Experimental Farms of Canada. 158 
turist, Chemist, Entomologist and Botanist, and a Poultry 
Manager, together with four superintendents of branch 
farms. 
The Branch Experimental Farms established at the date of 
the last report are four in number, and are located at 
Nappan, Nova Scotia, for the Maritime Provinces ; Bran- 
don, Manitoba; Indian Head, North-West Territories, and 
at Agassiz, British Columbia. The central farm serves as 
the centre of supply, the branches being designed more as 
local testing stations. 
Asa result of the first year’s operations, the Director 
was able to observe that “Canadian farmers are making 
careful inquiries for more full and accurate information 
regarding the numerous and varied operations pertaining 
to their calling; they desire to have the mysteries which 
surround some of the operations of Nature explained as far 
as this is practicable, and it is our object to foster and 
stimulate such a spirit of inquiry which will, it is believed, 
result in the speedy advancement of agriculture, and thus 
in material and lasting benefit to the country.” 
The intelligent interest manifested by the farmers in the 
operations of an institution designed and supported in their 
behalf, as thus indicated, is in itself a most hopeful sign, 
but it will be well to see what efforts are made to carry 
out the promises thus held forth by the Director at the very 
beginning of his first report. 
During the year 1889, there were received 6,864 letters. 
There were dispatched 5,428 letters ; pamphlets,including re- 
ports and bulletins,41,584,and 3,662 packages ofseeds of vari- 
ous kinds. During the year 1890, there were received 17,539 
letters,and 2,152 samples of grain for examination and report. 
There were despatched 19,806 letters; reports, bulletins and 
other circulars of information,218,129,and of seeds, trees,etc., 
24,332. The number of farmers on the regular mailing list for 
reports for the same year was 20,600, to which must be added 
4,009 for the special reports on dairying. As this output re- 
presents information distributed, no better conception could 
be gained as to the general volume of work accomplished and 
