«6 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



Bcale and orchard plots suitably protected are being provided at each of the branch 

 experimental farms in the North-west, large enough to admit of the testing of all the 

 young seedlings as fast as they can be produced, and it is confidently expected that within 

 A very few years, as a result of this work, varieties of apples will be available for 

 cultivation in the North-west, of a hardy character and such as will be valuable to the 

 settlers on the plains. 



Cherry and Plum. 



Fig. 8. 



Fig. 9. 



Fig. 10. 



The Sand Cherry, Prunus pumila, a native fruit, which is very hardy and has a 

 wide distribution, was chosen as the starting point for another line of experimental 

 work. The usual wild form of this fruit is a small black cherry with a disproportionately 

 large stone covered with a thin coating of juicy but astringent flesh. Specimens are, 

 however, occasionally found having fruit fully twice the usual size, with a much larger 



