911 H ';«;'<<;<<:<:• ■HHHHBH9 ( I ( t u nVriVtVtxVri i St :<:<:<;<:<:<:<:•:< APPENDIX TO THE REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE EXPEEIMENTAL FAEMS REPORTS OF THE DIRECTOR Wm. SAUNDERS AGRICULTURIST JAS. W. ROBERTSON HORTICULTURIST JOHN CRAIG CHEMIST F. T. SHUTT, M.A. ENTOMOLOGIST and BOTANIST - - - JAS. FLETCHER POULTRY MANAGER A. G. GILBERT SUPT. EXPERIMENTAL FARM, Nappan, N.S. - - Wm. M. BLAIR Brandon, Manitoba - S. A. BEDFORD Indian-Head, N.W.T. - ANGUS MACKAY " Agassiz, B.C. - - THOS. A. SHARPE FOR LIBRARY 1894 NEW YORK BC ;al EN PRINTED BY ORDER OF PARLIAMENT / OTTAWA PRINTED BY S. E. DAWSON, PRINTER TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY 1895 [No. 8c— 1895.] ■:< Figure 1.— Office Building, Museum and Chemical Laboratory of the Central Experimental Farm. LIBRARY APPEKDIX N E VV YO R BOTANICAL TO THE REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE ON EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. Ottawa, 30th November, 1894. Sir, — I have the honour to submit for your approval my eighth annual report of the work done and in progress at the several experimental farms established in different parts of the Dominion. You will also find appended reports from the following officers of the Central Experimental Farm : From the Agriculturist, Mr. James W. Robertson ; from the Horticulturist, Mr. John Craig ; from the Chemist, Mr. Frank T. Shutt ; and from the Entomologist and Botanist, Mr. James Fletcher. A report is also submitted from the Poultry Manager, Mr. A. G. Gilbert. From the branch experimental farms there are reports from Mr. Win. M. Blair, superintendent of the experimental farm for the Maritime Provinces, at Nappan, Nova Scotia ; from Mr. S. A. Bedford, superintendent of the experimental farm for Manitoba, at Brandon ; from Mr. Angus McKay, superintendent of the experimental farm for the North-west Territories, at Indian Head ; and from Mr. Thos. A. Sharpe, superintendent of the experimental farm for British Columbia, at Agassiz. These reports contain particulars of the results of the experimental work which has been conducted in agriculture, horticulture and arboriculture embodying the outcome of much practical work in the fields, orchards, barns, dairy and poultry buildings ; also of scientific investigation of chemical problems in the laboratory and the careful study of the life history and habits of noxious insects and plants, with suggestions of measures calculated to lessen the injury they cause. Also details of the experiments which have been carried on during the past year in bee-keeping . The increasing demand among farmers for these reports is a gratifying indication 1 of the desire _~,r information among this class of the community and of the high esteem in which these records of the work of the experimental farms are held. It is hoped that the facts brought together in the present issue will be found quite as valuable to the agricultural community as those contained in any of the preceding reports. I have the honour to be, sir, Your obedient servant, WM, SAUNDERS, Director. The Honourable The Minister of Agriculture, Ottawa. 8c— 1J ANNUAL EEPORT ON THE EXPERIMENTAL EARMS. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. (WM. SAUNDERS, F.R.S.G., F.L.S. F.C.S.) The results of eight years of experimental work covering nearly all the departments in which the farming class of the community is engaged, together with the testing of fruits, vegetables, poultry, economic and ornamental trees, shrubs, plants and flowers, are shown in the accumulation of a mass of facts relating to these several subjects, the recital of which gives increasing value to the annual reports of the experimental farms. Where conclusions are drawn from the results of the tests of a single year, they are frequently found to be unreliable as a guide, and since no two seasons are alike, they can scarcely be repeated with similar returns ; but where such tests have been carried on through a series of years the average results may be taken as fairly trustworthy. The very low prices which continue to prevail for wheat and the coarse grain", the returns from the sale of which give now but a small margin beyond the cost of growing, has obliged many farmers to turn their attention to more profitable methods of disposing of these crops than by their bulk sale in the markets. The census for 1890 shows that the number of persons engaged in agricultural pursuits in the Dominion of Canada — farmers and farmers' sons — was in that year 649,506. These with the families depending on them will, it is estimated, make up 45 per cent of the entire population of the country. Where so large a proportion of the community depend for their livelihood on the cultivation of the soil, it is of the utmost importance for the welfare and prosperity of the entire country that their efforts should be directed into the most profitable channels. The experiments which have been con- ducted at the Central and branch Experimental Farms have demonstrated that wheat, as well as other grain, may be made a greater source of profit if fed to steers and swine and thus converted into beef and pork, than by selling these crops in their crude state, at present prices. The feeding of these grains mixed with suitable succulent food, such as ensilage, to c ~ws and converting their milk into cheese and butter, has also been shown to be more profitable than the sale of such grain. Hence the dairying industry has grown very rapidly in Canada of late years, and the demand for first class dairy products seems to be almost unlimited. This branch of farm work has also this great advantage, that the elements of fertility which have been taken from the land by the grain during the process of its growth, is, to a very large extent, restored to the soil in the barnyard manure. It has also the further advantage, when butter-making is carried on during the winter months, of giving additional employment to the farm hands during that season. The more general feeding of a proportion of wheat to swine and cattle will also consume some part of the large stock which has been grown in excess of the requirements of mankind, and which has, no doubt, had the effect of bringing down the price to the present unusually low and unremunerative figure. 6 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. DISTRIBUTION OF SEED GRAIN. The work carried on with grain, at the Experimental Farms, has not been limited to the testing of varieties and determining which sorts promise to be the more profitable for general growth, but during the past six years the endeavour has been made to improve the character and quality of the various sorts of grain grown in Canada, by the distribution of samples among farmers, for seed, of those sorts which have given the best returns. The good results of this continued effort are now beginning to appear in many districts, where these newer and more productive sorts of grain are fast replac- ing some of the less prolific varieties formerly in cultivation. At the outset, when the applications for samples were fewer, there was no difficulty in sending two or three samples to each applicant; but the number of requests received has increased so largely that it was found necessary, last year, to reduce the number of samples sent to each individual to two, and later in the season, to one. With this limitation the available stock was all promised by the middle of February, when the lists had to be closed and the many later applicants could not be supplied. As it is very desirable that this distri- bution be as general as possible, it is proposed to limit the number of samples during the coming season to one for each individual. The distribution provided for from the Central Experimental Farm, for 1895, will consist chiefly of the most promising varieties of oats, barley, wheat, pease and potatoes, all of which have been grown on the Experimental Farms for this purpose. The several branch farms will also distribute, as heretofore, samples to the farmers residing in the provinces and territories where these institutions are established. The samples sent out from the Experimental Farm at Ottawa during the early months of 1894, were distributed as follows : Prince Edward Island. Oats 122 Wheat 77 Barley 73 Pease 50 Potatoes 6 Corn 4 332 Number of applicants supplied, 173. Nova Scotia. Oats 468 Barley 376 Wheat 328 Pease 159 Potatoes 40 Corn 26 1,397 Number of applicants supplied, 758. __ New Brunswick. Oats 344 Barley 237 Wheat , 232 Pease 72 Potatoes 31 Corn 44 960 Number of applicants supplied, 581. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. Ontario. Oats 7g3 Barley 599 Wheat 6»<3 Pease 225 Potatoes 140 Corn 125 Horse beans 5 2,505 Number of applicants supplied, 1,590. Quebec. Oats 4,366 Barley 3,S94 Wheat 2,567 Pease 1,750 Potatoes 1,006 Corn 7G0 Horse beans , 6 14,349 Number of applicants supplied, 9,740. Manitoba. Oats 288 Barley 191 Wheat 150 Pease 81 Potatoes 12 Corn 4 726 Number of applicants supplied, 382. North-west Territories. Oats 163 Barley 130 Wheat 108 Pease 41 Potatoes 17 Corn 2 461 Number of applicants supplied, 252. British Columbia. Oats 56 Barley 30 Wheat 35 Pease 22 Potatoes 1 Corn 2 Horse beans 1 147 Number of applicants supplied 75. 8 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. The following list shows the number of three-pound packages of the different varieties which have been distributed : — Oats Prize Cluster 2,690 Banner 1,327 White Poland 1,255 Bonanza 611 Wallis 508 Bavarian 92 Golden Giant 87 6,570 Barley — Two-rowed. Canadian Thorpe 3,658 Duck-bill 1,348 Goldthorpe 73 5,079 Barley — Six-rowed. Rennie's Improved 305 Baxter's Six-rowed 146 451 Wheat. Red Fife 2,056 Campbell's White Chaff 898 White Connell 418 Wellman's Fife 414 White Fife 332 Ladoga 27 4,145 Pease. Mummy 1,524 Large white Marrowfat 876 2,400 Potatoes. Lee's Favourite 374 Wonder of the World 289 Early Puritan 216 Thorburn 194 Beauty of Hebron .' . 178 Red Dakota 1 Everett 1 1,253 Corn. Pearce's Prolific 504 Longfellow , 424 Compton's Early 39 967 Horse Beans 12 REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. A few samples of Fall Wheat were also sent out, including the following to Ontario 12 Quebec 6 Eritish Columbia 23 41 Number of applicants supplied, 35. Total number of samples distributed at the Central Experimental Farm . . . 20,918 Total number of applicants supplied 13,5S6 Samples were also distributed at the branch Experimental Farms as follows : Experimental Farm, Nappan, N. S. Oats 290 Barley 118 Wheat 138 Pease 31 Potatoes 203 780 Number of applicants supplied, 338. Experimental Farm, Brandon, Man. Oats 43 Barley 18 Wheat 25 Potatoes 71 157 Number of applicants supplied, 157. Experimental Farm, Indian Head, N. W. T. Oats 296 Barley 154 Wheat 176 Spring Rye 18 Pease 73 Potatoes 286 1,003 Number of applicants supplied, 379. Experimental Farm, Agassiz, B.C. Oats 117 Barley 89 Fall Wheat 31 Spring Wheat Pease 95 Potatoes I 41 556 Number of applicants supplied, 482. Making a total of 2,496 samples supplied to 1,356 applicants by the branch Experimental Farms. This, added to the distribution made at the Central Farm, gives a total of 23,414 samples to 14,942 applicants. 10 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. The branch Experimental Farms also supplied a large number of farmers in their several districts, with new and promising sorts of grain in bags of two bushels each. These were sold to farmers at a slight advance on the ordinary prices prevailing at the time, for such grain. EXPERIMENTS WITH OATS. Comparative tests have been made with 36 varieties of oats, for earliness, yield and other qualities. These were all sown on clay loam and about the same time, on plots of -^ of an acre each, excepting the varieties known as Banner and Abundance, which were on plots of -£$ of an acre. The previous crop was Indian Corn, and the land was manured in the spring of 1891 with about 20 tons of barnyard manure to the acre; it also received an application of wood ashes late in the autumn of 1893, about 150 bushels to the acre. The treatment of the land was as follows : It was gang-ploughed very shallow in the autumn of 1893, after harvesting, to cover and start into growth any shed grain or weed seeds lying on the surface. Later in the autumn, it was ploughed seven to eight inches deep, and it was disc-harrowed and harrowed with the smoothing harrow in the spring, before sowing. All the varieties were sown on April 18th and 19th. Oats, Test of Yarieties. Name of Variety. Early Blossom Abyssinia Banner Lincoln Golden Beauty Early Gothland Oderbruch Joanette Rosedale .... Giant Cluster Californian Prolific Black . . . Poland ...... Early Etampes, not distin- guishable from Joanette . . . Early Archangel American Triumph Golden Giant, same as Giant Cluster ... Wide- A wake Wallis Columbus Imported Irish Improved Ligowo Holstein Prolific Abundance Elymg Scotchman.... ... . Bavarian Bonanza Welcome Scottish Chief Coulommiers Rennie's Prize White Prolific Black Tartarian Siberian Prize Cluster White Wonder White Monarch Royal Doncaster Prize "S o p +3 JB Ti hn CD o> £ £ bus. lbs. 43 42 39 39 39 39 38 37 37 37 36 36 35 34 34 34 32 32 32 32 31 31 31 30 30 30 30 30 30 29 29 29 28 26 26 16 8 12 14 4 4 4 28 32 18 2 27 26 10 25 24 14 32 12 12 12 26 16 6 30 20 20 10 10 00 24 14 4 8 26 16 16 Lbs 354 38± 34^ 33i 33| 40} 38§ 33 38* 31 29 37i 32 40i 32| 29| 31 334 33" 394 36 34 34 39 33J 40 39 374 3l| 35 304 30" 39| 38i 35| 32 Proportion Rusted. Considerably. cs Slightly. n tt Slightly. Considerably. Slightly. Slighly. Considerably. Considerably. Slightly. Slightly. Very slightly. Slightly. Considerably. a Slightly. << Very slightly. Slightly. Very slightly. Slightly. Slightly. tt Considerably. Badly. Considerably. Slightly. tt Considerably. Badly. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. \\ Several of those included in this table are new varieties : Wallis. — This originated with Mr. John Wallis, of Ferguson, Ont., and is said to have occurred as a sport in a field of Banner. It is a promising oat, a vigorous "rower and prolific, stiff in straw — but no stiffer than Improved Ligowo, Abundance or Banner. It resembles Banner when growing:. Bavarian. — This is a promising sort; has been among the best as to yield, during the past season ; straw stiff. Imported Irish. — This is an oat which was imported from Ireland ; it is a branch- ing sort ; a vigorous grower ; fairly stiff in the straw ; and has yielded well. Lincoln. — A promising variety with a branching head ; has given a good yield ; has a stiff straw, somewhat resembling Banner. White Monarch. — A branching variety not particularly promising ; with fairly stiff straw, not so stiff as that of some of the other leading varieties ; this has not yielded so well as most of the other sorts tested. Columbus. — This variety was imported from Germany in the spring of 1893, but was not reported on last year, owing to the unfavourable conditions which prevailed, the crop of all varieties of oats having been almost destroyed by rust. This variety has done well during the past season ; is a vigorous grower, with fairly stiff straw, and seems to be worthy of more extended trial in the eastern provinces ; at the western farms it has not succeeded so well. FIELD CROPS OP OATS. Prize Cluster. — Soil heavy clay loam ; previous crop was barley. Manured with about 18 tons per acre of barnyard manure in the autumn of 1893, when it was ploughed under. The land was disc-harrowed in the spring of 1894 and harrowed with smoothing harrow before seeding ; 3f acres ; sown April 24th ; 1| bushels per acre ; ripe July 23rd ; time to mature, 90 days ; yield per acre, 32 bushels 33 lbs. ; weight per bushel, 33f lbs. ; length of head, 9 to 11 inches ; branching; length of straw, 44 to 48 inches ; all standing well ; a strong, even growth ; leaves and stems considerably rusted. Another field was sown with this variety, comprising 18 acres of sandy loam of rather poor quality. This was manured in the spring of 1894 with about 18 tons of barnyard manure per acre. The manure was ploughed under, and the land disc-har- rowed and harrowed with smoothing harrow, before sowing. Sown May 2nd ; If bushels per acre ; ripe July 28th; time to mature, 87 days ; yield per acre, 18 bushels 7 lbs. ; weight per bushel, 33f lbs. ; length of head, 7 to 9 inches ; branching ; length of straw, 36 to 46 inches : straw standing well ; leaves and stems considerably rusted. Poland White. — On soil partly heavy clay loam and part peaty ; previous crop was experimental plots of barley and oats ; manured in the autumn of 1893 with about 18 tons of barnyard manure per acre, when it was ploughed under. The land was disc- harrowed in the spring of 1894 and harrowed with smoothing harrow before seeding ; 1\ acres ; sown April 24th ; If bushels per acre ; ripe July 24th; time to mature, 91 days; yfeld per acre, 35 bushels 9 lbs. ; weight per bushel, 38£ lbs. ; length of head, 9 to 1 1 inches ; branching ; length of straw, 42 to 45 inches ; all standing well ; made a strong, even growth ; leaves and stems considerably rusted. Banner. — On soil part peaty, part clay loam and part sandy loam ; previous crop was a mixed grain crop grown for fodder ; manured in the spring of 1892 with about 18 tons of barnyard manure per acre. This land was ploughed in the autumn of 1893 ; disc- harrowed and harrowed with smoothing harrow before seeding, in spring of 1894; 7f acres ; sown April 25th : 1\ bushels per acre ; ripe July 30th ; time to mature, 96 days ; yield per acre, 29 bushels 24 lbs. ; weight per bushel, 32f lbs. ; length of head, 7 to 9 inches; branching ; length of straw, 36 to 42 inches ; all standing well; growth uneven on account of variation in soil ; no rust observed. 12 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. Golden Giant. — Soil about half clay loam and half sandy loam ; previous crop was mixed grain grown for fodder ; manured in spring of 1892 with about 18 tons of barn- yard manure per acre. The land was ploughed in the autumn of 1893 ; disc-harrowed and harrowed with smoothing harrow before seeding, in 1894 ; 3 acres ; sown April 25th ; 2£ bushels per acre ; ripe August 9th : time to mature, 106 days ; weight per bushel, 31 £ lbs.; length of head, 9 to 11 inches; sided; length of straw, 36 to 48 inches ; straw stiff and all standing well ; made a strong, even growth ; leaves and stems considerably rusted. Wallis. — Soil, sandy loam ; previous crop was pease ; manured in the spring of 1893 with about 18 tons of barnyard manure per acre ; ploughed in the autumn of 1893 ; disc- harrowed and harrowed with smoothing harrow before seeding, in spring of 1894 ; four acres; sown April 25th; 2 bushels per acre; ripe August 3rd; time to mature, 100 days; yield per acre, 36 bushels 17 lbs. ; weight per bushel 34 lbs. ; length of head, 7 to 10 inches ; branching ; length of straw, 36 to 44 inches ; straw stiff and stood up well ; growth strong and even ; leaves and stems considerably rusted. Bavarian — Soil, sandy loam : previous crop was pease ; manured in the spring of 1893 with about 18 tons of barnyard manure per acre ; ploughed in the autumn of 1893 ; disc-harrowed and harrowed with smoothing harrow before seeding in spring of 1894 ; 2| acres ; sown April 25th ; 2 bushels per acre ; ripe August 3rd ; time to mature, 100 days ; yield per acre, 37 bushels 30 lbs. ; weight per bushel, 34 J lbs. ; length of head, 7 to 10 inches ; branching ; length of straw, 36 to 42 inches ; straw stiff and stood up well ; growth strong and even ; leaves and stems considerably rusted. Bonanza. — Soil, light sandy loam, most of it of poor quality, with a " hard pan " subsoil ; previous crop was oats ; manured in autumn of 1891, with about 18 tons of barnyard manure per acre ; ploughed in the autumn of 1893 ; disc-harrowed and har- rowed with smoothing harrow before seeding, in spring of 1894 ; If acres ; sown April 27th ; 1£ bushels per acre ; ripe July 25th ; time to mature, 89 days ; yield per acre, 19 bushels 4 lbs. ; weight per bushel, 32^ lbs. ; length of head, 7 to 9 inches ; branching ; length of straw, 24 to 42 inches ; straw rather weak and growth uneven ; leaves and stems considerably rusted. Welcome. — Soil, light sandy loam, with a " hard pan " subsoil, most of it of poor quality ; previous crop was oats ; manured in the autumn of 1891, with about 18 tons of barnyard manure per acre ; ploughed in the autumn of 1893 ; disc-harrowed and harrowed with smoothing harrow before seeding, in spring of 1894 ; 3 acres ; sown April 27th ; l\ bushels per acre ; ripe July 27th ; time to mature 91 days ; yield per acre, 16 bushels 13 lbs. ; weight per bushel, 37| lbs. ; length of head, 7 to 9 inches ; branching ; length of straw, 24 to 26 inches ; straw rather weak and growth very uneven on account of variations in soil. This land was flat and the crop suffered from water lying in spots owing to excessive rains. Early Blossom. — Soil, part peaty and part sandy loam of poor quality ; previous crop was mixed grain grown for fodder ; manured in the spring of 1893 ; with about 18 tons of barnyard manure per acre ; ploughed in the autumn of 1893 ; disc-harrowed and harrowed with smoothing harrow before seeding, in spring of 1894 ; 1 acre ; sown April 27th ; If bushels per acre ; ripe August 1st ; time to mature, 96 days ; yield per acre, 24 bushels 24 lbs. ; weight per bushel, 35 lbs. ; length of head, 6 to 10 inches ; sided ; length of straw, 30 to 42 inches ; straw stiff and stood up well ; leaves and stems considerably rusted. Abundance. — Soil, part peaty and part sandy loam of poor quality ; previous crop was mixed grain grown for fodder ; manured in spring of 1891 with 18 to 20 tons of barnyard manure per acre ; ploughed in the autumn of 1893 ; disc-harrowed and har- rowed with smoothing harrow before seeding, in spring of 1894 ; 1£ acres ; sown April 27th ; 2| bushels per acre ; ripe July 30th ; time to mature, 94 days ; yield per acre, 36 bushels 1 lb. ; weight per bushel, 30£ lbs. ; length of head, 8 to 10 inches ; branching ; length of straw, 36 to 44 inches ; straw stiff and stood up well, but on account of var- iability of soil the growth was uneven ; leaves and stems considerably rusted. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 13 EXPERIMENTS WITH BARLEY. Twenty-nine varieties of barley have been tested during the past season, fourteen of which were two-rowed sorts, and fifteen six-rowed. These were all sown on plots of ■gJg- acre each. The soil was a clay loam of fair quality ; it was manured in the sprin" of 1891 with about 20 tons of barnyard manure to the acre ; it also received an ap- plication of wood ashes late in the autumn of 1893, about 150 bushels to the acre. The land was gang-ploughed very shallow after harvest, in the autumn of 1893, to cover and start into growth any shed grain or weed seeds lying on the surface; later in the autumn it was again ploughed seven to eight inches deep, and it was disc-harrowed and har- rowed with the smoothing harrow in the spring, before sowing. The two-rowed varieties were all sown on April 21st and 22nd, and the six-rowed sorts April 20th and 21st. Two-rowed Barley — Test of Varieties. Name of Variety. Bolton Danish Chevalier. . . California Prolific. . . Newton Improved Chevalier. French Chevalier. . . . Prize Prolific Duck-bill Thanet . Kinver Chevalier. . . . Canadian Thorpe. . . . Victor Sidney New Golden Grains . . bo CO — Date >> h of -*% Ripe mng. d July 18.. 89 it 23.. 93 cc 22.. 92 it 22.. 92 cc 23.. 92 cc 2G . 96 if 21.. 91 it 22.. 92 it 20.. 90 u 26.. 96 cc 23.. 93 • c 22.. 92 (< 24. 93 II 23.. 92 Length of Straw. Inches. 42 to 48 27 to 34 34 to 43 30 to 40 34 to 38 30 to 39 35 to 38 36 to 40 34 to 38 33 to 37 28 to 43 36 to 44 36 to 45 21 to 36 £ utn Length 43 of e3 Cm Head. -C O Inches. Fair. . . . 3 to 3f Fair. . . . 3 to 3| Stiff.... 2| to 3 II 2| to 3 Fair 2£ to 4£ (( 3 to 4 (1 34 to 3| Stiff.... 2| to 3 Fair. . . . 34 to 4 cc 3 to 4 Stiff.... 2| to 3 Fair. . . . 2| to 34 cc 3 to 4 cc 34 to 4$ CD Yield Per Acre. ja be 3 * Bush. Lbs. Lbs. 30 40 473 29 18 m 27 4 50 27 4 49 26 32 48 26 22 50 25 40 484 25 40 49 25 30 484 24 28 50 23 16 49 23 6 504 21 42 50 20 10 48 CD .2tf o None. Slightly. Six-rowed Barley — Test op Varieties. Mensury Four- rowed Odessa Common ... Royal Vanguard Phoenix Pioneer Oderbruch Stella j Trooper Petschora Baxter's Rennie's Improved.. Nugent July IS.. 89 CI 19.. 90 a 18.. 89 n 15.. 86 a 16.. 87 n 15.. 86 tt 18.. 89 cc 17.. 87 tt 15.. 86 cc 22.. 93 CC 18.. 89 u 15.. 86 it 16.. 87 II 16.. 87 tl 20.. 90 43 to 40 to 39 to 44 to 39 to 36 to 36 to 40 to 36 to 36 to 32 to 39 to 38 to 36 to 30 to 52 50 46 48 44 45 45 48 44 40 40 44 46 44 37 Fair. . . . 