440 LAI'th'iMLMAL lAl'.U.S 



2 GEORGE V., A. 1912 



The average yield of these six mummed varieties is 287 bushels, 26 pounds. 



From a comparison of the two tables it will be seen that only two of the unnamed 

 varieties yielded as high as the lowest standard variety. Then it will be noticed that 

 if this farmer had taken the pains to first learn the comparative values of his own 

 varieties and then had selected that variety which yielded the best, he would have had 

 an average yield of 348 bushels instead of an average of 287 bushels, thus giving to 

 him a distinct gain of at least 61 bushels per acre. 



Opinion is divided as to whether potatoes should be hilled or left unhilled in this 

 part of the country. To gain experience in this, a large plot of potatoes was divided 

 into two parts, which were treated exactly alike except that one part was hilled in 

 June and the other was left level. At digging time, two typical rows were selected 

 from each part and a calculation was made therefrom with the following results : — 



Unhilled — 279 bushels per acre. 



Hilled — 225 bushels per acre. 



TREES AND SHRUBS. 



Upwards of five hundred apple trees were received in the spring of 1909. and 

 heeled in in nursery rows. These came through the winter in good condition. They 

 were planted in rows fifteen feet apart both ways in the spring of 1910, and withstood 

 the dry summer well. So also did the plums. The bush fruits including rasp- 

 berry, gooseberry and currant, suffered much from the late spring frosts and the dry- 

 ing winds. 



THE GARDEN. 



An attempt was made to grow annual flowers and vegetables from seed, but the?* 

 being as yet no protective windbreaks on the Farm, the young plants were cut off and 

 killed by the blowing sand. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



We have had the windows of the Superintendent's house full of plants and flowers 

 all winter, such plants as begonias, geraniums and coleus coming through without 

 injury from cold. 



What was most pleasing of all was a collection of bulbs of narcissi, hyacinths and 

 tulips forwarded from the Central Farm. These were potted in October in about 

 equal parts of sand and black prairie mould, watered thoroughly and placed in a cool. 

 dark, dry cellar. In about three weeks, they were found to be very dry and were 

 thoroughly soaked again and this was repeated at intervals of from two to four weeks. 

 We began taking them from the cellar about Christmas time and did not take the last 

 up till the first week in March and had a continuous bloom from the Christmas holi- 

 days till nearly Easter. Only one variety of tulip was tried in the house, the Duchesso 

 de Parma, and it was particularly beautiful. It is intended to try a number of 

 varieties of tulips another year. 



Thirteen hundred tulips of several varieties were planted in a bed in October, the 

 results of which will appear in next year's report. 



BUILDINGS. 



The Superintendent's house, which was begun in August, 1909, was completed in 

 May, 1910, except the painting, which was deferred, on account of the dust storms, 

 till July. 



