12 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 

 The Making of Jelly from the fruit of Pyrus baccata. 



Some of the varieties are astringent, and many experiments have been tried in 

 Ottawa to ascertain the best method of treating these fruits to obtain jelly of high 

 quality and free from astringency. These experiments were conducted by Dr.- C. E. 

 Saunders, who has prepared the following notes : — ' In order to avoid unpleasant as- 

 tringency in the jelly the following directions should be carefully carried out. Let 

 the fruit be kept for some time after picking until it is thoroughly ripened. Take one 

 quart of fruit, add about three pints of water, boil for about half an hour crushing 

 the fruit when soft. Strain, first through a cullender and then once (or twice if a 

 very clear product is desired) through a cloth. Heat the liquid to boiling ; add sugar 

 and boil until it will set. This should take about ten minutes. The jelly should 

 not be made very stiff. The amount of sugar to be added depends on whether a sweet 

 or an acid jelly is desired. For a quart of fruit the quantity of granulated white 

 sugar may vary from about a pound to two pounds. In the first case about one 

 and one-quarter pints of jelly should be obtained, and in the second case a little more 

 than a quart. The jelly from Pyrus baccata so made should be of a brilliant red col- 

 our and of high quality.' 



A considerable number of these trees have been sent to settlers in different parts 

 ox the North-west during the past five years, and in some instances have now reached 

 a bearing age. 



A Disease Affecting Manitoba Maple Seed. 



While visiting this farm my attention was called to a disease which has affected 

 the crop of Manitoba maple seed this year, and which has practically destroyed it all 

 through the Indian Head district and as far west as Pense. This disease affects, first, 

 the ends of the wings of the seeds which dry up prematurely, and the disease extends 

 from there to the seed itself. As the disease advances dark spots appear which show 

 through on the seeds, and when these are torn open the interior is found to be dark 

 coloured and empty. A sample of this diseased seed was sent to Dr. Jas. Fletcher, and 

 in his report appended fuller reference is made regarding this new pest. 



The plum trees at this farm also gave an abundant crop, and some of the varieties 

 ripened well and were of good quality. The season was remarkable for the rapid 

 growth of all sorts of forest and ornamental trees and shrubs. Flowers also did remark- 

 ably well. 



VISIT TO REGIXA AND PENSE. 



A day was spent in examining the crops from Regina to Pense. The grain was 

 found to be very heavy, and although the wheat was a little later in ripening than it 

 was at Indian Head it matured well and was safely harvested before frost came. At 

 Pense I visited the farm of Messrs. Spring-Rice, where I found very much to inter- 

 est me. The crops were very fine and gave evidence of good farming, and the blocks of 

 trees and shrubs were well cared for and making very excellent growth. A large pro- 

 portion of these have been grown from young plants and seeds received from the ex- 

 perimental farms. Many interesting flowering shrubs and plants were also found here 

 all in a thriving condition. 



VISIT TO SOUTHERN ALBERTA. 



From Medicine Hat a trip was made to Lethbridge and from there south along the 

 line of the large irrigation canal recently constructed by th# Canadian North-west 

 Irrigation Company, known as the Gait Irrigation Canal, which draws water from an 

 inexhaustible supply in lakes fed by the melted snows of the Rocky Mountains from 