2| to 34 i i 2§ to 3| Stiff.... 2| to 3| CC 24 to 3 Fair 23 to 3| a 24 to 3 Stiff ... 2i to 21 cc 2| to 2| (C 24 to 3 cc 24 to 3 tc 24 to 3 cc 24 to 3 Stiff.... 2| to 2| tc 2| to 2| cc 24, to 3 44 43 41 37 36 34 33 33 31 31 30 30 25 23 22 18 46 46i 46| 32 464 24 47 2 474 38 46? 26 4S| 26 49 2 483 2 484 40 47 20 45f 40 49 16 483 34 464 None. Slightly. None. FIELD CROPS OF BARLEY. Only one variety of barley was sown in field crop. This was Canadian Thorpe, a two-rowed sort. It was sown on clay loam ; previous crop was corn and beans. The land was manured in the spring of 1893, — before sowing the corn and beans, — with from 18 to 20 tons of barnyard manure per acre. It was ploughed in the spring of 14 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. •1894, and harrowed with smoothing harrow before sowing. 8| acres, sown April 21st ; 2 bushels per acre ; ripe July 22hd ; time to mature, 92 days ; yield per acre, 25 bushels 13 lbs. : weight per bushel 49|- lbs .; length of head, 3 to 3} inches ; length of straw, 36 to 42 inches ; all standing well ; some rust on leaves, very little on stems ; no smut. EXPERIMENTS WITH FALL WHEAT. Fourteen varieties of fall wheat have been under test during the past season, most of them in plots of ^ acre each. They were all sown on September 13th, 1893, and harvested from the 15th to the 18th of July, 1894. The soil was a sandy loam which had a light coating of manure in the spring of 1893, about 10 tons to the acre. The previous crop was oats. After the oats were harvested the land was gang-ploughed lightly to start weeds and shed grain and ploughed again about 7 inches deep, and har- rowed with smoothing harrow before sowing. The Manchester, Early Red Clawson and Willit's were all injured by depredations of birds ; but for this, the crop of these varieties would have been reported larger. FALL WHEAT — TEST OP "VARIETIES. Name of Variety. Length of Straw. Character of Straw. Length of Head. Kind of Head. Yield per Acre. Weight per Bushel. Proportion Rusted. Johnson Jones' Winter Fife. Inches. 48 to 56 48 to 56 48 to 58 "6 to 51 Stiff.. tt tt tt tt Fairly stiff. . Stiff it Fairly stiff. . Stiff " Fairly stiff. . Inches. 2} to 2| 2|to3 3 to3A 2}to2g 2f to 3 2} to 3 •2h to 3 2| to 3} 2i to 3| 2 to 2| 2} to 3 2} to 3 2i to 3 J 2 to 3 Bearded . . Beardless . n Bearded . . Beardless . Bearded . . Beardless . a Bearded . . tt Beaidless. tt Bearded . . Bus. lbs. 42 .. 39 9 36 20 36 14 36 .. 34 .. 34 .. 33 40 28 40 27 40 27 10 27 10 2E 50 25 10 Lbs. 58£ 59 62 61* 60A 62} 611 61 62} 61 614 60| 60 61| Slightly to considerably. Very slightly. tt Willit's Democrat Weld's No. 4 Roberts 54 to 60 45 to 54 48 to 56 53 to 60 54 to 63 52 to 59 54 to 58 52 to 60 48 to 58 48 to 58 Slightly to considerably. Very slightly. Slightly. Very slightly. Golden Cross Manchester Early Red Clawson Martin's Amber. . . Tasmania tt Slightly. Very slightly. a EXPERIMENTS WITH SPRING WHEAT. During the season of 1894, thirty-six varieties of spring wheat were tested, twenty- seven of these were on plots of l-20th acre each, and nine on plots of l-40th acre. The land was clay loam adjoining the experimental plots of barley, anil' received a similar application of manure in the spring of 1891, and of ashes in the autumn of 1893. The preparation of the land also was the same as that for the experimental plots of oats and barley. Several of the varieties which show a comparatively small yield, would have been reported as giving more liberal returns but for the depredations of sparrows, which were most persistent in their attentions, especially to the later ripening sorts. Particulars of growth, yield, &c, will be found in the following table : — REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 15 SPRING WHEAT — TEST OF VARIETIES. Name of Variety. be '2 CO ■M.& CD c3 n d Length of Straw. <*- u Qi • O Length of Head. Kind of Head. u < u i 387" 3su 375 229 207 J 2 334 386 292 183 181 144 192 233 Yield of 7 rows Wondei of the World Lbs. 2-20h 203 124 123 133 159A 192 161 1494 US 151 781 120 208 136 147 113!, 88" 63 82 Total Yield per Acre. Tons. Lbs. 7 1 890 7 4 00 470 4 579 i l,0>o 1,090 5 3:0 4 5 1,350 730 5 490 5 3 3 520 150 550 5 5 4 2 2 1 840 440 780 1,930 1,380 1,850 2 1,100 3 300 Total Yield per Acre. Bush. Lbs. 264 50 234 20 141 10 142 50 150 218 10 155 50 178 50 174 50 175 20 102 30 109 10 180 40 174 140 20 98 50 89 40 64 10 85 105 REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 35 Experiments with Fertilizers on Half- Plots, ^ acre of Potatoes after Barley. o 5 o 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Fertilizers applied each Year. Barn-yard manure well rotted, 15 tons per acre. Barn-yard manure, fresh, 15 tons per acre . . Unmanured Mineral phosphate, untreated, finely ground, 500 lbs. per acre Mineral phosphate, untreated, finely ground, 500 lbs. ; nitrate of soda, 200 lbs. per acre . . Barn-yard manure partly rotted, and actively fermenting, 6 tons per acre ; mineral phos- phate, untreated, finely ground, 500 lbs. per acre, composted together, intimately mixed and allowed to heat for several days before using Mineral phosphate, untreated, finely ground, 500 lbs.; nitrate of soda, 200 lbs.; wood ashes, unleached, 1,000 lbs. per acre Mineral phosphate, untreated, finely ground, 500 lbs.; wood ashes unleached, 1,500 lbs. per acre . Mineral superphosphate No. 1, 500 lbs. per acre Mineral superphosphate No. 1, 350 lbs. ; nitrate of soda, 200 lbs. per acre Mineral superphosphate No. 1, 350 lbs. ; nitrate of soda, 200 lbs. ; wood ashes, unleached, 1,500 lbs. per acre Unmanured Bone, finely ground, 500 lbs. per acre .... .... Bone, finely ground, 500 lbs.; wood ashes, un- leached, 1,500 lbs. per acre Nitrate of soda, 200 lbs. per acre Muriate of potash, 150 lbs. per acre Sulphate of ammonia, 300 lbs . per acre Sulphate of iron, 60 lbs . per acre Common salt (Sodium chloride) 300 lbs. pc«": - acre Land plaster or gypsum (Calcium sulphate), 300 lbs . per acre Mineral superphosphate No. 2, 500 lbs, per acre East half of Plots. Yield of 12 rows Thor- burn. Lbs. 342 375 160 155 125 232 175 225 2501 227 313 178 137 230 139 152 134i 134" 162^ 232 206 Yield of 12 rows Beauty of He- bron. Lbs. 325 352 190i 197 1691 260J 26H 239 290 251 337 161 137 2401 176 247 129 14!) 275i 250 Yield of 3 rows Early Rose. Lbs. 75 70 21 32i. 19i 48 33 231 51" 40i 48 161 195 45i 29" 26 16 10 30 314 21" Tota per yield acre. Tons. Lbs. 7 7 3 840 1,940 1,430 3 1,690 3 280 5 810 4 1,390 4 5 1,750 1,830 5 370 6 3 2 1,960 1,110 1,870 5 3 4 2 2 4 320 880 500 1,590 1,860 1,360 5 4 270 1,310 Total yield per acre. Bush. Lbs. 247 20 265 40 123 50 128 10 104 40 180 10 156 30 162 30 197 10 172 50 232 40 118 30 97 50 172 114 40 141 40 93 10 97 40 156 171 10 155 10 $C— 3£ 36 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. I COMPARISON OP RESULTS FROM THE USE OF EQUAL QUANTITIES OP BARN-YARD MANURE, FRESH AND WELL ROTTED. On examination these tables of results all show that the best returns are obtained in growing all of the crops referred to from the use of barn-yard manure, and that in a large proportion of cases the yields are in favour of the fresh manure as compared with that well rotted when used in equal weights. The following table summarizes the rela- tive advantage in yield on both sides during the whole course of these experiments : — In favour of well rotted Manure, 15 tons per ac. Wheat, average yield per acre for 7 years Barley do 6 do Oats do 6 do Corn (Plots 1) do do (Plots 2) do Mangels do Turnips do Carrots after oats do do wheat do do barley do Sugar beets after barley, average yield per acre for 1 year . Potatoes after wheat do I do . do barley do 1 do . 7 do 7 do 6 do 6 do 4 do 3 do 2 do Bush. Lbs. Tons. Lbs. 1,170 1,765 1,205 270 1,830 In favour of Fresh Manure, 15 tons per ac. Bush. Lbs. 8* 1 40£ 3 28 Tons. Lbs. 2 1,878 483 1,155 810 1,100 These results seem to show that fresh barn-yard manure gives on the average greater fertility to the soil than an equal weight of manure well rotted. This subject is a most important one in the economy of manures, since during the process of thorough rotting, barn-yard manure loses about 40 per cent of its weight, to which must be added the cost of twice handling and that of turning once or twice during the process of fer- mentation. As stated in the report for 1893, the reason why the fresh manure is equal to the rotted, weight for weight, probably lies in the fact that the liquid portions of the manure, the richest in nitrogen have much of this most valuable constituent volatilized and lost during the process of rotting. SAMPLE HEDGES ON THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM. In the annual report of the Experimental Farms for 1889 a brief reference was made to ten varieties of trees and shrubs, the suitability of which for hedge purposes was being tested. The many inquiries which have since been made regarding shrubs and trees suitable for hedges from all parts of the Dominion, has led to an extension of this work not only at the central farm but also at the branch farms. These latter will be reported on hereafter. The trial hedges at the central farm now number forty- six in all, ten of which were planted in 1889, fourteen in 1890, nine in 1891, and thirteen in 1894. In planting these hedges the young shrubs or trees have all been put in in single rows and at a uniform distance of fifteen inches apart. These hedges have been planted in sections of fifty feet in length and ten feet apart arranged in a tier covering nearly 500 feet. The object lesson given by this comparative test has in- terested a large number of the visitors to the farm, and many hedges have been planted on private grounds as a result of the information gained here. These hedges are usual- ly pruned twice a year, the first time in June and the second sometime in August, de- pending on the season and the growth the hedges have made. None of them have yet REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 37 developed sufficient strength to serve the purpose of inclosure of land against cattle •without fencing, but many of them are very ornamental and would serve an admirable purpose as dividing lines between neighbours in towns and cities where strong fences are not required or for separating a lawn from the fruit or kitchen garden. HINTS ON HEDGE PLANTING. In planting hedges the young shrubs or trees of deciduous species should not be more than one and a half to two feet high, and at the time of planting should be cut back to six or eight inches above ground to encourage a thick growth at the bottom, a single row fifteen inches apart is all that is necessary in any case. When planting ever- green hedges, young bushy trees from twelve to eighteen inches high should be chosen, and these will need but little trimming when planted, just sufficient to make the plants even in height and width, If evergreens are cut severely back so as to deprive them of much of their foliage they are unable readily to replace such loss and are liable to suffer permanent injury from such treatment. When planting a hedge it should have a space of at least two feet on either side of it clear of grass, and this land should be kept free from weeds and hoed occasionally during the summer ; as the hedge grows, this space will need widening. The after trimming will necessarily vary in degree depending on the annual growth made, and the taste of the grower. Many of the species to be referred to can be easilypropagated from cuttings. Such cuttings should be made late in the autumn unless otherwise directed, after the leaves have fallen ; they should be from six to eight in- ches long ; the lower end should be cut off smoothly just below the bud, the upper end just above the bud. When the cuttings are planted they should be put out in rows from one to two feet apart and about six inches apart in the rows and buried so that the upper bud shall be just above the ground. They may be planted in beds as soon as they are cut or they may be tied in small bundles and buried in the garden a foot or so below the surface and the earth mounded up over them, or buried in moist sand in a cellar and planted very early in the spring. During the winter there forms on the ends of the cuttings a granular growth called a " callous," from which young roots start in the spring. Well established plants suitable for hedge planting may usually be grown in a single season from such cuttings if they are well cared for and in most cases no special skill is required to secure successful results. The method of propa- gation of each species will be given with other particulars under their special headings in the following list. LIST OP TREES AND SHRUBS TESTED FOR HEDGES. 1. Siberian Pea Tree. Caragana arborescens. — This hedge was planted in 1889. Its present height is 4 feet 6 inches, width near base 3 feet, it has made good growth and forms a compact and very pretty hedge. The foliage is neat, and early in the summer it is covered with small bright yellow pea-shaped flowers. It is a native of Siberia, is very hardy and has succeeded well on all the experimental farms, including the farms at Brandon, Man., and Indian Head, N.W.T., and promises to be one of the most useful bushes in cultivation for general hedge purposes. The Siberian pea tree is easily grown from seed, which may be sown when fully ripe in the autumn or early in the spring. 2. American or White Elm. Ulmus Americana. — Planted in 1889, present height 5 feet 4 inches, width near base 3 feet 6 inches. Beginning with young trees about two feet high and cut back, followed by regular training, this makes a compact, hardy and useful hedge. On account of its tendency to make strong growth, it requires more attention than some others. Raised from seed. Young seedlings of this tree of suitable size, may be found in many localities in the woods. 3. Russian Mulberry. Morus Tatarica. — Planted in 1889, present height 5 feet 6 inches, width near base 5 feet. This hedge is very handsome and compact and has grown more both in height and width than most of the others. It is easily kept in order, but is not entirely hardy, the tips of the branches are winter-killed more or less 38 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. every year, but not enough to disfigure the hedge. This may be grown either from seed or cuttings. 4. Norway Spruce. Picea excelsa. — This hedge was planted in 1889, with young trees from 15 to 18 inches high, it now averages 4 feet 6 inches in height, with a width near its base equal to its height. It is very compact and handsome, forming a solid mass of green all through the year. This tree is grown from seed, but is of slow growth, young trees requiring 3 to 4 years to attain a height of 15 to 18 inches. Suitable young trees of this species can usually be obtained from nurserymen at reasonable prices. 5. Honey Locust. Gleditschia triacanthos. — Planted in 1889, height 4 feet 3 inches, width near base 4 feet. This tree has a beautiful fern-like foliage, but it is too tender for hedges for the Ottawa district. Trees planted singly are occasionally found to be quite hardy, but in hedges they kill out more or less, making the hedge irregular and unsightly. This tree is also a very strong grower and hence requires more frequent clipping to keep it in shape than most others, which makes it less desirable for this purpose. It is quite hardy in Western Ontario, where it is being used in some localities to a considerable extent for farm hedges. Its rapid growth makes it very unsuitable for this purpose, as the cost of labour required to keep a hedge of honey locust in good shape would be much more than the price of ordinary fencing, and if neglected each specimen struggles to become a tree, the more vigorous rapidly outgrow and smother the weaker ones, and the plantation soon becomes unsightly. 6. White Spruce. Picea alba. — This native evergreen makes one of the most desir- able of all evergreen hedges. Planted in 1889, present height 3 feet 3 inches, width near base 3 feet 3 inches. This hedge is very compact and handsome, is not quite so rapid in growth as the Norway spruce, but is more dense in its compactness and makes a wall of constant greenness, and requires less clipping to keep it in order. In form it is beauti- fully regular. In many localities young trees may be found in abundance in the woods. If these are used, they should not be more than 12 to 18 inches high when transplanted, and would be better if put into nursery rows in garden soil for a year, removing at the end of that time into hedge row those specimens which have become established, and are fairly even in height and bushiness. The young trees may also be raised from seed, but like the Norway spruce, they make slow growth ; they may be bought ready for planting from the nurseryman. 7. Common Barberry. — Berberis vulgaris. Planted in 1889, present height 4 feet 3 inches, width near base 4 feet. The common barberry makes a thrifty hedge, of a compact and regular form, and from its habit of sending up new shoots every year from the base it becomes after a time so thick as to be almost impenetrable, the foliage is dark green, the leaves small, nearly round and finely serrated. The flowers are small, greenish yellow and in long clusters, and later in tho season the bright scarlet berries add to the attractiveness of this hedge. The barberry is easily grown from seed. 8. Hemlock Spruce. — Tsuga Canadensis. Planted in 1889, height 2 feet 6 inches, width near base 2 feet. This beautiful native evergreen succeeds best in positions somewhat sheltered and rarely does well for any considerable time in a hedge. It does not grow thriftily and branches occasionally die, giving the hedge an irregu- lar appearance. On this account it cannot be recommended for hedge purposes in the Ottawa district. 9. Purple Barberry. Berberis vulgaris purpurea. — Planted in 1889, height 4 feet, width near base 3 feet, 6 inches. This is a purple-leaved variety of the common bar- berry referred to under No. 7. The purple-leaved variety is scarcely so strong a grower as the common green form, but it seems to be equally hardy and it makes in every way as good a hedge, and has the advantage of a rich purple hue which forms a pleasing contrast with other trees and shrubs. As this bush does not always come true to colour when grown from seed, it may be multiplied by suckers or layers, or it may be grown from well ripened cuttings. 10. Prickly Ash. Zanthoxylum Americanum. — Planted in 1889, height 3 feet 6 inches, width near base 3 feet. The prickly ash makes a fairly compact and prickly REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 39 hedge with a neat and pretty foliage, but its tendency to sucker is an objection to its use for hedge purposes. 11. Japan Rose. Rosa Rugosa. — Planted in 1890, height 3 feet 6 inches, width near base 4 feet. This bush makes a fairly compact hedge and grows rapidly, the foliage is larger than that of most roses, and the leaves are thick and glossy, and are seldom injured by insects. When in bloom its large deep rose coloured flowers are handsome and fragrant. The flowers are succeeded by clusters of very large bright red fruit attractive throughout the winter. The tendency of this shrub is towards a spreading growth, and a hedge of it needs more frequent clipping than some others. Its tendency to sucker is also against it. It may be propagated by seed and by suckers. 12. Golden-leaved Spiraea. Spircea opulifolia aurea. — Planted in 1890, height 5 feet, width near base 5 feet. This is one of the handsomest hedges in the group, thrifty and compact in form, a rapid grower and is perfectly hardy. When the foliage expands in the spring it is of a brilliant golden hue, and it retains more or less of this colour until near the end of the season. This hedge contrasts finely with adjacent hedges with green and purple foliage, and is a striking object on account of its unusual colour during the greater part of summer. 13. Red-leaved Rose. Rosa rubrifolia. — Planted in 1890, height 4 feet, width near base, 3 feet 6 inches. This makes a pretty hedge, its small, neat foliage retaining a decided purplish red colour until the autumn. It is almost free from thorns and bears clusters of single pinkish, rose coloured flowers, followed by bunches of large scarlet fruit which remain on the bushes all winter. It does not, however, form a compact hedge, but is thin towards the base, and hence is not so desirable as some others. This is easily grown from seeds and most of the seedlings come true to colour. / 14. Arbor Vitae. Thuya occidentalis. — Planted in 1890, height 3 feet, width near base 3 feet. This valuable native tree makes a first class evergreen hedge, one of the best. It is compact, neat, of a rich green throughout the summer, assuming a duller shade during the winter months. It is very hardy, and does not require much 3are or trimming, although it bears cutting well. In addition to the hedge of 50 feet there is more than a mile of this hedge on the Central Experimental Farm, forming a boundary line on each side of one of the main roads passing through the farm. Arbor vitae hedges have also been planted in several other places as a margin for inclosures adjacent to the buildings. These hedges are all good specimens, they have made regular and even growth, and are much admired by visitors. In many parts of Canada young trees of this species can be obtained from the woods, they should be trans- planted when not more than 12 to 18 inches high into nursery rows and grown for a season, when the most thrifty plants should be selected to form the hedge, and when planted they should be trimmed so as5 to be even in height. Young and well rooted plants can also be obtained from the nurseries. 15. Baker's Rose. Rosa Bakeriana, planted in 1890, height, 2 feet 3 inches width near base 2 feet. This is a European wild rose which is tender in this climate, it kills back badly every year and is of no value here for any purpose. 16. Lilac. Seedlings of Syringa vulgaris alba. — Planted in 1890, height 4 feet 3 inches, width near base 3 feet 6 inches. The shrubs which form this hedge were raised from seed of the White Lilac, procured in Germany. They were from 12 to 18 inches high when planted, have grown well and have made a compact and shapely hedge, no flowers have yet been produced. The foliage is large, glossy and handsome, and the hedge is very attractive. 17. Sweet Briar. Rosa rubiginosa. — Planted in 1890, average height 3 feet 6 in- ches, width near base 3 feet, but very irregular. This bush has a straggling habit in growth, it also lacks hardiness and is of no value for hedge purposes in Ottawa. 18. Thunberg's Barberry. Berberis Thunbergii. — Planted in 1890, height 2 feet 4 inches, width at base 3 feet. This is a recently introduced species from Japan brought over in 1883. It makes one of the prettiest hedges in cultivation where a low growing hedge is desired. It is neat, very compact and regular in growth, is very hardy and retains its foliage during summer nearly to the ground. It bears clusters of flowers in the spring of a greenish straw colour tinged with red, which are followed by brilliant 40 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. scarlet berries. In the autumn the leaves turn to a fiery red and the bush then becomes one of the most striking objects to be found. After the leaves fall the scarlet berries hans as ornaments on the bare branches during the winter. This valuable bush is easily grown from seed. 19. White Pine. Pinus Strobus. — Planted in 1890, height 3 feet 3 inches, width near base 3 feet. This tree makes a handsome and useful evergreen hedge as it is hardy and maintains most of its lively green colour throughout the winter when many other evergreens look dull. The young trees grew irregularly for a year or two, but are now making a symmetrical and compact hedge, which does not require much clipping and appears to bear cutting well. Young white pine trees may be found in the woods in many parts of Canada when they may be transplanted and cared for as directed under arbor vitse (No. 14), or they may be purchased from the nurseries. 20. Snowberry. Symphoricarpus racemosus. — Planted in 1890, height 3 ft. 3 in., width 3 ft. 3 in. This makes a rather weak growing and straggling hedge, the wood of which usually kills back at the tips here in winter ; it also has a habit of suckering which is objectionable. Is not desirable in the east where much better hedges can be grown, but on the experimental farm for the North-west Territories at Indian Head, where this shrub and an allied species S. occidentalis grows wild, it has been found to make a useful hedge for garden purposes. 