Comprises 200 acres of land, all cleared and in the highest state of cultivation. About sixty acres devoted to tree and small fruits, as follows : 2,000 apple trees, 3,000 pear trees, 2,000 plum trees, 200 cherry trees, 100 peach trees, 300 grape vines. The apples and pears include the leading commercial varieties, and are exported by the grower, principally to Glasgow, their season for domestic use being from August 1st to June 1st. The other fruits mentioned are disposed of in local markets, principally Toronto and Montreal. Eight acres of this farm is annually occupied by strawberries ; average yield 6,000 quarts per acre ; average price 6 cents per quart. About the same amount of land under raspberry culture, yielding about two-thirds the quantity of fruit gathered from similar area of strawberries.
Five acres of red and black currants occupy the balance of the land under fruit. This fruit is practically all sold by commission merchants. To operate the dairy forty cows are kept, various breeds and crosses. The favorite breed is a grade shorthorn. No cow is kept which will not yield at least 6,000 pounds of milk per year. They are fed on roots, ensilage and chopped grain.
The stock on the farm consumes annually 2,000 bushels of oats, 20 tons of bran, 20 tons shorts, or equivalents for these quantities in peas and other grains when procurable, and 6,000 bushels roots.
The milk from dairy disposed of by retail sale, handled on most approved hygienic system. These cows would produce a little over 200 pounds each of butter per year on an average if milk were handled in creamery. They are turned out to pasture for about eight hours daily during summer, the soiling system supplying the balance of their feed. In winter they never leave their stalls.
The farm produces in grains an equivalent for the amount required to maintain stock. The barn is one of the largest in the county, the dimensions being 60 ft. x 90 ft., with L 42 x 60 ft., outside posts 24 ft. high, from peak of roof to ground 55 ft. A basement of stone 10 ft. high furnishes stabling. for 60 head of cattle and 12 horses, and provides for the storage of 5,000 bushels of roots. The silo inside measurement is 16 x 20 ft. x 32 ft. high ; corn is used for filling it, and the ration per cow per day is 40 pounds.
In the grain barn a rack lifter is used to elevate the loads. They are raised 24 feet, and so gravitation is a force upon which large demands are made during the harvest. A 14-foot geared windmill furnishes power for grinding, cutting feed, pumping, etc. To work this land ten horses are required and about nine regular hands ; these are supplemented during the busy season by from twenty five to thirty pickers, Indians being employed to do this class of work.