REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR AND ACTING AGRICULTURIST. 89 



The large increase in the correspondence and in the volume of farm literature 

 distributed during the past year is an index of the increasing interest taken in the 

 •work of the experimental farms. The figures given show that the letters received 

 during the year have averaged 130 per day and the number sent out has averaged 90 

 j>er day. The total distribution of reports, bulletins and circulars has reached a daily 

 average for the whole year of 953. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 



I acknowledge most gratefully my indebtedness to the Director of the Royal 

 Garden*, Kew, England, for another valuable collection of the seeds of trees, shrubs and 

 plants, also a large collection of willows. Many packages of the seeds of rare and interest- 

 ing species have also been received from the Director of the Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica 

 Plains, Mass. Further contributions have also come from the Royal Botanic Gardens 

 at Sapporo, Japan. A coU-.'ction f<f the seeds of hardy perennials has been received from 

 the Missouri Botanic Garders at Rt. Louis, Mo., and another very useful collection of 

 similar plants from the Bot-inic Garden of Smith College, Northampton, Mass. A large 

 and interesting collection of seeds of useful sorts of trees and shrubs from the northern 

 parts of Russia has also been received from Mr. J. Niemetz, Councillor of State, Winnitza, 

 Podolia, Russia, To Prof. John Macoun, Naturalist of the Geological and Natural 

 History Survey, and to Mr. J. M. Macoun, AssistJint Naturalist, my hearty thanks are 

 due for seeds of many rare and useful species collected in different parts of the Dominion. 



I desire also to acknowledge the continuance of the faithful services rendered by all 

 the officers at the central and branch experimental farms, and for their earnest and 

 diligent co-oper*.tion in carrying on the many lines of experimental work which has been 

 planned. 



A special acknowledgment is due to those members of the staff who have rendered 

 me efficient aid in carrying on tb.ose branches of the work of which I have had personal 

 charge. To the Farm Foreman, Mr. John Fixter, who has carefully managed and watched 

 over the field experiments and taken notes on the crops at different stages in their growth, 

 also to my assistant, Mr. W. T. Macoun, who, in addition to his work as Foreman of 

 Forestry, whi«^h is this year reported on separately, has had charge of all the uniform test 

 plots of cereals and potatoes, also of the small plots of new cross-bred and hybrid cereals, 

 and has taken records of the growth and yield of the many varieties under test. From 

 Mr. R. R. Elliott, Herdsman, I have also received much valuable assistance. He has 

 carefully carried out the work planned and taken notes on the results of the experiments 

 conducted in the feeding of cattle and swine. Accurate work has also been performed by 

 Mr. Wm. Ellis in testing the vitality of seeds, the propagation of plants and the taking 

 of the meteorological records. The employees also of the farms in every branch of the 

 work have discharged their several duties faithfully and well. 



WM. SAUNDERS, 

 Director Experimental Farms. 



