. A mean temperature pf over 55° was a record breaker, and almost as 

 high as September. The hours of actual sunshine were about one-half the average of a 

 number of years. These conditions gave wonderful autumn bloom of dahlias, roses and 

 carnations. The late annuals and all the late perennials made a grand showing. 

 During this favourable time most of the varieties of grapes ripened. The month of 

 November was very mild, the lawns on the 15th being as green as in the spring. 



