The Central Experimental Farm (CEF), commonly known as the Experimental Farm, is an agricultural facility, working farm, and research centre of the Science and Technology Branch, formerly the Research Branch, of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. As the name indicates, this farm is centrally located in and now surrounded by the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Located on 4 square kilometres (1.5sqmi) of land, the farm is a National Historic Site of Canada[1] and most buildings are protected and preserved as heritage buildings.
The CEF's original intent was to perform scientific research for improvement in agricultural methods and crops. While such research is still being conducted, the park-like atmosphere of the CEF has become an important place of recreation and education for the residents of Ottawa. Furthermore, over the years several other departments and agencies have encroached onto the CEF property, such as Natural Resources Canada, National Defence (HMCS Carleton on Dow's Lake), and the Ottawa Civic Hospital (helicopter pad).
The CEF is bordered by the Rideau Canal (a National Historic Site as well) to the east, Prince of Wales Drive to the South-East, Baseline Road to the south, and Merivale and Fisher Roads to the west, and Carling Avenue to the north.
History
Overview map of the CEF
The Victorian era was a time of great interest in the advancement of natural sciences and many nations built zoos, observatories, botanical gardens, and experimental farms. Canada followed suit and as the result of lobbying by John Carling, the Minister of Agriculture, and William Saunders, the first director of the research branch, the "Act Respecting Experimental Stations" came into force in 1886. The land owned by local Ottawa farmers including John Mulligan (1799–1886) was sold to the government to create the experimental farm. The CEF started out with 188 hectares, chosen because of their proximity to Parliament Hill but (at that time) outside the city. Over the next few years the site was prepared by improving the land, building the facilities, and planting the Arboretum and forest belt. Early research projects focused only on entomology, botany, and horticulture.
Historic Building No.55 at the Central Experimental Farm
In 1887–1888, Chief Dominion Architect Thomas Fuller designed the Museum, laboratories, barn, stables, and Staff Residences on Prince of Wales Drive[3] In 1887, Charles F. Cox lay out of the site and design of farm buildings.[4] In 1887–1888, William John Beckett, a contractor, served as foreman during the building of the residences, offices and barns.[5]
CEF Agricultural Museum
In 1889, livestock was introduced to the CEF.
Chief Dominion Architect David Ewart designed the Dominion Observatory, Carling Avenue in 1902; Chief Astronomer's Residence, 1909; and the Geodetic Survey Building, 1914.[6] Chief Dominion Architect Edgar Lewis Horwood designed the Cereal and Agrostology Building, 1915–16; Agricultural Building, 1915; and records storage building, 1937.[7] Chief Dominion Architect Richard Cotsman Wright designed a number of buildings including: the Poultry Office Building, 1920; and the Botanical Laboratory Building, 1924–25.[8]
Sir John Carling Building
John Bethune Roper designed the Administration Building, Carling Avenue, 1934.[9] William James Abra designed the Biological Building, 1935.[10]
Neatby Building
Over the years the scope of research grew and changed, prompting a need to increase the farm's lands and buildings. The Horticulturalist's house and staff residences were removed by the 1930s (they were no longer needed since the city had grown around the farm), the forest belt gradually disappeared, and new larger centralized facilities were built, starting with the Saunders Building in 1935, followed by the Neatby Building, Geophysical Lab, Laboratory Services Building, and the Carling Building.
From 1940 to 1947, building 136 operated as a high frequency Naval Radio Station-CFF which frequently intercepted enemy transmissions. On May 1, 1993, a memorial was erected by NOAC and Royal Canadian Naval Association Ottawa and dedicated to the Naval Veterans and those who served at this station which provided a link during World War II between Canadian naval headquarters and ships at sea, allied naval headquarters and operational naval authorities.[11]
The CEF was the site of a large scale cannabis grow operation in the 1970s, producing tonnes of crop from plants standing 20 feet tall.[12] It was intended to provide Canadian scientists with reliable samples for research in response to an interim report of the Le Dain Commission.[13] The plants were near Ash Lane, earning it the nickname "Hash Lane"; combined with the secrecy around the project, it became a local legend among area youth.[12]
In 1983, the agricultural museum was created in the former Dairy Barn.
The Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office recognized or classified a number of CEF buildings on the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings between 1984 to 1997. The Cereal Barn Building 76 was classified in 1984. The Victoria Memorial Museum was classified in 1986. The Main Dairy Barn Building 88 was classified in 1987. In 1988, the Botanical Laboratory / Horticulture Building 74 and the Sheep Showcase / Small Dairy Barn Building 95 were recognized. The Nutrition Building 59 was recognized in 1992. In 1993, Heritage House, Building 60 was recognized. The William Saunders Building 49 was recognized in 1994. In 1995, Heritage House, Building 54; K. W. Neatby Building 20 and the Main Piggery, Building 91 were recognized. In 1996, the Main Greenhouse Range, Building 50 was recognized. In 1997, a number of buildings were recognized: ARC Biotech, Building 34; Carpenter Shed, Building 98; Cereal Crops Building 75; Dairy Technology Building 57; Engineering Research Building 94; Horticulture Building 55; Laboratory Services Building 22; Pottery Shed, Building 77; and Service Building 56.[14]
The CEF was designated as a National Historic Site in 1998.
The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is a national agricultural museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Occupying several buildings within the Central Experimental Farm, the museum operates as a "working farm", and provides public programs and exhibitions on agriculture sciences, and on the history of agriculture in Canada. In addition to the exhibitions held on the grounds, the museum also organizes travelling exhibitions for other museums across the country.
The Confederation Building is a office building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Located just west of the Parliament Buildings at Bank Street and Wellington Street, it is generally considered part of Parliament Hill.
