REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 15 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



A large number of the letters received by the Director are applications for samples 

 of grain or for the publications of the farms, a considerable proportion of which are 

 answered by sending the correspondents the material asked for, accompanied by cir- 

 cular letters. This explains why the number of letters received so much exceeds the 

 number sent out. 



Circular letters, including circulars sent with samples of 



seed grain 33,825 



Reports and bulletins mailed 345,853 



BRAKCII EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



TTie correspondence with the superintendents of the branch experimental farms is 



also large, as shown by the following figures : — 



Letters Letters 



received. sent. 



Experimental Farm, Kappan, X.S 2.030 1,790 



" " Brandon, Man 5.r,00 3,528 



« « Indian Head, N.W.T 5,849 5,871 



" " Agassiz, B.C 2,942 2,772 



Much additional information has also been sent out from the branch farms in 

 printed circulars. By adding the correspondence conducted at the branch farms to 

 that of tlie central farm, it will be seen that 71,487 letters in all were received, and 

 44,204 sent out during the year. 



TESTS OF THE VITALITY OF SEED GRAIN AXD OTHER SEEDS. 



The number of samples of seeds test<Mi during the season of 1903-4 to find the 

 proportion which would germinate, and to determine the percentage of plants of strong 

 and weak growth, was 2,285. 



This useful work has been carried on at the Central Experimental Farm every 

 year since itB establishment in 1887. The total number of samples tested since that 

 time is 31,736. Farmers are invited to send in every year any samples which may be 

 of doubtful vitality through injury before harvest or in harvesting or storing, so that 

 their germinating power may be determined and their usefulness for seed puposcfl 

 ascertained. The appliances available for these tests are all that could l>e desired, 

 affording facilities for testing every sample in the soil, and also in germinators where 

 the grain is placed between folds of linen or other fabric and kept constantly moists 

 In our experience there is no test so reliable as the soil, and it has often occurred when 

 testing samples of low vitality in a germinator that the proportion of seeds which will 

 start to grow between the moist folds of fabric in the apparatus will be larger 

 than can be got from the same seed put into the soil. The information wliich is of 

 practical use to the farmer is the proportion of seed which will grow in his fields 

 when sown there. If the vitality of a sample is so weak that a large proportion of the 

 young plants are unable to force their way through the soil, such seed, however high 

 the percentage of germination shown in the germinator, is of less value for sowing. 



During the past season 820 samples of oats have been tested, a large num.l>er of 

 which were sent in from Northern Alberta, where the oat crop of 1903 was consider- 

 ably injured by frost. In all cases where the germinating power was low, farmers 

 were advised to dispose of such grain for fefed and to buy oats of higher vitality for 

 sowing. Many instances have come to our knowledge where such information supplied 

 has saved farmers from much loss. 



Any farmer may avail himself of the help which this branch of the work can give 

 him; about an ounce of seed is all that i3 needed to allow of its germinating power 



