REPORT OF THE CEREALIST 87 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Other tests of a somewhat similar nature have been made. Red Fife and White 

 Fife were carefully compared, and it was shown that there seemed to be no ground for 

 the common idea that White Fife (in pure condition) is inferior in quality to Red 

 Fife. 



The inferiority of Club wheat was clearly demonstrated, and the western farmers 

 were strongly advised to di-continue the cultivation of this variety on account of the 

 poor quality of the flour it ijroduced. 



During the present winter several interesting varieties are being tested, and the 

 difference between very hard and very soft Red Fife (both samples being known to be 

 quite true to name) is being studied. The results thus far obtained show clearly that 

 the flour from very soft Red Fife has markedly less strength, for baking purposes, 

 tlif-n that obtained from very hard Red Fife. The two samples compared were both 

 grown in the same district of Manitoba, but on different kinds of soil. 



This investigation into the quality of wheats is intended to include all the lead- 

 iiig sorts of both spring and winter wheats now grown in Canada. It is believed that 

 many farmers pay too little attention to the quality of the ,varieties they grow, and 

 that in many instances it will be found practicable to substitute superior sorts for 

 those which are now being cultivated. At present, however, the information obtain- 

 able by farmers in regard to the quality of the leading- sorts of wheat is very meagre. 



FIELD ROOTS, INDIAl^ CORN, ETC. 



In addition to cereals the experimental investigations in regard to field roots, 

 Indian corn for ensilage, millets and some other fodder crops are carried on by the 

 Cereal Division. Comparative tests of different vai'ieties cannot be conducted quite so 

 satisfactorily with these crops as with cereals, owing to the difficulty of procuring 

 from year to year exactly the same strains of seed. The seed cannot, as a rule, be ad- 

 vantageously ripened on this farm, but is purchased every year from various seedsmen. 

 The diversity of names given to essentially the same seed when sold by different firms 

 also complicates the work considerably. 



The importance of early sowing and of late pulling for roots have both been well 

 established by tests covering a number of years. So far as weight of crop is concerned, 

 there is a decided gain in sowing the seed as early and leaving the roots in the soil 

 as late rs can safely be done. 



