44 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5-6 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 



No. 52, on ' Insects Injurious to Grain and Fodder Crops, Root Crops and Vege- 

 tables,' prepared by Dr. James Fletcher, Entomologist and Botanist of the Dominion 

 Experimental Farms.' The injuries annually caiosed by insects to farm crops, seriously 

 reduce the profits arising from the labour of tlie farmer. Much of this loss is pre- 

 ventable, and the object of this bulletin is to supply that practical iirformation which 

 will enable the reader to deal with these several pests in the most effective manner and 

 at the least cost. The concise accounts given of the life history and habits of the 

 injurious species treated of, together with the illustrations, will provide the means 

 whereby they may be readily distinguished. The remedies suggested for the destruc- 

 tion of these pests are, as a rule, of easy application a^d at the same time are very 

 effective. 



ANNUAL VISITS TO THE BRANCH EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 

 The usual annual visits of inspection were made. 



Agassiz was visited dtiring the latter part of August. The weather was dry prior 

 to and at the time of my visit and all the standing crops were in need of rain. The 

 grain was all harvested and threshing was in progress. All the grain crops excepting 

 wheat had been good, that had been injured by weevil. Hay had given very heavy re- 

 turns, the field roots and corn were growing rapidly and promised to be well up to the 

 average. 



The apple crop was about medium, the yield of pears was light, plums variable, 

 Bome of the more prolific varieties were fruiting well, while others gave only light 

 returns. In the nut orchard the Japanese walnuts and chestnuts were yielding well, 

 English walnuts and Spanish chestnuts both gave light crops, filberts gave more than 

 an average yield. 



Indian Head was twice visited, once on the way out to the coast about the middle 

 of August, and the second time on September 11. The first visit was just before har- 

 vest began at the return visit in September. I found the grain practically all cut and 

 no frost had occurred up to that time. The wheat in stook looked very heavy and the 

 oats and barley equally good. Field peas were an excellent crop, and roots were grow- 

 ing rapidly and promised well. Potatoes also were giving excellent returns. This sea- 

 son carrots were sown earlier than usual and they were the best crop ever grown at this 

 farm. Glover and AlfaKa were doing well, and Brome Grass and Western Rye Grass 

 had both given excellent crops of hay; orchard grass and timothy had also done well. 

 Corn was being cut on the day I arrived, September 11, and gave good returns. The 

 next day, September 12, there was a light frost, the thermometer registering 31° F. at 

 Indian Head. Most of the tender plants were cut, but no serious injury was done to 

 any of the crops. Fruit, forest trees and ornamental trees and shrubs had all made 

 excellent growth. 



Brandon also was visited twice. At the time of the first visit early in August 

 most of the grain was ripening and several of the earliest sorts of barley had been cu,t. 

 All varieties of grain promised well, oats were unusually heavy. On my return visit 

 the grain had been harvested and the results had been most gratifying. Oats on the 

 experimental plots had given yields varying with the different varieties from 137 

 bushels to 93 bushels per acre; the 39 different sorts under test averaged 111 bushels, 

 23 pounds per acre. Corn had given an excellent crop, and potatoes the largest crops 

 ever grown on the farm. The weather had been very favourable for harvesting, and 

 threshing was proceeding in every direction. Many of the cross-bred apples planted 

 in the experimental orchards, both here and at Indian Head, were fruiting well and 

 were attracting much attention from visiting farmers. Both of these farms were in 

 excellent condition. 



