1C2 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2 GEORGE V., A. 1912 



produce a ' hard ' glutinous wheat, while on the other hand, cool and wet seasons, 

 which would prolong the vegetative period and delay ripening, result in a ' soft,' 

 starchy grain. Other things being equal, the soil moisture-content has been found to 

 markedly influence the character cf the grain. Thus, very considerable differences 

 have been observed between wheat grown under ' dry farming ' conditions and under 

 irrigation in Southern Alberta, the product from the former being much the richer in 

 gluten. 



In this investigation we have now included barley, and the results, generally, 

 accord with those from wheat. They show that the grain grown under irrigation has 

 a much lower protein-content than that from ' dry ' areas. This work was conducted 

 in Southern Alberta, and our finding points to the strong probability that a low pro- 

 tein barley, particularly valuable for malting, can be grown on irrigated areas in that 

 province. 



The study to ascertain the influence of age on the quality of wheat and flour has 

 been further prosecuted. This investigation, commenced in 1907, has been carried 

 on in conjunction with the Dominion Cerealist who planned the details of the experi- 

 ment and conducted the milling and baking tests. In this Division, the intention was 

 to learn what changes in the composition of the wheat and flour might occur during 

 storage and, if any, to correlate them with the baking results. The analytical data 

 obtained at the end of the first storage period — 16 months — were reported in 1909, and 

 showed that certain changes, though minor in character, had taken place. The data 

 from the recent analyses now presented do not record significant changes in the 

 samples during the second storage period — January, 1909, to January, 1911. 



Nitrogen enrichment of Soils through the growth, of Clover. — The soil of this 

 plot, an exceedingly poor, sandy loam at the beginning of the experiment, 1902, has 

 again been sampled and analysed. Its nitrogen-content continues to increase, though 

 the rate of increase shows a falling off as the land is longer and longer under experi- 

 ment. In the nine years, the nitrogen-content of the soil has practically doubled. 



Cultural Methods as affecting Soil Moisture. — The effect of sub-surface packing 

 on the soil moisture-content has again been studied, the work of the past year being 

 carried on at Lethbridge, Southern Alberta. The results are somewhat more favour- 

 able to the practice than those previously reported, but it is quite evident that the 

 physical character of the soil has much to do with the benefit to be derived from this 

 operation — the lighter soils receiving the greater advantage. 



Inoculation for the Growth of Legumes. — No indications of material advantage 

 have been observed from the use of ' cultures ' for clover and alfalfa on the trial 

 plots on the Experimental Farm, Ottawa. ' It would seem from our work, not only of 

 this year but of previous seasons, that special inoculation is not generally necessary 

 in the older cultivated lands that have been kept in good condition by rational methods 

 of farming. This statement is not at variance with the experience of many in the 

 northwestern provinces, where inoculation has frequently proved most effective. There 

 the land is at the present time virgin, or practically so, and, not having borne crop-; 

 of clover or alfalfa, it does not contain the necessary nitrogen-fixing bacteria which 

 play the useful part of enriching their hosts with nitrogen, and thus encouraging 

 growth. 



Field Roots and Sugar Beets. — The composition of mangels, turnips and carrots 

 r.s grown during the past season on the Experimental F.arin, Ottawa, is given, and 

 from the data is dedxiced the relative feeding value of the varieties under experiment. 



The factory values of the three leading varieties of sugar beets grown for the 

 production of sugar, have been determined. The roots analysed were grown on the 

 several Experimental Farms, and consequently the results, which are quite satisfac- 



