84 EXPERIMENTAL fAHMS 



6-7 EDWARD VII., A. 1907 



yield, earliness, strength of straw, quality of grain, «S:c., when grown close together 

 under conditions as nearly uniform as possible. 



The importation of foreign grains did not cease, however, when the system of test- 

 plots was well established. Many new sorts have since been obtained from various 

 sources from time to time. Among these are a few very interesting varieties which 

 may prove of value. As a rule, however, it appears that better success will be obtained 

 by breeding our own sorts than by importing varieties bred in other countries under 

 climatic conditions usually quite different from those of Canada. 



IMPORTATION OF LARGE LOTS OF GRAIN. 



In addition to the small quantities of grain imported from various countries for 

 test on the experimental farms, much larger lots were purchased in two instances in 

 the effort to meet at once certain special difficulties. The importations referred, to 

 were those of Ladoga wheat tmd of English Two-row barley. 



The early settlers in soiue districts of the Northwest Territories sometimes 

 suffered a considerable reduction in the value of their wheat crop because of early 

 autumn frosts which occurred before the grain was quite ripe. It was, therefore, felt 

 to be of great importance to secure for those districts a variety of wheat which would 

 ripen about a week earlier than Red Fife (the kind most commonly grown). A 

 quantity of sead wheat was, therefore, obtained from Northern Russia, from near 

 Lake Ladoga. This variety was a promising, hard red wheat to which the name 

 Ladoga was given. The grain was supplied for .seed purposes to farmei's living at a 

 number of different points in the Northwest. It proved to be considerably earlier in 

 ripening than Red Fife and gave good yields, but when at length a sufficient quantity 

 was obtained for a milling and baking test (which at that time required a large 

 amount of grain) the flour was found to be too yellow in colour for the public taste, 

 and was also somewhat different in other respects from that made from Red Fife 

 wheat. The cultivation of Ladoga wheat was therefore not further encouraged, except 

 in the sections of country farthest north where the Red Fife was quite unsuitable, 

 and where all the wheat grown was used for home consumption. 



In the year 1S90 an effort was made to encourage Canadian farmers to grow 

 barley for export for malting purposes to Great Britain and Ireland, tariff charges 

 in the United States having deprived our country of a market for a con.sidcrable q,;an- 

 tity of barley. Six-row barley had been grown for export to the United States, but as 

 the English market required two-row barley a quantity of seed of a suitable variety 

 was obtained from England and sold to farmers so that they might be able to start at 

 once the growing of comparatively large quantities of one of the best English malt- 

 ing sorts. 



Thr results of this experiment showed that first-class barley of the type desired 

 by the English buyer could be produced in many districts in Canada. It was found, 

 however, that our system of shipping grain in bulk made it impossible, as a rule, to 

 retain the identity of the finest samples, which usually become mixed with poorer 

 grain before reaching the purchaser. This and other circumstances almost completely 

 stopped the exportation of barley; and while this grain is still largely grown in Canad 

 it is now used for feeding purposes at home, to the greater advantage of the farmer. 



a. 



TEST PLOTS OF CEREALS. 



The system of uniform test plots which was established early in the history of 

 the experimental farms has proved of great value in enabling us to reach conclusions 

 as to the relative merits of the different varieties of grain. The size of the plots has 

 been changed somewhat from time to time, but of late years the standard has been 

 onc-fortietii of an acre. Smaller plots than this are not very satisfactory for cerca's, 



