Section IV, 1888. [ 73 ] Trans. Roy. Soc. Canada. 



VII. — Observations on Early-Ripening Cereals. 

 By "Wm. Saundkrs, Ottawa. 



(Read May 25, 1888.) 



lu July, 1885, there appeared iu Nature a brief review of a paper published by "W. 

 Kowalewski, in the Memoirs of the St. Petersburg Society of Naturalists (XV. i), iu which 

 were given the results of a careful series of observations on the periods of growth of various 

 cereals iu different parts of Russia, from the far north of Arkaugelsk to the southern pro- 

 vince of Kherson : from which it appears that in the higher latitudes the grain ripens in 

 a shorter period than iu the more southern districts, the difference in favour of the north, 

 with spring wheat and oats, varying from twelve to thirty-five days. The intermediate 

 regions show intermediate differences. "While the author attributes these variations in 

 the period of ripening partly to the influence of light during the long summer days iu the 

 high latitudes, he believes that the cereals in the north have undergone changes which 

 have accommodated them to the conditions in which they are placed, or in other words, 

 that the short seasons of quick growth have gradually induced an early-ripening habit. 



Seeing that the present and prospective exports of wheat and flour are among the 

 most important items connected with agriculture in Canada, the subject of cereals was 

 one of the first to claim attention on the establishment of experimental farms in this 

 country. It has been demonstrated beyond a doubt that the immense plains iu the North- 

 west of Canada are capable of producing wheat of a very superior quality, and the area of 

 land available for this purpose is so great that there is practically no limit to the quantity 

 which may be grown, provided that the country be sufficiently populated and the period 

 of growth in all parts long enough to permit of the maturing of the grain. 



The early autumn frosts which have prevailed on several occasions iu some parts of 

 Manitoba and the Northwest Territories have proved very disastrous, and during the sea- 

 sous of 1884 and 1885, early autumu frosts were so general and severe that the greater part 

 of the wheat crop of the country was injured and much of it unsaleable, excepting at very 

 low prices. Since 1885, the injury from frost has not at any time been so universal ; never- 

 theless some loss occurs every season from this cause, especially in the more northern 

 settlements. The eflect of this oft-repeated experience has been discouraging, and farmers 

 everywhere are anxious to obtain early-ripening sorts which are likely to mature in time 

 to escape this threatened danger. Knowing that the introduction of an early-maturing 

 wheat of good quality would be a great boon to the settlers in the Canadian Northwest, 

 correspondence, under instructions of the Minister of Agriculture, was opened without 

 delay with parties in Northern Russia with the object of obtaining for test in this country 

 some of the acclimatized cereals referred to by Mr. Kowalewski, which had by long- 

 Sec. IV, 1888. 10. 



