Mr. John Boherts's Beport. 



8 



and the Victoria Bridge — the longest tubular bridge in the world, 

 being over a mile and a half long. 



We left Montreal by train on Monday afternoon for Ottawa, 

 Ottawa. the seat of the Dominion Government. The journey took 



us five hours, y'.nd we arrived there late rhe same even- 

 ing. We had an interview with Sir Adolphe Caron, the Post- 

 master-General, and several Government oifficials. Next morning 

 we visited the Ottawa Experimental Farm, which is pituatod in 

 close proximity to the town. Unfortunately, exceptionally heavy 

 rain the week before our arrival had spoiled several ^ crops, so 

 that we did not see the farm to the best advantage. Mr. W. Saunders 



EZPEBIMEMTAL FABM, OTTAWA. 



is the director of the farm, and resides on it. There is also a resident 

 staff, including botanist, chemist, entomologist, dairy commissioner, 

 &c., <fec. The laboratory is an elegant building, fitted up with the 

 best appliances for testing soils, fertilisers, &c., for making analysis of 

 feeding stuffs, cakes, and agricultural produce generally. This establish- 

 ment is of great value in finding out the most suitable seeds for this 

 comparatively new country, in ascertaining what insects are, and are 

 not, destructive to crops and vegetation, in selecting the most suitable 

 animals for the climate and pasture, and in various other ways. In 

 one year only there were distributed from this farm 16,905 samples of 

 grain, which were sent out in 3-lb. packets to different parts of the 

 Dominion. A very large number of fruit trees have also been grown, 

 classified, and reported upon, including several varieties of the vine. 