21. Pliant Viburnum. Viburnum lantana. — Planted in 1890, height 3 ft. 3 in., width near base 3 ft. This bush has large, handsome and deeply veined foliage, bears clusters of white flowers in the spring followed by bright red berries which become dark purple later in the season. It grows wild in Great Britain and has proven very hardy in this country. It makes a compact and desirable hedge. This bush is easily raised from seed, which should be sown in the autumn soon after it ripens, when it will usually germinate the following season. If the seeds are kept over and sown in the spring, germination is often delayed until the following year. 22. Chinese Lilac. Syringa chinensis (rothamagensis). — Planted in 1890, height 2 ft. 9 in., width near base 2 ft. 9 in. This lilac makes a fair hedge but is too loose and open in its growth to entitle it to a place among the best. The foliage is relatively small and the clusters of violet bloom add to the appearance of the hedge during the flowering season. This variety was introduced from China in 1795, it may be increased by suckers which are produced freely. 23. Breaking Buckthorn. Rhamnus frangula. Planted in 1890, height 4 ft. 3 in., width near base 4 ft. 9 in. This shrub is a native of Britain but is quite hardy here and makes a thrifty strong growing compact hedge which deserves a place in the front rank. The leaves are small and the flowers which are borne in the axils of the leaves are very small and of a greenish white colour. Later in the season they are succeeded by round black berries about a quarter of an inch in diameter. This buckthorn is easily grown from seed. 24. Cockspur Thorn. Crataegus eras galli. Planted in 1890, height 3 ft. 9 in., width near base 3 ft. This thorn, which is a native of Ontario, makes a compact and useful hedge, the branches being armed with long stout thorns. It is not a rapid grower but the growth is even and regular. No bloom has yet appeared on this hedge. Thorns are usually grown from seeds which generally lie in the ground over a season before sprouting. 25. Box Elder. Negundo aceroides. Planted in 1891, height 3 ft. 8 in., width near base 3 ft. 6 in. This native tree has been found very useful for hedge purposes in Manitoba and the North-west Territories, where such inclosures are desired more espe- cially to break the force of winds. This tree in hedge grows rapidly and on this account requires more frequent clipping than some others and needs to be kept well cut back if the growth of the side shoots is to be satisfactorily maintained. It is too rank a grower here to make a neat hedge. 26. Van Houtte's Spiraea. Spircea Van Houttei. — Planted in 1891 ; height, 3 feet; width near base, 2 ft. 6 in. This spiraea has too slender and weak a growth to make a useful and compact hedge, but it is very beautiful when in bloom as it is then almost covered with white flowers from top to bottom for about a fortnight. This shrub is REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 41 more valuable as single specimens in the shrubbery or on the lawn than for hedge pur- poses. It is easily propagated by cuttings. •/ 27. Swedish Juniper. Juniperus communis fastigiata. — Planted in 1891 ; height, 2 ft. 9 in. ; width near base, 2 ft. The Swedish juniper has made a very neat and fairly compact evergreen hedge, and appears to be quite hardy. It does not make a strong growth, but it thickens up well, and twice trimming during the year keeps it in good shape. Young trees of this juniper can be had from most of the larger nurseries. 28. Nettle tree. Celtis occidentalis. — Planted in 1891 ; height, 2 ft. 9 in. ; width near base, 3 ft. 6 in. This hardy native tree has made a low, bushy and very compact hedge. The young trees were small when put out and the hedge has not grown as rapidly as was expected from the natural habit of the tree. The growth, however, has been rigid, firm and even, and the hedge is compact and shapely. The lack of symmetry in the leaves at the base gives an interesting character to this hedge. The nettle tree is usually propagated by seeds and is also said to grow from cuttings of well ripened shoots planted in the autumn. (/ 29. Pocky Mountain Blue Spruce. Picea pungens. — Planted in 1891 ; height, 2 ft. 6 in. ; width near base, 2 ft. This is one of the most desirable evergreens of recent in- troduction. It is found native in the vicinity and on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains, and when grown from seed collected from trees found at the higher limits of its growth, it is quite hardy here. Its habit is somewhat stiff, but it is richly clothed with foliage which varies in tint in different specimens from a rich deep green to a pale steely blue. This hedge was planted with young plants selected for their blue colour, but during their subsequent growth some have become decidedly blue, some slightly blue, while others have put on different tints of green. This blending of colour gives the hedge a unique and most attractive character. The hedge is stately in form, very compact, and bears clipping well. Young specimens of this evergreen can be obtained from many of the larger nurseries. 30. Josika's Lilac. Syringa Josikea. — Planted in 1891 ; height 3 ft. 6 in. ; width near base, 3 ft. Of the several lilacs yet tried this seems to be the most promising for hedge purposes. It is a native of Hungary and has a stiff and stately habit which be- comes intensified in a regularly clipped hedge and the large foliage with which it is clothed, while thick, leathery and deep in colour, has a polished surface and laurel-like appearance which is very attractive. It blooms later than the ordinary lilac and makes a very compact and useful hedge and is quite hardy. May be propagated from suckers. Most of the remaining sixteen hedges have been more recently planted and have not made sufficient growth to permit of an opinion yet being formed of their respective merits. They will be reported on hereafter. The following is a list of the names of the trees and shrubs of which these hedges are composed : — Evergreen. Douglas Spruce. — Pseudotsnga Douglasii. Swiss Stone Pine. — Pinus cembra. Douglas' Golden Arbor-vitae. — Thuya occidentalis aurea. Ginnalian Maple. — Acer Ginnala. Russian Olive. — Eleagnus angustifolia. High Bush Cranberry. — Viburnum opulus. Round Leaved Spiraea. — Spiraea media rotundifolia. Double flowering Mock Orange, or Syringa. — PhUadelphus coronarius primulce- Jlorus. Golden Leaved Mock Orange, or Syringa. — PhUadelphus coronarius aurea. Douglas' Spiraea. — Spiraea Douglasii. Amur Privet. — Ligustrum amurense. Maule's Pyrus. — Pyrus Maulei. Wild Plum. — Prunus Americana. Crenate Deutzia. — Deutzia crenata. Headed Cytisus. — Cytisus capritatus. Elongate Cytisus. • — Cytisus elongatus. 42 EX I * EMM EXT A L FA R MS. A CHOICE COLLECTION OF HARDY ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS. The inquiry is frequently made both by visitors and correspondents, who have but a limited garden space, what are the best and most attractive shrubs for such limited areas. As a partial reply to this question a selection of 12 varieties will be briefly des- cribed, each one of which, by its grace of form, its attractive foliage, or beauty of flower, or all combined, will afford much gratification to its possessor. The list is so small that many choice things are unavoidably omitted and no attempt will be made to include in this small number any of the very beautiful evergreens so desirable in every collection. These may be dealt with on a future occasion. Several of the most desirable of the shrubs in this select list have already been mentioned under ornamental hedges, but they are well deserving of special commendation also for the garden or lawn. The illustrations used have been engraved from photographs of specimens growing on the Central Experimental Farm. 1. Lilac Chas. X. Syringa vulgaris Chas. X. — Lilacs are among the best known and most beautiful of the spring flowering shrubs and are universally admired. They are easily grown and flower freely. Some varieties, however, produce flowers in much greater abundance than others. There are about ten species in all of this genus, and of some of these there are many varieties, but none have produced, under cultivation, forms giving so great a vai'iety of character of bush and colour of flower as the common lilac, Syringa vulgaris, and it is one of the most beautiful of these forms known as Chas. X., which will first, claim our attention. Fig. 3 is from a photograph taken in June, 1894, of a specimen Fig. 3. — Lilac Chas. X. about 4 feet high on one of the lawns. This variety is rather dwarf in habit and slow in growth, probably because there is a great tax annually on its powers in the profuse pro- duction of bloom with which it is covered. No other lilac in the large collection now brought together on the experimental farms blooms so profusely as Chas. X., and the bush is perfectly hardy. The flowers are of a deep purplish lilac, fragrant and borne on large trusses. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 43 2. Woody Caragana. Caraganafrutescens. — This is one of a family of most useful and desirable shrubs the most familiar member of which is the Siberian pea tree, Caragana arborescens, which is referred to under ornamental hedges (No. 1). Caragana frutescens is also a native of Siberia, but is a less rapid grower and rarely grows higher than 3 to 4 feet, while the Siberian pea tree attains, under favourable conditions, in a few years a height of 10 to 12 feet or more. C. frutescens also produces flowers more abundantly and the individual flowers are larger. It is a most attractive object when in bloom as the whole bush is thickly covered with bright yellow pea shaped flowers. The flowers open early in the season and are succeeded by small green seed pods which, when approaching ripeness, change to a dull reddish colour and when fully ripe they burst and the seeds are scattered. This desirable shrub is easily raised from seed which may be sown in the autumn as soon as fully ripe, or early in the spring. 3. Large Flowered Variegated Weigelia Diervilla grandiflora variegata. — The cultivated weigelias which are now referred by botanists to the genus Diervilla are among the most beautiful flowering shrubs in cultivation. The large flowered weigelia is a native of Japan — a country which has given us in recent times many beautiful shrubs and flowers. The foliage on the ordinary form of this shrub is green, but in the variegated form, to which reference is here specially made, the leaves are beautifully margined with white which makes it a most attractive object on the lawn at all seasons of the year. When in bloom the flowers are so profuse that much of the foliage is hidden. The flowers are white shaded with rose and are funnel shaped at the base, they are produced in axillary and terminal clusters. Fig. 4 shows one of these shrubs Fig. 4. — Variegated Weigelia. in bloom, a specimen in the arboretum at the Experimental Farm. Most of the weigelias are tender in this climate, and the branches are killed back every winter, half way or more to the ground. This winter killing may be partially prevented by protecting these shrubs during the winter with a wrapping of straw or evergreen branches. The variegated form has been hardier with us than any of the others and has never been protected. From the figure it will be seen that this bush flowered well in 1894, nearly to the tips. It is easily propagated from cuttings. 4. Van Houtte's Spirsea. Spiraa Van Houttei. — This charming spiraea is a fitting companion to the weigelia just referred to on account of the abundance of bloom 44 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. which it produces. The spiraeas form a very large group of interesting and attractive shrubs, representatives of which are found native in almost every part of the world. None, however, are more beautiful when in flower than Van Houtte, which is then literally a sheet of pure white bloom. This bush has already been referred to under ornamental hedges (No. 26), but it is more useful when grown as an individual shrub. Fig. 5 represents a specimen in full bloom on one of the lawns on the Experimental Farm. Fig. 5. — Van Houtte's Spiraea. This bush is about 4 feet high and a little more than 4 feet across. It has a graceful and partly pendulous habit, as a rule it is hardy here, but in severe winters the branches are sometimes injured at the tips. It is quite hardy in Western Ontario ; the usual method of propagation is from cuttings. 5. Thunberg's Barberry. Berberis Thunbergii. — This beautiful barberry, which has already been referred to under No. 28 in the chapter on hedges as one of the most charming shrubs for that purpose, is even more attractive when grown as a single specimen. Then it has an opportunity of displaying its beauty of form which is neat and graceful. The flowers are produced early in the season, but they are not conspicuous and are partly hidden under the branches. Later, the scarlet berries are quite ornamental and the brilliant scarlet colour assumed by the leaves of this bush towards the close of the season makes it then a most conspicuous and attractive object. 6. Red Tartarian Honeysuckle. Lonicera tatarica. — This is a very hardy and useful shrub, a native of Tartary, which has long been a favourite among lovers of shrubs and trees. The flowers open early in the spring. They are rose coloured and so abundant as to partly hide the foliage. Fig. 6 shows one of these shrubs in bloom, a specimen in one of the flower borders on the farm. They remain in flower for two or three weeks, and after the flowers are gone they are succeeded by dark coloured berries which are quite ornamental. In growth the bush has a rounded form and graceful habit. There are a number of species in this group brought from different parts of the world some of which have yellow flowers, others white, red or variegated. A group of the different species and varieties planted together such as may be seen in the Arboretum at REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 45 the Experimental Farm is most charming in the pleasing contrasts of flower and foliage which they display. 7. Golden Leaved Spiraea. Spircea opulifolia aurea. — This attractive spiraea has also been referred to under hedges (No. 12) as one of the most desirable shrubs for this V h / i X \ Fig. 6. — Red Tartarian Honeysuckle. purpose. It is equally useful on the lawn and in the shrubbery : although not specially attractive in flower its clusters of seed vessels are pretty and its golden foliage contrasts so beautifully with the deep green of a well kept lawn or the varying tints of green and purple in the shrubbery that it has become quite a favourite. The golden leaved spiraea is a strong grower, soon attaining a height of 5 or 6 feet, is more or less rounded in form and rather stiff in habit ; the foliage also is larger that that of most of the spiraeas. It is very hardy and may be easily grown from cuttings. 8. Guelder Rose or Snowball. Viburnum opulus sterilis. — This is an old favourite in gardens, too well known to need much description. It forms a very handsome shrub with large foliage, and is a sterile form of the high bush cranberry, Viburnum opulus, in which all the flowers are sterile and fully developed, forming large nearly globular clusters, of a pure white colour which remain on the bush a considerable time before fading. Fig. 7 represents a bush in one of the groups on the Experimental Farm. This species may be propagated by layering or by cuttings of the half ripened shoots made during the summer and inserted in sandy soil in a somewhat shady position. 9. The Pliant Viburnum. Viburna lantana. — There are several handsome species among the Viburnums besides the snowball, and one especially, the pliant viburnum which commends itself for several reasons. This bush has already been spoken of favourably under hedges (No.21). Grown as an individual specimen it makes a fine shapely bush, erect in habit with beautiful foliage, and produces large flat cymes of white flowers early in the season, which are succeeded by clusters of berries which at first are 46 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS bright red and when ripe nearly black. It is very hardy and may be propagated by layers or cuttings as directed for the snowball, or it may be grown from seed. Fig. 7. — Guelder Rose or Snowball. 10. "White Japan Rose. Rosa rugosaalba. — The red flowering form of Rosa rugosa has already been referred to when treating of hedges under No. 11. This is the same \ sasaflafesi. Fig. 8. — White Japan Rose. species with white flowers. It is a vigorous grower and makes a shapely rounded bush about 4 feet high, as seen in figure 8, which represents a specimen in the Arboretum REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 47 at the Experimental Farm. Both the red and white varieties bloom freely and remain in flower for a considerable period, and both may be propagated by suckers which are freely produced when the bushes are well established. 1 1. Large flowered Mock Orange (Philadelphus grandiflora.) Our collection would be very incomplete without an example of the Mock Orange or Syringa. There are several species belonging to this genus, which are very beautiful and interesting, especially when in bloom. Grandiflora is one of the best of them. The flowers are large, pure white, and sweet scented, and are produced in great abundance during the month of June. The bush is a vigorous grower ; and if not interfered with will, under favourable conditions, eventually reach a height of 8 or 10 feet. Since the flowers are produced only on the wood of the previous year, this may be cut away when the flowering period is over, which will give more room to the new shoots, and they will become better ripened. In this way these shrubs may be kept smaller and made to produce flowers in greater profusion. The Syringas will, however, do very well without any pruning beyond the occasional removal of dead wood, and flower freely. The large flowered species is fairly hardy and usually comes through the winter without much injury, espe- cially where partially protected by other trees and shrubs, but in seasons of unusual severity the shoots are often partly winter killed. 12. Large flowered Hydrangea. Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora. Although placed last, because it is later in flowering, the merits of this hydrangea would fairly entitle it to be put among the first and best of flowering shrubs. It was introduced from Japan in 1874, and during the twenty years which have since elapsed, it has become one of the most widely diffused and favourite shrubs in cultivation. It succeeds well under many different climatic conditions, and will grow in almost any soil which is fairly rich, provided it be well supplied with water. Fig. 9 represents a specimen in Fig. y. — JLarge flowered Hydrangea. one of the flower borders at the farm, and shows the profuse flowering habit of this shrub. The clusters of bloom are very large, sometimes nearly a foot long and 8 to 10 inches wide, and are borne at the ends of the branches. After fully expanding, the flowers, which are white, remain in good condition for about a fortnight, after which they begin to assume a pinkish hue and gradually become soiled with dust and by in- 48 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. sects, and eventually wither. During the early autumn when this bush is in the height of its glory, there are very few other shrubs in bloom. This gives the greater prominence to this showy and valuable shrub which would however hold its place well in any com- pany. This hydrangea is quite hardy in the Ottawa district, and may be propagated by cuttings made from the partly ripened wood during the summer months. FOREST AND ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. During the year 1894, the forest belts and clumps, which were planned when the work began on the central experimental farm, have been completed by the planting of 3,442 trees along the northern boundary of the farm. Particulars of this work will be found in the appended report of the Foreman of Forestry, Mr. W. T. Macoun. In this report it is shown that there are now growing on the experimental farm in the various permanent plantations, avenues, hedges and groups in the shrubbery borders, a total of 35,735 trees and shrubs. To this number may be added 1,407 specimens, which have been planted in the Arboretum under charge of the botanist, making a total of 37,142 trees and shrubs, all of which have been planted since the improvements began on the experimental farm in 18S7. In this mass of material, there will be found plantations of various sizes of all the valuable economic woods which can be grown in this country for timber or for fuel from which useful data will in future, from time to time, be obtained as to the annual growth of the individual trees and the quantity of wood growth per acre. There are also now in the entire collection more than 700 varieties of trees and shrubs under test as to their hardiness and adaptability to the climate of the Ottawa district. In this number, there are included species and varieties from every part of the world where the climate is such as to give a reasonable probability of success in their growth. It is expected that many additional varieties will be added during the coming season. The forest tree department, including the ornamental trees and shrubs, has from the outset been under the special charge of the Director. No sufficient provision having been made otherwise for the work, it was at first more convenient that the material annually distributed by this branch should be put up and mailed by the horticultural division, and this plan was temporarily adopted. I beg to acknowledge my indebtedness to the horticulturist, Mr. John Craig, for the efficient and willing service he has rendered me in this important work, which has required on his part a considerable amount of labour and oversight. Under Mr. Craig's supervision, there were sent out through the mail in 1890, 1,000 packages containing 100,000 young forest trees, each variety labelled, and with each package a circular giving instructions for their planting and care. In 1891, 2,000 packages were mailed containing 200,000 young forest trees ; there were also sent out that year 3,782 bags of tree seeds. In 1892, there were distributed 983 packages of trees and 918 bundles of cuttings of promising varieties of Russian Poplars and "Willows. In 1893, 830 packages of trees, 798 of cuttings and 214 of mixed cut- tings and trees. In addition, there were distributed that year 1,523 bags of tree seeds. These tree cuttings and tree seeds were nearly all sent on request to settlers on the North-west plains, where trees are absent or very scarce. In 1890 and 1891, larger packages of promising trees and shrubs were also sent to the Mounted Police stations and Indian agencies, also to the experimental gardens of the Canadian Pacific Railway located in the North-west at different points along the main line. My thanks are also due to Mr. Craig for the willing help rendered me in extending the forest plantations on the central farm in 1890 and 1891, also for the supervision given to their care during those years. Experience has shown that the experiments conducted with native tree seeds and cuttings of poplars and willows have been more successful than those with most of the young trees. The box elder has however generally done well when grown from seed collected in the North-west. Now that a very large amount of such material is available at the branch farms at Brandon, Man., and Indian Head, N.W.T., it is proposed to carry on the distributions REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 49 in future mainly from these points. It is probable that young forest trees and wood for cuttings of poplars and willows grown in the climate in which they are to be planted will prove hardier and better adapted to the country than if grown in the east, they will also reach their destination with less delay. A good supply of native tree seeds can also usually be obtained in the North-west. Several of the varieties of Russian poplar and willow — cuttings of which have been distributed from the central farm and of which there is now material in abundance for further distribution at the branch farms in the North-west — are noted for their rapid growth. They also make shapely and useful trees for wind breaks and shelter belts and would in a few years if planted in sufficient numbers be useful for fuel. Fig. 10 repre ^A k A Fig. 10. — Russian Poplar. P, certinensis. sents a specimen of one of the best of these poplars', Populus certinensis, which was planted as a young tree in the Arboretum at the Central Farm in 1889. During the five years which have since elapsed, this tree has grown to a height of 25 feet or more and its branches expand about 15 feet, while the trunk two feet from the ground has a 8c— 4 50 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. diameter of about 8 inches. Nearly equal growth has been made by the Voronesh willow, Fig. 11, and the laurel leaved willow represented by Fig. 12, planted also in 1889. Fig. 11. — Voronesh Willow. Mr "\ Fig. 12. — Laurel leaved Willow. Both of these willows when planted in the open soon make fine round-headed bushy trees, which make very rapid growth and soon furnish useful shelter. