164 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4-5 EDWARD VII., A. 1905 



and under cultivation dui'ing this season of tlie year (May 12 to July 21), i.e. between 

 the results from plots 1 and 2, makes it evident that there was lost from the soil bear- 

 ing the crop, practically 90 tons per acre more water (equivalent to 9 inches of rain) 

 than from the soil under cultivation. It is during this period that the fruit tree makes 

 its growth. For this, as well as for the development of its fruit, it is essential that 

 there should be a sufficiency of soil moisture at this time in the orchard soil, and our 

 present results indicate most clearly how the trees may be robbed of this moisture by 

 a growing crop of grain. The condemnation of this practice of taking a grain crop 

 from the orchard is most certainly emphasized by the results of this investigation. 



THE EFFECT OX THE ilOlSTUBE-COXTENT BY VARYING PERIODS OF CULTn'ATION. 



By reference to the brief description of the plots 2, 3 and 4, it will be observed 

 that their respective treatment differs in the length of time during which cultivation 

 was continued. With plot Xo. 2 this period was from May 26 to June 20 ; with ISTo. 3, 

 from May 13 to July 7, and with Xo. 4, from May 13 to July 25. 



During the mouth of June, as might be expected, the moisture-content of all three 

 plots is fairly constant; the cultivation evidently was effective in preventing the dry- 

 ing out of the soil, which we have seen was so marked at this period in plot Xo. 1. 



After June 20 cultivation ceased, however, on plot 2, and immediately the soil 

 began to lose moisture. This loss became greater and greater as the season advanced, 

 owing to the increased demands of the crop (sown June 20). On August 18 this soil 

 showed 5 per cent less moisture than plot 3 and 10 per cent less than plot 4. Towards 

 the end of August heavy rains set in which served to equalize the moisture-content 

 of all the plot-s. 



From the fact that plot Xo. 3 was cultivated till July 7, we find the percentage 

 of moisture in this soil fell but little to that date, the decline from the beginning of 

 the experiment being from merely 18*09 per cent to 17*45 per cent. As the Alfalfa on 

 this plot (sown July 7) grew, soil moisture was utilized and the percentage correspond- 

 ingly reduced. 



The results of plot Xo. 4 are in accord with those of Xos. 2 and 3 : that is, they 

 furnish additional evidence regarding the effect of cultivation in conserving moisture. 

 The water present in this soil, cultivated to July 25, was practically unchanged till 

 the first week of August, when it fell about 2 per cent. 



We may safely conclude from a consideration of tliese three plots (2, 3 and 4), 

 that the later the cultivation is continued the less falling off in soil moisture will there 

 be as the season advances. These results may also serve to remind us that cultivation 

 should not be continued into the autumn, or late growth will be stimulated and the 

 due ripening of the wood prev.ented before winter sets in. 



In plot Xo. 5, we have an example of a soil bearing a crop (principally clover) 

 throughout the season. The reduction in moisture-content during the month of June 

 was almost equal to that of plot 1, carrying a crop of Winter rye. The cutting of this 

 plot (Xo. 5) on June 23, undoubtedly checked this loss of moisture, but it did not 

 altogether prevent it, as evident by the data of August 4, which showed that the 

 moisture at that date had been reduced to 10*36 per cent — ^practically 8 per cent less 

 than that of plot 4. 



IXOCULATIOX FOS THE GKOWTH OF LEGUMES. 



We have received during the past two months numerous inquiries from all parts 

 of Canada on this subject. This re-awakened interest in the matter of inoculation 

 is undoubtedly due to the wide publicity given to the new cultures now being prepared 

 and distributed by the Bureau of Plant Industry, Washington, D.C., U.S. A beauti- 

 fully illustrated article in Scrihners monthly for October, setting forth in popular 

 language the claims m^ade for these cultures and the results that have been obtained, 

 is particularly answerable for the present demand for inoculating material. It has 



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