238 EXPERIMENTAL FARMf^ 



7-8 EDWARD VII., A. 1908 



Two-row Barley. 



Elack Two-row. Kars. 



Caucasian Hulless. Kinver Chevalier. ■ 



Early Chevalier. Large Naked. 



Eriwan. Triple Naked. 



Peas. 



Arthur Selected. Green Marrowfat. 



Forrest Brownie. Zulu. 



UNIFORM TEST PLOTS OF CEEEALS, FIELD EOOTS AND FODDER CORN. 



The standard and new varieties of cereals which are obtainable commercially are 

 annually grown in plots of one-fortieth of an acre, along with the cross-bred sorts 

 produced at this farm and other varieties obtained from various sources. The field 

 roots and fodder corn are grown in somewhat similar plots, the yield being usually 

 estimated from the crop obtained from one-hundredth of an acre. The object of these 

 tests is to determine the relative productiveness, earliness, &c., of the different varieties.. 

 Those which for a series of years are found to be distinctly inferior are rejected, in 

 order to keep the list within as small bounds as possible. 



The number of these larger plots grown during the past season was as follows: — 

 Spring wheat, 63 ; durum wheat, 15 ; winter wheat 23 sown, -1 harvested ; emmer and 

 spelt, 12; oats, 67; six-row barley, 34; two-row barley, 30; peas, 26; spring rye, 2; 

 winter rye, 3; mixed grain, 6; field beans, 4; flax, 7; t-rnips, 20; maue-Js, 16; car- 

 rots, 10; sugar beets, 8; Indian corn, 35; making a total of C33 plots. These repre- 

 sent about 355 varieties. 



IMPORTANCE OF EARLY SOWING OF CER ;\LS. 



Repeated tests have been made at this farm to ascertain the best time in spring for 

 the sowing of cereals in order to obtain the largest possible yield. The experiments 

 have proved that in this climate cereals should generally be sown about as soon as 

 the land can be brought into proper condition. The reduction in yield due to delay in 

 seeding is usually considerable, even when the delay is only a week long. The loss is 

 especially serious with wheat and oats, and is sometimes quite disastrous in seasons 

 when rust is abundant. The comparatively large yields obtained in the experimental 

 plots on this farm are due in part to early sowing. 



The best time for sowing cereals on this farm has been found to be from about 

 April 20th to 26th in an ordinary season. 



WEATHER. 



Spring and early summer were favourable, but the dry weather which set in about 

 midsummer and continued without much break into the autumn, kept down the yield 

 of some of the cereals as well as of the field roots and fodder corn. , The very early 

 cereals did well. Rust was noticed in considerable quantities, bvit did less damage 

 thnn in some other seasons. 



SPRING WHEAT. 



Several now varieties and selections of wheat were added to the regular plots last 

 season. It seems unnecessary to give descriptions of these so long as they are under,- 

 test at lliis farm only; but such sorts as are being scut to some of the other experi- 

 mental farms, or elsewhere, for trial are here described. 