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 51 REPORT OF THE FOREMAN OF FORESTRY. The spring of 1894 was a very early one and work was begun in connection with the division of forestry and ornamental grounds during the first week of April. The mulching of barnyard manure which covered the lawns was removed and the grass was uninjured, excepting in a few exposed places where there was no mulch, and where the snow had been blown off. During the spring and summer the grass was regularly cut by the pony lawn mower, and the lawns at all times looked well. Tree planting was begun on the 18th of April and continued until May 30th. The horse cultivator was used throughout the season among the trees and shrubs as often as necessary, which kept the surface of the soil loose and the weeds subdued. Very little cultivating was required in the forest belt along the western boundary of the farm, as the trees there are large enough in the rows (5 feet apart) to shade the ground and prevent weeds from growing; the same may be said regarding a great many of the trees in the rows 10 feet apart. In the older plantations of trees in the mixed belt along the northern boundary, very little cultivation was found necessary. The trees and shrubs on the farm have, in nearly all cases, made good growth. REPLACING TREES IN FOREST BELT ALONG WESTERN BOUNDARY. By consulting the list of trees given in the report for 1893 as living in the forest belt along the western boundary, it will be seen that there still remained a number of vacancies to be filled. In this plantation the experiment is that of growing trees in blocks all of the same species. In cases where the trees have grown so as to shade the entire surface, it was considered unnecessary to fill the vacancies with young trees of the same species for the reason that they would, in all probability, be smothered by the larger trees before they could establish themselves. Where the species were not per- fectly hardy, the same kinds were not always re-planted. For the first time since the forest belt was begun, several trees, eight in all, were girdled by mice, all of which were White Ash (Fraxinus Americana). There were 131 trees replaced in this belt to fill vacancies. MIXED FOREST BELT, PLANTATION OF 1893. In last year's Annual Report a list was given of the trees added to the mixed forest belt during the spring of 1893 ; also the number of these which had died during the summer of that year. Another record was taken in the spring of 1894, and it was found that 25 more had died in the winter of 1893-94. Of these 8 were Ulmus nion- tana and 17 Acer Pseudoplatanus, neither of which species are perfectly hardy here. The vacancies caused by the death of trees during the summer of 1893 and the winter of 1893-94 were filled, and in the case of Acer Pseudoplatanus and Ulmus montana, replaced by hardier species. This plantation has made very gratifying growth, and towards the close of the season when the growth was completed, in some cases the trees were already touching one another. During the growing season, the soil was kept frequently stirred by the horse cultivator, and to this is to be attributed, in a large degree, the satisfactory growth which the trees have made. MIXED FOREST BELT, PLANTATION OF 1894. To complete the mixed forest belt along the northern boundary of the farm, there remained yet to be planted a strip of land a little more than 500 yards long, extending to Preston street, the greater portion of which had always been one of the roughest parts of the farm. Beginning at the hill opposite Fourth Avenue there was a steep bank sloping to the east. This was partly filled with stones which had been gathered from the farm. In October this stone was covered with a thick coating of soil sufficient 8c— 4J 52 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. to make a gradual descent to the base of the hill For the next 500 feet the surface of the land was about level and the soil of a moist, peaty nature. The rest of the land was more or less stony or gravelly. In places where the solid rock came too near the surface, a coating of soil was put over it sufficient to start the young trees, and any very uneven places were filled in with soil. The land was ploughed and harrowed and the stones taken off before the trees were planted. The forest belt was completed to Preston Street before winter set in, thus making a continuous belt about sixty feet in width along the northern boundary of the farm, with the exception of the breaks caused by a roadway and the Prescott and Ottawa Railway. Even now, before the trees have made any growth, the improvement made by the levelling of the land and the planting of the trees is very marked. The following is a list of the species planted and the number of trees of each species — ADDITIONS TO MIXED POKEST BELT. Acer platanoides — Norway maple 62 Acer Pseudoplatanus — Sycamore maple 1 Acer Saccharinum — Sugar Maple 113 ^Esculus Hippocastanum — Horse-chestnut 22 Betula papyrif era — Canoe birch 180 Euonymus atropurpureus — Burning bush 11 Fraxinus Americana — White ash 186 " pubescens — Red ash 323 " sambucifolia — Black ash 225 Gymnocladus Canadensis — Kentucky coffee-tree 10 v Juglans nigra — Black walnut 71 Larix Americana — American larch 146 Negundo aceroides — Box elder 366 Pinus Cembra — Swiss stone pine 15 ' ' Mughus — Mountain pine 77 ponderosa — Heavy wooded or Bull pine 83 Strobus — White or Weymouth pine 83 sylvestris Rigaensis — Riga pine 160 Picea alba — White spruce 48 " excelsa — Norway spruce 437 " pungens — Rocky Mountain blue spruce 68 Pseudotsuga Douglasii — Douglas' spruce 124 Pyrus Aucuparia — European Mountain ash 11 Quercus alba — White oak 53 Tsuga Canadensis — Hemlock spruce : 3 Thuya occidentalis — Common arbor-vitae ; 139 Ulnnis Americana — White elm ; 353 " racemosa — Rock elm 72 Total 3,442 TREES IN FOREST PLANTATIONS. Now that the forest belt along the northern boundary is completed a list of all the trees in the various forest plantations may be given. The following summary is submitted : — Trees. Forest belt along western boundary 9,701 Mixed forest belt along northern boundary, older plantations 2,329 Mixed forest belt along northern boundary, plantations of 1893 3,511 " " " " of 1894 3,442 Evergreen clump 1,856 Total number 20,839 ADDITIONS TO TREES AND SHRUBS ON ORNAMENTAL GROUNDS. During the spring of 1894 the work of planting additional trees and shrubs on the ornamental grounds was carried on. Several new clumps were arranged and a number it (< REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 53 of single specimens planted, there are now growing on the ornamental grounds in all 2,206 specimens. NEW HEDGES. A hedge of Arbor vitae (Thuya oacidentalis) was planted along Preston street, comprising 500 trees. As the road had been graded and the soil where the hedge was to go being of very poor quality, new soil was drawn and put in the trench prepared for the young trees. The trees used for this purpose were larger than is desirable and had to be severely cut back. Most of them have lived during the summer and promise fairly well. The inclosure, near the Director's house, prepared mainly for special hybridizing experiments, having been found too small for the purpose, was enlarged during the faU of 1893, and in the spring of 1894, hedges of white spruce (Picea alba) and Arbor vit» (Thuya occidentalis) were planted along the extended sides and end. There were planted, 121 white spruce and 116 Arbor vi tee. A hedge composed of 393 Norway spruce (Picea excelsa) was planted along the eastern boundary of the orchard from the corner of the poultry yard to the junction of the eastern and northern boundary. Nearly all of the young trees have lived. The following summary of all the trees and shrubs in all the permanent plant- ations on the Farm, excepting those in the Arboretum, is herewith submitted. Total number of trees. Forest belts 20,839 Avenue trees 971 Trees and shrubs on ornamental grounds 2,206 Hedges 11,719 Total 35,735 SEEDING DOWN AMONG ORNAMENTAL CLUMPS OP TREES AND SHRUBS. Since the ornamental planting was begun on this farm, the clumps of trees and shrubs, where not on permanent lawns, have been kept cultivated with the horse culti- vator in order to promote their growth and to destroy weeds. As these clumps had been cultivated in this manner for several seasons, the weeds subdued, and the trees in most cases well established, most of the land on which the groups were, was seeded down during the past season. Nearly everywhere the grass has taken well and with a light mulch of manure which has been spread over it this fall, it is hoped that the grass will come through the winter in good condition. That growing immediately around the trees has been removed and the soil will be kept loose at the surface so that the trees may have favourable conditions for making z'apid growth. In addition to the seeding down of the ornamental clumps a new lawn has been made, about an acre in extent, leading to the office building and adjoining the residences of the officers. A part of this land was graded and prepared and the lawn grass seed sown during the autumn of 1893, and the remainder in the spring of 1894. Most of the grass sown in the autumn came through the winter well, a few spots only having to be re-sown where the wash of water in the spring had carried away some of the soil. Before the sum- mer ended the whole area was under sod. This new lawn has also been lightly mulched with barnyard manure this fall to protect the newly formed sod. It is intended to utilize part of this ground for the testing of perennial flowers which will be^ grouped in beds prepared for this purpose. Already one bed has been planted with a large collec- tion of lilies and another with irises. A sufficient area was also sodded around the house occupied by the poultry manager, and a large part of the planted area in the Arboretum was seeded down with suitable lawn grass mixtures. That sown early in the season has formed a fairly good sod and it is hoped that by the end of next season the whole area will be covered with good sod. W. T. MACOUN. 54 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. NOTES ON GERANIUMS. The work conducted on the Experimental Farms has a wide range and embraces, in addition to everything which is of direct importance to farmers and fruit growers in their work, the subjects of ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers including plants valuable for decorative purposes both without and within the house. Information gained and given on these matters will, it is hoped, prove useful not only to farmers and their wives but also to all classes of our people who take an interest in these subjects and lead to the more general beautifying of Canadian homes, thus making them more attractive. The following notes on varieties of geraniums which have been tested at the Central Experimental Farm have been prepared by Mr. W. T. Ellis, foreman of the seed testing and propagating houses, and cover the experience of the past three years with many sorts, also tests of a number of the newer varieties for shorter periods. The careful notes which Mr. Ellis has made of the experience gained here as to the suitability of the different varieties for bedding and pot culture will, it is hoped, prove interesting and useful to many. REPORT ON GERANIUMS PLANTED OUTSIDE, 1894. La Vestale. — Plants very small and not well rooted, when planted out. Made very fair growth and bloomed profusely, colour pure white and does not shade, truss large, on long footstalk standing well up, foliage pale green with faint zone. Promises to be the best white variety tried. Leon Perault. — Free growing with compact habit but stems weak and do not stand up well, made fair growth and bloomed very profusely, colour brilliant fiery scarlet, large truss on long footstalk, a very promising variety for bedding out. Ernest Lauth. — Very free growing, compact habit, stems strong and short jointed, foliage large, bright green, with faint zone, very free blooming, double, large truss, flowers well formed, colour bright magenta crimson, a good bedding variety. S. A. Nutt. — A very free growing variet} 7 , foliage large, dark green, with faint zone. Very free flowering, immense truss, double, rich deep crimson, on long footstalk. The best double variety for pot culture, and for bedding out. Mary Hallock Foote. — A very strong coarse growing variety, small truss of salmon coloured flowers, very shy bloomer, not a desirable sort. Sam Sloan. — A magnificent variety, strong free growing, wood rather long jointed, foliage deep green, very large and velvety with faint zone. Bears an immense truss of rich deep crimson single bloom, on long footstalk, individual florets very large and per- fectly shaped. The best geranium for bedding purposes we have tried, as it is one mass of crimson bloom the whole season until cut down by frost. Souvenir de Mirande. — Strong growing variety, with light green foliage, flowers well formed, upper petals white with salmon rose edge, lower petals rose streaked with white, medium sized truss. Has not done well, planted out, and is useless for winter blooming indoors, and of but little value even in summer. Mazeppa. — A very free growing variety, stems shortjointed, foliage large dark green, with faint zone, very free flowering, immense truss, colour deep carmi»e scarlet, a good single geranium, one of the best for bedding purposes, and unsurpassed for pot culture as a winter blooming variety. Fanny Thorpe. — A very free growing variety with dwarf, shortjointed, compact habit, foliage large, dark green, with broad dark zone, distinctly marked, medium sized truss of delicate rose colour, outer edge of petals white, very free flowering. One of the best geraniums for bedding purposes, and first class for pot culture, as a winter flowering variety. Single. B. K. Bliss. — A very strong free growing shortjointed variety, with light green velvety foliage, flowers double of a vivid fiery scarlet, borne freely on a medium size truss, with long footstalk. Good for bedding out and pot culture. Mme. Ayme de Chevreliere. — A strong free growing variety, with dwarf, bushy, com- pact habit, foliage large, pale green. Immense truss of double pure white bloom, borne REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 55 on long footstalk, blooms have a rather ragged appearance, very free flowering, and a decided acquisition both for bedding purposes and pot culture. M. Adrien Gorret. — Strong growing, compact habit, large pale green foliage, large truss of double cherry scarlet bloom, very free flowering. First class for beddino- and pot culture. Gloire de Lyonaisse. — A very strong free gt owing variety, large velvety foliage, of light green colour, with faint zone in the old leaves. Bears an immense truss of bright orange scarlet flowers, lower petals shaded rose. Have measured individual florets 3 inches in diameter. One of the best single flowered geraniums in cultivation both for bedding and for pot culture. La Favorite.— Strong growing and of dwarf compact habit, foliage large and pale green in colour. Flowers double, pure white, large truss, most perfectly formed florets of any variety tried here. Very free flowering when planted out. Grown in pots this variety makes good healthy growth but does not bloom at all satisfactorily. Mrs. A. Blanc. — Very strong, tall growing variety, foliage very large, dark green and velvety, with dark, strongly marked zone, very free flowering bearing an immense truss of large flowers on long footstalk, colour apricot red, veined with a darker shade. Good both for bedding and pot culture. Gloire de France. — A strong free growing variety, with large pale green foliage with dark zone. Bears an immense truss on long footstalk, individual florets very large and double, colour salmon white, with red eye. First class for pot culture and promises well for bedding. Renaissance. — Slender growth, compact habit, foliage small pale green with dark zone, flowers single, large truss, free bloomer, colour rose with white eye. Has not succeeded well planted out, but was not placed under favourable conditions. A good variety for pot culture but is very apt to lose its foliage if allowed to suffer from lack of water. Prokop Daubec. — A strong robust grower, shortjointed, large dark green foliage with faint zone. A beautiful double free flowering variety, colour bright rose. Good for pot culture, and also for bedding. James Vick. — A very strong growing variety, with large dark green foliage, truss and flowers large, double, flesh coloured, but borne sparingly. Not a desirable variety for bedding or for pot culture. Beatrice. — Dwarf compact habit and free grower, foliage dark green and velvety, truss medium size, borne on long footstalk, colour white with rose eye, very free flower- ing. One of the best geraniums in cultivation for pot culture, for blooming during the winter months. Has not succeeded well when planted out. Imogene. — Dwarf compact habit and free growth, foliage small, very dark green, with darker zone, medium sized truss very free flowering, colour blush shading to crim- son in centre. First class for pot culture, always covered with bloom. Has never succeeded when planted out. Satisfaction. — Strong, free and compact habit of growth, foliage large and glossy, very free flowering, large truss on long footstalk, colour beautiful soft rose, a very good variety for bedding and also for pot culture. Queen of the West. — Very free growing variety, of compact habit, glossy dark green foliage, with zone distinctly marked, very free flowering, medium sized truss, colour orange scarlet, one of the best bedders, stands all kinds of weather, but of no use for pot culture. General Grant. — Very free and compact habit of growth, light green foliage, free flowering, medium sized truss, colour brilliant scarlet, first-class bedder, stands all kinds of weather ; of no use for pot culture. Garden Director. — Very strong, free growing variety, foliage dark velvety green, with faint zone. Very free flowering, bears a large truss on long footstalk, individual florets very large, semi-double, colour orange scarlet, a good bedder, but of no value for pot culture. Madame Saleroi. — Very dwarf, compact habit, thrifty, healthy growth, foliage very small, clear green, edged with pure white. A first class variety for edging, as it rarely grows more than six inches high. 56 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. The above varieties have all been tried here two years or more, and in recommend- ing the best, it is difficult to make a selection, where all are good, but for bedding, the following six single varieties are recommended. La Vestale, pure white, Sam Sloan, crimson, Fanny Thorpe, rose edged with white, Gloire de Lyonaisse, orange scarlet shaded rose, Mazeppa, carmine scarlet, Queen of the West, orange scarlet. The following are recommended as the six best doubles for bedding : S. A. Nutt, crimson, B. K. Bliss, bright scarlet, M. Adrien Corret, cherry scarlet, Mine. Ayme de Chevreliere, white, Ernest Lauth, magenta crimson, Satisfaction, rose. The best of the above named varieties for pot culture are, singles : La Vestale, Mazeppa, Fanny Thorpe, Gloire de Lyonaisse, Sam Sloan, Beatrice and Imogene ; doubles, S. A. Nutt, B. K. Bliss, Mme. Ayme de Chevreliere, M. Adrien Corret, Ernest Lauth and Gloire de France. VARIETIES OF LATER INTRODUCTION. Wm. Pfitzee. — Avery strong free growing variety, compact habit, foliage very large, dark green, velvety, with faint zone. Very free flowering, immense double truss, on long footstalk, colour, bright orange salmon, distinctly edged with white. One of the most beautiful and showy varieties tried here. A decided acquisition as a winter bloom- ing geranium for pot culture. When in rapid growth the wood being soft it requires more care in watering than other geraniums, as if the soil is kept too wet the wood is apt to rot at the base of the stems, but we have found no difficulty in growing it suc- cessfully if the soil is kept rather dry, and when the wood is thoroughly ripened all danger from this cause is past. It also gives promise of being one of the best of the newer varieties for bedding. Meteor. — Strong growing compact habit, foliage large bright green with dark zone, flowers, single, bright scarlet, large truss, very free flowering, gives promise of being one of the best for bedding purposes : has not done well as a pot plant. Panache de Nancy. — Weak straggling growth, very poor habit, flowers small and truss small, colour salmon, streaked with white, not at all desirable either for bedding or pot culture. Ingenieur Parlier. — A very strong growing variety, with large pale green foliage, flowers borne in large truss on long footstalk, colour violet red, double, free flowering, has done well as a pot plant, and promises to be a good bedder. Chaplin. — Very strong, free growing variety, with large velvety leaves of dark green colour, flowers freely, large truss, bright scarlet, semi-double. Not as good as Garden Director, which it much resembles. Buffalo Bill. — Large strong grower, glossy green foliage with a dark zone, flowers double, large truss, colour creamy white, marbled with rose. A very shy bloomer. Copernic. — A strong free grower, with large glossy foliage, large truss, flowers single, rosy carmine, shading to salmon with white eye. Made good growth, but did not bloom well. Admiration. — A strong dwarf, freegrowing variety, with light green velvety foliage, very free flowering, double, colour pale rose shading deeper to the eye, large truss. A very good variety for pot culture, and did well bedded out under adverse circumstances. Note. — I find this variety catalogued under the head of singles. U Immortelle. — Very dwarf compact habit, dark green foliage with faint zone. Large truss, colour dark magenta streaked with lighter lines, a very shy bloomer, and has not done well either planted out, or as a pot plant. M. G. Meynot. — Made very weak growth, single flower, large truss, colour salmon pink with white eye, upper petals shading to white, a rather shy bloomer. Alfred Tennyson. — A strong, free growing variety, free flowering, trusses large, on long stout footstalks, colour, bright orange scarlet, upper petals shaded with lilac, semi-double. A very promising variety. Mad. Alfred Mame. — Made fair growth, flowers freely, truss large, colour rosy scarlet. A promising single flowering sort. