336 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



9-10 EDWARD VII., A. 1910 



' Result. — Sufficient moisture conserved for a dry year, and not too much for a wet 

 one. Few or no weeds, as all the seeds near the surface have germinated and been 

 killed. Surface soil apt to blow more readily than when either of the other methods is 

 followed. For the past fourteen years, the best, safest and cleanest grain has been 

 grown on fallow worked in this way, and the method is therefore recommended. 



' Fallows that have been ploughed for the first time after the first of July, and 

 especially after July 15, have never given good results ; and the plan too frequently 

 followed of (waiting till weeds are full grown, and often ripe, and ploughing under 

 with the idea of enriching the soil, is a method that cannot be too earnestly advised 

 against. 



' In the first place, after the rains are over in June or early in July, as they 

 usually are, no amount of work, whether deep or shallow ploughing, or surface 

 cultivation, can put moisture in the soil. The rain must fall on the first ploughing 

 and be conserved by surface cultivation. 



' Weeds, when allowed to attain their full growth, take from the soil all the 

 moisture put there by the June rains, and ploughing imder weeds with their, seeds 

 ripe or nearly so, is adding a thousand-fold to the myriads already in the soil, and 

 does not materially enrich the land.' 



DRY FARMING. 



During the past two years the term ' dry farming ' has been applied in Alberta 

 to what was formerly known in the west as ' summer-fallowing.' 



With the exception of the addition of the use of a soil-packer, there is no change 

 in the methods formerly employed, when the spring rains and frequent cultivation 

 were depended irpon for the packing of the soil. 



A packer is, without doubt, a most useful implement on the farm, and where from 

 any cause the soil is loose, it should be used. It is, however, an expensive implement, 

 and within the means of comparatively few of the new settlers. Fortunately, early 

 ploughing and frequent shallow cultivation may be depended upon to produce equally 

 satisfactory results. 



CULTIVATION OF STUBBLE. 



When farmers summer-fallow one-third of their cultivated land each year, as they 

 should, one-half of each year's crop will be on stubble. For wheat, the best preparation 

 of this land is to burn the stubble on the first hot, windy day in the spring, and either 

 cultivate shallow before seeding or give one or two strokes of the harrow after seeding; 

 the object being to form a mulch to conserve whatever moisture may be in the soil 

 until the commencement of the June rains. 



The portion intended for oats or barley should be ploughed four or five inches 

 deep, and harrowed immediately; then seeded and harrowed as fine as possible. In 

 case time will not permit ploughing, good returns may be expected from sowing the 

 seed oats or barley on the burnt ground and disking it in; then harrowing well. 



FALL PLOUGHING. 



With regard to fall-ploughing, it may be said that, as a rule, on accoimt of short 

 seasons and dry soil, very little, work can possibly be done in the fall, but if the stubble 

 land is in a condition to plough, and the stubble is not too long, that portion intended 

 for oats and barley may then be ploughed, if time permits. 



It is, however, a mistake to turn over soil in a lumpy or dry condition, as nine 

 times out of ten it will remain in the same state until May or June, with insufficient 

 moisture to properly germinate the seed, and the crop will be overtaken by frost. 



