16 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



EEMARKS. 



It will be observed that the jnelds of barley throughout the five years during 

 which these tests have been continued are much more even Id character than those 

 of the wheat or oats. This is no doubt due partly to the fact that the land devoted 

 to these plots is more uniform throughout than that set apart for the wheat and 

 oats, and partly for the reason that the roots of the barley plant being comparatively 

 near the surface are more immediately influenced by the application of fertilizers. 

 The plant also seems to be more robust. As in the case of the wheat, it will be seen 

 that the season of 1891 was favourable for this crop. 



OAT PLOTS. 



The quantity of seed sown per acre on the oat plots was 2 bushels in 1889 and 

 1890, and 1^ in 1891, 1892 and 1893. The variety chosen for sowing in 1889 was 

 the Early English, but as that seemed to be very subject to rust, the Prize Cluster 

 was substituted in 1890 and has been continued each year since. In 1889 the seed 

 was sown 18th May, came up 25th May and was ripe 16th August. 1890, sown 

 26th April, came up 14th May, ripe 8th August. 1891, sown 9th May, came up 16th 

 May, ripe 16th August, 1892, sown 6th May, came up 15th May, ripe 16th August. 

 1893, sown 27th May, came up 2nd June, and was ripe 15th August. The Early 

 English oats required 90 days in 1889 from the date of sowing to that of ripening, 

 while the experience of the four subsequent years gives 96 days as the average time 

 required to bring the Prize Cluster to maturity. 



REMARKS. 



The yield of oats by the different plots for the five years during which these 

 tests have been continued, will be found very variable. A comparison of the figures 

 shows that the year 1891 was the most favourable one in the series when all the 

 plots averaged over 41 bushels pei- acre. The seasons of 1890 and 1892 were also 

 favourable : in the latter, the plots averaged about 40 bushels, and in the former 

 nearly 35 bushels. In 1889 and 1893 the crops were much lighter. 



CORN PLOTS. 



In conducting the experiments with the plots of Indian corn the object has been 

 to obtain the largest weight of well matured green fodder for the silo, and to have 

 that fodder so far advanced that when the corn is cut the ears shall be in the " late 

 milk " or "glazed" condition. It was decided to test two varieties each year, 

 growing ^ of an acre of each. At first a ' dent' corn, the Mammoth Southern 

 Sweet was grown, with one of the flint sorts known as the Canada Yellow, and the 

 cultivation of these two was continued during 1888, 1889 and 1890. In 1891 another 

 'dent' corn, the Eed Cob Ensilage, was substituted for the Mammoth Southern 

 Sweet, while the Eural Thoroughbred White Flint, one of the larger and stronger 

 growing of the flint varieties replaced the Canada Yellow. Since neither of the 

 dent sorts named attained to a sufiicient degree of maturity to make good ensilage, 

 another change was made in 1892, and two flint varieties grown, the Thoroughbred 

 White Flint, and an earlier sort known as Pearce's Prolific. The stronger grower 

 of the two sorts selected each year has been designated No. 1, and the less vigorous 

 sort No. 2. The dent varieties all rank as No. 1, and in 1891 the Thoroughbred 

 White Flint is classed as No. 2, but in the two following years this useful sort being 

 a more vigorous grower than Pearce's Prolific, has found a place in the No. 1 series. 

 For the first four years the No. 1 series was planted in drills 3 feet apart, using 

 about 24 pounds of seed to the acre, and thinning the plants when up to 6 or 8 inches 

 apart, and the No. 2 in hills 3 feet apart each way, 4 to 5 kernels in a hill. During 

 the past two years both sorts have been grown in hills. 



