870 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7 GEORGE V, A. 1917 



TKEE FRUITS. 



Experimental work with tree froits has consisted in testing out varieties of hardy 

 standard apples, seedlings of standard apples, hybrid crab-apples, plums, and cherries. 

 The orchards were first started in 1911, aed, as the fruit trees had to be shipped in, 

 they were necessarily only two or three years old when planted. During the past season 

 Robin, Magnus, and Silvia (three varieties of hybrid crab-apples) bore fruit for the 

 first time. Aitkin, Cheney, and native plums bloomed quite freely, but, owing to the 

 strong winds prevailing at flowering time, no fruit set. Several Compass cherries 

 bloomed, and a small quantity of fruit ripened on a Rocky Mountain cherry. 



A factor that has contributed to the success obtained with the fruit trees, is the 

 system of caragana hedges planted at the same time the first fruit trees were set out. 



While hedges were planted around the outside of both of the orchards, cross-hedges 

 were only planted in one. These cross-hedges run east and west, and are 40 feet apart. 

 Every 20 feet a space was left in the hedges for the fruit trees. Paralleling the cross- 

 hedges and half-way between each pair of hedges, fruit trees were planted 20 feet apart 

 in the row. 



The hedges are left untrimmed so as to provide as much protection as possible 

 from the winds, also to hold the snow for winter protection. The moisture obtained 

 from the melted snow, is an important item in the moisture supply for the early 

 summer months. 



Considerable loss was sustained by the trees not ripening their wood before the 

 autumn frosts, and freezing back each winter. To overcome this difiiculty, rape is 

 sown during the latter part of July. The rank growing rape taking the excessive 

 moisture out of the ground, pennits the trees to ripen before the severe weather. 



BUSH FRUITS. 



The bush fruit garden is protected by caragana hedges. These aid materially 

 by affording protection from the wind, and in holding the snow during the winter. 



Thirty varieties of currants are under test; of these, almost all the black varieties 

 and about fifty per cent of the red, have proved hardy. Wliite currants freeze back 

 to a greater or less extent, while winter protection is given the raspberries and goose- 

 berries. 



T\e following is a list of the most productive of the hardiest varieties of cur- 

 rants and raspberries under test: — 



Variety. 



Red Currants — 

 North Star... 

 Raby Castle.. 



Stewart 



Red Cross.. . . 



Black Currants — 



Kerry 



Climax 



Saunders 



Magnus 



White Currants — 

 White Cherry 

 White Grape.. 

 Large White... 



Raspberries — 



Sunbeam 



King 



Bushes. 



Large, vigorous. 



Vigorous 



Vigorous 



Vigorous 



Large, vigorous. 

 Large, vigorous. 

 Large, vigorous. 

 Large, vigorous. 



Weak. 

 Weak. 

 Weak. 



Large, vigorous.. 

 Small, vigorous. 



Size of Fruit. 



Very small. 



Medium 



Small 



Very large. . 



Small. 

 Small. 

 Small. 

 Large. 



Medium. 

 Medium. 

 Small.... 



Small. 

 Small. 



Yield per 

 acre 1915. 



Lb. 



4,818 



4,519 



4,007 



3,375 



10,672 



10,238 



9,266 



7,623 



490 

 272 

 217 



1 , 905 

 1 , 502 



Scott. 



