REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 



(Frank T. Shutt, M.A., F.I.C., F.C.S.) 



Ottawa, 30th November, 1897. 



Dr. Wm. Saunders, 



Director, Dominion Experimental Farms, 

 Ottawa. 



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

 Chemical Division of the Dominion Experimental Farms. 



Though much of the scientific work commenced during the past year is not yet com- 

 pleted — notably, the investigations in the matter of the preservation of barn-yard manure, 

 and in the feeding value of certain grasses — we are able to present for the information of 

 our readers in the present report some new and important results bearing directly upon 

 the practice of Canadian agriculture. As in the past, it has been our endeavour to 

 make the Chemical Division one of practical value to the farmer, dairyman and fruit 

 grower, and it is believed that the experiments undertaken and now reported upon are 

 such as to commend themselves as important to those who are following agriculture in 

 one or other of its branches. While every investigation has been undertaken from this 

 point of view, scientific accuracy and thoroughness have not been sacrificed, believing 

 -that all true progress and material development can only come from work marked by 

 these qualities. 



The work of the Chemical Division in all its branches continues to increase. As 

 the objects of the Experimental Farm system and the value of chemical science as applied 

 to agriculture become better known, the requests for analyses and for information, 

 naturally, become more and more numerous. This fact, though exceedingly encouraging 

 as pointing to an increasing appreciation on the part of our farmers, makes it highly 

 desirable, and indeed necessary, to add to the chemical staff and enlarge our facilities, 

 if we are to keep pace with these demands, more especially when we remember that 

 original investigation should have the first call on our time. 



A brief resumd of the more important subjects treated of in the present report may 

 be given as follows : — 



Clovers and green manures. — This investigation, begun in 1895, to ascertain the 

 amounts of fertilizing materials that under different conditions could be supplied to the 

 soil by various clovers, has been during the past season further pursued. We are able 

 to place before our readers in the present report some very interesting and important 

 data regarding the value of soil enrichment by growing clover with the cereal crop. 



Soil inoculation for the legumes with nitragin. — Our results in this new department 

 of agricultural research will be found of special interest. They indicate the possibility 

 of economically treating land with germ cultures to stimulate the growth of clover and 

 assist in assimilation of free (atmospheric) nitrogen. An illustration, taken from a 

 photograph of the pots under experiment is given. The luxuriance of the foliage in the 

 inoculated soils, in comparison with that in the untreated pots, is apparent. The che- 

 mical data, showing the amounts of nitrogen, organic mattei", and ash in khe (a) roots, 

 and (6) stems and leaves of the clovers and horse beans experimented with, are presented 

 in tabular form. 



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