86 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



This is also true of a few varieties of American origin, notably " Wealthy " and 

 " Wagener." 



A considerable number of varieties of Euseian apples blossomed, and bore fruit 

 this season, but it was impossible to secure the specimens at maturity owing to the 

 large number of visitors and the numerous small boys frequenting the orchard on 

 Saturday and Sunday of each week. The orchard has since been inclosed by a 

 barbed wire fence which will, it is hoped, obviate this difficulty another year. 



The crop of cherries was light this year. A few trees blossomed but did not set 

 fruit. 



Nearly all the varieties of American plums blossomed and fruited abundantly, 

 but none of the foreign sorts bore any fruit. Special ^mention should be made of 

 " De Soto," " Weaver," and " Wyant." The two former having fruited very heavily 

 for three years in succession. " Weaver " was so heavily laden that it was found 

 necessary to remove at least one-half of the fruit, in order to prevent the branches 

 from being broken by the weight of the crop. 



Vegetables and Tobacco. 



Experiments other than those contained in the report have been carried on 

 with vegetables, including fertilizer tests, methods of cultivation, and trial of new 

 varieties. As is well known the results of fertilizer tests, are only reliable after 

 being carried on for a series of years, and for this reason no report is made for the 

 present. 



At the request of the Honourable the Minister of Agriculture, some experiments 

 in the cultivation of tobacco were begun at the farm and the results will be found in 

 the body of the report. Arrangements have been made with a tobacco manufacturer 

 in Montreal, whereby samples of the different varieties tested at the farm, will be 

 made up in the form of the article for which they seem best fitted, and a report will 

 be afterwards made upon their relative excellence. 



World's Fair. 



It was my privilege, "by permission of the Honourable the Minister of Agricul- 

 ture, to visit the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago. There, in October, I had 

 the opportunity of seeing the display of samples of the standard fruits of America, 

 and as much time as possible was given to studying the same varieties of fruit grown 

 under different climatic conditions, as well as other interesting questions. New fruits 

 and new horticultural implements were also investigated with much advantage. 



The display from Canada, especially from the province of Ontario, was excel- 

 lent, both from an educational and from an advertising and commercial standpoint. 



A great deal of credit is due to the Dominion and Provincial superintendents 

 for the effective manner in which the horticultural resources of the Dominion were 

 brought before the public. In this connection it may be stated that displays of fresh 

 vegetables from the Central Experimental Farm were sent forward at intervals 

 during the summer season. This exhibit was supplemented in the autumn by a 

 consignment of 133 varieties of grapes which arrived in Chicago in very good con- 

 dition and made an instructive and interesting exhibit, showing as it did the possi- 

 bilities of this northern latitude in maturing fruit which requires as much summer 

 heat as does the grape. This collection received a diploma from the committee on 

 awards. 



Prior to this collections of the fruit of 1892, including grapes, currants, rasp- 

 berries and goose-berries were put up with pt-eservative liquids in glass jars. These 

 were forwaided in April, 1893, and materially assisted in keeping up the attractions 

 of the exhibit, before the fresh fruits appeared. 



Meetings Attended. 



I attended officially during the year the annual meetings of the Ontario and 

 of the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Associations, also the autumn exhibitions at 

 Montreal and Sherbrooke, P.Q. 



