REPORT OF TEE DIRECTOR 51 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



Carrots, judging from their composition, are intermediate in food value between 

 ngels and turnips. Six of the prominent varieties were analyzed, and the differ- 

 •es between them, either in dry matter or in sugar, are small compared with those 

 ■ad for other field roots. The first on the list is Giant White Vosges, with 11-45 

 ■ cent dry matter and 2 -S3 per cent sugar. The remaining varieties follow in 

 e order, and the averages for the series are 10-50 per cent dry matter and 2-54 per 

 t of sugar. Tin's crop it has been noticed, varies but slightly as to composition 

 n year to year; evidently, it is not influenced by seasonal conditions to the same 



ce as are mangels and turnips. 



SUGAR PF.ETS FOR FACTORY PURPOSES. 



Three varieties of sugar beets — Vilmorin's Improved A, Vilmorin's Improved B, 

 and Klein Wanzleben — have been tested on ten of the Experimental Farms and 

 Stations. The seed was obtained from Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux et Cie., Paris. 

 who are recognize I nong the foremost firms in Europe for high quality sugar beet 



seed. 



A survey of the whole scries shows remarkably satisfactory results; in the larg 

 number of instances, the >tionally good, and in one or two cases only- 



due to unfavourable weather conditions — could the roots be accounted too poor for 

 profitable sugar extraction. Averaging the results from the three varieties tested at 



:h Farm, the highest sugar-content was obtained at Lethbridge, Alta., on the n< 

 irrigated plot (17-68 per cent) and the lowest at Brandon, Alan.. (13-40 per cent). 



three Farms in the the average sugar-content was above 17 per cent and 



at three others between 15 per cent and IT per cent. It has been conch 

 from this investigation, which lias been carried on systematically since 1901, that 

 beets suitable for factory purposes can be grown at widely distant points in the 

 Dominion. 



FERTILIZING MATERIALS. 



These include naturally-occurring materials and certain by-products of agricul- 

 tural value by reason of the plant food they possess. Those analyzed and reported 

 on during the year include marl and similar calcareous deposits, ground limestone, 

 agricultural limestone — a product from lime-kilns — gypsum or land 



es, river, marsh and mussel muds, lobster refuse from the packing -houses, dog-fish 

 scrap, a potash residue from the oxygemacetylene plant and several other prodn 

 of fertilizing value. 



Without inserting analytical data — which space forbids — it would be impossible 

 here intelligently to discuss the agricultural importance of all these varied materi 

 The reader must, therefore, refer to the annual report of the Division of Chemistry 

 where they are considered in detail and their uses indicated. It must suffice to say 

 that many of them can be very cheaply obtained and will be found of value in improv- 

 il h and in supplying notable amounts of plant food. Some of these are of the 

 nature of amendment thers may be ranked with commercial fertilizers, and all may 



em loyed, as conditions dictate, as aids to the maintenance and increase of soil 

 fertility. 



;CTICIDES AND FUNGICIDES. 



The more important materials of this nature examined during the year are 



included in the following list: Formaldehyde, copper-sulphate, agricultural blue- 



earbolized wheat protector, apterite, lime-sulphur wash, potassium cyanide and 



I arsenate. 



Only one sample of formaldehyde was found below standard strength. The 

 alts generally show that the manufacturers are putting out an article of very 

 fairly uniform strength and one in conformity with the guarantee. 

 16— 4£ 



