DIVISION OF FORAGE PLANTS 887 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



stand the hardships of the Canadian winters, experiments were started with nine lots 

 of red clover and three lots of Alsike clover, obtained partly from seedsmen and partly 

 from private growers. 



Each lot of seed has been used for three plots, the object being to endeavour to 

 prove by actual figures that by taking seed during a number of years from plots 

 gradually freed, through a process of mass-elimination, from the least resistant types, 

 ■clover varieties may be obtained characterized by greater hardiness and consequently 

 having greater value. 



One of the plots of each lot is set aside for hay production, and, from the figures 

 obtained the comparative hay-yielding capacity of each lot will be calculated. 



The second plot of each lot is intended for seed production, the seed to be used 

 'it further experiments, similar to those now started, during 101.5. 



The third plot of each variety consists of rows in which the plants were carefully 

 eounted during the fall of 1913. By recounting, in the spring of 1914, of the plants of 

 each lot, the percentage of the killed-out plants of the lot can be accurately determined, 

 and consequently accurate figures bearing upon the winter hardiness of each lot be 

 obtained. -- 



The experiment outlined above was started primarily with a view of demonstrat- 

 ing the possibility of securing, by natural mass-selection, varieties of clovers possess- 

 ing greater hardiness than have the average clovers now available to Canadian farmers 

 through seedsmen. Its planning was based upon the fact that, in many countries of 

 Europe, and in a few districts of Canada, local strains of clover have been produced 

 which prove far superior to- any introduced variety. 



Actual proofs to the effect that seed of clover, grown in certain districts, generally 

 gives far better crops than seed imported from somewhere else, have so far not been 

 available to the Department of Agriculture. The experiments now started by the 

 Division of Forage Plants will provide, it is hoped, the proofs required. They will 

 endeavour to prove, not only that the hardiness of clover can be generally improved 

 upon, but also that, for a certain district, home-grown seed is preferable to seed grown 

 in any other district. 



With the latter object in view the experiments referred to have been started not 

 only at the Central Experimental Farm, but also on most of the branch Farms and 

 Stations throughout the Dominion. 



Breeding for increased yield. — In breeding new varieties of clover the same 

 policy has been pursued as indicated above for alfalfa, namely: — 



1st. To secure a perfectly hardy stock. 



2nd. To breed for increased yield from such a stock. 



In order to obtain a larger and therefore more varied starting material of Red 

 clover, individuals were planted this year to a number of about nine hundred. The 

 seed had been secured from plants growing in the experimental field andl on the Farm 

 in 1912, and can therefore be expected to prove fairly hardy. 



GRASSES. 



Timothy. — During 1912, about twelve hundred ii dividual plants, selected from 

 wild Canadian material, were transplanted in the field for further observations. 

 These plants made a very fine growth last year, amply illustrating the fact that 

 timothy is a very complex species, composed of hundreds of different types of a very 

 different agricultural value. The fact that, in many cases, plants originating from 

 the same mother plant showed a remarkable uniformity as to general appearance, 



Ottaw.\. 