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 57 I Sir Trevor Lawrence. — A very free, strong growing variety, truss large, flowers per- fectly formed, and freely borne, double, colour rosy pink, a very promising sort. Golden Dawn. — Of medium growth, compact habit, free flowering, truss medium size on long footstalks, florets large, colour orange scarlet, double, a promising variety. Van Dael. — Made very weak growth, flowers poor and sparsely borne, colour salmon rose bordered with white. Mad. de la Rue. — Made fair growth, fine large truss of full double bloom, colour orange scarlet. A promising variety. E. Legouve. — Made fair growth, flowers semi-double, immense truss, rather loose, on strong stiff stem, colour, orange salmon. A very distinct variety. Comte dElbe. — Made fair growth, habit compact, foliage darkly zoned, very free flowering, truss large but rather loose and flowers ragged, colour, rosy pink. A very promising variety. Gettysburg. — Very free growing dwarf, compact habit, foliage large, dark green, with well marked zone, very free flowering, truss large, flowers well formed, colour bright crimson maroon, a decided acquisition, the best of the new introductions. J. J. Harrison. — A very strong free grower, foliage large, pale green, and velvety, very free flowering, semi-double, large truss, and individual florets very large, colour, brilliant scarlet. Has done well planted out. Lord Lytton. — Dwarf, strong growing and branching, with large pale green foliage, very free flowering, truss large on long footstalk, double, colour cherry red, upper petals orange red. Has done well here and promises to be one of the best of the newer varieties. M. Remy Martin. — Yery free growing, and dwarf branching habit, blooms very profusely, large truss on long footstalk, colour bright rose, upper petals marked with white, double. A promising variety. Carmen Sylva. — A very strong grower, free flowering, large truss, colour white, did fairly well planted out. Mrs. J. M. Garr. — Made fair growth, dwarf, compact habit, free flowering, medium sized truss, single, colour white, but apt to shade to rose when exposed to the sun. Not so good as some other white varieties. Aurora Boreale. — A strong free growing variety, free flowering, single, truss large on long footstalk, colour pale rose with white eye. Succeeded well planted out. Dr. Levavasseur. — Free growing, dwarf compact habit, free flowering, medium sized truss, florets large, colour lower petals orange cerise marked with lilac, the upper petals lilac, veined with red and edged with cerise. One of the best of the newer varieties. White Swan. — Made fair growth, dwarf, compact habit, double, free flowering, truss medium size, colour white, blooms well the whole season, but is not specially desirable as there are several better of the same class. Prof. Peuch. — Yery dwarf compact habit, very free flowering, truss and flower large but rather ragged, colour magenta rose, single. Chas. Jolly. — Made very strong growth, habit of plant dwarf and compact, large fine shaped truss, colour orange scarlet, very free flowering, double. One of the best of the new varieties. Banquise. — Made very weak growth and did not bloom. Chr. Larelle. — A free strong growing variety, very free bloomer, truss large on long footstalk, large individual florets, colour salmon rose, edged with white. One of the best of the new varieties. Mrs. Parker. — Yery free growing compact habit, foliage bright green with white edge, flowers pale pink. P. Crozy. — A free growing variety, makes a dwarf bushy plant, foliage medium sized and of heavy texture, free flowering, truss medium sized, colour bright scarlet, a fine variety. This is a hybrid between the zonale and the ivy sections of geraniums, showing the characteristics of the zonale in the foliage, and the ivys in the flowers. The 33 varieties last named were tried for the first time planted out last season. Many of them were grown under conditions not calculated to give the best results, therefore it would be unwise to condemn any of these without further trial which 58 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. $ it is the intention to make during the coming season. The following are considered the most promising for bedding : Meteor, single, Ingenieur Parlier, double, Ch. Larelle, single, Lord Lytton, double, Sir Trevor Lawrence, double, Aurora Boreale, single, Gettysburg, single, Dr. Levavasseur, single, Chas. Jolly, double, and Win, Pfitzee, double. The last named has been grown two seasons in pots and has proved to be one of the best for winter blooming. TUBERCULOSIS AT THE BRANCH EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. In Bulletin No. 20, in which particulars are given regarding the results of tests of the cattle at the Central Experimental Farm for tuberculosis, the announcement was made (p. 33) that arrangements were in progress for a similar thorough testing of all the animals at the branch experimental farms . In accordance with instructions re- ceived from the Hon. Minister of Agriculture the necessary preparations were made for the carrying out of this investigation, and the branch farm at Brandon, Man., was first visited. EXPERIMENTAL FARM, BRANDON, MAN. On arrival on the 19th of July, 1894, I found that the cattle composing the herd there consisted of 28 animals, 4 of which were grades and 24 were pure bred of the following breeds : — Cows. Heifers. Bulls. Durhams 4 2 2 Ayrshires 2 . . 3 Holsteins 2 1 2 Galloways 2 1 1 Herefords 1 1 A short time before my arrival these animals had been carefully inspected and four of their number had been isolated from the rest of the herd as showing symptoms of dis- ease. The l-emaining animals were regarded as healthy. They were in good condition and most of them appeared to be in robust health. Having secured the assistance of Dr. F. Torrance, V.S., of Brandon and Dr. S. J. Thompson, V.S., of Carberry, Provincial Inspector for the Province of Manitoba, the normal temperature of each animal was taken (per rectum) on the evening of the 19th and morning of the 20th of July. The tuberculin was injected at 11 a.m., and the temperature of each animal taken subsequently every three hours for a period of 21 hours with the results shown in the following table : — REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 59 . 99««H©<9H© S MM»B9o»o e« ©©©©©rH©rH QQ ^ rN 1*4 rt |N ^ aD f 0ttoe *©©«•* «DU9J>99 © © 98 IS © C H C©8 9B O H 99 O © rH © © rH rH.*> 73" _ *n **-< a. P3 jo c r— h c o <=ia S » o gr§ p p cd GO CD tS MM 8^ o o CD ■8 "3 p c« cd cd tj: ODMPmPtDycS OOoSOiiSh ,-i CM CO Tf in © t~0C M. P 0>© rHCMCO T! g 8 oPh rt . > "p M s Mat)©©^}^© 1 ^ •c •*■ « » © © -f © © © © -l S rn © rH FN FN FF FN H FN «C0^ A{H <9 © i"! 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CO© CM 93 © © © © rH rH H CD H a & CM iOCMC0t~cM©O500 CM CM© ©SO CM CM CM rH rH © © © © © rH i-HrH rH rH rHIO© b-00 CO CM rH rH CM © © © © © i—i r-i rH rH r-i IOC1 © © HCMHN © © © © r-CN CD - fcjD" 03 s5 CD CD O P tp , CD c3 ^» h o3 »nrp ™ >H io© t~oo CM CM CM CM 03 - o 4J o CD o p p c o p 03 CD ■5 o3 (- CD >■ CD s 60 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. From this table it will be seen that of the 28 animals tested 21 showed a rise in temperature of from two to six degrees Fahrenheit, thus indicating a diseased condition. This result was a matter of surprise to all as so many of them appeared to be healthy, vigorous and in good condition and had never shown any symptoms of disease. The diseased animals were all killed the following day and a careful postmortem examina- tion made in each case with the following results : 1. Rose of Sydenham, Durham cow, 8 years. — Lining of the thoracic cavity cov- ered with many large and small masses of grapy tubercle, partly cheesy and partly cal- careous, peritoneum also covered with finely granular tubercles. Lungs with many small patches of tubercle in their substance and small masses distributed over the sur- face. About one-fourth of the udder was much affected and almost solidified with tubercle. 2. Rose of Darlington, Durham cow, 4 years. — A large portion of one lung was filled with soft tuberculous matter ; the other lung was healthy. Thoracic glands en- larged and filled with solidified tubercle. The udder was slightly tuberculous, and at- tached to the womb there was found a considerable quantity of soft tuberculous matter. 3. Cowslip, Durham cow, 4 years. — In the right lung there were several large cavities filled with tubercle, varying in consistence, some soft and partly fluid, and some solidified. The left lung was healthy. Thoracic glands enlarged and filled with caseous and calcareous tubercle. The tip of one lobe of the liver was also diseased by deposit of tubercle. 4. Fashion, Durham cow, 3 years. — The left lung had a large tuberculous mass in its substance, grapy tubercular deposits were found on the walls of the thorax, and the thorac'c glands were enlarged and filled with tuberculous matter, some of which was soft but solidified and some hard and calcareous. 5. Countess of Brandon, Durham heifer, 1£ years. — The lungs in this animal were healthy and there was no appearance of disease on the lining of the thoracic cavity. In the thoracic glands were found small masses of tubercle and several of the mesen- teric glands were enlarged and filled with calcareous tubercle. 7. General EL, Durham bull, 3 years. — In one lung a large abscess was found just under the surface filled with solidified tubercle, some of it surrounding the cavity, being calcareous. Tuberculous matter was also found in two of the thoracic glands ; in one case in small quantity and in an early stage, and in the other the gland was enlarged and filled with semi-solid tubercle. Some of the mesenteric glands were also tuber- culous. 9. Jewel, Ayrshire cow, 5 years. — Lungs healthy ; one of the thoracic glands en- larged and filled with solidified tubercle. Small tubercles were found on the outer surface of the stomach and small granules of a tuberculous character on the surface of the spleen. 11. Middlesex, Ayrshire bull, 3 years. — Substance of lungs healthy, but some small tubercles were found on the surface. One of the thoracic glands was enlarged and filled with solidified tubercle. Surface of the spleen also dotted with a few small tubercles. 12. Dandy Jock, Ayrshire bull, 1 year. — Surface of both lungs dotted with miliary tubercles, no disease found in their substance, lining of thoracic cavity covered with grapy deposit of tubercle. Thoracic glands enlarged and partly filled with tubercle most of which was in a calcareous condition. 13. Brandon Prince, Ayrshire bull, 1 year. — Surface of one lung dotted with small miliary tubercles, otherwise lungs appeared healthy. Thoracic glands somewhat en- larged and filled with cheesy tubercle. 14. Queen of "Waterloo, Holstein cow, 6 years. — In this animal the lungs and all the other organs appeared to be healthy and no disease was found in any of the thoracic, mesenteric or other glands, but many small tubercles were found scattered over the surface of the inner lining of the bowels. 16. — Princess of Holland, Holstein heifer, 1^ years. — The lungs were free from tubercle, but specimens of a small parasitic worm were found in the bronchial tubes. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 61 Small tubercles were found in considerable numbers on the outer surface of both large and small intestines. 17. Holland Prince, Holstein bull, 3 years. — Lungs and other organs healthy. Some small tubercles were found in one of the thoracic glands and two others were packed solid with calcareous tubercle. 19. Violet, Galloway cow, 8 years. — A large part of one lung was found filled with semi-solid tuberculous matter, the other lung was free from disease. Several of the thoracic glands were also filled with solidified and calcareous tubercle. 20. Hannah B, Galloway cow, 6 years. — Lungs healthy, gland behind pharynx partly filled with calcareous tubercle. In the liver a small cavity was found about one inch in diameter filled with soft tubercle, some small tubercles were also found on the surface of the spleen. 21. Juno, Galloway heifer, 2 years. — Tubercle was found in several places in the substance of the lungs. The thoracic glands were enlarged and filled with tuber- culous matter, some of it was of a soft solid consistence, some calcareous. 22. Chester, Galloway bull, 7 years. — In one lung was found a mass of tubercle about the size of a hen's egg, also a tubercular abscess about same size near the base, the other lung was free from tubercle. The thoracic glands were partly filled with solidified tubercle. Some tuberculous masses were found in the rectum and other larger masses lodged in fat surrounding the third stomach and also in fatty matter among the intestines. 23. Hereford heifer, 1 year. — Only one small tubercle was found in the substance of the lungs, but small tubercles were scattered over the entire inner surface of the thorax. The thyroid glands were enlarged and filled with soft tubercle ; surface of intestines dotted with small tubercles. 24. Hereford bull, 2 years. — One lung had a mass of tubercle just below the sur face near the tip, the other lung was healthy. There was a slight grapy deposit on the lining of the thorax, and the thoracic glands were partly filled with solidified and calca- reous tubercle. 25. Grade steer, 2 years. — In one lung there was a mass of tubercle near the tip, otherwise the substance of the lungs was healthy, the surface of the thoracic cavity was dotted with grapy tubercle, and the thoracic glands were enlarged and filled with turbercle, partly of a cheesy consistence and partly calcareous. Small tubercles were also found on the surface of the spleen. 26. Lily, grade cow, age unknown. — A large mass of tubercle was found in one lung near the tip, the other lung was healthy, the thoracic glands were enlarged and filled with soft solidified tuberculous matter ; large grape-like masses of tubercle were attached to the inner lining of the thorax, and a large tumour was found attached to the lower side of the diaphram, enclosing soft tuberculous matter. Of the 21 animals destroyed 19 were pure bred, and 2 were grades. Nine of these were bred in Manitoba and twelve came from Ontario. The course adopted in this in- stance and subsequently followed at the other branch farms was to bury the animals about six feet below the surface, and scatter lime freely over the bodies before filling the hole. The following instructions were left in each case regarding the cleansing and dis- infecting of the buildings : — Remove the remaining cattle and clean the buildings thoroughly, sweeping walls, woodwork and ceiling. When dry, spray thoroughly the whole surface, floors, wood- work of divisions, walls and ceiling with the following disinfecting solution : 1 lb. corrosive sublimate (corrosive chloride of mercury). \ lb. chloride of ammonium (muriate of ammonia), dissolved in a 40 gallon barrel of water. Repeat the spraying after two days, then whitewash the whole of the woodwork, walls and ceiling with lime-wash containing glue or sugar to prevent it from rubbing off and coat with hot coal tar the floors of the stalls and the sides of the divisions for about one foot above the base. 62 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. EXPERIMENTAL FARM, INDIAN HEAD, N.W.T. After completing the work at Brandon, I visited the Experimental Farm at Indian Head, arriving there on the morning of July 23rd. On this farm there were 39 head of cattle, three of which were calves under two months. Nine were grades and 30 pure bred of the following breeds : — Cows. Heifers. Calves. Bulls. Durhams 4 2 3 2 Holsteins 5 1 2 1 Polled Angus (3 .. 2 2 In this instance I had the assistance of Dr. F. Torrance, V.S., of Brandon, and Dr. J. Harris, V.S., of Moosomin, N.W.T. The normal temperature of each animal was taken twice on July 24th, excepting the three young calves which were not tested, and the tuberculin injected at 5 p.m. the same clay. Subsequently the temperature was taken at intervals of 3 hours for 18 hours, with the results shown in the appended table : — Name of Animal. Durhams. 1. Cowslip, cow 74 years 2. Red Rosebud, cow G| 3. Nellie Elgins " 3^ 4. Prairie Wild flower, cow. . .3 5. Qu'Appelle Rosebud, heifer.l 6. Rosebud's, heifer 1 7. , Red Knight, bull 3h 8. ' Prince of Qu'Appelle, bull . 1 9. Calf of Prairie Wildflower, bull 4 mos. Holsteins. 10. Abi, cow 7 years . 11. Siepkje 3rds', Queen, cow. .6 " 12. Abi of Assiniboia, cow 3 " 13. Abi 2nd of Assa., heifer. . .2 14. Siepkje 3rd's calf, " ... 8 mos. 15. Abi's calf, heifer 4 " 16. Netherlandof Brandon, bull 1 year. Polled Angus. 17. Pride of Eastview, cow 8 years. 18. Stella of Eastview " ....7 19. Daisy of Eaton " ...M " 20. Lady of Eaton " ....3| " 21. Stella of Assiniboia " ....3 " 22. Maid of Skeene "... 3 23. Duke of Eastview, bull . . . A\ " 24. Polled Angus calf " 8 mos. 25. Calf of Lady Eaton "... 8 " 26. Polled Angus calf ".... 6 " Grades. 27. Susan, cow .'. 6 years. 28. Sallie " 6 29. Daisy " 3£ " 30. Nellie, heifer _ 2 years. 31. Ayrshire grade, heifer ... . 2 " 32. Holstein " " 1£ " 33. Grade, steer 2 34. Holstein grade, steer 9 mos. 35. " " " 5 " 36. Durham grade, heifer 5 " 05 a Normal s . Temperature '-■-■ July 24. 11 a.m. 2 p.m. 60 102 s 101 7 60 102 9 102 4 50 102 s 102 7 45 102 2 102 30 102 7 102 2 30 103 102 70 102 102 (1 40 104-3 103 7 18 102 102-0 60 103 8 1017 60 101 6 101 '.) 45 102 2 102 45 103 1 103 25 102 7 101 4 18 101 2 102 40 102 8 100 8 60 1015 100 9 60 101 4 101 5 60 101 7 101 9 55 102 <) 101 8 50 102 2 102 6 50 101 4 101 3 70 101 8 101 <; 35 102 3 102 6 35 102 3 101 4 25 1018 101-6 55 1017 1014 55 101 7 101 9 50 101 9 102 4 40 102 6 102 40 102 9 101 6 35 101 9 101 6 40 102 2 102 1 25 101 6 102 2 20 102 4 102 ii 20 102 7 102 8 Temperature after Injection of Tuberculin, July 24, 5 p.m. July 24. 8 p.m . 103 2 1G3-5 103 102 (i 103 () 103 3 102 4 104 8 104 102-2 102 3 102 103 4 102 9 102 !) 102 2 1013 101 s 101 4 102 102 8 102 6 101 2 102 6 103 3 103 6 101-4 101 9 101 2 102 8 102 102 7 102 8 1028 1<>3>4 104 2 11 p.m. 103 103 103 101 102 102 101 103 102 4 1012 102-0 1012 102-1 103-1 102 2 1018 July 25. 100 101 100 101 102 101 100 102 102 102 101 100 101 102 101 101 102 102 102 103 2 a.m. 5 a.m. 102-2 103-11 102-4 1G3-3 104-4 106-4 10L-7 1014 102 3 102 5 101-8 101 102 3 103-1 102-7 101 1017 101 -s 101 100 6 101 1 1014 100 9 101-2 102 1017 104-4 105-4 101-8 102 2 101-8 101 100-9 103-2 101-6 io4-a 101 1015 102-2 104-4 1019 102 2 101 6 100 9 100 5 100 7 102-5 101-5 102-2 1010 1014 101-7 1012 100 6 100 6 100 4 101-2 100 9 1015 101-8 101 101 101 101 104-4 105-3 102 3 1019 102 8 105-2 102 7 102 2 8 a.m. 105-3 104-3 106-3 102 102 6 101-8 105-8 102 3 102-0 102 101 102 102 lOG 101 102 105-0 105 3 103-0 lOG'O 103-5 1015 100 8 102 4 104-5 101 3 101 101 102 104 101 101 106 100 105 101 11a.m. 103-7 103G lOGG 102 7 102-1 101-0 105-5 102 101-8 102 9 101-8 102 8 102 2 1G5-6 101-3 101-8 IOS'4 105-2 1W4-0 lOS-4 104-2 102 101-2 101-4 101-0 101-7 101 101 101 104 101 101 lOG 101 105 102 REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 63 * Thirteen of these animals gave evidence by rise in temperature of the presence of the disease. These were killed on the 24th, and a post-mortem examination made in each case. 1. Cowslip, Durham Cow, 1\ years. — The lungs of this animal were free from dis- ease, but small patches of tubercle were found in the liver, near the surface. A large mass of tubercle, weighing about a pound, was attached to the omentum with other smaller masses adjacent, mesenteric glands enlarged and filled with tubercle. A tuber- culous cyst attached to the stomach was also filled with pus-like tubercle. Deposits of tubercle were also found in the udder. 2. Red Rosebud, Durham Cow, 6^ years. — The apex of one of the lungs was filled with cheesy and softer masses of tubercle, the other lung was healthy. There was a tumour in the throat of a part fatty and part fibrous character, inclosing small masses of tubercle, some of which was solidified and some semi-fluid. 3. Nellie Elgins, Durham cow, 3J years. — Lungs and other organs healthy. Thoracic glands much enlarged and filled with solidified and calcareous tubercle — parts of the udder indicated the presence of tubercle in its early stages. 7. Red Knight, Durham Bull, 3| years. — Lungs and other organs healthy. No tubercle was found in any of the thoracic or mesenteric glands, but the lymphatic gland on each side of base of scrotum was found charged with tubercle in a semi-fluid condition. 14. Siepkje 3rd's calf, 8 months, Holstein heifer. — In this animal the lungs and liver were healthy, and no tubercle was found in any of the glands. In the udder were found hardened patches of tubercle, and small tubercles were also found on the surface of the spleen. 17. Pride of Eastview, Polled Angus Cow, 8 years. — The lungs appeared to be free from tubercle, but had an unhealthy appearance, the tip of one lobe of the liver was also light coloured and unhealthy looking, not clearly tuberculous, but may have been tubercle in an early stage. The glands were free from tubercle, but tuberculous matter was found on both sides of the udder in patches. 18. Stella of Eastview, Polled Angus Cow, 7 years. — Both lungs were almost filled with masses of soft solidified tubercle. The thoracic glands were much enlarged, weigh- ing about two pounds in all, and were filled with tubercle mostly in a calcareous con- dition. Small tubercles were found on the surface of the spleen, and the udder had small patches of tubercle on both sides. 19. Daisy of Eaton, Polled Angus Cow, 5| years. — One small mass of tubercle was found in one of the lungs near the tip, otherwise these organs seemed healthy. The glands were free from tubercle, but a few small tubercles were found on the surface of the spleen. 20. Lady Eaton, Polled Angus Cow, 3 J years. — A large mass of tubercle was found in the substance of one lung, and many smaller masses distributed through the adjacent structure. Several small tubercles were found just under the surface of the liver, also on the surface of the spleen. The thoracic glands were much enlarged and filled with caseous tubercle. 21. Stella of Assiniboia, Polled Angus Cow, 3 years. — The lungs of this animal were healthy, but a small patch of tubercle was found in the liver. Two of the lym- phatic glands were also found to be slightly tuberculous. In this cow the disease was in a very early stage. 30. Nellie, Grade heifer, 2 years. — No tubercle was found in the lungs, but the sur- face had an unhealthy appearance, liver healthy, one of the thoracic glands was en- larged and partly filled with solidified tubercle. 33. Grade Steer, 2 years. — One lump of semi-solid tubercle was found in the sub- stance of one of the lungs about the size of a hen's egg, and three of the thoracic glands were enlarged and partly filled with caseous tubercle. 35. Holstein Grade Steer, 5 months. — In this instance the lungs and other organs were healthy, but the thoracic glands were considerably enlarged and filled with caseous tubercular matter. In the table it will be seen that the yearling Durham bull, Prince, of QuAppelle, No. 8 had a very unusually high normal 104-3, and although this ran up to 104-8 with- 64 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. in three hours after the tuberculin was injected it fell so rapidly afterwards to the usual normal that it was evident that the high point reached was not due to the action of the tuberculin. The sudden rise also of 2 degrees which took place in the case of the Polled Angus calf No. 26 within three hours after injection was followed by a rapid fall to the normal so shortly after that it was highly improbable that the rise was caused by the tuberculin. As the mother (Cowslip) of one of the young calves not tested was found to be diseased, the calf also was killed but no evidence of disease was found in it — the mothers of the other two young calves proved to be healthy, and they of course were not slaughtered. In this instance 10 of the animals destroyed were pure-bred and 3 grades — four were bred at Indian Head and nine sent from Ontario. EXPERIMENTAL FARM, NAPPAN, N.S. During the month of August, I visited the branch experimental farm at Nappan, N. S., with the object of testing the cattle there. As mentioned in Bulletin No. 20, p. 31, one case of tuberculosis had occurred there in the summer of 1893 when the sus- pected animal was killed and on post-mortem examination found to be affected with this disease. Two of the progeny of this cow -w ere tested shortly after with tuberculin, and shown to be free from the disease, and as the remaining animals appeared to be healthy no further steps were taken at that time in testing the herd. There were 39 animals in the herd on the Nappan Farm, 18 of which were grades, and 21 pure bred. Most of them were in good condition, and apparently healthy. The pure bred animals consisted of the following breeds : Cows. Heifers. Calves. Bulls. Durhams 5 2 1 Ayrshires 3 1 1 Holsteins 3 1 11 Jerseys 2 In this investigation I was assisted by Dr. Geo. Townsend, V. S., of New Glasgow, N. S., Dr. Wm. Jakeman, V. S., of Halifax, and Dr. F. G. Hall, V. S., of Amherst, N. S. The normal temperatures of the animals were taken on the evening of August 22nd, and morning of the 23rd The tuberculin was injected at 1 p.m. that day and the temperature taken every three hours after for 18 hours with the results given in the following table : — REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 65 c3 © CO IN to 3 o 3 H d o o CD 03 ■- 1 01 bp •3 CN IN CN © -^ © © »J( fl i-H CN l-H i-l CN CN l-H J, CS iH I— I ^H 1— I T-H i— I l-H © t- H t~C5 ©CO © OCOMOH o o o o o ■>*< © IN © © © HflWHMO © © © © © © CN © © © s 03 ■f IN © O0 © © i-H © NHOIHHNH j ©©<35©©©©"f i-l iH i-H i-H i-H i-H © IN© -tfl moo OCCHHO © © © © © OH-*HOH H f ) H fl N O ©©©©©© CN i-l © © f©C0© *? ©©©©©©©"* C3 1— I I— I I— I 1— I T— I 1— I 1-" © IM Tj< © TfCO i-H CN CN .-n © © © © © © © © ©©© © HNiiHNH © © © © © © ©,-H ©rH CO CN 3 60 3 < s ft © C0©©iJJ00 rr ^ u . © © 95 rH©r^-H ©-%©©" CO © N CO J, IN.