1915-16 DEPAETMENT OF LANDS, FORESTS AND MINES. HI 



small and large, were constructed, and 350 iron culverts placed and several 

 hundred wooden. Many of the old roads built in previous years were gone over 

 and repaired with the small grader or road drag. After the destructive fire of 

 July and August, in the Temiskaming district, which burned out many of the 

 culverts and small bridges, work was immediately started repairing the most 

 important roads and renewing the culverts and bridges. In that district this 

 occupied the greater portion of September and October. 



The Experimental Farm and Plots were operated this season in continuance 

 of the work started two years ago, — the garden plot in Cochrane and the farm 

 plot two miles west thereof; the garden plot and farm at the Ground Hog river, 

 50 miles west of Cochrane; the garden plot at Hearst, 130 miles west of Cochrane; 

 one at the Kapuskasing river, 70 miles west of Cochrane ; and one at the Nagagami 

 river, 170 miles west of Cochrane. The results from all of these farms and garden 

 plots were as in previous years entirely satisfactory. Clover, alfalfa and timothy 

 grew in great abundance on all the different farms, and in fact was a first-class 

 crop throughout the whole of Northern Ontario. Two crops of clover were grown 

 in many instances, netting over three tons per acre, the average of the first crop 

 of timothy or clover being from two to two and one-half tons per acre. Fall wheat 

 did exceptionally well where tested and averaged from 25 to 45 bushels, per acre. 

 It was not injured in any way by the summer frosts. Up to the present only 

 small areas have been sown. From the results of our experiments and very careful 

 examination of different fields grown by private individuals, it would appear that 

 fall wheat will be produced profitably in these Northern districts. Spring wheat 

 on the different farms and throughout the district was a fairly good crop; that 

 sown early or about the 1st of May on fall plowed land did not appear to have 

 been injured by the early frosts. Oats, peas, barley, rye and nearly all the different 

 kinds of vegetables matured in the clay belt along the Grand Trunk Pacific railway 

 and the Temiskaming & Northern Ontario railway. Little damage was done by 

 summer frosts where the crops were planted reasonably early. I have noticed an 

 improvement in the climatic conditions of the country each year during the last 

 five years where settlement has taken place and the land cleared up. Crops did 

 not suffer as much during the dry season in July and August in the clay lands in 

 the district of Temiskaming as they did in the older parts of Ontario, or in the 

 western districts, where the soil is not the rich clay or clay loam met with in the 

 district of Temiskaming. Pasture was abundant throughout the entire season; 

 even in the dry hot weather in July and the early part of August it did not suffer 

 materially. Few finer crops were seen in Old Ontario than those grown in the 

 clay belt last season. The extremely dry weather in July and August materially 

 reduced the grain crops. 



A settler's model house was erected on the Toronto Exhibition Grounds, from 

 timber taken from Night Hawk and Frederickhouse lakes on the Frederickhouse 

 river. 



A very destructive forest fire swept over parts of Temiskaming district, 

 resulting in a very great loss of life. Many of the settlers between Matheson and 

 Cochrane lost all their belongings, buildings, farm stock and implements and crops. 

 In point of lives lost in this fire, it is one of the most disastrous forest fires in the 

 history of the Province. From an agricultural standpoint, in clearing up the lands 

 dnd in improving the climatic conditions, good results will follow as it has done 

 for many of the settlers more in clearing off their lands than they could accomplish 

 in many years. I am glad to report that having travelled over the burnt over 

 district after the fire, that the area burnt over and the loss of timber is not nearly 



