2 GEORGE V. SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 A. 1912 



REPORT OF THE DOMINION CHEMIST. 



FRANK T. SIIUTT, M.A., F.I.C., F.C.S., F.R.S.C. 



Ottawa, March 31, 1911. 



Dr. Wm. Saunders, C.M.G., 



Director, Dominion Experimental Farms, 



Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith the twenty-fourth Annual Report of 

 the Chemical Division of the Experimental Farms, 



In continuance of the policy followed since the establishment of the Division we 

 have, in addition to the prosecution of research and investigation in connection with 

 problems affecting the general agriculture of the Dominion, endeavoured to assist the 

 practical farmer in his everyday work. This latter involves the examination of many 

 samples of an agricultural nature sent in by farmers and the giving of advice, in 

 response to inquiries, in matters relating to the management of soils, the value, care 

 and use of farm manures, the nature and choice of fertilizers, the nutritive values 

 of fodders and feeding stuffs, the composition and preparation of insecticides and of 

 fungicides and many other allied subjects. As this branch of our work continues to 

 increase, it will be evident that the annual report can contain but a part of the labours 

 of the year. It is gratifying, in this connection, to be able to record the wide appre- 

 ciation of this phase of the work; farmers are more and more availing themselves of 

 the opportunity offered to obtain information on many matters of prime importance 

 to them. 



During the year, Bulletin No. 6 (Second Series) entitled 'Western Prairie Soils; 

 their Nature and Composition,' has been issued. It gives in concise form the results 

 and conclusions of our work during the past twenty years on the soils of the grout 

 plains and satisfies a demand that has long been felt, both in Canada and elsewhere, 

 for information respecting the nature and fertility of the soils of the Northwestern 

 provinces. Our data have established the great uniformity; the richness in plant food 

 and the favourable physical condition of the soils covering large areas and they have 

 also shown that exclusive grain growing and fallowing, now so commonly the practice, 

 must give place to more rational methods of farming if these prairie soils are to be 

 maintained in their present high state of fertility. 



In the accompanying pages will be found the results of the more important 

 investigations carried on since April 1, 1910, several of which have been under study 

 for a number of years past. It will be noticed that these researches cover a wide field 

 and furnish information of a useful and practical nature to those engaged in the 

 specialized branches as well as to those in general farming. 



Wheat and Flour. — In 1905, we began the study of the influence of environmental 

 conditions on the composition of the wheat-grain and, as a result, evidence of a very 

 satisfactory character is now available to show that soil moisture, more particularly 

 during the development and ripening of the kernel, is an important factor in deter- 

 mining the gluten-content of the grain. It would seem that conditions which bring 

 about a rapid maturation, e.g., high temperatures and absence of excessive moisture 



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