360 



EXPERIMENTAL FAIiilS 



4-5 EDWARD VII., A. 1905 



The soil of these plots was of as uniform a character as could be had, a clay loam 

 with a heavy clay subsoil, and underdrained. plots were 36 feet wide and 250 

 feet long. The samples, however, were taken from plots each 30 x 36 feet ; the 

 plots adjoining each other. The soil was taken up by means of galvanized iron cylin- 

 ders, which were 14 inches long. These were driven into the ground and the column 

 of soil to that depth obtained for each set of samples. Two canisters of soil were taken 

 from a plot at each date, and each canister was taken at a different place in the plot. 

 The places where samples were taken from were marked, and future samples, in case 

 the moisture contents would be affected thereby, were taken sufficiently far from 

 these to represent fairly accurately the percentage of moisture in each plot. The soil 

 samples were sent to Ottawa in air-tight cans to prevent any loss of moisture. 



I am indebted to the Chemist of the Experimental Farms, Mr. F. T. Shutt, for 

 the data in the following table, giving the percentage of moisture in the samples of 

 soil from these plots which were sent to him every twob weeks during the season. 



Percentage of Moisture in soil of plots sent from the Experimental Farm, Nappan, N.S. 



HOW PLOTS WERE TREATED. 



Plot No. 1. — Plot No. 1 was in potatoes in 1903, and was seeded to winter rye 

 September 21, 1903. The rye was sown at the rate of two bushels per acre, togetlier 

 with Ked clover at the rate of 10 pounds per acre. The rye made s'trong growth of 

 about 50 inches and was harvested August 3. The clover sown with it made very 

 poor growth. 



Plot No. 2. — This ground was given clean cultivation during the spring and early 

 summer of 1903, and was seeded to Crimson clover at the rate of 20 pounds per acre 

 July 27, 1903. The clover made a strong growth of from five to seven inches, which 

 in the following spring was practically all dead. The ground was ploughed May 26 to 

 a depth of five inches, and on the 29th was worked up witii the disc and springtooth 

 harrows. It was again worked June 13 and 20, once each with the springtooth and 

 smoothing harrows. On June 20 it was seeded to oats at the rate of three bushels of 

 seed per acre. 



Plot No. 3. — This plot was in Crimson clover the previous season and had been 

 treated in a similar manner to plot 2. The ground was ploughed this spring as soon 

 as fit. May 13, and harrowed once each with the disc and springtooth harrows on 

 May 29. It was again worked in the same manner on June 20 and 29 and July 1. 

 On July 1 this ground was worked up also with the spade harrow. Alfalfa clover was 

 then sown at the rate of 25 lbs. per acre, drilled in with the grain seed drill. The 

 Alfalfa started quickly and made strong growth, attaining an average height of 12 

 inches. 



