334 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



was the most common and did the greatest harm. The Experimental Farm was not 

 exempt from this enemy of the North-west farmer, one field of Red Fife wheat being 

 injured very much, although it had been fallowed the previous year. 



As already stated, the crops on the Experimental Farm were poor the past season. 

 This includes grain, x'oots and part of the vegetables. 



In wheats the largest yield did not exceed twenty bushels per acre ; while some 

 were as low as twelve bushels. The tests made with fallow asrainst stubble land 

 demonstrated without a doubt the advisability of depending chiefly on the first- 

 mentioned method of preparing land for grain crops. While it may do to risk a portion 

 of the crop on stubble spring-ploughed, it is folly for anyone to depend entirely on it. 



Barley was a poor crop, by far the worst ever cut on the farm. The seed came up 

 evenly and the plants made good growth till 8 or 10 inches in height, when dry weather 

 set in, and from then until ripe very little gain was made. The 2-rowed sorts especially 

 were very short in straw and gave small yields. 



The oat crop on fallow land was fair, while on either fall or spring work it was 

 hardly worth cutting. One field of five acres»on spring ploughing was ploughed up 

 early in the season, so that the piece of land might be fallowed. 



Pease were a light crop, but the sample was very good. 



Field roots, like the grain, suffered from the dry, hot weather, and as will be seen 

 in the result of tests, gave small yields. 



Fodder crops, including corn, mixed grain, &c, were very light, but of good 

 quality. The corn was further advanced at time of cutting than in any previous year, 

 and will, no doubt, make better ensilage than it has generally done. 



Trees did not make anything like the growth of the preceding year. Considerable 

 growth, however, was made early in the season, and the long fall without severe frosts 

 has allowed the wood to ripen, and it is expected that all will go through the coming 

 winter in good condition. 



Small fruit bushes gave promise early in the season of a most abundant crop of 

 berries, but the dry weather completely dried up raspberries and strawberries, and while 

 currants were numerous, the quality of the fruit was poor and the size small. 



The past season has been favourable for stock. Although grass or fodder was 

 short on the prairies from want of rain, absence of flies and mosquitoes enabled the cattle 

 to do much better both in flesh and milk than in the preceding year. I regret having 

 to report the presence of tuberculosis in the herds on Experimental Farm and the kill- 

 ing of 13 animals out of 39 tested. Among the 13 were many of the finest in the herd, 

 including Durhams, Polled Angus, Holstein and Grades. The tests and results will, no 

 doubt, be given moi*e fully elsewhere in this report, and having been carried out under 

 your own supervision, will require no lengthy explanation here. 



I am pleased to note the increased interest taken in dairy work throughout the 

 country, as well as the large numbers going into mixed farming. Only in a few districts 

 is wheat still " king," while many are adding cattle, pigs, poultry, &c, to the farm 

 work. 



WHEAT. 



Twenty -eight varieties of wheat were tested the past year, including 12 cross-bred 

 sorts. None of these have produced heavy straw or given a large yield of grain, and 

 the sample of many kinds was thin and light. 



Following are the results of the tests in full : — 



Test of different varieties, sown same date, ^ acre each. 



