Journal of Agriculture. 



[8 Jan., 1907. 



It appears to me, that as a matter of general interest, the above-men- 

 tioned awards are worthy of more detailed analysis. 



(A) The Best System of Cultivation, Rotation, etc., -pursued on each 

 Farm — 15 Points maximum. — The three competitors are very close to one 

 another ; Mr. Batson, by reason of the efforts he has made by means of 

 lape and r3'e grass, shows enterprise in providing feed for his sheep, and 

 incidentally introducing a much needed break in continuous cereal cropping. 



The large areas held by competitors in this section enables them, after 

 a crop of wheat followed bv oats, to leave the land out in grass for several 

 years, a svstem which contributes materially to the cleanness of the 

 subsequent wheat crop. 



The system of cultivation, that is to say, the manner in which the 

 cropping and fallowing, are done, is much the same in all cases. It may 

 be remarked that the large areas cropped are responsible to some extent 

 for the fallowing being done on the late side, which in a dry year is a 

 drawback. 



{B) The Best Svstem of Manuring the Land , Names of Manures, and 

 Quantities used per Acre — 10 Points maximum. — The use of superphos- 







A 350-ACRE WHEAT CROP. 



phates of various brands is universal. The particular name of the manure 

 carried no weight with me whatever, but I learned with satisfaction that 

 the a,pproximate weight per acre used now is nearer 56 lbs. per acre than 

 it was in 1903 when I judged previously. In all cases a little extra 

 manure was given on red ground than on black ground. The use of stable 

 refuse on poor patches is a practice to be commended. I am well aware 

 that manv practical northern farmers refuse to recognise the value of stable 

 refuse, but if one reflects that this material controls the power of the soil 

 to hold moisture more than anything else, its value will soon be admitted. 

 Well-rotted material, such as comes from a covered pit, is not onlv easy 

 to handle and spread, but has not the drawback of keeping the soil open 

 and dry, nor does it spread weed seeds. 



(C) The Best System of Saving Stable and other Manures on each Farm 

 — 5 Points Maximum. — In this section a great deal more could be said of 

 what has not been done, than of what actually takes place. It will be 

 noted that Mr. Batson is the only one of the competitors Avho receives full 

 points. The curiosity of the visitors who accompanied the judge was in 



