456 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4 GEORGE V., A. 1914 



EXPERIMENTAL STATION, LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA. 



W. H. FAIRFIELD, M.S., SUPERINTENDENT. 



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 2-8 and the first 

 seeding was done on April 1, although it would have been possible to 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 the grain crops, in fact 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. Grain 

 sown on summer-fallowed land and on very early spring ploughing, where the land 

 was cultivated immediately afterwards, came up well, because it was possible to place 

 the seed in moisture. Germination on land that was not so treated was not good. 



On account of the previous season closing up so early in the fall of 1911 it was 

 impossible for the farmers in southern Alberta to do much fall ploughing, the result 

 being that a great deal of grain was ' stubbled ' in this past spring, and most of this, 

 in the Lethbridge district, germinated poorly. 



The rainfall was very light indeed until the last few days in June, but 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, and 

 especially winter wheat, 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. 

 In the case of hay, however, especially alfalfa, we found the rainy season rather diffi- 

 cult to operate in, as it was hard to get it cured properly. Alfalfa usually makes 

 its most rapid growth when supplied with the necessary moisture during the hot 

 weather of July and August, but this year, on account of the many showers during 

 this period, the weather was not as hot as it ordinarily is, so the alfalfa fields did not 

 produce quite as much as they usually do. 



