REPORT OF MR. S. A. BEDFORD. 



297 



Grain Grown after Potatoes. 



Potatoes grown in close proximity to a railway station are generally a profitable 

 crop here, and another strong point in their favour is that all varieties of grain yield 

 immense crops when sown after potatoes. 



It will be seen from the following table that the returns obtained this year from 

 grain sown on potato ground is much higher than from land prepared in any other way. 

 These tests were also conducted on clay loam on one-tenth acre plots. 



Grain grown after Potatoes. 



Flax. 



The extremely low prices of wheat prevailing in recent years has led to inquiries 

 into the profitableness of products not very generally grown throughout the province. 

 Flax is one of the most promising of these, its growth has been mainly carried on in 

 the Mennonite settlement in Southern Manitoba, where it has been grown to a large 

 extent for a number of years. While the price of nearly all the staples grown by 

 farmers here have fallen, the value of flax has been well maintained, realizing usually 

 from seventy-five cents to one dollar per bushel, the present price is $1.10 per bushel. 



Six plots have this year been devoted to flax, three to gain information regarding 

 the proper time to sow, and three to ascertain the most profitable amount of seed to 

 sow. 



Although the rainfall was too small for the best results, it will be seen that this 

 pi'oduct promises to be quite profitable even in a dry year. 



For comparison plots of both red and white wheats were sown adjoining the flax 

 and under the same conditions, it will be seen from the accompanying tables that flax 

 is by far the most profitable crop. 



It was sown with a common hoe drill and cut with a grain binder without difficulty, 

 the sheaves were threshed with the ordinary separator, care being taken to feed slowly. 



As the flax plant is not vigorous in the early stages of its growth, only clean land 

 should be used, preferably summer-fallow or backsetting, otherwise weeds will greatly 

 reduce the yield. 



As much of the flax seed offered for sale contains a large proportion of noxious 

 weeds, principally wild mustard and false flax, cai'e should be exercised when purchasing 

 it for seed. 



The plots used for flax will be sown with different kinds of grain next spring, and 

 thus some information may be gained as to its effect on the land in the way of exhaus- 

 tion. The plots sown were one-tenth acre each, and the soil clay loam. 



