940 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



Variety Tests of Grasses. 



Variety. 



Timothy 



Wustem Rye 



Boneless Brome Grass 



Size of plot. 



Yield per acre, l'J13. 



Acres. 



Tons. Lb. 



2 240 



1 T'M 



1 1,000 



Average yield per acre for 

 five years. 



Tons 



2 

 2 

 2 



Lb. 



908 



958 



1,140 



All the plots were cut on July 31. 



A CHEAP EOOT CELLAE. 



The question of providing a satisfactory frost-jjroof storage place for roots at 

 small cost is a problem that meets every farmer as he locates on his land in this part 

 of the province. The Station has found that a convenient vray to build a root cellar 

 at small expense is to make an excavation about 6 feet deep and cover with 7- or 8- 

 foot fence posts — the ordinary split cedar ones are quite satisfactory — laid 5 to 7 

 inches apart. Over these is put a foot or more of straw and then two feet of soil. 

 Little trouble is ever experienced with the sides giving way, provided rain water is 

 not allowed to collect around or in the cellar. 



Split cedar posts are used for the roof as they are the cheapest material available, 

 selling locally in most points in the district at 12 cents to 14 cents a-piece. Either 

 7- or 8-foot ones can be used. If the former, the excavation should be made llj feet 

 wide and as long as desired up to 50 or 100 feet or more. On account of the shape of 

 the excavation it can be nearly all taken out with a plough and scraper, the only 

 hand work necessary being a little on the sides to keep them true and plumb. 



After the excavation is made, a 6- by 8-inch timber or a convenient-sized log the 

 full length of the cellar is placed in position supported by sound posts placed about 

 4 feet apart. These posts should be placed on mud sills in the form of large flat 

 stones or pieces of plank to prevent settling when the earth roof is put on. Posts are 

 then laid side by side running from the ridge pole to the side, as indicated in the 

 illustrations. A good layer of straw is put on and then plenty of soil, not less than 

 2 feet in any place. Ventilators are provided. Sometimes shoots 20 inches or 2 feet 

 in diameter are provided in the roof to make it more convenient to get the roots in. 



The entrance now has to be considered, and it is important that this is carefully 

 planned so as to prevent the possibility of frost getting in. Double doors are necessary. 

 If the cellar is placed on the side of a hill the entrance is simple, but if it is necessary 

 to build on level ground, as is often the case, some such plan as illustrated in the 

 accompanying sketch is necessary. A trap door in place of the roofed entrance way 

 may be used, but the objection to it is that snow is apt to drift over it badly, often 

 causing considerabl-e inconvenience. By using the small-roofed entrance way. 

 indicnted. this difficulty is avoided. 



If a large cellar is required, two ridge poles may be provided, placing them 6 feet 

 apart, thus making the total width of the cellar 17 feet. The rest of the cellar would be 

 made in the same way. 



Lethbridge. 



