REPORT OF EXPERIMENTAL FARMS IN CANADA FOR 1889. 



As stated iu detail in Vol. I, page 245, of the Experiment Station 

 Kecokd, the Canadian (loverninent, in the year 188(J, made provision 

 for the establislimeut of five experimental farms in different parts of 

 Canada. They are under the general management of Prof. William 

 Saunders, director of experimental farms. The principal one is the 

 Central Experimental Farm, which is located in Ottawa and serves for 

 the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Of the other four, that for the 

 maritime provinces is located at Nappau, Xova Scotia; that for Mani- 

 toba at Brandon; that for the Nortli west Territories at Indian Head, 

 and that for British (>olumbia at Agassiz. 



Keport of Director of Experimental Farms, W. Saunders 

 (l)p. 5—11). — "The progress made during the past year at the several 

 experimental farms has been such as to attract the general attention of 

 the agricultural community." Many jiersous have visited the "farms" 

 and a large correspondence has been carried on. The Central Exj)eri- 

 mental Farm alone has received nearly 7,000 letters during the year, and 

 41,584 reports and bulletins and 3,G62 packages of grain and seeds have 

 been distributed. The officers of the experimental farms have been 

 frequently called upon to attend farmers' institutes and other meetings of 

 farmers. "Accounts are given of visits made by the director to New Bruns- 

 wick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Manitoba, the 

 Northwest Territories, and British Columbia, during which the several 

 experimental farms were inspected, farmers' meetings attended, and the 

 agricultural needs of the different regions carefully studied. Reference 

 is also made to the wise polic^' recently adopted by the (janadian 

 Pacific Railway " of setting apart at each of the more important railway 

 stations through the sparsely settled portions of the western plains, 

 about an acre of land for garden purposes." 



Keport of work at Central Experimental Farm (pp. 17-41.) — 



Seed testing and distribution (pp. 17-25). — During the year 5)33 samples 

 of seeds of grain and vegetables sent in by farmers were tested. A sum- 

 mary of the results is given in the report. The percentage of vitality 

 varied from to 100. 



Tlio tests of frozen grain havo been especially useful to the farmers of the Northwest, 

 and the timely information giv(Mi has no doubt saveil many from the disappointment 

 which would in most cases have resulted from the use of inferior seed. For while oc- 



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