- © — ■ © © © © M 1— I 1— I I— I i-H © $} O © CC o «rH IN © CN _ © © © © © iH i-l r-t Q) © CO ©CO — i-l i-i (N IN ~ © © © © © t~^t tN l-H !-| © © © © © © © IN ■* IO i-H © i-H i-l IN © © © © © •paipafuj sraiuij^; jo -o^[ © © © in © © © © ©©©©©cocot- © © © ©iO ©© © CO © © IO© © © © © W Tt< IN IN t- © © © iO © © © © © © © © ©© cSS S 2 2 - S S >-. ©t^t~©>Oi-lrHTf< 00 S-l c3^ S S Z CO t-COCO iH CN c«- CD CD © ** cn© m ^f o CD CD~ 3 ^2 8- CD 3 O- o a o CD a c3 5Zi s B s 8c— 5 P>^ •J= CD o g »3 5 S.^ 1 . 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These were killed on the 24th and the particulars of their condition are given in the following notes, taken at the several post-mortem examinations. 4. Fern Duchess, Durham cow. — In this animal the lungs were healthy, so also were the glands. A large tubercular deposit was found on the sternum, measuring about 7 inches by 5 and 2 inches deep. The muscular tissue being filled with tubercle, some of it pus like, some caseous. This patch extended from the bone upwards to within abont 1J inches of the skin. There was no appearance of bruise or other injury on the surface. There was an indurated tumour in one of the teats containing caseous tubercle small lumps of tubercle were also found between the serous and mucous walls of the intestines, 6. Bess, Durham heifer, 1 year. — The lungs of this animal were healthy. One of the thoracic glands was considerably enlarged and filled with tubercle, and several others were diseased but less affected. The intestinal walls were dotted with tubercles of various sizes, most of them filled with material of a cheesy consistence. 7. — Duchess of Nappan, Durham heifer, 1 year. — This animal was not in good con- dition, and was evidently ailing ; her right lung was found to be in a condition of atrophy and much wasted, its surface was covered with small tuberculous pustules, the left lung was better developed, but similarly covered with pustules. The intestinal walls were also studded with tubercular deposits of a granular character. 8. Nappan's Fashion, Durham bull, 4 years. — In this case there was found dis- tributed through the substance of one of the lungs a considerable number of small masses of caseous tubercle, the other lung appeared to be healthy. One of the thoracic glands was much enlarged and filled with caseous tubercle, and several other glands in the thoracic cavity were found filled with tubercle, either cheesy or pus-like but in less quantity. 20. Kate Remona, Jersey cow, 5 years. — In different portions of the substance of both lungs, lumps of tubercle were found in a caseous condition, one lung was found ad- hering to the side. The thoracic glands were much enlarged, indurated and packed with caseous tubercle, and one of the mesenteric glands was similarly affected. Small lumps of tubercle were imbedded in the muscular tissue of the intestines, the inner part of the placenta was also dotted with pustules of tubercle. 22. Old Tingley, Durham grade, 10 years. — In this animal the lungs and other organs were found healthy and no tuberculous deposit could be detected in any of the glands. Small nodules of tubercle in a oaseous condition were lodged under the serous coat of the intestines and distributed in varying proportion all over the large and small intestines. 26. Susie, Guernsey grade cow, 6 years. — Lungs healthy, no deposit found in throracic glands. Mesenteric glands partly filled with caseous tubercle. Small masses of tubercle attached to the surface of the liver, uterus and intestines. 28. Mary, Durham grade cow, 3 years. — Both lungs dotted with tubercular matter in its earlier stages, small deposits of tubercle were also found in the substance of the liver. Inguinal glands slightly tuberculous, the interior walls of the uterus had also patches of tubercle. 32. — Molly, Durham grade heifer, 1 year. — The tip of one lung for about 5 inches was indurated and filled with tubercle in its early stages. No evidence of the presence of tubercle was found in any of the other organs or glands nor about the intestines. 37. Wild Eyes, grade steer, 2 years. — This animal was in poor condition. No evid- ence of tubercle was detected in the lungs, liver or other organs or glands of the body excepting in one of the mesenteric glands, in which tuberculous matter was found, small masses of tubercule were also found attached to the mesentery. In this series of tests it will be observed that the temperatures on which some animals were condemned are lower than some other cases where no action was taken. There was, however, in every instance, where slaughter took place, 1|- degrees or more Fahrenheit of increase above the average normal temperature, except in the case of Duchess of Nappan No. 7, a yearling Durham he ; fer, which was not thrifty and appear- ed to be suffering from some internal trouble. She was killed on a rise in temperature 8c-5i 68 EXPEBIMENTAL FARMS. of 145 degrees above her average normal and the condition of the organs on post-mor- tem justified this action. The case of Jennie No. 10, an Ayreshire cow, was suspicious but her temperature varied considerably at different times during the test, which, at the highest, was but nine-tenths of a degree above the highest normal. As there were other reasons which might account for these fluctuations in her case, she has been left over for a second test. Of the ten animals destroyed five were grades and five pure bred. One of the pure bred animals was sent from Ontario, one was purchased in New Brunswick, and of the remainder, including the grades, some were raised at the Nappan farm and the others bought from farmers in Nova Scotia. EXPERIMENTAL FARM, AGASSIZ. On the 13th of September, 1894, I arrived at Agassiz, B. C, and proceeded to test the cattle there, which numbered 18 head, 2 of which were grade animals and 16 pure bred. The pure bred animals consisted of the following breeds. Cows. Heifers. Calves. Bulls. Durhams 2 2 — 1 Ayrshire* 2 2 1 2 Holsteins 2 — — 2 The preliminary tests of normal temperature were completed on the morning of September 14th, and the tuberculin injected at 1 p.m. on the same day. The tempera- ture was subsequently taken every 3 hours for 21 hours with the results given in the appended table. 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P B B P P B P B B P B B P P B B B B B P P B B B B Date of first picking. June 22.. 25.. 25. 22. 22.. 22.. 25.. 22.. 25.. 25.. 22.. 25. 22.. 25.. 23.. 22.. 22.. 22.. 22.. 22. 25. 25. 30.. 22 . 22.. Date of last picking. July 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11. .. " 5 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 5 " 11 " 5 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 " 11 Yield in boxes from a row 60 feet long. 40 39* 38| 37* 37* 36* 35$ 35| 35 34* 31| 30* 30* 29* 29* 27 26* 26J 26 25* 24* 24J 24^ 23* FRUITS RECEIVED FOR EXAMINATION. I have to acknowledge the kindness of many enthusiastic fruit growers and origina- tors of new fruits in bringing to my attention the merits of new varieties by description, and by forwarding specimen fruits. While individual descriptions are impossible as well as inadvisable in all cases, yet I wish my correspondents to understand that their though tfulness is fully appreciated, and I trust will be continued, as the usefulness of this division of the farm is largely enhanced by the co-operation of fruit growers and nurserymen. Herewith is appended a list of the most important samples of fruits received dur- ing the year. In addition to this a much larger number of specimens of named varie- ties have been received for identification, all of which were examined with pleasure and reported upon to the sender. REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST. 145 APPLES. Sender. Remarks. A handsome fall apple. Thos W Letts, Calumet Island, Que Proved to be " White Astrachan." Fall, of fair quality. Good quality, but too small. Siberian crab ; keeps well. W. J. Kerr, Smith's Falls, Ont C. J. Honner, Amherstburg, Ont W. H. Hope, Paint, Ohio, U.S H. McColl, St. Joseph du Lac, Que S. Greenfield, Archville, Ont C. Wilson, Greenwood, Ont. W. S. Turner, Cornwall, Ont Fall ; too many of same season. Sweet, winter apple ; promising. Good quality ; autumn. Early winter. October and November. Tree 90 years old ; fruit, fair quality. Good quality ; mid winter. Not promising. Apples for name. Fall apple. Five specimens of named varieties. Fall apple. W. M. Pattison, Clarence ville, Que Four Seedlings of Fameuse type. Seedling apples. PLUMS. R. Brodie, St. Henry, Montreal, Que. W. A. Holton, Hamilton, Ont W. H. Snelling, New Edinburgh, Ont Keep Bros. , Winona, Ont . ....... Richard Trotter, Owen Sound, Ont. . D. B. Hoover, Almira, Ont J. Woods, Monticello, Ont A. M. Smith, St. Catharines, Ont R. C. Bradshaw, Thornhill, Man Plums of good quality. Seedling blue plum. See description. Probably a named variety. See description " Lillian August." "John A." No. 1 promising blue. No. 2 free stone ; good. Resembles " Blue Orleans." Extra good keeper. Good specimens of native plum. PEARS. C. H. Roberts, Paris, Ont. R. McDonald, Dufferin, Charlotte Co., N.B.... W. H. Dempsey, Trenton, Ont Seedling No. 5, promising ; qualitj- good ; season Nov- ember and December. Resembles " Flemish Beauty." Cross between " Sheldon " and " Duchess." PEACHES. C. G. Davis, Freeman, Ont. Resembles " Early Crawford." MISCELLANEOUS. J. P. Cockburn, Gravenhurst, Ont. J. A. Carriere White fruited blueberry. Seedling gooseberry. 8c— 10 146 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. DISTRIBUTION OF POPLAR AND WILLOW CUTTINGS. This line of work has been continued on a less extended scale than in former years, on account of the active part taken in it by the Branch Farms at Indian Head and Brandon. Two hundred and sixty -five packages, each containing 125 cuttings, were sent to farmers in Manitoba, and 215 packages to applicants residing in the North-west Territories. These have been sent out, as in other years, only in response to direct individual requests, so that there is greater assurance that they are given into the hands of those persons most likely to appreciate and care for them, and who will report the results of their experience. ASPARAGUS AND RHUBARD SEED. The distribution of asparagus and rhubarb seed has also been continued, much to the satisfaction of many settlers in sections remote from seedsmen and nurserymen, and also with much direct encouragement towards the more general cultivation of these use- ful vegetables. -o - HARDY APPLE AND CRAB SEED. None of the named varieties of apples which have thus far been tried at Brandon, Manitoba, or at Indian Head, in the North-west Territories, give promise of success, though A. P. Stevenson, of Nelson, Southern Manitoba, reports some success with Russian apples and crabs. With a view of introducing seedlings of the hardiest known types of apples, a small distribution of crab and apple seed was made last spring. It is hoped that a certain percentage of the resulting seedlings will endure the climate and bear fruit, and if so the seed of this fruit should be carefully preserved and sown again. It is quite possible that in course of time varieties in a measure adapted to the climate and soil of these regions may be developed by this process. Two hundred packages were sent out with appropriate instructions for planting the seed and caring for the resulting young trees. PLANTS AND SCIONS OF NEW FRUIT. In accordance with the system adopted last year, a distribution of several new and desirable shrubs and fruits was made through the provincial fruit growing organizations of Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. By this means the Horticultural Division of the farm is brought into a line of useful co-operative work with these sociebies and in touch with those most interested in the development of horticulture in the Dominion. This distribution includes only varieties which are not generally obtainable commercial- ly in Canada, and which are considered worthy of introduction. REPORT OF THE CHEMIST (Frank T. Shutt, M.A., F.I.C., F.C.S.) Ottawa, December 15th, 1894. ¥m. Saunders, Esq., Director, Dominion Experimental Farms, Ottawa. Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith the eighth annual report of the Chemi- cal Department of the Dominion Experimental Farms. The past year has been an exceedingly busy one, the demands made upon the department being greater than ever before. In evidence of this, and to show the increasing interest on the part of Canadian agriculturists in the chemistry of agricul- ture, it may be stated that no less than 256 samples have been received from farmers for examination, and reported upon. These include soils, fertilizers, well waters and agricultural products in general. The correspondence, including letters received and despatched, for the last twelve months, numbers 2,288 letters. Last year the samples received were 143, and the correspondence 1,596 letters. These two features alone indicate the interest in and popularity of our work, and above all make plain that the information afforded has proved of value to practical farmers. This is exceedingly gratifying, since, until quite recently, the application of chemistry to agriculture has been made little of by many who might have benefited by it. Much of the work referred to is of such a character that it cannot be here included, without unduly increasing the size of this report. Its usefulness, on that account, however, must not be minimized : for in teaching the individual we teach the future generation. Each one becomes a centre for the dissemination of knowledge. Among the more important conventions at which I have delivered addresses may be mentioned those of The Creameries' Association of Ontario, at Belleville, Ont. The Dairymen's Association of Nova Scotia, at Yarmouth, N.S. The Dairymen's Association of Eastern Ontario, at Peterborough, Ont. The American Public Health Association, at Montreal, Que. The Agricultural Conference of Nova Scotia, at Truro, N.S. Several important investigations in connection with Canadian agriculture and horticulture have been carried on during the past year. The results obtained and the conclusions arrived at are given in the pages of the present report. They may be summarized as follows : — Soils. — A complete analysis is not made of all soil samples sent in for examination, but only of those which are thoroughly representative of large areas and have never been cropped nor manured. This restriction is necessary, owing to the very large amount of extremely careful work involved in soil analysis. Eleven of such specimens of virgin soil, comprising samples from British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, are here reported upon. Several of these are treated of at length, since the soils are typical. Rational and economic methods of im- provement and manuring are recommended where deemed necessary or advisable. A considerable number of soils are forwarded by farmers. These are subjected to a qualitative and physical examination and a report given as to their general character, suitability for certain crops, together with suggestions as to fertilizers and treatment. 8c— 10J 148 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. Swamp Muck. — A chapter on the occurrence, composition and use of this material is given, together with a table of the data obtained from the analysis of samples from different parts of Canada, but chiefly from the Maritime Provinces. The attention of all farmers anxious to preserve their barnyard manure from loss of fertilizing consti- tuents, is specially directed to this article. Sea Weed. — To those whose farms are close to the sea, the analysis of sea weed here stated will prove of value. Its manurial worth and the best methods for applying it are given. Contributions to Horticultural Chemistry. — These include : (1) an article on the chemistry of the copper-salt fungicides, which, from the number of questions re- ceived during the past year, will I think prove of interest and value to orchardists ; (2) the results of an investigation to ascertain if arsenic from Paris green passes into solu- tion in dilute Bordeaux mixture and ammoniacal copper carbonate ; (3) a second paper on the chemistry of the apple, which gives in detail the analyses of the fruit of four leading varieties and the deductions to be made therefrom as to fertilizers for orchards ; and (4) the results of an investigation into the composition of the strawberry plant, the data including the analyses of four prominent varieties. The last two investigations were commenced several years ago, their completion being necessarily postponed, owing to press of other work. Miscellaneous. — Analyses and brief reports of 50 samples of well waters from farmers' homesteads, examined this year, are given. Attention is again directed to the grave danger in using impure and polluted water, either for household purposes or for stock. A short paper on methods for exterminating gophers is added. Numerous inquir- ies have been received this year from Manitoba and the North-west Territories res- pecting these pests. It is hoped that the suggestions made may prove of service to those troubled by these mischievous rodents. I have thought it well that we should here place on permanent record our analysis of the " Mammoth Cheese," made under the direction of the Dominion Dairy Commis- sioner, at Perth, Ontario, and subsequently exhibited at the World's Fair, Chicago, U. S. A. During the early months of the year, Mr. P. H. LeRossignol, B. A.Sc, the assistant chemist, fell ill. To my very great regret, his health became so shattered that he was obliged to ask for leave of absence. This was granted by the Honourable the Minister of Agriculture, and took effect on June 1st, Mr. Howard T. Barnes, B. A.Sc, of McGill College, taking his duties temporarily, until September 1st. At that date, Mr. LeRos- signol was rather worse than better, and shortly after found that it would be impossible to resume work. He then sent in his resignation. Within a few weeks after that time, Mr. LeRossignol died at his home in Toronto. I wish to record my great indeb- tedness to him for his very faithful work while here as my assistant. He proved him- self a careful and skilful worker, well versed in the theory and practice of chemistry. As an analyst, he was both rapid and accurate, and much of the work in the present report is the outcome of his enthusiastic industry. Towards the end of November, Mr. Henry S. Marsh, Associate of the Institute of Chemistry, was appointed to the vacant post. I have the honour to be, sir, Your obedient servant, PRANK T. SHUTT, Chemist, Dominion Experimental Farms. Chemical Laboratories, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 149 VIRGIN SOILS OF CANADA. The examination of typical soils representing large areas of territory, has been con- tinued. From the chemical and physical data so obtained, it is possible to give infor- mation respecting the treatment and manuring most likely to be productive of good results in the districts from which the soil were sent. In addition to this immediately useful outcome of the work, it may be pointed out that we are gradually amassing figures that will lead to a better knowledge of the soils of Canada in general — a knowledge not only valuable to our own farmers, but also to those who have thoughts of emigrating from European countries. In former reports I have dwelt at some length upon the factors which conduce to a soil's fertility. It will therefore be unnecessary for me to recapitulate here, more espe- cially as the soils whose composition is given in the following table, are considered in detail. The soils examined during 1894 comprise specimens from British Columbia, Mani- toba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The results show that Canada possesses soils which compare most favourably in richness of plant food with the best and most fertile of other countries. Concerning much of the prairie soil in Manitoba and the North-west Territories, as well as regards those alluvial soils that have been formed as river deltas or tidal deposits, both on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, it has been ascertained that they are exceedingly rich, possessing vast stores of plant food, a large portion of which is assimilable and ready to be used by crops. Many soils from other parts of the Dominion have also shown themselves to be excellent. The analytical results are given in tabular form, and the deductions therefrom will be found, together with a brief description of each soil examined, under the various provinces from which the specimens were obtained. BRITISH COLUMBIA. Nos. 1 and 2. SOILS FROM PITT MEADOWS. Physical Characters. Surface Soil. — A black loam in a moderately fine granular condition. When air- dried it is a grayish black and crumbles easily to powder ; this on moistening does not become plastic or sticky, nor on subsequent drying does it cake. The tilth (mechanical texture) appears to be very good, allowing freedom for root development and permeation of air and water. At the same time, it is sufficiently com- pact and heavy to prevent easy leaching ; it is undoubtedly retentive of both moisture and fertilizing ingredients to a high degree. The soil granules display a remarkable homogeneity, proving the very intimate incorporation of the organic matter with the inorganic basis of the soil. The sand, upon separation, appears to be very fine. Subsoil. — A grayish yellow soil, powdering easily when air-dried. It contains a considerable amount of fine sand and does not become plastic on moistening. I should expect it to offer a very fair drainage to the surface soil. Chemical Composition. Surface Soil. — This is a clay loam possessing a large amount of vegetable organic matter. The latter constituent is always present in arable soils ; but a high percentage, as in the present instance, always characterizes soils of great fertility. Briefly, the chief functions of organic matter may be stated as follows : By its decomposition in the 150 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. soil, much plant food is set free for the use of succeeding crops, and the carbonic acid, liberated as a product of its decay, acts as a solvent (in the presence of water) in a very- marked degree upon the inorganic constituents of the soil ; by its nitrification, nitrates — the form in which plants take up their nitrogen — are produced ; and, lastly, by its presence, the physical condition of the soil, as regards temperature and retentivity of moisture, is improved. In Nitrogen this soil is particularly rich, containing almost 1*0 per cent, or nearly 34,000 pounds per acre, estimating the weight of an acre of soil to the depth of one foot to be 3,500,000 pounds. Ordinary fertile soils possess from *2 per cent to -5 per cent of nitrogen, and many which produce paying crops, contain indeed less than -2 per «ent of this valuable element. The physical condition of this soil is such that nitrifica- tion would proceed satisfactorily, granted that the climatic influences are favourable. In Potash and Phosphoric Acid this soil is well supplied ; in this respect comparing most favourably with soils of great productiveness. Nitrogen. Potash and Phosphoric Acid are known as the essential elements of plant food, since successive croppings without a concomitant return of fertilizing material exhaust a soil, more particularly of these three important and costly substances. Lime. — Many agricultural chemists consider as deficient in lime, soils containing less than one per cent. It would therefore prove in all probability, advantageous to dress- this soil with lime or marl. Such an application would not only provide plant food and assist in the nitrification of the organic matter, but would correct the slight sourness which now exists. With regard to the latter character, viz., acidity, it may be remarked that it is due to the circumstances accompanying the formation of the soil. I am of the opinion that it is not strong enough to materially affect vegetation. All traces of sourness will quickly disappear with culture and aeration, and more quickly still if lime or marl be applied. This is an alluvial deposit, composed of the detritus brought down by the Pitt River. Such soils are usually very rich and fertile, and there is no reason to suppose that this one will prove an exception. We have seen that, physically and chemically, this soil ranks with the best ; its excellent qualities of tilth and richness of composition are undoubtedly owing to the peculiarly favourable circumstances attendant upon its formation and deposition. MANITOBA. No. 3.