1-2 EDWARD VIL 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



A. 1902 



REPORT OF THE CHEMIST 



(Frank T. Shutt, 1LA., F.I.C., F.C.S., F.E.S.C.) 



Ottawa, December 1, 1901. 



Dr. Wm. Saunders, 



Director, Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



Sir, — I have the honour to submit herewith the fifteenth annual report of the 

 Chemical Division of the Experimental Farms. It will, I believe, be found to contain 

 much of interest and value to the Canadian farmer, dairyman, and fruit grower. As 

 formerly, the investigations carried on by this Division and now reported upon, though 

 necessarily of a scientific nature, have been undertaken with the object of obtaining 

 information of a practical character, and in this respect we have met with a very fair 

 measure of success. The researches and analyses made relate to many of the various 

 branches of agriculture, and hence our results should be found useful to a wide circle 

 of readers. 



As it would be quite impossible to give a detailed account of all the work accomp- 

 lished in the Farm laboratories, we have inserted only the results of those investigations 

 of greater importance and general interest, and which in a measure may be said to be 

 completed. The nature and scope of the work is outlined in the following summary. 



Soil Investigations. — These include the complete chemical analysis of certain re- 

 presentative soils from British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward 

 Island. The most important of the series examined, perhaps, are the examples from 

 reclaimed marshes at the head of the Bay of Fundy. Among other interesting fea- 

 tures, certain differences in character and composition between the newly deposited 

 soils and those which have been for many years in cultivation, have been pointed out. 



Soils representative of the Spallumcheen Valley, Okanagan, B.C., have been sub- 

 mitted to careful analysis, and suggestions made regarding the culture and mainten- 

 ance of fertility of this most productive area. 



A special examination for lime has been made in certain instances, to ascertain if 

 there were any deficiency in this element. Soils from British Columbia and Quebec 

 are reported on in this connection. 



In connection with the question of the conservation of soil moisture, we instituted 

 this year a series of experiments in the orchard of the Central Farm, Ottawa. The 

 moisture was determined in the soil, (a) under cover crop, and, (&)under cultivation, 

 to a depth of 14 inches once a fortnight throughout the season. The results are as 

 interesting as those obtained last year from the soils on the Experimental Farms at 

 Indian Head, N.W.T., and Brandon, Man., though differing somewhat in character, 

 end will be found useful towards an understanding of the best modern methods of 

 orchard tillage. 



Fertilizers. — The substances reported upon under this caption are chiefly of the 

 order which we have in previous reports designated as ' naturally occurring,' and in- 

 clude mucks, muds, limestone, factory wastes, wood ashes, sea-weed, &c. 



Fodders and Feeding Stuffs. — The larger part of the work of the year has been in 

 connection with these materials. We are, consequently, able to present results on the 

 following important problems: — 1. The changes in the composition of roots during 

 •torage. 2. The food and fertilizing values of the yields obtained from clover and 



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