88 



EXPEIilMENTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v.. A. 1915 



Samples received for Examination and Report for the twelve naontlis ending 



March 31, 1914. 



The ' waters ' inehide 84 samples of rain and snow analysed in our investigation 

 to ascertain the fertilizing value of these forms of precipitation, and the ' mis- 

 cellaneous ' include dairy products, fungicides and insecticides and some 500 samples 

 from the Meat Inspection Division, Health of Animals Branch, 



Soils. — ^We now publish fairly complete chemical and physical data respecting a 

 series of soils typical of well defined geological areas in Nova Scotia. These were col- 

 lected and forwarded by the Secretary of Agriculture for Nova Scotia and our report 

 on them will serve as a beginning to a more exact knowledge of the soils of the more 

 important agricultural areas or districts of that provnice. Our deductions will fur- 

 nish information that will be valuable in the economic upkeep and improvement of the 

 soils in question. 



The analysis of many soils from .virgin or unoccupied area^ in Manitoba, 

 Saskatchewan, and British Columbia has also been undertaken, but the results will be 

 held over for future publication, pending a more complete examination of the soils of 

 the districts involved. 



There has also been in progress an examination of a large series of soils collected 

 over the area of the Canadian Pacific Railway irrigation tract east of Calgary. The 

 investigation includes a careful search for ' alkali ' compounds and their quantitative 

 determination, if found. The publication of these results will also be deferred until 

 the work is completed. 



Conservation of Soil Moisture. — The work begun some years ago on certain of 

 the western J^xperimental Farms and Stations to ascertain the influence of subsoil- 

 ing, depth and time of ploughing, frequency and depth of cultivation, sub-surface 

 packing, etc., on the moisture content of the soil, has been continued. As this investi- 

 gation progresses we accumulate proof of the value of early and fairly deep plough- 

 ing, of sub-surface packing on light soils and of frequent stirring of the surface crust 

 by culti\'^tion, to conserve moisture. 



The Composition of W%eat as influenced hy Climatic Conditions. — A continua- 

 tion of this research has afforded further proof of our contention that the protein con- 

 tent of the cereals may be very considerably infiuenced by the character of the season, 

 or to state the case somewhat more fully, that the amount of available moisture in the 

 soil and the temperatures prevailing during the filling out of the kernel and its period 

 of maturing, markedly affect its composition. If there is a sufficiency of moisture in 

 the soil during the early part of the season to bring the crop to a good growth, then a 

 fairly dry soil and high temperatures during the later summer months, hasten 



