DIVISION OF FORAGE PLANTS 



927 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



EXPERIMENTAL STATION, SCOTT, SASK. 



REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. R. E. EVEREST, B.S.A. 



The season was not favourable for large yields. During- the early period of 

 growth the weather was somewhat cool and the rainfall light. The intermediate 

 period had a moderate precipitation with fairly high temperatures, and the closing 

 time of growth was light in rainfall and moderate in warmth for the time of year. 



Records for Periods. 



Period. 



1 May and .Tune 



2 July and August 



3 September and October. 



Maximum 

 temperature 



87-5 

 86-7 

 790 



Minimum 

 temperature 



234 



34 7 



7-3 



Mean 

 temperature 



51-2 



.^n-9 



421 



Precipita- 

 tion. 



Inches. 



1-2 



2-8 

 •8 



Sunshine. 



He 



233 4 

 260 5 

 185-7 



INDIAN CORN. 



Eight varieties of corn were planted on May 21 in hills 36 inches apart each way 

 on land which had been summer-fallowed the previous year. The seed germinated 

 and made a slow growth for a time. At the cutting time the crop had failed to reach 

 a stage where it was of value for fodder purposes. The character of the season (par- 

 ticularly the cool nights) generally militates against the success of Indian corn here. 



With the breal>ing-up of more prairie land and with more thorough cultivation 

 generally, there is no doubt, however, that the conditions will be improved so as to 

 better answer the requirements of Indian corn. Even so, only early varieties can be 

 thought of for reliable crops. 



FIELD ROOTS. 



Three main groups of field roots were grown this year, viz., turnips, mangels, and 

 carrots. As well as to demonstrate the possibility of growing these erop.s success- 

 fully, a number of varieties in each class were grown to determine the relative merits 

 of the diflferont varieties commonly used. 



The seed was sown on the flat with a hand drill, the rows at a di>tance of 28 

 inches and a length of 92| feet. Four rows were used for each variety, from which 

 the weight of crop was taken and the acre-yield computed. The area of each plot 

 was V^,'.^ of an acre. 



The soil on which the work was conducted v:a> a chocolate loam, fairly uniform 

 throughout the field. 



The land had been summer-fallowed the previous year and before sowing was 

 double disced, drag harrowed, and packed. 



Thus the bed was firm and in good tilth for the reception of seed. 



16— 60i 



