60 - EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



INQUIRIES INTO HOP GROWING AND IRRIGATION. 



The subject of hop growing is now attracting much attention in some parts of 

 British Columbia, especially in the neighbourhood of the experimeatal farm, where 

 there are several large hop yards, which have given excellent crops during the past 

 season. In order to gain all the information possible for the benefit of the growers 

 there, it was arranged that the superintendent of the farm at Agassiz should join me 

 in visiting the hop yards which had been established in the Fraser Eiver Valley 

 and also some of the more important hop districts in the State of Washington, both 

 in the coast and dry climates of that state, so that opportunity might be afforded of 

 comparing the hops grown there with those produced in the° corresponding climates 

 in British Columbia. After visiting the noted hop districts about Puyallup and the 

 White Eiver Valley a trip was made to Yakima in the dry interior of the state, 

 where nothing can be grown without irrigation. A careful comparison seemed to 

 leave no doubt that hops can be produced in British Columbia as good in every 

 respect as those grown in Washington. 



Returning eastward a day was spent at Spence's Bridge where some magnificent 

 apples grown by means of irrigation were obtained and forwarded to the Canadian 

 horticultural department at the World's Fair. One of these grown by Mr. A. Clemis 

 was an extraordinary specimen of the variety known as Red Beitegheimer, of beau- 

 tiful form and colour, which measui-ed 15J inches in circumference and weighed 25 

 ounces. 



At Calgary a visit was made to the farm of Mr. Hull, a few miles from the town, 

 where excellent crops of oats, wheat and barley had been grown during the past 

 season by means of irrigation. Extensive works have been begun in that neighbour- 

 hood which when completed will result in the irrigation of thousands of acres of 

 land by utilizing portions of the water in the Bow and Elbow Rivers. With a suffi- 

 cient supply of moisture in the soil there is no doubt that abundant crops of grain 

 and fodder can be grown on the fertile lands of that district. Returning homewards 

 Ottawa was reached on the 26th of September after an absence of more than six 

 weeks. 



EXPERIMENTAL FARM, NAPPAN. 



Later in the autumn the branch farm at Nappan, Nova Scotia, was visited the 

 results of the year ascertained and arrangements made for future experimental work. 

 This farm has been greatly improved during the past five years by a gradual exten- 

 sion of under-draining, A few acres have been drained each year, until now 78 acres 

 have been so treated with manifestly beneficial results in quantity and quality of 

 crops. Land so drained may be seeded much earlier in the spring, and the soil being 

 kept more open and porous admits of a much better tilth, while the conditions for 

 healthy plant growth are greatly improved. Many promising varieties of grain, 

 roots and potatoes, have been tested, the results of early and late sowing compared, 

 the influence of fertilizers on different crops noted and many other useful lines of 

 experimental work conducted. The fruit plantations contain many varieties both 

 of large and small fruits, most of which have made satisfactory progress and some 

 of the young trees have borne fruit. The number ol ornamental trees, shrubs and 

 plants under test has been increased and useful information gained in this branch of 

 the work. The cattle kept at this farm are almost wholly composed of dairy breeds, 

 and the recent establishment of a cheese and butter factory, at Nappan, under charge 

 of the Dominion Dairy Commissioner, has awakened a general interest in dairying 

 in that part of the country and brought the experimental work carried on at the 

 farm on dairy stock prominently into notice. Since the erection of the piggery 

 several useful breeds of swine have been introduced which are having a good influ- 

 ence in improving the character of the hogs bred in this district. All the animals 

 appeared to be healthy and the general condition of the farm was good, giving evi- 

 dence everywhere of careful management. 



