EIPlliEim FAM FOR HE imilE PROflNCES 



(Report op G. W. Forrest, Superintendent.) 



Nappan, N.S., November 30, 1897. 



To Dr. Wm. Saunders, 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith the following report of the operations 

 on the Experimental Farm for the Maritime Provinces, at Nappan, N.S., during the 

 year 1897. 



weather. 



December, 1896, opened rainy, followed by cold on the 2nd. The thermometer 

 registered 12° of frost on the morning of the 3rd, this weather continued with one 

 exception until the 21st, when the thermometer registered 22° of frost, and on the 

 morning of the 22nd the mercury had fallen to 4° below zero ; this weather continued 

 for a few days. Some snow fell on the 8th, and about five inches on the 17th, but not 

 sufficient to make sleighing. 



January opened cold, the thermometer registered 13° of frost; on the 4th open 

 weather set in with rain, which continued until the 8th, when we had 22° of frost. On 

 the 14th the mercury fell to 17° below zero, and on the 15th 10° below. On the 17th 

 and 18th we had open weather without any frost, and on the 19th the register showed 

 14° below zero, continuing cold during the remainder of the month. A slight amount 

 of snow feU on the 9th, with a heavy fall and high winds on the 12th. Again on the 

 29th we had a heavy fall of snow, accompanied by high winds. 



February was an unusually fine, open month, having no very cold weather. On 

 the 15th and 16th of March the thermometer registered 24 and 30° of frost, with 

 this exception March weather was rather pleasant. April was rather fine with the 

 exception of rain on the 14th, 24th and 27th. The month was, however, rather cold, 

 making the spring backward. 



May opened with cold, east winds, and rain on the 3rd. The whole month 

 continued more or less cold and wet. The first seed was sown on the 8th. 



From the 12th to the 20th of May we had almost continuous rain. Rain to the 

 depth of 401 inches fell between the 27th of April and 1st June; 3*78 inches rain fell 

 in June ; 3*35 inches in July ; 3*67 inches in August and 2"05 inches in September. 



The whole season was unusually dark and wet until the 20th of September, since 

 then the weather has been exceptionally fine. The first frost this fall was on the 18th 

 of September, it was only light, followed by a heavy one on the 29th. 



hay. 



Hay was over an average crop on both upland and marsh. Some 20 acres of 

 upland was in hay, giving a yield of 50 tons. Forty acres of the marsh lands produced 70 

 tons of English and 12 tons of broad-leaf hay, making a total of 120 tons of mixed hay 

 and 12 tons of broad-leaf. Although the season was unfavourable for making hay, on 

 account of considerable rain and very little sunshine, the hay was all gathered in a fair 

 condition. 



In addition to the hay crop the straw harvested amounted to 49 tons 805 pounds. 

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