694 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7 GEORGE V, A. 1917 



EXPERIMENTAL STATION FOR PRINCE EDWARD 

 ISLAND, CHARLOTTETOWN. 



REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, J. A. CLARK, B.S.A. 



TMs is the seventh annual report ou the horticultural work at this Station since 

 its inception in 1909. The work accomplished would indicate that this province is 

 admirably situated for the production of small fruits and garden vegetables. The 

 backward spring holds back bloom generally until danger from frost is over. The 

 moist, moderate temperatures are ideal for large crops of first quality fruit and the long 

 open autumn gives (he slow growing vegetables an opportunity to mature. After a careful 

 study of results obtained from the inany tests of varieties it was decided to reduce the 

 number of variety tests by cutting out unsatisfactory varieties and to start a series of 

 cultural tests with many of the leading vegetables in order to determine the best 

 methods of cultivation and care of the several vegetables and tubers. 



SEASONAL XOTES. 



The winter of 1914-15 was unseasonably mild, the frost coming out of the ground 

 entirely in both January and February. Two cold waves occurred, one at Christmas and 

 one at the beginning of February, but they lasted only a few days. Heavy falls of 

 snow occurred in March and gave splendid protection to the fruits, shrubs and peren- 

 nials. Very little rain fell in April but May was so wet and cold that growth was slow, 

 while large bodies of ice along the shores kept the air cool and raw. The hotbeds were 

 sown April 15, sweet peas were sown outside April 23, and hardy vegetables were 

 sown May 18. The trees did not appear green until May 27, but no June frost occurred, 

 and the months of June and July were ideal, all plants making wonderfully rapid 

 growth during this period. Beneficial showers occurred from June 9 to 25. A heavy 

 gale did much damage in some places on July 9, destroying the foliage on exposed 

 trees and killing, outright, several acres of strawberries along an exposed shore just as 

 the cro-p was ripening. The fruit did not set well on the larger trees, probably due to 

 a continued dull wet spell of weather that occurred while the trees were in bloom. 

 August was seasonable, and September was very dry and the potatoes and vegetables 

 suffered somewhat from drought. October and November were fine. December was 

 very open, ploughing continuing to the 21'th of the month. January and the first half 

 of February were mild, with fair sleighing, but the last half of February and March 

 were very blustery 'and stormy. Sixty-six inches of snow fell during March alone. 



Charlotteto^vn. 



