4-5 EDWARD VII. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1905 



ANNUAL REPORT 



OF THE 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR, WM. SAUNDERS, LL.D., F.R.S.C., E.L.S. 



The general results of farm work throughout the Dominion, althoxigh not so uni- 

 formly favourable as in some other years, have on the whole been fairly satisfactory. 

 The lengthened drought which prevailed in the Maritime Provinces during June and 

 the greater part of July, reduced the hay crop considerably, leaving it from 20 to 30 

 per cent below the average. The grain, also, in most districts for the same reason gave 

 lighter crops than usual, while pastures were seriously injured. In Quebec and Ontario 

 the general conditions have been more favourable. The season, however, was cooler 

 than usual, and although the rainfall in most places was sufficient, the crops did not 

 make rapid growth. Owing to the severe winter, the fall wheat in Western Ontario 

 was much injured, and nearly one-fourth of the crop was ploughed up. The average 

 yield of that harvested was considerably below the average of past years. Spring 

 wheat gave a yield about equal to the average, while barley and oats gave excellent 

 crops, considerably above the average returns. In hay, also, the crop was well above 

 the average. 



In Manitoba the spring opened late; otherwise the season was favourable. Far- 

 mers have, however, suffered from an unusual invasion of rust, which reduced the crops 

 of wheat and oats in some districts, but this was not sufficiently general to materially 

 affect the total crop, and the high price paid for wheat this year, together with the 

 increased area under crop will probably more than make up for any loss from rust. 

 In the Territories seeding was also late, with favourable weather until the middle of 

 June, when a period of drought set in which continued until the middle of July. Then 

 timely rains saved the grain from injury, but the straw was considerably shorter than 

 visual. The wheat crop in the Territories will probably average higher than in Mani- 

 toba, and the largely increased area there, together with the high prices realized, should 

 materially assist in placing Territorial farmers in a very prosperous condition. The 

 acreage now prepared for grain next season is much larger than in 1903, both in Mani- 

 toba and the Territories, and the prospects for the future are bright. 



In the coast climate of British Columbia the rainfall in May, June and part of 

 July was less than usual, but crops did not materially suffer. In the interior dis- 

 tricts, where the rainfall is always light, the shortage this season reduced the grain 

 yield in many localities below the average of past years. 



In carrying on the work of the Experimental Faims from year to year, persis- 

 tent efforts are made to assist farmers with information in regard to the maintenance 

 of the fertility of their land, its proper treatment, and in the selection of highly pro^ 

 ductive seed of best quality; also to aid them generally in their endeavours to over- 

 come difficulties which present themselves from time to time in the carrying on of 



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