REPORT OF MIL W. H. FAIRFIELD 475 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



find that the Senator Dunlap is one of the most vigorous and thrifty growers. The 

 yield of fruit, as a whole, was not as good as last year, for, owing to the dry, windy 

 weather that prevailed during the bearing season, it was difficult to get the berries to 

 grow to their usual size. 



TREES AND SHRUBS. 



Several hundred of the ornamental shrubs were moved from the nursery to their 

 permanent locations on the border plantation surrounding the Station, but many of 

 them died on account of the very unfavourable conditions. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



On the ordinary grain farm, the vegetable garden is too often neglected. In the 

 hope of being able to offer a few suggestions that will be of help in reducing the hand 

 work connected with a garden, and to encourage those farmers who would like to 

 Attempt more in this line than they have in the past, I will repeat what I said in my 

 last year's report in connection with the laying out of the vegetable garden. 



The different kinds of vegetables should be planted in rows far enough apart to 

 allow a horse cultivator to be worked between them. The amount of land used is gen- 

 erally of little moment to the farmer, for at most it is a small area, so the rows for 

 lettuce, onions, etc., may be put two feet apart. The larger-growing plants, such as 

 peas and potatoes, etc., may be put three and one-half or even four feet apart. On 

 land that cannot be irrigated, there is an added advantage in this, for it gives more 

 space in which the roots may forage for moisture. The rows should be made somewhat 

 long so that there need not be to,o much time lost in turning. It is not necessary that 

 a full length row of any one kind be planted. For example, if the garden is six hun- 

 dred feet long, any desired part of this length of row may be sown with lettuce; then, 

 on the same row, as many feet of radish as required, and so on down the list of vege- 

 tables that one wishes to put two feet apart. By planting the garden in this way, it is 

 possible, if a horse cultivator is used occasionally, to raise a lot of vegetables with very 

 little hoeing and other baud work. Always give level cultivation and hill or I ank the 

 plants as little as possible, to avoid drying the land out. 



IRRIGATING VEGETABLES. 



What has been said about planting the garden in long rows is particularly impor- 

 tant where irrigation is to be practised. The rows should always run up and down 

 the fall of the ground so that the water will readily run down between the rows. When 

 it is desired to give an irrigation, make a small trench between the rows, without 

 throwing earth against the plants if possible, and then allow- only a small stream of 

 water to trickle down. Let it run until the ground is thoroughly saturated 1 etwoen the 

 trenches, but do not allow the land to be flooded where the plants stand, for this cause3 

 the soil to bake and crust close around the plants, injuring them unnecessarily and 

 quite often requiring an extra hoeing. Thorough irrigations are recommended rather 

 than more frequent light ones. As soon as the land dries off sufficiently after each 

 irrigation, a light cultivation should be given. 



The usual assortment of vegetables were planted, but it was necessary to irrigate 

 them all to induce germination. This is not only difficult to do, but is often quite 

 unsatisfactory. For this reason, the material planted was slow in coming up, but still, 

 on the whole, the results of the vegetable garden were quite satisfactory. On account 

 of the gardener leaving in the middle of the season, the notes are in such an unsatis- 

 factory condition that it will be impossible to attempt a report of the results that would 

 be of much vahie. All the hardier vegetables such as lettuce, radish, spinach, cabbage. 



