REPORT OF MR. THOMAS A. SHARPS 515 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



This was necessary on account of the inconvenience of so deep and wide an open ditch 

 and the trouble in keeping it open on account of the sides caving in. 



The ditch has already done good service and land that in some places was formerly 

 covered with water all the year was firm and solid this autumn and will be fit for culti- 

 vation in another year. 



CLEARING. 



About fifteen acres have been cleared of brush and timber and seeded to clover 

 and orchard grass. A very fair catch has been obtained and it will make considerable 

 pasture next season. About 1,200 yards of wire fencing was put up last spring enclos- 

 ing the new land, and a piece of bush which it is intended to clear in the same way. 



LIVE STOCK. 



The cattle bought last year for feeding were sold during the winter and spring, 

 except three head, a grade milk cow and two young steers. The young shorthorn bull 

 then on the Farm has been sold and a fine young one sent from Ontario in his stead. 

 At the same time fourteen registered shorthorn heifers were sent out, six of these 

 were forwarded to the British Columbia Dairymen's Association's sale at Victoria and 

 sold, leaving at present on the Farm fourteen pure bred shorthorns and four grades. 



SHEEP. 



Since my last report a Dorset ram has been added to the stock and one young ram 

 sold, and we have now nine ewes and one ram. 



PIGS. 



The stock of pigs at present consists of one pure bred Berkshire boar, one Berk- 

 shire sow and six young pigs. Two Tamworth sows and eight young pigs and four 

 cross-bred pigs. There is more call for pure Tamworth stock now than at any previous 

 time, and wherever they are introduced they are well thought of. 



BEES. 



The bees did not winter well and two feeble swarms were all that came through. 

 A new queen was got for these in the spring and the two colonies united. This gave 

 three swarms, and we have now four colonies that are well supplied with honey and 

 should go through the winter in good condition. 



POULTRY. 



There are five breeds of poultry on the farm: Light Brahmas, White Wyandottes, 

 Silver Laced Wyandottes, Barred Plymouth Rocks and Black Minorcas. 



All the poultry are healthy and thrifty, and the chickens strong. 



A Cyphers incubator was procured last April of 120 egg capacity. By the first 

 hatch we had G5 strong chickens out of 88 fertile eggs. The incubator was filled 

 again, and out of 95 fertile eggs there were hatched 50 chickens. 



1G— 33* 



