152 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 



sidered as utilized by a growth of clover during the middle and late summer months 

 are very large. In some instances we find that as much as 50 per cent of the soil 

 moisture can in this way be appropriated. Thus, on September 10, after a month in 

 which only "81 inches of rain fell, the orchard soil carrying a crop of clover contained 

 per acre to a depth of 14 inches 103 tons of water, while the adjacent area that had been 

 kept cultivated possessed to a similar depth 214 tons. 



Plot ' B.' This portion of the orchard gave results pointing in the same direction 

 as those of Plot ' A.' On 11 dates out of the 13 on which the collections were made 

 there was an excess of moisture in the cultivated soil. 



Rainfall Excess, °* Water, per acre, 

 in cultivated soil. 



Inches. Tons. Lbs. 



May 6. 



20. 

 June 3. 



17. 

 July 2. 



15. 



29. 

 August 12. 



26. 

 Sept. 10. 



23. 

 Oct. 7. 



21. 



From May 6 to July 2, the differences are not so large as those for Plot ' A.' Thia 

 was partly due, no doubt, to the soils not being identical in character and humus- 

 content, but also in a great measure, we believe, to the less luxuriant growth on Plot 

 ' B,' and to the fact that upon it grass had in a large measure supplanted the clover. 



Then again, the cultivated portion of Plot ' A ' had been cultivated during the 

 previous season (1900), whereas that of Plot ' B ' had been in crop. This would tend to 

 give the former the larger amount of moisture. (See article on Conservation of Soil 

 Moisture in report of this Division for 1900.) 



We are not at present able to give any satisfactory explanation regarding one or 

 two apparently abnormal results from this plot, as, for instance, on May 20 and August 

 26, when slightly more moisture was present in the soil under crop than in that under 

 cultivation. These exceptional data are not, however, sufficiently numerous or marked 

 to materially lessen the value of the experiment or cast doubt upon the correctness of 

 the results in general. 



This investigation has furnished corroborative evidence of an instructive and ac- 

 curate character respecting the effectiveness of this system of cover crops and culti- 

 vation in the regulation of soil moisture. Much more, perhaps, could have been read 

 into the results, but it was thought wiser to consider only their general trend, leaving 

 until we make further research the discussion of points respecting which there is at 

 present some obscurity. 



The past season at Ottawa until the middle of August showed an ample and well 

 distributed, though not excessive, rainfall. There was then a ' dry ' month, followed 

 by a fairly normal precipitation till the close of the experiment. It may be possible 

 that the results would be different from those here recorded if obtained in a less favour- 

 able season. It will be desirable, therefore, to continue this investigation, extending its 

 scope and making such changes in the plan of working as may be deemed from time 

 to time advisable. 



FERTILIZERS 



MUCKS AND MUDS. 



Owing to press of work in connection with special investigations, most of the 

 samples of the naturally-occurring fertilizers received this year have been judged and 



