8 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7-8 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 



Ev adding the niimber of farmers supplied by the branch farms to those supplied 

 by the Central Farm we have a total of 47,723. The average number of samples sent 

 out each year for the past ten years has been over 38,000. 



It is "^ remarkable how rapidly a supply of grain may be built up from a single 

 four or five-pound sample. Take for instance, a sample of oats. The four pounds 

 received will, if well cared for, usually produce from three to four bushels. This sown 

 on two acres of land will at a very moderate estimate give one hundred bushels, and 

 sometimes much more, but taking the lower figure as the basis for this calculation, the 

 crop at the end of the second year would be sufficient to sow fifty acres^ which at the 

 same moderate computation would furnish 2,500 bushels, available for seed or sale at 

 the end of the third year. 



The critical point in these tests is the threshing of the grain at the end of the 

 first season, and it is here that some farmers fail to get the full advantage of the ex- 

 periment. The product of the one-twentieth acre plot is sometimes threshed in a large 

 machine, which it is difficult to thoroughly clean, and in this way the grain becomes 

 mixed with other varieties and practically ruined. At the Central Experimental Farm 

 we thresh the produce of many of the small plots of grain by cutting off the heads, 

 placing them in sacks and beating them with a stick, and winnowing until most of the 

 chaff is got rid of, and the grain made clean enough for sowing. 



Wliere the farmer is to use this seed for his own sowing it is not necessary that 

 the sample be entirely free from chaff. It is, however, most essential if he is to get the 

 full benefit of his experiment, that the grain be quite free from all admixture with 

 other sorts. Farmers are expected to harvest the product of their experimental plot 

 separately, and store it away carefully, threshing it by hand either with a flail or in 

 such other manner as they may prefer. The results to be gained will abundantly repay 

 the careful handling of the grain in this way. 



Every season after the regular free distribution of the samples has been provided 

 for the surplus grain grown on the exi>erimental farms not required for sowing is sold 

 to farmers in quantities of from 2 to 6 bushels or more each. In this way a consider- 

 able number of farmers are supplied every year with 'seed grain in these larger 

 quantities, especially from the branch farms at Brandon and Indian Head. 



SPECIAL EXPERIMENTS WITH FERTILIZERS. 



In the Annual Report of the Experimental Farms for 1893, details were given on 

 pages 8 to 24 of the results of a series of tests which had then been carried on for 

 some years with the object of gaining information regarding the effects which follow 

 the application of certain fertilizers and combinations of fertilizers ©n the more im- 

 portant farm crops. 



These experiments have been continued, and a summary of the results obtained 

 has been given each year, taking the average yield of crops from the beginning, adding 

 the results for the current year, and then giving the average yield for the full time. 

 These tests were undertaken on virgin soil, on a piece of land which was cleared for 

 the purpose. For particulars regarding the clearing and preparing of the land for 

 crop in 1887-88 and its subsequent treatment, the reader is referred to the earlier issues 

 of this report. 



VALUABLE INFORMATION GAINED. 



From this long conducted series of tests some useful information has been gained. 



These trials have shown that barn-yard manure can be most economically used in 

 the fresh or unrottcd condition; that fresh manure is equal, ton for ton, in crop-pro- 

 ducing power to rotted manure, which, other experiments have shown, loses during the 

 process of rotting about 60 per cent of its weight. In view of the vast importance of 



