2C2 EXPERIMENTAL EAR MS 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 



morning of July 13 with Mr. F. IT. Wolley-Dod, I drove out with him to his stock 

 farm 20 miles southward of Calgary, thus obtaining a good opportunity of seeing the 

 crops and the country in this very attractive part of the Territories. On the morning 

 of July 14, Col. Hcrchmer drove me out to see his farm on the Bow River, close to 

 Calgary, a charming location where he has made many improvements. In the after- 

 noon the Dominion Dairy Station and Cold Storage houses were visited with the 

 Chief Superintendent, Mr. Christian Maerker ; afterwards we went to see Mr. Wm. 

 Pearce and were shown his exp3riments in growing trees, which he has been carrying 

 on for several years with considerable success. On the morning of July 15, I left 

 Calgary in company with Mr. Angus Mackay and Mr. George Batho, of the Nor'- 

 west Farmer staff, by the Edmonton branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway to hold 

 farmers' meetings along that railway. These meetings, for which arrangements had 

 been made by the Department of Agriculture for the North-west Territories, were 

 held at various places during the following two weeks, and the chief subject treated 

 of by the speakers was the Eradication of Noxious Weeds. At all of these meetings 

 the procedure followed was for Mr. Mackay to deliver the first address, in which he 

 dealt with the chief features of the Experimental Farm work, which would be of inter- 

 est in the locality, such as the experiments in eradicating weeds on dirty lands, the 

 value of summer-fallowing for various purposes, the cultivation of grasses, the growth 

 of trees and fruits, and the distributions made of trees and seed grain. He also 

 pointed out the many ways in which the farmers of the North-west Territories could 

 avail themselves of the benefits to be derived from the Experimental Farms, and assur- 

 ed them that he would always be pleased to assist them in every way in his power. 

 Mr. Mackay's great knowledge of all branches of farming and his reputation as a re- 

 liable source of information on these matters proved a great attraction to the farmers 

 in all the places where meetings were held. My own addresses were intended to ex- 

 plain concisely the nature of weeds in general, the losses due to their presence -in 

 crops, and the methods which had been found successful in combating them in vari- 

 ous places with similar conditions of soil and climate. Particular attention was paid 

 to those plants which were found to be prevalent in the different localities. Freshly 

 gathered specimens were always collected before the addresses were delivered, which 

 were found most useful in showing exactly what plants were being discussed. Large 

 numbers of specimens were brought to the meetings by farmers wishing for informa- 

 tion upon special weeds which they had seen or had found troublesome on their own 

 farms. A few specimens were also taken with us of some of the worst weed enemies, 

 such as Stink Weed, Larkspur, Sweet Grass, Wild Oats, &c, in case these might not 

 yet have been introduced into the various districts, but of which it was most advis- 

 able that farmers should know the appearance and nature, so as to guard against them 

 and attend to their destruction promptly, should they by chance be introduced. Mr. 

 Batho placed us under a debt of gratitude by his kindness in collecting specimens and 

 in creating an interest in the meetings in many other ways. The success of several 

 of the meetings was also much enhanced by the presence and energetic help of Mr. 

 T. N. Willing, of Regina, and of Mr. Percy B. Gregson, of Waghorn, Alta., the local 

 Weed Inspector, who had taken great pains to make it known when and where these 

 meetings were to be held. 



Olds, July 15. — An excellent meeting, the first of the series, was held at this 

 thriving little town, which is the centre of a rich agricultural district, settled largely 

 by Americans from Nebraska and Germans from Ontario. Mr. Henry Briggs was 

 in the chair, and gave an admirable address on experiments he had been carrying on 

 in growing fall wheat and fodder plants. Awnless Brome Grass he had cultivated for 

 seven years, and he had always found it most satisfactory in every way. White Clo- 

 ver had done well, and Alfalfa was promising. Fall wheat sown early on newly bro- 

 ken ground had succeeded best, but, when this grain was sown on well worked land, 

 the crops were heavier, although they ripened later. 



