288 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST. 

 (W. S. Blair.) 



To Dr. Wm. Saunders, 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 



Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith a report of some of the work done in 

 the Horticultural Division of the Experimental Farm for the maritime provinces for the 

 year 1897. 



The apple crop during the past year has been small ; the pear, plum and cherry 

 crops were a failure. The strawberries yielded well, and the new plantation of 36 varie- 

 ties has made good growth. The raspberries were a fair crop. The raspberry canes as 

 •well as those of the blackberries were badly diseased with the raspberry anthracnose 

 Glososporium venetum ; as a result the present growth is only fair. New varieties of 

 small fruits have been planted, many of which are making strong growth. 



The balance of orchard No. 2 was this year planted with trees ; some of which 

 were taken from the nursery here, where they had been set in the spring of 1895, when 

 received from the Central Experimental Farm ; the remainder were from the Ellwanger 

 and Barry, nurseries, Rochester, N.Y. The former have not made very promising 

 growth ; the latter were very thrifty looking trees which arrived in good condition, and 

 have made good growth. 



The shrubs, trees and hedges have made fair growth and each year are becoming 

 more of a source of interest. The new varieties received from the Central Experimental 

 Farm in the spring will, no doubt, be a valuable addition. 



The flower garden was continued as usual. The bulbs planted in the fall of 1896 

 were much admired in the early spring. Many new varieties of tulips, hyacinths, nar- 

 cissus and lillies were this fall added to this interesting collection. A collection of 28 

 varieties of Japanese Paeonies, and 48 varieties of Japanese Irises were received this 

 autumn and planted. 



Experiments were again carried on with different varieties of vegetables, and a 

 summary, of the relative value of those tested, is given in this report. 



Data on the blossoming period of the different varieties of fruit trees grown on the 

 faria were again furnished the horticulturist of the Central Experimental Farm. 



Few particulars of immediate value were gathered from the experimental grass 

 plots. The plots of crimson clover sown on the 18th of August and 1st September, did 

 not stand the winter. The plot of Tussock grass reported upon last year has turned out 

 to be Bromus inermis. The land on which this was sown was previously in Brome 

 grass and quite probably was not well enough svorked up ; at any rate the growth made 

 proved to be largely made up of the grass named. 



Apple Orchard, No. 1, 



In this orchard there are now growing 176 trees of 82 varieties. In the annual 

 report for 1895, particulars relating to the planting and growth of the trees from this 

 orchard were given from the time of the first planting in 1889, to, and including, 1894. 

 Since then there has been lost from various causes 29 trees of the following varieties : 

 2 Baldwin, 1 Baxter, 2 Coopers Market, 1 Early Prolific, 1 Fallawater, 1 Gipsy Girl, 2 

 Grimes's Golden, 1 Nonpareil, 2 Newtown Pippin, 1 Pryor's Red, 2 Ribston Pippin, 1 

 Roxbury Russet, 1 Spitzenburg, 2 St. Lawrence, 1 Scott's Winter, 1 Talman's Sweet, 

 1 Twenty-ounce Pippin, 1 Wagener, 2 White Pippin, 2 Wealthy, 1 Walbridge. Part 

 of these have been winter-killed while some others have died from the effects of a disease 



