156 Canadian Forestry Journal. 



water is obtainable from a large dam on the property. This 

 dam gives a practically unlimited supply, a very important 

 feature in the west where good water is often hard to obtaJa in 

 any abundance. The land is bare of trees so that there i.; no 

 natural protection, however this is not much of a drawback 

 as the hardy varieties can be raised successfully without pro- 

 tection while the more tender varieties can be grown on the 

 few acres which have been used during the past seasons on the 

 Experimental Farm and v. hich are well protected. In another 

 year or two sufficient shelt-T will be provided on the new nurser}" 

 from the trees planted in the spring of 1904. 



In the spring of 1903 a start was made by breaking and 

 backsetting about 30 acres. In 1904, although the soil had not 

 really had sufficient cultivation (as in the Western climate 

 freshly broken sod takes a considerable time to rot), about 12 

 acres of this ground were planted to permanent shelter and a few 

 sown with seeds of ash and maple to obtain seedlings for distribu- 

 tion. Eight acres were allowed to lie fallow to bring it to a 

 better state for sowing in the fall ; the remainder of the cultivated 

 ground being sown to grass for hay and oats for feed for the 

 horses. During the summer of 1904 suitable buildings for the 

 horses, implements and men necessary for the working of the 

 place were erected and an additional 40 acres broken up and pre- 

 pared for cropping in the following year. The 160 acres was 

 fenced and the main roads and walks graded up and gravelled. 

 The accompanying sketch plan shows how far the work had 

 advanced by the fall of this year. The strip running along the 

 east and part of the north boundaries will be a permanent belt, 

 a similar strip will be planted on the other boundaries as the soil 

 is brought to a fit state of cultivation. The plots for growing the 

 broad leaf seedlings are narrow strips an acre in size, running 

 north and south and will be separated by hedges of caragana 

 which will not be allowed to grow more than six or seven feet 

 high. These hedges will afford ample protection and prevent 

 the snow from drifting off the ground in the winter. About 25 

 acres will be needed annually for growing hay and oats and any 

 ground not otherwise utilized will be planted to permanent 

 plantations to illustrate the growth of- the different varieties, 

 the best mixtures and the best distances apart to plant the 

 trees. From such plantations as these it is hoped to obtain 

 reliable data as to the cost of planting and maintaining a wood 

 lot and the probable revenue which may be derived from the 

 various methods of planting and the different kinds used. 



At present about ten acres are occupied by buildings, yards, 

 drives and ornamental grounds. Along the edges of the main 

 drive and round the lawns about 6,000 hardy shrubs were planted 

 this spring (1905), and some two acres in front of the residence 



