18 . ^ EXPEIililENTAL FARMS 



6 GEORGE V, A. 1916 



rXPERIMENTS AT ST. BRUNO AND FORT RESOLUTION, NORTHWEST 



TERRITORIES. 



ST. BRUNO. 



The St. Bruno farm is situated some 20 miles west of Fort Smith. The land 

 was first broken in 1911, four missionaries, with a small herd of cattle and a few- 

 horses, settling there. 



Two fields were laid out and broken. In 1912 and 1913 the land had not yet been 

 sufliciently worked to yield good crops, but in 1914 good returns were obtained. 



Oats, barley, and wheat were grown successfully ; also such vegetables as carrots, 

 table beets, onions, lettuce, radishes, peas, and potatoes. 



The original herd of eighteen head has now increased to fifty, and some 500 

 pounds of butter were sold during the season of 1014. 



■ , . .FORT RESOLUTIOX. 



The winter of 1913-14 was severe, and 'the spring late, snow remaining on the 

 ground until the third week in May. Seeding was completed by May 30, and favour- 

 able weather made germination rapid. 



Growth was hastened by frequent showers during June and July. There was a 

 slight frost on August 18, and stormy weather in September lodged the oats and 

 1 arley. Harvesting took place from September 15 to 20, just in time to escape severe 

 frost on the 22nd. 



Oats (Eighty Day), barley (Manchurian). wheat (Prelude and Marquis) gave 

 good crops. Four varieties of potatoes wQi'e grown successfully; also beans, peas 

 cabbage, carrots, table turnips, beets, and lettuce. Many varieties of flowers bloomed 

 freely. 



EXPERHVIENTS AT GROUARD, LESSER SLAVE LAKE, ALBERTA. 



The wet summer and autumn of 1913 prevented fall work on the land, and when 

 the frost was sufficiently out of the soil about April 18, special efforts were required 

 to get the seeding done at the usual time. This was finished during the first days of 

 May, under favourable conditions for quick growth. 



Eighty Day oats were ripe on August 1, Abundance on the 14th. and Banner on 

 the 15th. -The latter yielded 45 busliels per acre. In wheats. Early Red Fife, ripe 

 August 18, yielded 27 bushels per aci^; Prelude was ripe August 20, and Marquis 

 August 26, yielding 29:} bushels per acre. Preston ripened the same day, and gave 

 28 bushels per acre?. Mensury barley was ripe August 10, giving 40 bushels per acre. 



In vegetables, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, tomato, squash, garden peas, beets, 

 lettuce, onions, and carrots all did well. Many varieties of flowers bloomed profusely 

 throughout their season. 



EXPERIMENTS AT GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALBERTA. 



Spring was very backward at this point, and the weather cold and dry, retarding 

 germination, which was further injured by the fact that a large proportion of the 

 grain had been sown on stubble owing to the bad weather of the preceding fall pre- 

 venting work on the land. 



Potatoes aiid roots were a failure for the first time in five years. 



Three varieties of wheat were tested. Marquis, Prelude, and Preston. They were 

 all grown on summer-fallow. Marquis and Preston yielded about 30 bushels per acre, 

 and Prelude 20 bushels. 



The crop of timothy ran about 1 ton to the acre. Clo\ er was winter-killed except 

 in small patches. 



