RETORT OF MR. AN&US MAC KAY 477 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



' On this farm it has always been cut in first bloom for hay, and twenty days 

 from this time it is considered in proper condition to cut for seed. 



' In cutting for seed, a binder is used and the grass is cut, tied and stooked the 

 6ame as wheat or other grain. In a week or ten days after cutting it is ready to thresh 

 or store away. 



' For threshing small quantities, the old-fashioned flail is suitable, but for large 

 lots a threshing machine should be used on which the wind has been shut off as much 

 as practicable. From three to six hundred pounds of seed may be expected from 

 an acre.' 



EXPERIMENTS WITH FIELD EOOTS. 



The land for all the field roots, including potatoes, was fallowed in 1900 by one 

 deep ploughing and several surface cultivations to keep down weeds. In the fall after 

 the ground was frozen, twenty loads per acre of well-rotted manure was spread evenly 

 over the field and before seeding in the spring was ploughed in three inches deep and 

 well harrowed. Frequent cultivation during the growing season was given all the 

 roots. 



The yield was computed from the weight of two rows 66 feet long and 30 inches 

 apart. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH TURNIPS. 



A dry period ensued after the seed was sown and the second seeding did not germi- 

 nate until after the rains on June 12. The catch of both seedings was very even, but 

 after thinning, the turnip fly did considerable injury to the leaf on the first seeding, 

 which was several weeks earlier than the second. No set-back took place after the 

 second hoeing, and the weather being favourable for growth, a good crop of very fine 

 roots was secured. The soil was clay loam, and twenty-nine varieties were tested. 

 The first sowing was on May 21, the second on May 29, and all were pulled on October 

 11. 



