884 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 

 Sugar Bekts. — Test of Varieties. — Yield per Acre. 



Same treatment as mangels, excepting that they were thinned to 7 inches apart 

 and pulled October, 17. 



Both sugar beets and carrots withstood the dry summer fairly well. 



BREEDING WORK. 



FIELD ROOTS. 



As farmcr-s realize that the introduction of mixed farming will materially add to 

 the agricultural prosperity of the coimtry, the problem of growing field roots as food 

 for stock will be paid more attention to than at present. With a larger demand for 

 field roots a higher standard will be demanded. 



Realizing this, the Division of Forage Plants this year took preliminary steps 

 toward the production of new varieties better adapted to Canadian conditions than 

 those grown at present. 



The apparent unevenness of many of the varieties now regarded as among the 

 best in Canada, seems to indicate that by proper selection of types, new and more 

 fixed varieties can be produced. There is also every indication that by such jnethods 

 new varieties can be raised which, in addition to being more uniform as to type, also 

 will prove superior to the variety from which they have been developed, as regards 

 yielding power and feeding value. 



With the view of producing new varieties having the characteristics just men- 

 tioned, a number of seed roots were selected from different varieties of turnips, mangels, 

 and carrots as follows : — 



Turnips- 

 Mangels- 

 Carrots— 



-189 roots out of 10 varieties. 

 - 32 " " 4 " 



32 " " 4 " 



ALF.VLFA. 



Value and draichacks of Variegated Alfalfa. — For large areas of Canada where 

 the winter and early spring conditions are unfavourable to growing of alfalfa the 

 necessity of having particularly hardy varieties is evident. At present, so called 

 '"variegated" alfalfas have proven to meet, successfully, the demand for hardiness. 

 .\mong the best known varieties of variegated alfalfas are Grimm's alfalfa and Ontario 

 Variegated. 



These varieties are especially suited to severe winter conditions for the reason 

 that they originated as crossings between the ordinary alfalfa and the yellow lucernes 

 ( Medicago falcata). The latter species which, among other things, differs from ordinary 

 alfalfa in having yellow flowers, is a northern species which occurs naturally in north- 



Ottawa. 



