62 EXPERIMEXTAL FARMS 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 



answered by sending the correspondents the material asked for. Tim will explain 

 why the number received so much exceeds the number sent out. 



Circular letters sent, including circulars sent with samples 



of seed grain 34.160 



Reports and bulletins mailed 257,617 



BRANCH EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



The correspondence with the superintendents of the branch experimental farms 



is also large as will be seen from the following figures : — 



Letters Letters 



received. sent. 



Experimental Farm, Nappan, N.S 1,416 1,211 



Experimental Farm, Brandon. Man 4, SOI 2,755 



Experimental Farm, Indian Head. N.W.T 5,410 5,333 



Experimental Farm, Agassiz, B.C 2,518 2,378 



14,148 11,677 



Much additional information has also gone out from the branch farms in printed 

 circulars. 



Adding the correspondence received at the Branch Experimental Farms to that of 

 the Central Farm, we find that 59,461 letters were received, and 36,851 sent out during 

 the past year in addition to the vast amount of information distributed in reports, 

 bulletins and circulars. 



EXPERIMENTS FN TREE PLANTING ON SABLE ISLAND. 



Sable Island lies in the Atlantic about 90 miles east from the nearest point in Nova 

 Scotia, and about 153 miles from Halifax. In form it is a long, slender, open crescent 

 with the hollow side facing the mainland and running out to a point at either end. 

 It is about 21 miles long, and at its widest parts is more than a mile across; a good 

 portion of the middle of the island is occupied by a lagoon of salt water known as Lake 

 Wallace, which at some points covers nearly half the width of the island and extends 

 for more than half its length. A break has occurred in the south bar which forms the 

 southern boundary of this lagoon through which the sea water enters in considerable 

 volume. 



WASTING OF THE ISLAND BY THE ACTION OF THE SEA. 



The island consists in the main of white sand forming banks and hills of varying 

 height. The strong winds which prevail at certain periods, sometimes play havoc with 

 these sandy elevations, thus continually altering the configuration of the land. The 

 sea has made great inroads on the west end of the island and has within the memory 

 of the present residents washed away several miles of that end which has made it ne- 

 cessary to remove the lighthouse there twice within fifteen years. Early surveys give 

 the length of the island as about 40 miles, and two miles or more in width, showing 

 that great waste has occurred. Dangerous shoals and sand bars extend on all sides, and 

 the strong ocean currents from the south and the north which set in about the island, 

 often carry vessels out of their course. Add to this the prevalence of fogs which ob- 

 scure the land from view and you have a combination of dangerous conditions which 

 have brought about the destruction of many good ships and involved the loss of hun- 

 dreds of lives. 