— VIRGIN PRAIRIE SOIL. This sample was obtained from section 31, township 4, range 1 west, and sent to representing the unfertilized and uncropped prairie soil of the Red River valley for many m#es around." This surface soil, which is fairly uniform throughout its depth, averages a little over two feet in thickness and mixes very gradually with the subsoil, which is blue clay. The latter, as tested by boring, extends to a depth of at least 250 feet. This soil is a deep black loam, of a fine and peculiarly characteristic granular order. It reduces easily in the air-dried condition to a grayish brown powder. Though there is present a considerable amount of undecomposed root fibre, the soil proper presents a remarkable homogeneity in appearance, indicating a process of physical refining in its formation and a uniformity in its chemical composition. Its appearance and physical condition, as well as its fertility, considered from a chemical standpoint, are no doubt due to the very intimate incorporation of the large amount of organic matter this soil pos- sesses, with the clay and sand which constitute the basis of the soil. On moistening the soil, it does not " puddle " nor become plastic, though it contains a considerable amount of clay ; nor does it subsequently dry into a hard or " cakey " mass, which would exclude air and prevent free root development. On the evaporation of the water, the soil easily powders or rather granulates, thus evincing its extreme friability. REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 151 The value of these qualities will be seen on a brief consideration of the factors which go to make up a soil's fertility. These are (1) climatic influences (rainfall, tem- perature, &c), (2) tilth or physical condition, and (3) chemical composition. In tilth, the relative proportions of clay, sand, limestone and organic matter, play an important role, culture and the weather often materially assisting. Retentivity of moisture and fertilizing material, permeability to air and water, freedom for root growth, stability and strength with friability are among the chief ^qualities of well tilled soil. Though the total amount of plant food is in direct relation to the kinds and amounts of organic and inorganic materials which compose the soil, the percentage of such food immediately available for crop use is largely dependent upon tilth and climatic influence. The importance of a good physical state is, therefore, obvious, and judging from the present sample, the tilth of this prairie soil must be regarded as of a high order. This loam is characterized chiefly by its very high percentage of organic matter and nitrogen, and its remarkable richness in potash ; it thus stands pre-eminent in two of the three essential constituents of plant food. Experience and scientific investigation have shown that the most fertile soils the world over are invariably rich in organic matter (humus) and nitrogen. The presence of humus regulates the soil's temperature, increases its water-holding capacity, and is of much value from a physical standpoint in loosening and aerating the soil, By nitri- fication that valuable and important element, nitrogen, is set free in an available form — as nitrates. The decomposition of the humus in the soil also gives rise to the production of carbonic acid gas, by the agency of which, when dissolved in the soil-water, much inert inorganic material is rendered soluble and useful for plant growth. Nitrogen. — The percentage of nitrogen may usually be considered an indication, or rather a measure, of a soil's fertility. This soil has an average depth, over a large area, of two feet, but if we calculate the weight of nitrogen in the first foot only (assum- ing the weight of soil to that depth over one acre to be 3,500,000 lbs.), we find a store of nitrogen that may become available amounting to 33,145 lbs. Ordinary fertile soils to a like depth contain from 3,500 to 10,000 lbs. of nitrogen per acre ; hence the vast reserve of this valuable constitutent in this prairie soil is apparent. Nitrogen is essentially the fertilizer for cereals, especially when associated with phosphoric acid. It is for this reason that nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, dried blood, and other seurces of easily assimilated nitrogen, are so extensively used in conjunc- tion with superphosphate for obtaining lucrative yields of the grains on partially ex- hausted soils. Potash. — Soils derived from clay are usually rich in potash, and it is probably owing to this cause that this soil contains an amount of potash far in excess of that ordinarily met with. Potash is necessary for all crops, but proves especially useful for roots, grasses, clover, Indian corn and most leafy fodder crops. We may therefore infer that this soil is well adapted to raise in large quantities such food as is necessary to economically maintain stock. Using the factors already given (See table of analyses), we obtain by calculation 33,950 lbs. of potash per acre. Phosphoric Acid. — This constituent may be considered of the greatest importance, next to nitrogen, to the wheat plant, and indeed is very effective for all cereals. In this soil it is present to an amount somewhat above the average. A calculation based on the results of the present analysis shows 9,450 lbs. to the acre. Lime. — After the constituents already discussed, lime stands next in importance, not only because it serves directly as food few plants, but also for the reasons that it materially assists in the nitrification of the organic matter in the soil and liberates potash from its locked up sources. This soil is not rich in calcareous matter, but on the other hand must not be considered deficient — clay loam possessing as a rule from 2 per cent to 3 per cent of carbonate of lime. It will be unnecessary to call particular attention to the percentages of the other ingredients of this soil, since this sample forms no exception to the rule that of mineral matter, other than that specially reported on here, all soils contain a sufficient amount for all the requirements of farm crops. 152 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. ONTARIO. No. 4.— SOIL FROM NEAR PORT ARTHUR This is a sample of virgin soil from the farm of Mr. Wm. Wilson on the Mac- Intyre River near the Red River Road, about six miles west from Port Arthur, and registered as north 100 acres of Lot 24, White's survey, township of Maclntyre. It is said to be fairly representative of the soil within a radius of five miles, though the land is reported as being somewhat heavier on the whole in the Township of Oliver, five or six miles west of the farm from which this specimen was taken. The land originally was heavily timbered, but was burnt over some twenty-five years ago, and is now covered with poplar, birch, spruce and tamarack from ten to twenty feet high. Oats, clover and root crops generally are reported by Mr. Wilson to give ex- cellent yields. It is a grayish red, sandy soil of very fine tilth and is free from lumps. In the essential elements of plant food, viz., nitrogen phosphoric acid and potash, it cannot be considered a rich soil, though under proper tillage and favourable climatic influences, good returns may be expected. The percentages of these constituents lie within the limits set for good agricultural soils, but do not equal those of our more fer- tile soils. Owing to its physical character, it is a warm soil, and one that would in favourable seasons give an immediate and excellent response to the application of man- ure. From its light and sandy nature, however, it would be apt to leach readily, teaching the economy of frequent and light applications of soluble fertilizers, if such are employed, rather than heavier dressings at longer intervals. Perhaps its greatest deficiency is in humus. To improve it in this respect, the turning under of green crops, (preferably clover or pease, for such enrich the soil by nitrogen taken from the atmos- phere), the application of farm-yard manure and of swamp muck (after composting, if feasible), are to be recommended. By such means, not only could the percentages of or- ganic matter and nitrogen be increased, but the tilth would be vastly benefited, since thereby the soil becomes more retentive of moisture and fertilizing ingredients. Organic matter (humus) in a soil has many functions. In its decomposition, carbonic acid is set free, which in turn tends to liberate mineral plant food from the rock-remains in the soil. In this and many other ways does humus act beneficially, and perhaps the most economical way for the new settler to supply it, is by the ploughing under of a green crop. An application of lime or marl, with the muck or other organic manure would enhance the fertility of this soil, for though not very poor in lime, an addition of such fertilizers would assist in rendering other plant food assimilable and the soil more suit- able for the growth of cereals. If artificial manures are employed, they should be first tried on small areas. Those of a soluble nature, as nitrate of soda and kainit, should be applied as a top dress- ing in the spring ; in this way their effect will be more marked. Since wood ashes can easily be procured, a mixture of them with ground bone might prove as cheap and effective a fertilizer as could be recommended. Nos. 5 and 6.— SOILS FROM MUSKOKA. These soils are from the farm of Wm. Stalker, lot 14, concession 10, Brunei town- ship, Muskoka, and constitute the eighth and ninth in a series of virgin soils from that district that are being investigated by us. Former reports contain analyses, and deductions therefrom, of those previously examined. The country in which this sample was taken is well wooded with birch, maple, bass, hemlock and elm. The surface soil is of a light gray colour, and varies from eight to twelve inches in depth. It differs from the preceding members of the series in being a clay loam, all the others having been light in character. It may be termed a strong soil and one REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 153 that is retentive of fertilizing constituents. It further differs in possessing larger amounts of lime and magnesia, features distinctly in its favour, as rendering it Hiore suitable to the growth of cereals. It is, however, particularly deficient in organic matter (humus), and very low in nitrogen. In potash, it is fairly rich ; in phosphoric acid, only moderately so. Barn- yard manure, a rich compost made with muck, or a green crop turned under, are there- fore among the best fertilizers for this land. These should be accompanied if possible with a dressing of lime or marl. On many new farms there is not sufficient barn-yard manure made to properly keep up, not to speak of increasing, the fertility of the land in cultivation. The con- stant aim on such farms should be towards keeping more stock, since, by feeding the product of the fields upon the farm, about three-fourths of the plant food withdrawn by the crops is retained for future use. In the meantime, however* it would be well to practice turning under certain green crops, and thus enrich the land with available plant food. It has been explained previously that pease, clover and other legumes are particularly valuable for this purpose, adding to the soil much nitrogen assimilated from the atmosphere — a clear gain — as well as a large amount of organic matter to other- wise improve the soil. When possible, it will be more economical to feed the green crops to stock, returning the manure to the land ; but if animals for this purpose are not kept, the turning under of the crop will be found to furnish a nitrogenous manure cheaper than any commercial fertilizer. The use of swamp muck may also be referred to as advantageous for such soils. In the air-dried condition it forms an excellent material for absorbing and retaining liquid manure, its own plant food constituents being con- verted by the subsequent fermentation in the heap into soluble and available forms. On another page in this report will be found an article giving information respect- ing the agricultural value and use of this material. QUEBEC. Nos. 7 and 8.— SOILS FROM THE COUNTY OF JOLIETTE. These are from No. 766 in the official cadastral plan of the parish of Ste. Elizabeth, range St. Peter, county of Joliette. The surface soil, about seven inches in depth, is black when moist — when it had the appearance of a clay loam of considerable strength, being compact and cohesive. On drying in the air, it becomes grayish black and powders readily. The subsoil when moist is plastic, but the air-dried sample reduces easily. This sample when received in the moist state was mottled gray and yellowish red. The dry powder is light yellow. The surface soil is a clay loam of average fertility, containing all the elements nec- essary to plant development, and in such proportion as to produce with judicious culture remunerative crops. Nitrogen. — The percentage of nitrogen is -213 per cent. Although the richest soils contain from -5 to 1*0 per cent, the average percentage in good fertile soils is from 15 to -25 per cent. This soil, accordingly, ranks, as regards nitrogen, among those of aver- age fertility. Potash. — The amount of potash is also fairly high (-38 per cent). The percen- tage of this element varies in soils from -1 to 1-0 per cent, according to the nature of the rock from which the soil has been derived. Clay loams are usually richer in potash than sandy soils. PJwsjjhoric Acid. — The phosphoric acid amounts to *27 per cent. The average in ordinary fertile soils is about -2 per cent, though, like potash, the percentage in virgin soils is dependent upon the character of the originating rock. Nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash are known as the essential elements of fer- tility, for they are those of which the soil is more particularly exhausted when succes- 154 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. sive crops are taken without a due return of plant food. Their amounts have there- fore been considered in detail. This soil is somewhat poor in lime, and I am of the opinion than an application of marl or lime would be beneficial, both to supply plant food and to improve the tilth. Such a soil should be well drained. By this means, increased crop yields and greater ease in working would be obtained. Working the soil when wet, should be avoided. It woulfl undoubtedly prove of advantage to increase the amount of humus of the soil. This can be done with farm-yard manure, well composted swamp muck, or by turn- ing under some green crop, — preferably clover or pease. Such organic matter contain? a large amount of nitrogen, one of the most valuable of all soil constituents, and wili effect an improvement not only chemically, but physically. To sum up, this is a good soil of average fertility, and one that can be materially improved on the lines above indicated. It is a strong soil and well adapted for most agricultural crops, and more especially for cereals and fruit trees, provided that other conditions, such as the climate and season, are favourable. The substance of this report was communicated to Mr. Remi Henault, who had procured and forwarded the sample early in the spring of the present year. Under date of October 22nd, he writes as follows : — " I am very much pleased to be able to inform you that the analysis and report that I received from you concerning my soil, have been of great service to me and the members of the Agricultural Circle of our parish. You informed me that the soil was poor in lime. I therefore applied this material at the rate of 20 bushels per acre, and as a result my crop was nearly doubled. Next year I shall plough under a growing crop of pease and also the aftermath of clover, and report results." It is well to remember that the continued use of lime by itself will in time exhaust the soil, since one of the functions of lime is to set free and render available locked-up plant food in the soil. It must be applied with some organic manure, a green crop turned under and swamp muck, if the future as well as the present is to be considered. No. 9.— SOIL FROM THE COUNTY OF BONAVENTURE. This sample from Maria, County of Bonaventure, Quebec, was obtained from newly broken land that had been cut, stumped and burnt during the summer of 1891 and 1892. Previous to this, it had been well wooded with birch, maple, spruce and pine. A third and final burning of the bush and stumps had taken place in the spring of 1893, the sam- ple for analysis being procured in November of that year, when it was given a shallow ploughing. It is a yellow soil, with a shade of red, evidently due to iron, and contains a large number of fragments of undecomposed rock material. Examination proved the coarse material (separated by a 1-5 mm. sieve) to be 36 -63 per cent, the fine soil, of which the analysis was made, being 63*37 per cent. In the table of analyses, it will be noticed that the percentage of clay and fine sand is 40 - 92. The microscope shows that a considerable part of that amount is fine sand. It is, therefore, probable that the clay and sand are in such proportions as to render the soil favourable, as regards tilth, to the growth of most farm crops. Organic Matter and Nitrogen'. — Although the appearance of this soil would lead to the belief that it was deficient in these valuable constituents, analysis proved to the contrary. Usually a rough estimate of the percentage of humus can be made from the colour of the air-dried soil ; the iron in this soil had been oxidized by exposure, and the colour was no longer any criterion of the soil's richness. Good soils of average fertility contain, as a rule, from 5 per cent to 10 per cent of humus and from *15 per cent to *25 per cent of nitrogen ; the soil under consideration possesses 11 "80 per cent of the former and "238 per cent of the latter. In these constituents, therefore, this specimen is by no means lacking, though there can be no doubt that, to a large degree, they were destroyed in the burning of the land. REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 155 Lime. — From the analysis, this soil shows a deficiency in lime, one per cent being considered a minimum limit for the best returns. Lime may be supplied either as such, or in the form of marl or gypsum, and would be useful, not only as supplying an ele- ment of plant food, but also in promoting nitrification of the organic matter. Potash. — It is exceptionally rich in this constituent, and consequently should prove a good soil for the legumes (clover, pease, &c,), roots and leafy crops generally. No doubt, this potash has been liberated in part by the burning to which the soil was sub- jected. Phosphoric acid. — The average amount in good, fertile soils is about -2 per cent, so that, as may be seen from the table, this soil, as regards this necessary and valuable plant food, is of average quality. The comparatively large percentage of iron is worthy of remark, as denoting a capacity for the retention of phosphoric acid and potash. Organic manures, in one or other of the forms already mentioned (such as barn-yard manure, composted muck, offal or other animal refuse, or a green crop turned under), in conjunction with an application of lime, are to be recommended as beneficial and economical. For the special fertilization of a cereal crop, soluble forms of phosphoric acid and nitrogen, such as superphosphate a»d nitrate of soda, might be used. NEW BRUNSWICK. No. 10.— VIRGIN SOIL FROM BALMORAL SETTLEMENT, RESTIGOUCHE. This, as received, was a pale yellow soil containing a considerable number of lumps or fragments of rock of the same colour, and of various sizes up to one and a half inches in diameter. On close inspection, it was found that these irregular rock frag- ments consisted chiefly of felspar, partially decomposed, though showing some quartz. The soil is evidently derived from the disintegration and decay of this rock material. The soil was separated by a 2 mm. sieve, with the following results : Fine soil 84'8 per cent. Rock fragments 15-2 " Except in potash, this soil must be regarded as poor in the more important ele- ments of fertility. The percentage of potash is considerably above that found in aver- age fertile soils ; the abundance of this useful and valuable constituent is undoubtedly due to the felspar from which the soil has originated. The percentage of phosphoric acid is low. Bone meal, superphosphate or fish waste are perhaps the most available sources from which to supply this necessary ele- ment for plant growth. To supply nitrogen and humus (in both of which important materials this soil is lacking), barnyard manure would, of course, prove very valuable. Air-dried muck, sub- sequently composted with manure, or, if sufficient manure cannot be obtained, with wood ashes and lime, is also to be highly recommended. A third method, and one that can be strongly advised, is the ploughing under of some green crop, preferably clover or pease, while in flower. A dressing of ground unburnt gypsum is often useful in giving such crops a good start. Fish waste and sea weed would also prove valuable manures for this soil. Most agricultural chemists regard a soil to be deficient in lime when it contains less than one per cent. This soil would therefore be benefited by a dressing of lime, either as such or as marl (carbonate of lime) or as gypsum (sulphate of lime). To sum up briefly, organic manures (such as I have mentioned in speaking of nitro- gen and humus) and lime are necessary, and the addition of phosphatic fertilizers high- ly desirable, to render the soil more fertile. The course here suggested will, I think, prove more economical and lasting in its effects than one which includes the use of the more soluble and expensive nitrogenous fertilizers, e.g., nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia. 156 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. No. 11.— SOIL FROM KING'S COUNTY. This soil partakes of the same colour as the light red Triassic sandstone from which it is derived, and in this respect is representative of the characteristic soil of this fertile province. It differs from the preceding specimens in that it is not a truly virgin soil. Some difficulty was experienced in procuring a sample from soil which had not been cropped or manured ; this one is said to fairly represent the unmanured but cultivated soil that extends over a large area in the eastern portion of the island. It was obtained from Lot or Township 53. This soil is a light, sandy loam, of good tilth. By the use of a sieve (mesh 1*5 mm.) the following separation was effected : — Coarse material, chiefly fragments of red sandstone. . . 8 - 3 per cent. Fine material, chiefly fine red sand 91 '7 " From this sample it is of course impossible to speak of the composition of the virgin soil ; but such is, however, now exceedingly limited in area. The present report will be of service to those farmers who have not in the past kept up the fertility of their land and who are now anxious to restore to the soil economically that plant food used up by the successive cropping of years. Judged from its chemical composition, it must be considered as somewhat inferior to those of average fertility. Of the three essential elements, it is highest in potash, containing a very fair amount. In phosphoric acid, it is very low, while the percent- age of nitrogen is also less than the average found in fertile soils. The amount of lime present is extremely small, and considerably less than that in any of the other samples examined. It is evident, therefore, that besides an organic manure to supply humus and a calcareous one to furnish lime, it is necessary to add nitrogen and phosphoric acid, if the best results are to be expected. Nitrogen and humus are most conveniently (and also most economically) supplied together, as in some organic manures, e. g. barn-yard manure, composted muck, sea- weed, fish offal, etc., or a growing crop of one of the legumes (clover or pease) ploughed under. In this way not only the fertility of the soil, but its capacity for retaining plant food and moisture will be greatly increased. Phosphoric acid may be added in the form of superphosphate or ground bone. If wood ashes are cheaply and easily procured, their application would supply both potash and phosphoric acid. » As already stated, the soil contains a very small percentage of lime. A dressing of lime, marl or gypsum would therefore undoubtedly prove remunerative. If lime is used, other fertilizers (as indicated above) must also be supplied, or in a few years the increased yield resulting from the setting free of soil plant food by the lime, will be followed by a disastrous exhaustion of the elements of fertility. Mai'l does not affect a soil in as marked a manner as lime, nor does it cause exhaustion to the same degree. Unlike lime it cannot do harm if applied in excess. If it is desired to manure by turn- ing under a green crop, a coating of gypsum and kainit or of wood ashes will materially increase the yield of clover. It is hoped to supplement this analysis by that of soils procured in different parts of the island. 