DIVISION OF HORTICULTURE 409 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



REPORTS OF EXPERIMENTS AT FORT SMITH, FORT 



RESOLUTION AND FORT PROVIDENCE, 



MACKENZIE DISTRICT. 



Owing to the very poor success in the experimental work at the above points 1 

 last year, it was thought advisable to discontinue the work for the present. However, 

 the Fathers in charge of the Missions at these Forts have reported on their work for 

 the season of 1912. The results, as a whole, are more encouraging than those of 1911, 

 especially at Forts Resolution and Providence. 



FORT SMITH (Latitude 60°). 



At Fort Smith the season was a bad one in every respect. The snow had com- 

 pletely disappeared by April 20, but the land could not be worked before May 8. 

 On the 9th and 10th some grain was sown and vegetable seeds, such as White Flat 

 Strap-leaf Turnip, Swedes, Half -long Chantenay and French Horn Carrots, Early 

 Blood Red and Egyptian-Red Beets, and Red Wethersfield Onions; Alaska, 

 Cleveland's Firs-t and Best, McLean's Advancer and Gregory's Surprise Peas; also 

 cabbages, radishes and lettuce. 



On the 17th there was a slight snowfall, followed by a frost (26 degrees). This 

 was followed by a drought, lasting throughout June, which did a lot of injury. In 

 July, hail fell, and this was followed by a frost. In August there was frost again, 

 which was especially injurious to the potato crop. 



In brief, this has been the second consecutive year quite unfavourable for crops 

 It is thought, however, that better results will be obtained as more clearing is done. 

 The nearness of the woods retains the moisture, so that, at the least fall in tempera- 

 ture there is a frost. Every year, near the woods, there is a frost, while in the clear 

 space near the river there is none. The land in the latter locality is not good, however, 

 being very sandy, and will only produce a crop when well manured. 



In the garden near the house, in a sandy soil, turnips were grown weighing up 

 to 8 pounds each; carrots did well, many weighing 1J pounds each; beets up to 

 3 pounds, but a large proportion had too many roots. Onions did not do well; few 

 germinated, and these were very small. Peas did very well, though much later than 

 the preceding year, not being ready for use until the end of July. They did not 

 commence to ripen until the beginning of September. The Caractacus variety of pea 

 seems still the best for this country, being earlier and more hardy. After these come 

 Gregory's Surprise and Alaska; McLean's Advancer and Cleveland's First and Best 

 are productive, but later. In another garden, some distance away, English Wonder 

 and American Wonder peas were sown, but both sorts were frosted, owing to their 

 nearness to the woods. The same happened to the tomatoes and beans. Squash 

 produced a few flowers, but nothing afterwards. 



FORT RESOLUTION. 



Fort Resolution is situated on the Great Slave Lake, latitude 61° 14'. 



At this sub-station the results, as a whole, were good. The condition and 

 variety of the field and garden crops were a surprise to travellers from the more 

 settled districts. 



