REVSEWS. 



Report of Dominion Experimental Farms for 1904; Dr. Wm 

 Saunders, Director. Pp. 509. 



This report comprises, in addition to the general survey by 

 the Director, the reports of the officers having charge of special 

 departments, and of the experimental farms in the different 

 provinces. The report of Mr. W. T. Macoun, the Horticulturist 

 at the Central Experimental Farm, gives some interesting in- 

 formation in regard to the forest belts, as follows:— 



"It has been found that the trees which were planted S by 5 

 feet apart, the closest distance used at first, are making the 

 best trees from a forestry standpoint as the side branches are 

 killed much sooner. The trees planted 5 by 5 feet apart are 

 more protected from storms than those farther apart and hence 

 the tops are less injured. They are also a little taller in most 

 cases, but are not so great in diameter as those 10 by 10 feet 

 apart. During the first years of growth there is a great advant- 

 age in having the trees close as in order to get thrifty growth 

 the soil should not become hard, nor should the trees be almiost 

 smothered with weeds or grass, and to get these good conditions 

 it is necessary to cultivate at first, and the farther the trees are 

 apart the longer one will have to cultivate, thus making the 

 expense greater. 



"Until the last three years the trees in the mixed planta- 

 tion were making the most satisfactory growth, and are yet 

 making better growth than some of the clumps composed of 

 single species, but the rapid growing kinds are developing so 

 fast in the mixed belt that they are overshadowing seme of 

 the more valuable trees, and those which cannot endure much 

 shade are being killed. To some extent this overshadowing is 

 prevented by shearing the side branches and letting in more 

 light. 



"In some of the clumps of single species the disadvantage 

 of not having two or more kinds mixed is quite as apparent as 

 the disadvantage of having so many kinds mixed in the mixed 

 belt. Ash, Butternut, Black Walnut and Elm, which have thin 

 foliage, do not kill the sod. and the growth on this accotmt is 

 checked. If other heavv foliaged kinds, such as Larch. Spruce, 

 Pine or Box Elder, had been mixed with these the results would 

 have been, almost certain! v, much better." 



