RETORT OF MR. THOMAS A. SHARPE 533 



SESSIONAL PAPER No 16 



DWARF ESSEX RAPE. 



Two plots were sown, one in drills, which was cultivated, the other was sown broad- 

 cast. Both plots were a comparative failure. The crop was cut and fed in September, 

 and very little growth has been made up to the present time and no severe frosts have 

 yet occurred. 



SUNFLOWERS. 



Two plots of sunflowers were sown May 11, one plot was sown in drills 30 inches 

 apart and the other at 3G inches apart. The seed did not germinate well and the stand 

 was scattered. The heads began to ripen early in September and as soon as the seed 

 was well filled, in the earliest heads, the blue jays, robins and crows began to feed on 

 them, and the best heads were destroyed before they were properly matured. There 

 did not appear to be very much difference in the growth or size of the heads in either 

 plot. The widest rows allowing more sunlight and air gave some ripened heads first, 

 but the difference was not material and neither plot ripened at all evenly; some heads 

 were fully ripened when others were only coming into bloom. On this account and 

 because of the destruction of so much of the crop by the birds no accurate report can 

 be made but as careful an estimate was made as was possible under the circumstances 

 by counting the heads on a measured row, and weighing the seed from a number of 

 average sized heads, and a conclusion reached that either plot would have produced 

 about 1,200 pounds of clean seed per acre. 



PASPALUM DILATATUM. 



The plot of this grass from Australia which was reported on last year was winter- 

 killed. There was nothing left this spring. 



SAXD - VETCH. 



This plant appears to be well adapted to this climate. The vines made a growth of 

 ever 5 feet, and blossomed freely, when cut the green crop weighed 8 tons 340 pounds ; 

 1 ton 1,760 pounds cured. The horses and cattle do not care to eat it either cured or 

 green. 



MIXED GRAINS FOR FEED. 



Several acres of mixed oats, pease and wheat were sown, part of it cut when the 

 oats were in the dough and part left to ripen. The yield was good this year, curing a 

 little over four tons of good feed per acre. 



VEGETABLE GARDEX. 



On account of the cold spring the vegetables and flower seeds sown in the garden 

 made, as a rule, a poor stand and very slow growth. Those vegetables that require 

 a rapid growth to produce the finest results, such as radish and lettuce, were rather 

 poor. 



