370 EXPERIMENTAL FAR US 



4 GEORGE V., A. 1914 



EXPERIMENTAL STATION, LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA. 



REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, W. H. FAIRFIELD, M.S. 



The Lethbridge Experimental Station is the only one of the prairie Farms or 

 Stations where part of the land is irrigated. The climate of southern Alberta is dry 

 and many things succeed much better when the land is irrigated than they otherwise 

 would do. Apple trees are succeeding better at Lethbridge than at any other of the 

 prairie Farms or Stations. Small fruits succeed well, and vegetables, especially when 

 irrigated, succeed admirably. Owing to the dry winds, the protection of trees is 

 greatly needed, and the native cotton wood, known as the Alberta Cottonwood, has 

 proved one of the best trees for wind-breaks. 



THE SEASON. 



The season of 1912 resembled that of 1911 in that the rainfall during the early 

 part was deficient, while during the latter part the usual amount was received. 



The results of the crops on the Station during the summer of 1912 have been 

 interesting, although, in many instances, somewhat disappointing. The season 

 opened up in a most propitious manner. Work on the land began on March 28, and 

 the first seeding was done on April 1, although it would have been possible to have 

 begin a little earlier. The soil was left moist from the fall of 1911, and the land was 

 in excellent shape to work in the spring, consequently all crops planted were put in 

 under exceedingly favourable conditions where land had been prepared the summer 

 or fall previous. However, the rainfall during April, May and until the end of June 

 in the immediate vicinity of Lethbridge was extremely light. Germination on land 

 that was not so treated was not good. 



The rainfall was very light indeed until the last few days in June; from then 

 on, during July, August and September, it was above normal. On account of this 

 light rainfall during the first part of the growing season all early-sown crops suffered 

 acutely. Crops that looked extremely promising early in the season gave but low 

 yields. Late-sown crops, on the other hand, did much better providing they ripened 

 before the frost. 



The yields of all the crops on the non-irrigated portion of the Station were rather 

 low, with the exception of peas and such late-growing crops as turnips, potatoes, etc. 



On the irrigated portion of the Station, however, where water was applied in 

 June, and in some cases even in May, the yields were very much more satisfactory. 



VEGETABLES. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH POTATOES ^NON-IRRIGATED.,) 



Seventeen varieties were planted on summer-fallowed land, in rows thirty inches 

 apart, on May 13. The potatoes for planting were cut in pieces with two or three 

 eyes in each, although medium rather than large-sized potatoes were selected, so as 

 to avoid cutting as much as possible. They were dug September 27, and the yield 

 was computed from one hundred and fortieth of an acre. 



