656 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



Major plum, a selection of the native stock, again ripened nearly two weeks earlier 

 than the other kinds. This plum, though rather small and thick in the skin, is of 

 excellent flavour, and makes splendid preserves. The usual variety of native plum 

 was also harvested, as were some promising seedlings of Cheney. 



The Compass Chen'ies appear to be quite hardy, and bear freely. The fruit 

 has the distinct flavour of cherries. Of the other hybi-id plums, Opata, Sapa, etc., 

 which were put out last season, none fruited as yet, but for the most part they made a 

 good growth. 



SHALL FRUITS. 



The new plantation, of small fruits has grown very well this season, but on 

 account of the small quantities of fruit produced, no definite record was kept as to 

 yield except in a few instances. A single bush of Houghton gooseberries gave nearly 

 5 pounds of fruit and nearly all the bushes of that variety bore some fruit, while 

 Downing bore no fruit whatever. The Caroline, Herbert, and Sunbeam raspberries all 

 produced small quantities of berries. 



ROSES. 



There are about twenty-four varieties of roses in the rose bed. These were all 

 cut back in the autumn of 1912 and banked up with earth and straw so as to prevent 

 frost injuries. The result was that very little killing back was noticeable, and a num- 

 ber of the bushes flowered quite freely this season. The following are amongst the best 

 bloomers : — 



Name. 



Commenced 

 to bloom. 



Hybrid Perpetuals — 



Magna Charta 



Mrs. R. G. Sharman-Crawford. 



Mrs. John Laing 



Earl of Dufferin 



Ulrich Brunner 



Margaret Dickson 



Rugosa Hybrids — 



Blanc Double de Coubert 



Madame Georges Bruant /. 



Conrad F. Meyer 



Austrian Briar— 

 Persian Yellow. 



June 28 

 June 21 

 June 28 

 June 28 

 June 21 

 July 5 



June 18 

 July 28 

 Sept. 1 



June 20 

 to 28 



FLOWERS. 



Notwithstanding the fact that the perennial flowers produce an abundance of bloom 

 with a minimum amount of labour, there is a dearth of them in the western farm 

 gardens. Eealizing this, a perennial border has been commenced on the Farm this 

 year, in order to demonstrate the ease with which hardy varieties can be maintained, 

 and also to illustrate the arrangement of the plants. The bed has not been completed 

 this year, but the plantings have been so arranged that additions can be made from 

 time to time. 



Brandon. 



