9-10 EDWARD VII. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1910 



ANNUAL REPORT OF THE EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



For the year ending IVtarcli 31, 1909 



REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 



WM. SAUNDERS, C.M.G., LL.D., F.R.S.C., F.L.S. 



The season of 1908, although not everywhere favourable to the farmer, was, in most 

 parts of Canada, fairly satisfactory. The field crops of the Dominion are said to have 

 covered a total area of 27,505,663 acres, and to have yielded crops which, estimated at 

 average local market prices, would reach the value of $432,534,000. 



In Ontario the season was not very favourable. The spring was exceedingly wet, 

 and the early sowing of grain was therefore impossible. When at length the seed was 

 all in, the weather changed, and unusual heat and rather severe drought prevailed 

 through the greater part of the summer and autumn. These adverse conditions 

 reduced the crops to considerably below the average except where the soil was unusually 

 rich and retentive of moisture. The results of this season have emphasized the neces- 

 sity for early sowing, and in those localities where early seeding was possible the 

 resulting crops were more satisfactory. The crop of winter wheat was 15,798,000 

 bushels, the average yield being 23-60 bushels per acre. Spring wheat gave an average 

 of only 15-80 bushels per acre and the crop was 2,259,000 bushels. The total crop of 

 oats was 103,821,000 bushels, with an average yield of 33-40' bushels per acre. The 

 barley, the total crop of which v/as 21,124,000 bushels, gave an average of 28-40 

 bushels per acre. The hay and clover, which occupies a larger acreage than any other 

 crop in Ontario, gave 5,187,000 tons, which brought an average return of $11.02 per 

 ton, or a total of $57,160,000. 



In Quebec, where the acreage under crop is very much smaller than in Ontario, 

 winter wheat is not grown. Spring wheat gave an average of 13-50 bushels per acre, 

 oats, 23 bushels, and barley, 19-80 bushels per acre. These three cereals returned to 

 the farmers nearly twenty-two million dollars in all. Hay and clover, on account of 

 drought, gave a yield somewhat less than in Ontario, the total crop being 3,473,000 

 tons, valued at $38,198,000. The summer weather in this province was unusually dry. 



In the Maritime Provinces, the winter was mild, the spring dry and the land 

 ready for seeding early. The season was favourable for growth, and the yield of most 

 crops has been up to or above the average. Spring wheat has yielded better crops 

 than in Ontario. In Nova Scotia the average has been 17-40 bushels per acre, in New 

 Brunswick 17-30, and in Prince Edward Island 14-25 bushels per acre, but oats, which 

 occupied a much larger area, have not averaged quite so well as in Ontario. 

 Dairying has been prosperous, cheese and butter bringing unusual prices. Apples 

 have been fairly plentiful and have been of better quality than usual bringing 

 higher prices. The exports of apples from Nova Scotia during 1908 are said to have 

 been the largest on record, amounting to nearly 600,000 barrels. Hay was a heavy 

 crop with lower prices. The yield of potatoes has been excellent. 



In Manitoba the spring weather was suitable for early sowing, and all crops were 

 got in in good time and under favourable conditions. Good weather continued until 

 about the middle of July, when very hot weath-er set in, which lasted for two weeks. 



