80 REPORT OF THE CHEMIST OF 



has shown marked benefit to all the crops to which it has been applied. The 

 clover as a class, spurry, lupines, tall fescue and perennial rye grass, were 

 especially benefited by the marl. A spot of ground on which the marl had 

 been deposited in a body before it was scattered over the rest of the field 

 made a very bright spot of green, visible at some distance, by reason of the 

 increased growth of tall fescue and perennial rye grass sown thereon. There 

 is little danger of using marl too freely on these sandy soils. 



Plaster showed much benefit, especially on the leguminous crops, and paid 

 well for its use. It was used freely, 200 pounds to the acre. In beneficial 

 influence it stood next to marl. 



Salt seemed to be of no benefit to any of the crops except buckwheat. In 

 many crops it seemed to be a damage, especially to clovers and millet. It was 

 used at the rate of 200 pounds to the acre. The land does not seem to be in 

 condition to be benefited by salt at present. Possibly the small amount of 

 organic matter would hinder the beneficial action of salt. 



The Crops Sown. 



It was a matter of first importance to find what crop would grow on these 

 sands and yield the largest amount of organic matter to replenish the hungry 

 soil. A variety of seeds were sown, not with the expectation that all would 

 be equally useful or successful, but the knowledge that certain plants are 

 failures under the conditions on the plains is of some value. The plants 

 usually recognized as valuable, either for forage or for green manures, have 

 received first attention. 



Plants that under other climatic conditions might be of great value, may 

 be useless in these northern counties by reason of frost or drouth, or both 

 combined. 



The following plants have practically been failures on the experimental 

 farm, mainly on account of frost : Cow pea, New Zealand spinach, yellow 

 branching sorghum, martynia, borage and rape. 



The cow pea would be of great value if not so easily cut by frost. Much 

 had been expected from white mustard, which has proved so useful on light 

 sands in Europe, but it was of little value here. 



The plants moderately successful were blue and yellow lupines, Kentucky 

 blue grass, seven-leaved turnip, timothy (sowed alone) and meadow fox- 

 tail. The blue and yellow lupines took a very strong hold on the soil and 

 made a strong growth if the frost was not too severe. The energy with 

 which the lupines attack the soil has give the plant its name (Lupus, a 

 wolf). But the blue and yellow lupines do not seem to withstand the frost 

 as well as the more hardy white lupine. Timothy sowed by itself, and for 

 a first crop, made very moderate growth, but when sowed as a second crop 

 with June clover, it made a very satisfactory meadow sward. Blue grass 

 made almost no catch, perhaps from poor seed. The seven-leaved turnip 

 did not make as good top growth as the white turnip, leaving out of account 

 the tubers of the latter. 



The following plants have been a success on the Experimental Farm: 

 Spurry, mammoth clover, June clover, alfalfa, white clover, vetch, field 

 peas, Hungarian grass, millet, buckwheat, rye, Bokhara clover, perennial 

 rye grass, tall fescue and white turnips. 



