REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 89 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



VISITS TO THE BRANCH EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



THE EXPERIMENTAL FARM AT BRANDOX, MAN^. 



On August 5, I left Ottawa for the annual tour of inspection of the branch ex- 

 perimental farms and arrived in Brandon on August 7. Several days were spent on 

 this farm at that time and two days more on the return journey, September 15-16. 

 The crops on the higher lands on the farm were in good condition, but a hea\'y flood- 

 ing of the Assiuiboine river had seriously injured those on the lower lands. Rust 

 prevailed on some of the plots of cereals to a limited degree, nevertheless many of the 

 crops were very heavy. 



In the uniform trial plots, the best varieties of spring wheat gave from 30 to 36 

 bushels per acre, six-rowed barley, 54 to 66 bushels, and two-rowed from 55 to 63 

 bushels per acre. Oats gave extraordinary returns, ranging from 112 to 134 busheb 

 per acre, pease also gave extra heavy crops, from GO to 85 busliels per acre. Roots 

 also did well, and potatoes gave an immense crop, from 500 to 650 bushels per acre. 



The fields gave evidence of good and careful cultivation. The stock, implements 

 and buildings were also found in good condition. 



The orchards of cross-bred apples and seedling crabs have made strong growth and 

 some new and promising varieties were fruiting for the first time. 



The pasture fields looked well, and the crop of hay was very fair. The forest and 

 ornamental trees, also the shrubs and flowers had made good growth and presented an 

 attractive appearance. 



THE EXPERIMENTAL FAR5I AT INDIAN IIEAD^ N.W.T. 



This farm was visited on August 10-12 and September 13-14. The wheat was an 

 excellent crop. The best sorts on the trial plots gave from 45 to 50 bushels per acre, 

 while the larger fields averaged about 40 bushels, the grain weighing from 61 to 63 lbs. 

 per bushel. The wheat crop throughout this district was good and in many instances 

 from 35 to 40 bushels per acre was harvested. The experiments carried on at Indian 

 Head with early ripening varieties of grain command much attention from farmers. 

 The Preston, Stanley and Huron, cross-bred sorts produced at the Central Experi- 

 mental Farm were ripe and cut this year about a week before the Red Fife was ready 

 to harvest. 



The crop of oats was very heavy, ranging from 90 to 120 bushels per acre, while the 

 best yielding sorts of barley gave from 60 to 67 bushels. There was very little rust 

 ■ on any of the cereals in the North-west. Pease yielded unusually wall, from 60 to 63 

 bushels per acre, and the most prolific sorts of potatoes from 350 to 435 bushels. 



Bromus inermis. — Brome grass is now a well established and important crop, and 

 with the western rye grass Agropyrum ienerum furnishes tlie greater part of the hay 

 fed to horses and cattle on the Experimental Farm. Indian corn has been successfully 

 grown, giving from 10 to 20 tons of green fodder per acre. Field roots have also done 

 well, excepting carrots, the crop of which has been light. 



Many of the Siberian crabs and cross-bred apples fruited well; trees and shrubs 

 also, planted for shelter and ornament, made luxuriant growth, while annual and per- 

 ennial flowers provided a wealth of bloom. 



Stock of all sort-3 looked well, giving evidence of attention and care. The build- 

 ings were in good condition and the implements well cared for. 



THE EXPERIMENTAL FAR:M AT AGASSIZ, B.C. 



T'he farm at Agassiz was visited from August 25 to 30. Both fruit and forest 

 trees were found to be suffering from the drought which had prevailed for some weeks 



