5 GEORGE V. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1915 



CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM, OTTAWA, ONT. 



REPORT OF THE DOMINION AGROSTOLOGIST— M. 0. MALTE, Ph.D. 

 VARIETY TESTS.— INDIAN CORN AND FIELD ROOTS. 



PREPARATION OF SOIL. 



In the fall of 1912 the land for roots and com was manured at the rate of about 15^ 

 tons to the acre, and ploughed. After ploughing- it received a top dressing of lime at 

 the rate of about 1 ton to the acre. 



During the first week in May, 1913, the field was double disced, drag-harrowed, and 

 rolled. The land for mangels, carrots, and sugar beets was then drilled and the drills 

 raked down with a hand rake, after which the seed was sown with a Planet Jr. seeder 

 on May 5. 



The land for turnips was drilled and raked on May IS. 



The corn was sown on the flat, the hills being spaced 3 feet each way. 



THK DOUBLE PLOT SYSTEM. 



Up to the year of 1913, each variety of Indian corn and field roots has been grown 

 in a single plot and the comparative yielding power consequently calculated from the 

 return from one plot only. By growing the same varieties during a long period of 

 years, valuable conclusions have been arrived at regarding the relative value of certain 

 varieties for certain districts. 



This is especially tiiie as regards the suitability of the varieties to the climatic 

 conditions in a district. By studying the comparative yield of the different varieties 

 during different seasons, characterized by varj'ing amounts of rainfall, conclusions 

 of value can be drawn as to the general suitability of diflferent varieties to a certain 

 district. 



On the other hand, the experiments carried out so far have revealed the fact that 

 the results obtained from them do not seem to be as conclusive as could be wished. In 

 fact, certain inconsi'stencics in the results occur which often seem rather puzzling. 

 Thus, a variety for instance which generally is high yielding may, one year, drop almost 

 to the bottom of the list, while another which is notoriously low yielding may occupy 

 first place on the comparative list. 



Incidents of this kind might be due to the fact that the quality of the seed of the 

 different varieties is widely different or the fact that the weather of the given season 

 is decidedly more favourable to certain varieties. 



In the majority of cases, however, irregularities of the kind referred to may be 

 traced back to the unevenness of the soil in the experimental field. That the character 

 of the soil must necessarily influence the yield needs no explanation. Now, if a number 

 of varieties of, say, turnips are tested in single plots spread over a field uneven in char- 

 acter, it is evident that plots, i.e., certain varieties, may be grown under more favour- 

 able soil conditions than others and consequently must give a higher yield. It is also 

 evident that a comparison of varieties according to yields when grown under such 

 conditions can hnrdly be relied upon. 



In order then to eliminate, as far as possible, the disturbing influence of diverse 

 soil conditions on the comparative yields of the varieties, each variety was this year 



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