REPORT OF MR. JAMES MURRAY 



393 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



The summer was much too dry to produce a good crop, but a small quantity of 

 f.uit was gathered. Fifty plants of each variety were planted. The amount of fruit 

 srathered from each variety follows — 



FLOWERS. 



In the early part of the summer the flowers had to contend with occasional frosts 

 and many very high winds, and later with extreme heat and drought. Under these 

 conditions it is not surprising that the amount of bloom and the luxuriousness of the 

 [plants fell short of what has usually been secured here. Notwithstanding the unfav- 

 ourable conditions many varieties both of annuals and perennials did remarkably well 

 and furnished a succession of bloom from early June till September. 



The length of the blooming season was considerably shorter than usual, particu- 

 larly with the perennials, which were very seriously injured by the wind. 



The hotbeds were used for starting most of the annuals and the plants were trans- 

 ferred to the open about June 10. The following sorts were started uuder glass: 

 Antirrhinum, Ageratum, Pansies, Nemesis, Verbena, Asters, Gaillardia, Stocks, 

 Dianthus, Marigold, Abronia, Celosia and Tagetes patula. Others, including Poppies 

 of various kinds, Mignonette, Bartonia and Portulaca, were sown in the open. Those 

 sown outside germinated very poorly on account of lack of moisture and were, on that 

 account, later than usual in making a good showing. 



A row of sweet peas about 150 feet long was sown in October, 1909, just before 

 the freeze-up. The very warm weather during the latter part of March induced early 

 germination and by the first of April the peas were showing above ground. When the 

 severe frost of April 16 occurred, they were from two to three inches high and many 

 of the plants did not recover after the frost. However, there were sufficient that still 

 persisted to make it worth while leaving them and these were in bloom fully a week 

 earlier than those planted in the spring. The plants had rather a stunted appearance 

 all through the season, and did not produce as much bloom as those sown in the spring. 

 The spring-sown sweet peas made an excellent showing, particularly in the latter part 

 of the season. 



ROSES. 



A consignment of roses consisting of fifty plants and comprising twenty-one varie- 

 ties was received from the Central Experimental Farm in May, 1910. These were 

 immediately planted and many of them bloomed luxuriantly during the summer. In 

 the late fall they were protected by completely covering with earth. 