The Dominion Observatory was an astronomical observatory in Ottawa, Ontario that operated from 1902 to 1970. The Observatory was also an institution within the Canadian Federal Government. The observatory grew out of the Department of the Interior's need for the precise coordinates and timekeeping that at that time could only come from an observatory. For several years they had used a small observatory on the Ottawa River for this purpose. In 1902, it was decided that Canada needed a larger national observatory similar to the Royal Greenwich Observatory in Britain.
David Ewart, ISO was a Canadian architect who served as Chief Dominion Architect from 1896 to 1914.
Thomas William Fuller, the son of Thomas Fuller, was a Canadian architect. Before his selection as Dominion Architect, Fuller designed a number of federal buildings in Dawson City, Yukon, some of which are now designated as National Historic Sites of Canada. These include the Post Office (1899); Court House (1900–01); Territorial Administration Building, 5th Avenue (1901); Public School (1901) which burned 1957; and Commissioner's Residence (1901).
The Dominion Arboretum is an arboretum part of the Central Experimental Farm of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Originally begun in 1889, the Arboretum covers about 26 hectares of rolling land between Prince of Wales Drive, Dow's Lake and the Rideau Canal. Carleton University is located at the opposite side of the Canal. At a latitude of 45°, it can experience extremely hot and humid summers and extremely cold winters.
The elm cultivar Ulmus 'Koopmannii' was cloned from a specimen raised from seed sent from Margilan, Turkestan by Koopmann to the Botanischer Garten Berlin c. 1880. Noted in 1881 as a 'new elm', it was later listed by the Späth nursery, catalogue no. 62, p. 6. 101, 1885, as Ulmus Koopmannii, and later by Krüssmann in 1962 as a cultivar of U. minor. Margilan is beyond the main range of Ulmus minor. Augustine Henry, who saw the specimens in Berlin and Kew, believed Koopmann's Elm to be a form of Ulmus pumila, a view not shared by Rehder of the Arbold Arboretum. Ascherson & Graebner said the tree produced 'very numerous root shoots', which suggests it may be a cultivar of U. minor. Until DNA analysis can confirm its origin, the cultivar is now treated as Ulmus 'Koopmannii'.
The putative Wych Elm cultivar Ulmus glabra 'Latifolia Nigricans' was first described, as Ulmus campestris latifolia nigricans, by Pynaert in 1879. Pynaert, however, did not specify what species he meant by U. campestris. The tree was supplied by the Späth nursery of Berlin in the late 19th century and early 20th as Ulmus montana latifolia nigricans. Späth, like many of his contemporaries, used U. montana both for Wych Elm cultivars and for those of the U. × hollandica group.
The Ornamental Gardens are an agricultural facility that emphasizes research, education, and beauty as part of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Central Experimental Farm. As the name indicates, the gardens are centrally located in and now surrounded by the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The 8-acre garden is a National Historic Site and Cultural Heritage Landscape.
The K.W. Neatby Building is located at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The building contains the Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre (ECORC), a research centre belonging to the Research Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The building is a Recognized Heritage Building of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Richard Cotsman Wright (1860–1921) was a Canadian architect who served as Chief Dominion Architect from 1918-1927. As chief government architect he was responsible for many of the federal buildings constructed in this period. He embraced Chateauesque architecture and the Collegiate Gothic architecture.
Edgar Lewis Horwood (1868–1957) was a Canadian architect who served as Chief Dominion Architect from 1915 to 1917.
Chief Dominion Architect was a position created in 1871 by the Government of Canada to help design public federal buildings across Canada. The role reported to the Minister of Public Works.
Isabella Preston was a horticulturist and public servant widely recognized for her achievements in plant hybridization and extensive work in ornamental plant breeding. She is Canada’s first female professional plant breeder. During her 26-year career, she produced nearly 200 new hardy hybrids of lily, lilac, crab apple, iris and rose plants for Canada's cold climate. While female plant breeders were rather rare in her day, she quietly challenged gender bias and set the stage for new generations of breeding programs at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and elsewhere.
The elm cultivar Ulmus 'Fastigiata Glabra' was distributed by the Späth nursery, Berlin, in the 1890s and early 1900s as U. montana fastigiata glabra. Späth used U. montana both for cultivars of wych elm and for those of some U. × hollandica hybrids like 'Dampieri'. A specimen of U. montana fastigiata glabra in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh was determined by Melville in 1958 as a hybrid of the U. × hollandica group.
The elm cultivar Ulmus 'Glabra' was distributed by the Späth nursery, Berlin, in the 1890s and early 1900s as U. glabraMill.. Not to be confused with the species U. glabraHuds..
The field elm cultivar 'Punctata' ['spotted', the leaf] first appeared in the 1886–87 catalogue of Simon-Louis of Metz, France, as U. campestris punctata. It was distributed by the Späth nursery, Berlin, in the 1890s and early 1900s as U. campestris punctataSim.-Louis, the Späth catalogue listing it separately from U. campestris fol. argenteo-variegata and from U. campestris fol. argenteo-marginata. Green considered it possibly a synonym of the Field Elm cultivar 'Argenteo-Variegata'.
Faith Fyles (1875–1961) was the first botanical artist with the Canadian federal government, department of agriculture. Her work resulted in the expansion of the herbarium in Ottawa.
Saunders / Macoun, William / William Tyrrell (January 11, 2010), Catalogue Of The Trees And Shrubs In The Arboretum And Botanic Garden At The Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. Ontario, Canada by William Saunders, William Tyrrell Macoun, Ottawa, Ontario: BiblioLife This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.
Experimental Farms Service (July 30, 2010), Guide To Central Experimental Farm: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada by Canada Experimental Farms Service, Ottawa, Ontario: Nabu Press This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.
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