72 



settlers were In each case among the first to engage the attention of the oflJcers 

 in charge. 



Eighteen years have passed since this worli was begun, and during that time 

 agriculture in Canada has made unprecedented advancement. It is not claimed 

 that this progress has been wholly due to the intlueuce and work of the Domin- 

 ion Experimental Farms ; much credit is justly due to the various measures 

 carried on l)y other useful organizations established mainly by the several 

 provinces. 



Foremost among these is the Ontario College of Agri(?ulture at Guelph. This 

 is a well-equipped institution which has done noble work. Farmers' institutes, 

 live-stock associations, fruit growers' associations, and agricultural and horti- 

 cultural societies have all proved helpers in this good cause. The commissioner's 

 branch of the Dominion department of agriculture has also been an important 

 factor. This In-anch deals witli the cooperative dairy interests, the development 

 of cold-storage facilities by which certain food products cnn be carried in good 

 condition to the markets in Great Britain, the inspection of fruits, seeds, etc. 

 There is, however, no doubt that the experimental farms established l)y the 

 Federal Government have contributed in large measure to the general upbuild- 

 ing of agriculture in Canada. I'he in-ogress referred to has resulted in a general 

 improvement in the condition of the agricultural population all over the country 

 and in a vast increase in the exports of agricultural products. 



There is probably no employment which engages man's attention that requires 

 more skill and more general information than farming. Competition is keen 

 throughout the civilized world, and the farmer must turn to practical account 

 e-\ery advantage within his reach bearing on improvement in the quality of his 

 products and in lessening the cost of their production, if he is to maintain and 

 improve his position. 



Investigations and experimental research have been conducted on almost 

 every line bearing on agricultiu-e, and a great mass of important facts has been 

 iiccuuiulated and given to the farming conmiunity in reports and Imlletins. 



When the experimental farms \\ere planned it was intended that they should 

 become bureaus of information to which farmers could apply from time to time 

 to aid them in the solution of difficulties which frequently present themselves 

 during the progress of farm work. Evidence of their usefulness in this way is 

 furnished in the rapid increase of correspondence carried on with farmers in all 

 parts of the Dominion. In 1889, the year after the farms had become fairly 

 organized, the number of letters received was about 8.0U0. During the past six 

 years the average number annually received at all the experimental farms was 

 6G,222. In addition, over 220,000 reports and bulletins have been sent each 

 :.ear. There is thus a constant flow of information going to Canadian farmers 

 irom all the experimental farms. 



It is as a rule a difficult matter to bring about rapid changes in the ideas and 

 practice of farmers, but as soon as they are convinced that experimental work 

 is carried on in a practical manner by persons competent to give information, 

 that it is undertaken in their interest and with the special object of making 

 farming more profitable, their sympathy and coojieration are assured. 



Experimental agriculture covers so large a field that I con but briefly refer 

 on this occasion to a few important points in connection with the work which 

 has been done for the upbuilding of agriculture in Canada, such as will indicate 

 the general trend of the woi-k. 



The principles which underlie successful crop growing may be thus sum- 

 marized : Maintaining the fertility of the land, adopting a judicious rotation of 

 croi>s, following the best methods of prejiaring the land, early sowing, choosing 

 the best and most productive varieties, and the selection of plump and well- 

 ripened seed. Along all these lines many experiments have been conducted. 



Continued efforts have been made to gain knowledge as to the best methods of 

 jnaintaining and adding to the fertility of the land. In this connection special 

 attention has been given to irivestigations to determine the best methods of 

 handling and using barnyard manure — the universal fertilizer, which is more or 

 less available everywhere to the farmer. 



Experiments continued for eleven successive years have shown that a given 

 weight of manure taken fresh from the barnyard is eiiual in crop-producing 

 power to the same weight of rotted manure. It has also been shown by repeated 

 tests that fresh manui-e loses during the process of rotting from 50 to (JO per 

 cent of its weight. The effective use of barnyard manure so as to obtain the 

 hest results with the least waste is without doubt one of the most important 

 l)roblems connected with successful agriculture, for ou this material the farmer's 



