288 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2-3 EDWARD VI 1., A. 1903 

 EXPERIMENTS WITH FLAX. 



Since the increased iniaiigration from the United States more attention has been 

 given to the cultivation of flax, and this year a considerable area of new breaking was 

 sown with this crop. 



One of the objections to the sowing of Hax is the great difficulty of procuring pure 

 seed. This year several new varieties were tested on the Experimental Farm and in 

 nearly every instance the sample was badly infested with noxious weed seeds. One sam- 

 ple contained no less than six different varieties of mustard, all of which were pulled by 

 hand as they blossomed. 



Appended will be found tables giving the result of experiments with flax. 



FLAX — THICK AND THIN SOAVING. 



The size of plots for this test was one-twentieth acre, and the soil was a clay loam 

 which had been summer-fallowed. The sowing was done with a Massey Harris grain 

 drill. It is, however, difficult to sow evenly with this machine if less than twenty 

 pounds of seed per acre are used. 



The result of this year's test would indicate that a liberal amount of seed gives the 

 best results. This agrees with the results obtained last year. 



FLAX TEST OF VARIETIES. 



Several varieties of flax have been tested during the year. The amount of seed 

 available of each kind was small, and the sowing was too thin for the best results, but 

 the product of this year's crop has been saved and larger plots can be sown next year. 



In addition to the seven varieties given in the following table one was obtained 

 from Calcutta. This proved so short that it was impossible to cut it with a binder. 

 The size «f the plots was -^ acre. The soil was a rich clay loam and the previous crop 

 fodder corn. 



Variety. 



Date 

 Sown. 



Novarossick . . 

 Jlussian ..... 



Riga 



Common 



La Plata . . . 

 St. Petersburg 

 Bombay 



June 5. 

 5. 

 5. 

 5. 

 5. 

 5. 

 5. 



Date 

 Ripe. 



Spvt. 10. 

 I. 6. 



5. 



5. 

 II 10. 



4. 



5. 



Yield per 

 Acre. 



Bush. Lbs. 



22 

 11 

 9 

 9 

 9 

 6 

 5 



28 

 44 

 36 

 36 

 36 

 24 

 20 