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This table presents the composition of the leaves, together with such other inform- ation as may help to elucidate the question under consideration. After the columns containing the names of the varieties and the data when the leaves were gathered, are three columns in which is given the percentage composition of the leaf — the water, organic matter and mineral constituents. Then follow six columns, containing the percentages of the chief inorganic components of the ash. The percentages of nitrogen in the dry organic matter are then given, followed by columns depicting the amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash contained in 1000 lbs. of the green leaf. These figures serve to show the absolute and relative values of the leaves as a fertilizer, as well as the quantities of these materials taken from the soil for the growth of the leaves. COMPOSITION OF THE FRUIT. The general composition, viz., the percentages of water, organic matter and ash (which make up the whole), and the amount of nitrogen, are given for the four varieties examined in the following tabulated form : — Analysis of Apples. Name of Variety of Apple. Duchess of Oldenburg Wealthy Fameuse Northern Spy Average Water. 88-61 87-00 85 22 87-08 86 98 Organic Matter. 11 14 12 71 14-46 12 65 12 74 Ash. •25 ■29 ■32 ■27 •28 Nitrogen. •0382 •0375 •0512 •0445 •0428 Although there is a great similarity in composition in the varieties examined, and none differ much from the average deduced from them all, it is of interest to note that the Fameuse is the richest in organic matter, in ash constituents and in nitrogen. The Wealthy and Northern Spy contain almost identical amounts of organic matter and ash, and the Duchess of Oldenburg has the largest percentage of water and lowest percent- age of organic matter and ash. Percentages of Important Constituents in Ash. Name of Variety of Apple. Duchess of Oldenburg Wealthy Fameuse Northern Spy Average Phosphor- ic acid. Potash. Soda. • Oxide of Iron. Lime. Magnesia 890 815 719 11-68 53 67 57 00 56 25 54 11 3-28 265 2 56 194 1-77 1-76 126 213 5-80 3 33 3 55 386 520 384 4-03 3-99 8-98 55-26 261 1-72 438 4-27 Silica. •36 •63 •32 111 •60 In this table the composition of the ash in detail is given. Of its components, phosphoric acid and potash are the principal. The latter constitutes over half of the ash (55-26 per cent), while the former is about 9 per cent, the average being 8*98 per cent. REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 167 No great differences between the varieties are here to be noticed, though the Northern Spy presents some striking variations from the average. Its ash contains nearly 3 per cent more phosphoric acid, nearly 1 per cent less soda, about -5 per cent more oxide of iron and alumina, and about -5 per cent more silica than the ash of the other apples. The ratio of the potash to the phosphoric acid in the ash of the fruit is 6 to 1 • in the ash of the older leaves (see table), it is 2 to 1. Relatively, therefore the demands of the leaf and the fruit on the soil for these two constituents are very different. It inio-ht here be remarked that the greater quantity of the ash ingredients of the fruit is contained in the seeds and walls of the ovary, comparatively little being found in the flesh of the apple. A comparison of this table with that showing the composition of the ash of the leaf, will reveal further interesting features. The total percentages of ash in similar weights of leaf and fruit, are as 3*46 to -28. Lime is much more abundant in the ash of the leaf, while magnesia, oxide of iron and silica are about the same, taking the older leaves for comparison. For the purpose of a practical presentation of the subject, the data presented in the following table have been prepared : Weight of Important Fertilizing Constituents withdrawn from the soil. ♦■ Average weight per bushel in pounds. Nitrogen. Phosphoric Acid. Potash. Name of Variety of Apple. Lbs. per barrel. Lbs. per acre, or 160 barrels. Lbs. per. barrel. Lbs. per acre, or 160 barrels. Lbs. per barrel. Lbs. per acre, or 160 ■ barrels. Wealthy Fameuse 44 50 50 46 •046 •057 ■070 •056 7-359 8 220 11223 9-006 •027 •032 •031 •039 4 307 5 181 5 043 6 383 •162 •226 •256 •185 25 975 36 232 39 ' 456 29 570 Average 47-5 •057 8-952 •032 5-228 •217 32 808 Note. — In the above calculations the following data are used : Forty trees per acre in an orchard 25 years old yield, on an average, one hundred and sixty (160) barrels. One barrel contains 2 bushels and 3 pecks. We have here the number of pounds of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash esti- mated as contained in one barrel of the fruit, and the amounts removed per acre by a good crop. None of the quantities are at all excessive, and the cost of returning them would not be great. The largest demand is on the potash in the soil ; next comes the nitrogen, and lastly the phosphoric acid. In the case of the leaves, the nitrogen stood first. For the vigorous development of the tree and an abundant crop of fruit, the soil must contain these constituents in a more or less immediately available condition. It is for this reason, as well as to replace the exhausted plant food, that fertilizers are neces- sary to profitable apple growing. Nitrogen. — To supply nitrogen, some organic manure is perhaps the most econo- mical. Barnyard manure or the turning under a leguminous crop (the latter being rich in nitrogen) are to be recommended. Besides adding nitrogen, they furnish humus or decaying vegetable matter, which serves a useful function by liberating carbonic acid and which in turn sets free locked-up forms of mineral food. Humus, moreover, has much to do in bringing about good tilth and in the retention of soil moisture. As the period of growth and fruit development in the apple is comparatively long, organic manures in most instances will probably give better returns than those containing more soluble forms of nitrogen, such as nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia. 168 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. Potash and Phosphoric acid. — To furnish potash and phosphoric acid, we would first mention wood ashes. In most parts of Canada they are the cheapest form in which to purchase these constituents. Moreover, they possess them in the relative pro- portion best suited to tree requirements and in a condition that renders them easily available. If wood ashes are not obtainable, kainit and muriate of potash may be substituted to supply potash ; and bone meal and superphosphate, the phosphoric acid. Bone meal contains 2 per cent to 3 per cent of nitrogen, in addition to the phosphoric acid, but requires a greater length of time in the ground to give up its constituents ; its effects naturally last longer,. For this very reason it is often advocated for orchard fertilization. Both wood ashes and bone meal furnish lime, which we have seen to be a necessary and somewhat important element. Soils differ so much in composition, that it is impossible to state definitely the amounts of these fertilizers that should be employed in all cases. The wants of the tree for fruit and leaves have been given and the principles for an economical return of these requirements indicated. In conclusion, it may be said that the best and most profitable crops can be obtained only when the soil contains what might be thought to be a large amount of plant food, the greater part of which is more or less assimilable. A good tilth, among other advantages, tends to a good root development. In such, the rootlets are able to procure food from a much larger area than otherwise ; but in every orchard, owing to the disposition of the roots, there must of necessity be much unoccu- pied soil, and hence the importance of supplying liberally and in excess of that which is absolutely needed for a season's growth and fruit, those forms of plant food which we have been considering. CHEMISTRY OF THE STRAWBERRY PLANT. In order to ascertain the requirements of the strawberry crop and its effect upon the soil, complete analyses of four varieties of strawberries have been made. The names of these are Sharpless, Crescent, Wilson and Manchester, the whole plant, includ- ing roots, being examined. The plants were colleoted while in flower during the month of June, and before the fruit had appeared. They were carefully freed from ad- hering soil, weighed and analysed. The subjoined table gives, in addition to other information, the percentages of water, organic matter and ash (mineral matter), which together make up the composi- tion of the plant : — Analyses of Strawberry Plants. Name of Variety of Strawberry. Sharpless, whole plant, in flower . Crescent " " Wilson Manchester " Average of four varieties. Date. June 4. Weight of plant. 3 oz. 3£ " 3i " 3A% Composition of Plant. Water. 72-79 70 25 72 80 73 43 72 32 Organic matter. 25 15 27 13 24 89 24 77 25 49 Ash. 206 262 231 1-80 219 REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 169 Water. — This, as well known, is a most important constituent to the well-being of the plant, its presence in certain proportions being absolutely essential to plant life and the performance of the functions of food digestion and assimilation. It is the vehicle by which the assimilated food is conveyed to the various tissues and organs of the plant. The importance of a plentiful supply of soil water for the growth of the plants and their abundant fructification cannot be over-estimated ; but since nature must, in ordinary cases, be depended upon for it, there is no occasion to further discuss this constituent. It may, however, be remarked that the tilth, cultivation, mulching and the presence of humus (as furnished by an organic manure) have largely to do with the conservation of soil moisture. Organic Matter. — Since all its constituents save nitrogen are procured from the atmosphere, it is unnecessary here to consider it. Special remarks on the nitrogen con- tained in the strawberry plant will be made when considering the elements removed from the soil. Ash. — This represents the mineral matter taken from the soil. Its two most es- sential constituents are potash and phosphoric acid. The foregoing data call for no special comment in detail. There is a great similarity in the composition of the four varieties, the variation from the average being small. The following interesting table gives the percentages of the important constituents in the ash : — Percentages of Important Constituents in Ash. Name of Variety of Strawberry. Sharpless, whole plant, in flower Crescent Wilson Manchester " " Average 'o < m d 43 O de of n and jmina. 00 O ^3 cm m '*&< Ph O 7-63 29 91 103 247 508 24 28 0-78 210 5-80 24 31 1-26 2-47 5-88 26 93 109 204 609 26 36 104 224 s 23 67 29 10 27 82 24-75 26 33 p be c3 610 5- 19 611 713 613 OS s CO 402 3 43 460 5-89 449 It is here again noticeable that no great differences exist between the plants analysed. Such as occur, might be accounted for by slight variations in the composition of the soil in which they grew. The ash of the strawberry plant contains about 6 per cent of phosphoric acid, and in the neighbourhood of 25 per cent (one-fourth its weight) of potash. Of the less important constituents, lime takes the precedence, being equal in amount to the potash. The comparatively large proportion of silica and of oxide of iron and alumina in the ash, are interesting from a scientific standpoint, but need not be considered here as they are elements supplied in abundance by every soil. The next table gives the number of pounds of the three essential elements of fer- tility, derived from the soil and contained in the strawberry plant, per 1,000 pounds of green plants and per acre, estimating the number of plants in an acre at 50,000. 170 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. Weight of Important Fertilizing Constituents withdrawn from the soil. Nitrogen. Phosphoric Acid. Potash. Name of Variety of Strawberry. Lbs. per 1,000 lbs. of plants. Lbs. per acre, at 50,000 plants. Lbs. per 1,000 of plants. Lbs. per acre, at 50,000 plants. Lbs. per 1,000 lbs. of plants. Lbs. per acre, at 50,000 plants. Sharpless, whole plant, in flower Crescent " " Wilson " " Manchester " " 479 4-59 545 551 449 425 51'0 515 163 133 134 126 153 12 5 126 11-8 6-10 636 561 4-85 57-7 596 52-6 455 Average , 507 475 139 130 575 539 Of these essential elements it is here made clear that the chief demands for the de- velopment of the plant are upon the available potash and nitrogen in the soil. The phos- phoric acid stands third, the ratio of potash to phosphoric acid from our analysis being 4 to 1. Since the plants are finally ploughed under, thus returning the substances former- ly abstracted and assimilated from the soil, the only real loss, theoretically, of plant food is that contained in the fruit. The quantity of fruit obtained per acre varies widely, viz , from 75 bushels to 300 bushels, a good average yield weighing probably 10,000 lbs. From the report for 1892 of Dr. Goessmann, Director of the State Experiment Station, Amherst, Mass., U. S. A., the following averages were obtained : Ash in fruit, - 52 per cent; potash in ash of fruit, 53-81 per cent; phosphoric acid in ash of fruit, 17*9 per cent. Estimating the weight of fruit at 10,000 pounds, we find that 52 pounds of min- eral matter, containing 28 pounds of potash and 9 pounds of phosphoric acid, are re- moved per acre. The ratio here of phosphoric acid is 3 to 1. Unfortunately, the amount of the nitrogen was not ascertained. The loss of plant food that the soil sustains through the gathering of the fruit, is not, compared with other crops, an excessive one. At the same time, it is to be remem- bered that the soil has to provide, in addition to those required by the fruit, the fertil- izing constituents as given in the above table though, as already pointed out, the greater part of the latter will eventually return to the soil. A soil to be well manured must contain a large excess of available plant food over and above the amount that can be utilized by the crop, since it can not be supposed that the roots will be able to absorb, by virtue of their disposition in the soil, more than a comparatively small proportion of such fertilizing ingredients. The strawberry is usually considered an " exhausting crop " ; as far as the real loss of plant food through gathering the fruit is concerned, the facts scarcely bear out this opinion. To replace or restore to the soil the substances so removed by the fruit, would not in itself require a very heavy application of manure. It is found, however, as a matter of practical experience that, to make strawberry culture successful, the soil must be fed very liberally. High manuring for strawberries is a common practice. We may advance several reasons why such is necessary and why this practice does not conflict with what has already been said and shown here. The growing season is short, and more especially the fruiting period. During a comparatively brief time there is a large demand for immediately available forms of nitro- gen, phosphoric acid and potash (and especially the first and last of these,) a demand that must be met if the best results are to be obtained. Even the richest soils contain only small amounts of such plant food, and hence the necessity for the presence in the soil of a large quantity of manure that will readily yield its fertilizing ingredients. This more particularly is found to be the case when the rainfall during the fruiting season is below the average. REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 171 Barn-yard manure is the fertilizer commonly used. This, besides furnishing nitro- gen, phosphoric acid and potash, acts beneficially in improving the tilth, in supplying humus, in preserving the soil moisture and equalizing the soil temperature. To supply potash by means of barn-yard manure alone, excess over and above that required for nitrogen and phosphoric acid must be applied, since, owing to faulty methods of pre- servation, this manure is often used when partially leached out. This consideration would suggest that, for the rational manuring of this crop, potash in some form (wood ashes, kainit, or muriate of potash) should be used in conjunction with the barn-yard manure. Wood ashes are for many reasons to be preferred ; they contain potash and phosphoric acid in excellent proportions. The amount and kind of fertilizer required depend very largely upon the season and the character of the soil. If a drought occurs during the fruiting period, a large excess of barn-yard manure in the soil will prove most effective in retaining the soil moisture ; on the other hand, a similar excess if the season is rainy and hot, will tend to the production of foliage and runners to the detriment of the fruit crop. If a soil has been devoted to strawberry culture for some years and barn-yard manure has been exclusively used as the fertilizer, the probabilities are that potash and phosphoric acid are the fertilizing constituents particularly needed. Consequently, wood ashes, or a mixture of finely ground bone and kainit or muriate of potash, as already men- tioned, should be applied. Instead of the bone meal, superphosphate may be used ; it furnishes the phosphoric acid in a more or less soluble condition, but unlike bone meal does not contain nitrogen. Light dressings, in the spring, of soluble nitrogen, as in nitrate of soda (say 100 lbs. to the acre) are frequently of great value, especially on poor soils. THE COPPER SALT FUNGICIDES. AN OUTLINE OF THEIR CHEMISTRY. It is unnecessary to say anything here in support of the practice of spraying ; the value of certain copper compounds for the preservation of orchards and vineyards from fungous foes, is every year becoming better known and more widely appreciated. Ad- vanced orchardists the world over recognize the efficacy of the copper fungicides for keeping both foliage and fruit clean and free from injurious attacks. That the mixture or solution used may be effective in fungicidal power, as well as non-injurious to foliage, two factors must be paid attention to : — (1) the right prepar- ation of the fungicide, and (2) the earliness and frequency of application. It is the first of these only that we shall consider here. As may have already been inferred, the efficacy of the fungicides is largely depen- dent upon their chemical composition and physical condition. These in turn are depen- dent upon the materials and the method of manufacture used. We may further state that a correct and intelligent preparation of the solutions and mixtures necessitates a knowledge, at least in outline, of the changes that take place under varying circum- stances of manufacture. The account of these reactions which follow, though necessar- ily brief, will place the reader in possession of facts of great assistance for effective spraying. Bordeaux Mixture. The source of the copper in all spraying preparations is primarily copper sul- phate, commonly known as bluestone— a deep blue crystalline salt, easily soluble in water, the chemical formula of which is CuS0 4 , 5H 2 0. 172 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. Since the efficacy of copper sulphate as a fungicide has been well established — as illustrated by its beneficial action on seed wheat infected by smut spores — and since it is the basis or source of the copper in the spraying mixtures, and a material easily and cheaply obtained, the question is often asked, " Why cannot a simple solution of blue- stone in water be used for spraying ?" The answer may be very briefly stated. A solu- tion of copper sulphate sufficiently strong to prevent the growth of fungous diseases would, so far as our present experience shows, prove injurious to foliage. The corrosive character of this chemical must, by precipitation or neutralization, be rendered inno- cuous before bluestone can be of practical value for spraying when the leaves are out. Fungicides, properly prepared, allow the application of an adequate amount of copper to prove effective and at the same time are non-injurious to foliage. Bordeaux mixture is perhaps the best known and the most highly valued of all the copper compound fungicides. The formula as now advocated is as follows : — Copper sulphate 4 pounds. Lime 4 pounds. Water 50 gallons. Briefly, the directions for manufacture are : The freshly burnt lime is slaked by the addition of successive small quantities of water, and then well stirred" with sufficient water to make a thin, creamy mixture. This is now strained through coarse sacking into a barrel containing the dissolved copper sulphate, and then well stirred and made up with water to 50 gallons. In order to produce a Bordeaux mixture that does not readily " settle out," the milk of lime and the solution of bluestone should both be well diluted before mixing. Concentrated solutions cause a heavy granular precipitate, which quickly separates and falls to the bottom of the barrel. Iron or other metal vessels should not be used for dissolving the bluestone in, nor as receptacles for the resulting mixture, since such cause decomposition, injuring both vessel and fungicide. The reaction that takes place on mixing, is that the lime in solution precipitates the copper from the solution of bluestone as an insoluble compound — cupric hydrate — the sulphuric acid combining with the lime to form sulphate of lime, which on account of its slight solubility remains to a very large extent in suspension. This reaction is repre- sented by the following chemical equation : — CuS0 4 , 5(H 2 0) + Ca(OH), = Cu (OH), + CaS0 4 + 5H Q Copper sulphate. Slaked lime. Cupric hydrate. Sulphate of lime. Water. By reason of the slight solubility of lime — 1 part in 750 parts of water — the fifty gallons cannot hold in solution at once the amount of lime necessary to precipitate, or throw out of solution, the four parts of bluestone. Since, however, the sulphate of lime for the most part separates out as it is formed, the same water again takes up lime, which causes a further precipitation of cupric hydrate. The reaction is continuous and rapid until all the copper is precipitated. Finally, we have insoluble cupric hydrate, lime (from the excess used) and sulphate of lime in a Liquid containing small quantities of the two latter materials in solution. For the sake of simplicity the reaction has been represented as a simple one, re- sulting in the formation of cupric hydrate and sulphate of lime. But although the above equation depicts the chief and final reaction when the Bordeaux mixture is properly made, several other compounds may be formed, according to the condition of preparation. Before the reaction is complete, or if sufficient lime is not present, basic sulphate of copper, [Cu (OH) 2 , CuS0 4 ] is most probably produced. As pointed out by Professor Willard and others, the exposure of this compound to the atmosphere, as upon the foliage, results in the re-formation of corrosive sulphate of copper. Chemistry therefore shows the necessity of an excess of lime, and further explains why an insufficiently precipitated Bordeaux mixture, though it contains no copper in solution, may prove injurious to foliage. The injury arising from the presence of the basic sulphate of copper, as pointed out by Professor Fairchild, may not appear for some time after the application, or until after the first shower. REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 173 To precipitate a definite amount of copper sulphate, a definite amount of lime is necessary — at least 3-5 ounces of freshly burnt lime for each pound of bluestone. In practice, however, in order to ensure the complete precipitation of the copper, and since impurities always exist in the commercial article, an excess of lime should be used. No element of danger is in this way introduced, as the excess of lime, when using the above formula, is not injurious to foliage. It may be pointed out that air-slacked lime con- tains variable and sometimes large percentages of carbonate of lime, and hence its use for this purpose is not advised. It has occasionally been suggested to use the super- natant lime water which can be poured off from the undissolved lime — lime water in fact. Fifty gallons of such saturated lime wate