233 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4 GEORGE V., A. 1914 



to render me considerable assistance in the work with vegetables. The secretary of 

 the Horticultural Division, Mr. J, F. Watson, who has now been connected with the 

 Division for twenty years, and who has become very familiar with the details con- 

 nected with the correspondence, orders, accounts, and other work which a secretary's 

 office entails, has again efficiently discharged his duties. He is aided by Mr. M. D. 

 MacCallum, who during the past year has satisfactorily written many of the letters 

 in the general correspondence. Mr. H. Holz, who has been foreman of the Horticul- 

 tural Division for fifteen years and associated with me as foreman for twenty years, 

 has again looked after the outside work with diligence and thoroughness. Mr. Wm. 

 T. Ellis has now been in charge of the greenhouses at the Central Experimental Farm 

 for twenty-five years, and during the past year again rendered faithful service. Mr. 

 Horace Read, assistant foreman, has satisfactorily assisted in the experimental work, 

 as in previous years, by making many of the records, and has again devoted consider- 

 able time to the transferring of the horticultural records of the branch Farms to the 

 central card system at Ottawa. Mr. James Taggart, as foreman of the ornamental 

 grounds, continues to show much interest in his work, and in 1912 the grounds looked 

 particularly well. 



I again wish to express my appreciation of the faithful services of the other men 

 employed in the Horticultural Division, who have most of the manual work to do. 



My grateful acknowledgment is here recorded of the many kindnesses shown, and 

 much assistance given me by the Superintendents of the branch Farms and Stations, 

 By their ready co-operation in discussing suggestions made to them and in putting 

 them into practice as far as was in their power, it has been possible for me to render 

 considerable help in the development of the horticultural work under their immediate 

 charge. 



I have the honour to be, Sir, 



Your obedient servant, 



W. T. MACOUN, 

 Dominion Horticulturist. 



CHARACTER OF SEASON. 



Each year, for fourteen years, a record has been kept of the date when frost was 

 out of the ground sufficiently to dig in certain parts of the horticultural grounds, 

 the date in 1912 being April 10, and for the past fourteen years the average date is 

 April 11. 



April was a cool month. The highest temperature was on the 15th, when it 

 was 6T°F., and the lowest was on the 1st, when it was T°F. The last spring frost 

 was on April 30, when 32°F. was registered. Tree fruits and small fruits came 

 through the winter well. The month of May was moderately warm to cool and 

 showery. The highest temperature was 82 °F. on the 28th, and the lowest 33 °F. on 

 the 14th. June was a moderately warm month with no hot days, and cool at nights. 

 The early part of the month was showery and the latter part was dry. The highest 

 temperature was 88-4°F. on the 24th, and the lowest 39-4°F. on the 7th. The only 

 really hot spell during the growing season was from July 3 to July 10, which was 

 very warm. The lowest maximum temperature of these days was 92-4°F., on the 

 4th, and the highest was' 95-8° F. on the 7th, which was the hottest day of the year. 

 It was 95°F. and over on the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th. The warm weather continued 



