consisted mainly of early-ripening wheat for the Canadian North-West, and the Ladoga 

 wheat was brought prominently before the farmers of Manitoba and the North- West 

 Territories, Since then the distribution has become more general, and varieties of 

 wheat, barley and oats, which promise to be useful in any of the Provinces, have been 

 introduced and disseminated with the view |of benefiting all parts of the country. 

 These samples are sent free by mail, in strong cotton bags, containing 3 pounds 

 each. The first season of distribution, the spring of 1888, they were sent to farmers 

 in different parts of the country whose names were submitted to me by persons 

 acquainted in the several districts as men likely to be interested in the subject. The 

 number of samples sent that year was 2,150; of these 1,529 were Ladoga wheat, the 

 remainder consisting of two-rowed and six-rowed barley and oats. In 1889 a different 

 method of distribution was followed, and samples were sent only to those who applied 

 for them. That year 2,760 three pound bags were distributed, consisting of 1,279 of 

 Ladoga wheat, 947 of two-rowed barley and 534 of oats. During the past season, 1890, 

 the same plan of distribution was followed — that of sending samples only on applica- 

 tion ; and the fact that requests were received and samples sent to the extent of 12,353, 

 distributed among 5,896 individuals, will give some idea of the interest which farmers 

 are taking in this branch of Experimental Farm work. The object aimed at is to 

 influence favourably the entire grain crop of the country, by introducing better 

 varieties than those now in common cultivation, and this, result I believe, can and will 

 be accomplished within a comparatively short time. A few words will suffice to show 

 that this object is worth striving for. The oat crop of Ontario alone for 1890 is esti- 

 mated by the Ontario Bureau of Industries to have occupied 1,882,366 acres and to 

 have yielded 52,768,207 bushels, an average of 28 bushels per acre. Every bushel per 

 acre which can be added to this is a gain to Ontario, reckoning oats at 40 cents per 

 bushel, of $752,946, while a pound per bushel added to the average weight of the grain 

 is a gain of $620,802. Barley is said to have occupied in the same Province 701,326 

 acres, yielding 15,600,169 bushels, being an average of 22-2 bushels per acre. Taking 

 barley at 50 cents per bushel, a gain of 1 bushel per acre in this crop adds $350,663 

 to the returns of the Ontario farmers, while a pound added to the weight would be 

 again of $162,501. Again, spring wheat occupied 601,753 acres, yielding 7,683,905 

 bushels, or 12-8 bushels per acre. A gain of 1 bushel per acre in this case at 90 cents 

 per bushel, adds $541,577 to the returns, while 1 pound per bushel gives on the 

 short crop of the past year $115,258. Fall wheat has occupied an area of 720,101 

 acres, giving a crop of 14,267,383 bushels, equal to 19*8 bushels per acre. A gain of 

 1 bushel per acre here, with fail wheat at $1 per bushel, amounts to $720,101, while 

 an addition of 1 pound per bushel gives $237,789. Taking into one estimate the 

 entire acreage and yield of these four leading crops, we find that an addition of 1 

 bushel per acre all around would give to the farmers of Ontario $2,365,287, while an 

 average gain of 1 pound per bushel in the weight of the grain would give $1,136,340. 

 The samples of grain sent out in\1890 were distributed as follows: — 



Prince Edward Island. 



Oats , 223 



Barley 242 



Wheat 138 



Peas 1 



Total 604 



Number of applicants supplied, 350. :== 



Nova Scotia. 



Oats ; 436 



Barley 586 



Wheat 244 



Total 1,266 



Number of applicants supplied, 584. === 



