1-2 EDWARD VII. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1902 



EXPERIMENTAL FARM FOR THE MARITIME PROVINCES 



REPORT OF R. ROBERTSON, SUPERINTENDENT. 



Nappan, N.S., November 30, 1901. 



To Dr. Wm. Saunders, 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith my third annual report, it being the 

 fourteenth annual report of operations on the Experimental Farm for the maritime 

 provinces at Nappan, N.S. 



The season was not favourable for the majority of crops, although especially fav- 

 ourable for hay and corn. The early wet spring benefited the hay crop, which was 

 good, especially on the upland. 



The early grain was quite promising until toward reaping time, when the con- 

 tinuous warm dry weather caused it to ripen prematurely; the result being that most 

 of the grain was light per bushel, and did not yield nearly as many bushels as was ex- 

 pected. The late sown grain was extremely poor. Roots were a fair crop. The field 

 corn was the best we have ever had. The warm weather was extremely favourable for 

 this crop, which matured well. 



The catch of clover was fairly good, but has made nothing like the usual growth. 



The after grass was very poor, and as a result all cattle in this section are very 

 much thinner in flesh than they have been at the same period during the last four 

 years. 



About the usual number of people visited the farm this year. The largest excur- 

 sion for the season was from Fox Creek, N.B., on July 20. Many smaller groups or 

 picnics, of from 20 to 100, came from time to time during the summer. 



I again wish to acknowledge the valuable services of Mr. Thomas Coates, farm 

 foreman, who kept records of all grain experiments, and took charge of general farm 

 work, and of Mr. Robert Donaldson, herdsman, under whose charge all the experiments 

 with stock were carried on. 



WEATHER. 



December commenced quite cold, moderating, however, on the 4th, with a drifting 

 snow storm on the 5th. This made very good sleighing, which continued for the winter. 



The thermometer registered 3° below zero on the 9th, and continued below zero 

 until the 12th, when 12° below zero was reached. It soon moderated somewhat, and on 

 the 1:1th we had another snow storm which made good roads. 



The thermometer again went below zero on the 16th, and on the 18th 11° below 

 zero was reached. 



The month from this time out was not very cold, with the exception of the 28th, 

 when zero was again reached. 



The 2nd and 3rd of January, registered 2° and 6° below zero respectively. It kept 

 quite cold and fine until the 12th and 13th, when a heavy drifting snow storm made 

 it necessary to break out roads, which were drifted full in many places. The mercury 



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