474 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2 GEORGE V., A. 1912 



western rye grass (Agropyrum tenerum). 

 One-fourth acre of Western Rye grass was sown in 1908. It was irrigated at the 

 same time as the Brome grass and was also cut on the same day. It yielded at the 

 rate of 2 tons and 1,780 pounds per acre. No second growth came on, as was the case 

 with the Brome grass. 



Summary of crops grown exclusive of uniform test plots (irrigated) — 



Bush 



Wheat (winter) 38 



Oats 430 



Barley 75 



543 

 Tons. 



Kay. alfalfa 41 



Hay, mixed 8£ 



m 



ORCHARDS AND SMALL FRUITS (IRRIGATED). 



There were a few varieties of apples that wintered with no apparent injury 

 although most of them were more or less killed back, some, in fact, clear to the roots. 

 On the whole, however, the results with the young trees are rather encouraging. 



The currants and raspberries came through the winter in very fair condition 

 but no fruit was produced except in the case of the latter where some of the raspberry 

 canes had a few berries. In the growing of raspberries, it has been found that the 

 canes should be bent down and covered with earth to protect them during winter but 

 more particularly to keep them from drying cmt. For in our dry, open winters, the 

 canes are very apt to become quite dry and, if they do, they are almost sure to die 

 down to the ground. Bending down and covering with earth prevents this. Manure 

 does not make a satisfactory substitute for the earth. 



STRAWBERRIES. 



Every farmer should have a small patch of strawberries, for they can be easily 

 grown in southern Alberta, especially where they can be irrigated. It is two or three 

 years after a plantation of raspberries or currants are put out before they come into 

 bearing but, in the case of strawberries, they can be set out in the spring and the 

 following year a good crop may be obtained. Probably the most satisfactory way for 

 a farmer to set a bed is to put the rows about three and one-half feet apart and set 

 the plants eighteen to twenty-four inches apart in the rows. Let the runners form a 

 matted row about a foot to a foot and one-half wide. The land on which they are put 

 should be very rich. Give them thorough cultivation and irrigate often enough to keep 

 the plants growing vigorously. In the fall, about the time the ground is starting to 

 freeze up, the bed should be mulched with straw or with old hay if it is free from 

 grass or weed seeds. Never use manure to mulch them with. They should be allowed 

 to bear only two years. After the second crop has been picked, the bed should be 

 ploughed up, and replaced by a new one which should have been set out in the spring 

 of the same season. 



The strawberry plantation on this Station was set out in 1908, so this was the 

 second bearing season, which is not as a rule as good as the first. A3 stated in last 

 year's report, a rather uneven stand was obtained with most of the varieties, so that 

 the report of the yield from the different varieties would not be of much vah.ie. We 



