Series consists of records created and maintained at the Central Experimental Farm between 1888 and 1967. The series includes registers of chemical laboratory tests, 1885-1925 (Vols. 1959-2014); sample books, 1896-1933 (Vols. 2015-2046); notes on experiments, 1917-1934 (Vols. 2047-2098); the letterbooks of William Saunders as Director of the Central Experimental Farm, January-June 1899; 1903-1911 (Vols. 2099-2101, 4398); notes on milling and baking experiments with cereals, 1904-1921, 1924, 1926-1954, 1957-1958, 1960, 1964-1967 (Vols. 2691-2721); record of crops grown on fertilized plots, 1889-1898 (Vol. 2722); records of baking and ingredient tests on cereals, 1909-1915 (Vols. 2723-2727); a processing book on experiments on a variety of products including potato chips and frozen vegetables and fruits, etc., 1951-1953 (Vol. 2728). The majority of this material relates to tests performed on well water, foodstuffs, and cereal crops. Also included are Garden field books (1904-1936) and a ledger of Record of Cross-bred Cereals (1896-1912).
Photographic material consists of events and individuals photographed: Portraits of Dominion Agrostologists, Joseph C. Taché (1868-1888) and J.H. Grisdale (1919-1932); Group photos of Field Husbandry Div, Dept of Agriculture, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa (1948); Experimental Farm Service Conference of Officers (1952); 1924 Rust Conference; Research Branch Conference, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, 1961, 1966, 1969 and 1971; 85th Annual meeting, Entomological Society of Ontario, 1948-1950, 75th Anniversary of Montreal Branch, 1948; Group photograph, Chemistry Division, Neatby Research Building, 1959; Management Work Planning Meeting, Cornwall, 1980; Research Branch Management Conferences, 1977 and 1978; Agriculture Photography subjects Salon prints awards, 1958-1959 by Ross Jackson; Central Experimental Farm, Senior Officers, 1948; Various Experimental Farms across Canada, including: Ste-Anne de la Pocatière, Que., 1934; Scott, 1934; Napan, 1890 and 1933; Morden, 1929; Mayberries, 1946; Lethbridge, Alta, 1946; Lennoxville, Que., 1931; L'Assomption, Que., 1933; Kentville, NS, 1924 and 1934; Kapuskasing, Ont., 1934; Indian Head, NWT, 1890 and 1946; Harrow, 1933; Fredericton, NB, 1932; Farnham, Que., 1932; Ottawa, 1903; Cap Rouge, Que., 1930, Summerside, P.E.I., 1930; Summerland, 1957 and Agassiz, 1890; Portraits include: Dr. E.S. Hopkins, K.W. Neatby, Sydney Barnes and Dr. J. Malcolm Swaine; Views of staff in laboratory; Agriculture Canada, Management Council, 1984; Dr. W.T. Macoun's residence and Memorial garden (1889-1890) at Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa; William Saunders' house, Ottawa, Ont.; William Saunders planting a tree in the Dominion arboretum, Ottawa, 1911; Plant Research Institute Building, Ottawa, ca. 1957.
Varieties of horticultural specimens, some of which were developed at particular experimental farms including: trees and hedges; flowers (lilies, lilacs), fruits and vegetables; sample specimens showing various types of damage (insect, etc); images of plants in various stages of growth. Photos from exhibitions (ca. 1910 and later in the 1950's) including MacIntosh trees in Ontario; Photos illustratiing methods of spraying orchards at various points in history; photos of early farm machinery and early tractors (some fashioned from 1920's automobiles); machinery used in sorting and processing fruit; plans of a typical apple orchard and apple processing line.
The series also contains a plan dated1888, of the Central Experimental Farm, Township of Nepean, Ont., showing the position of the roads, buildings and drains.
Audio-visual material consists of film reels produced by the Central Experimental Farm of the Department of Agriculture. See sub-sub series for further details.
