64 VICTORIA SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1901 



EXPERIMENTAL FARM FOR MANITOBA. 



KEPORT OF S. A. BEDFORD, SUPERINTENDENT. 



Brandon, Man., November 30, 1900. 



To Dr. Wm. Saunders, 



Director Dominion Experimental Farms, 



Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith my thirteenth annual report, with 

 details of the experiments undertaken and work accomplished on the Brandon Experi- 

 mental Farm during the past year. 



Viewed from an agricultural standpoint, the past season has been one of the 

 most disastrous in the history of the province. 



The spring opened up about the average date, and seeding commenced on this 

 farm April 5. 



As very little snow fell during the winter, the soil even on summer- fallow was 

 very loose for several inches below the surface, and by April 25 this loose soil com- 

 menced to drift with the wind, cutting off all young growth and forming in some 

 instances ridges of soil on the boundaries of the fields several feet high. 



Owirg to the abundance of vegetable fiber in the soil of the grain fields on the 

 experimental farm, there was very little injury from this cause, but in the fruit 

 plantations where it was unadvisable to grow grass, the top soil was in some cases 

 stripped to a depth of six inches and piled up around the borders three feet deep. 



There was 18 degrees of frost on May 2, cutting back the early sown wheat. This 

 was followed by 8 degrees of frost on June 8. The injury from this last frost was very 

 serious, all tender vegetation being cut even with the ground and in some instances 

 oats and garden vegetables were completely killed; nearly all the fruit blossoms were 

 also ruined and the young plums were frozen to the pit. 



The injurious effects of these frosts was greatly increased by the drought pre- 

 vailing at the time ; for it is found that a heavy rain directly after a frost materially 

 assists vegetation to recover from the shock. 



There was an almost total absence of rain during the spring months, only 57 100th 

 inches fell between April 1 and June 25. This greatly retarded all vegetation, and 

 many small seeds such as roots lay dormant in the ground for over a month. 



The first heavy rain fell on June 26, and after that date growth was rapid, but 

 the rain came too late to save the cultivated hay crop, which proved almost a failure ; 

 early sown wheat was also too far advanced to receive much benefit, but oats and 

 barley were greatly benefited and promised a very fair yield. 



As if to compensate for the severe drought of spring, very heavy and constant 

 rains set in after the first week in August, greatly interfering with harvest operations, 

 hail-storms were also very general in nearly all parts of the province. The experi- 

 mentnl form was visited by a severe hail-storm accompanied by heavy rain on August 



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