23 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4 GEORGE V., A. 1914 



(5) Four acres, similarly timbered and cleared of brush by fire, was cleared by 

 a crew of men, stump-puller and team. The average cost was $212 per acre, made 

 up as follows : — 



Per 



cent of 

 Cost. 



Clearing and burning windfalls, etc 



Felling, cutting, splitting, piling and burning, clearing ready to plough. 



Powder, fuse and caps 



Teaming 



Tools and repairs 



Cost, stumping machine. 



. 't\' J.-*-> 



100 



On the 78 acres above reported on, the whole surface was encumbered with heavy 

 windfalls. The standing timber was fairly uniform in quantity and size throughout. 

 Dividing the trees into three classes, according to diameter, the percentage of each 

 per acre would run about as follows. The powder used per acre is also given. 

 Six to 18 inches diameter, 26 per cent per acre; powder, 10 sticks. 

 Eighteen to 60 inches diameter, 37 per cent per acre; powder, 20 sticks. 

 Sixty to 108 inches diameter, 37 per cent per acre; powder, 40 sticks. 



In November two trials were made of the char pit. system, but owing to heavy 

 rainfall, they were not a success. 



Two tests were also made, under similar conditions, on two large stumps, stand- 

 ing side by side to see whether by running a cable from each to a 7-foot stump and 

 tightening it by wedges, the side tension would help in pulling the stump clear of the 

 ground when blown up. Thirty sticks of powder were used under each stump. The 

 results, however, were not as good as when no cable was used. 



Four acres of the proposed eight-acre park adjoining the British Columbia Elec- 

 tric Railway Company's station, were cleared of fallen timber, and the ravine, which 

 runs from the highway diagonally through the farm near the British Columbia electric 

 line, was stumped, cleared and the piles burned. 



FENCING, ROAD-MAKfNG AND GRADING. 



Owing to a resurvey of the property, the boundary lines were changed, necessi- 

 tating the pulling up of new wire fence on the north, south and west sides, on each side 

 of the East Saanich road, the British Columbia Electric Railway Company's and the 

 Victoria and Sydney rights-of-way. Fence was also put up along the 42-foot road 

 running through the farm to the water-front. This road gives access to the railway 

 stations as well. 



The East Saanich road was widened from 30 feet to 66 feet for 1,310 feet, and 

 was cleaned, levelled and graded. It is fenced with turned posts and Page wire 

 fencing. 



A road was made, levelled and graded through the horticultural grounds, 15 feet 

 wide, for 1,000 feet to the western boundary of the Station. 



A winding road, 20 feet wide, around and through the eight-acre park was made, 

 levelled and graded ready for traffic. This road passes through some swampy places 

 where it was filled in with stones gathered while clearing the land. 



DITCHING AND DRAINING. 



January and February were so wet that it waa necessary to do some ditching and 

 draining to facilitate clearing the land and getting it ready for the season's crop. 



