19 1 2] The Work of the Dominion Experimental Farms. 29 



been largely employed, nor do we advise such use unless the farmer 

 understands their character and properties; but the time is coming, 

 especially in the older portions of the country, when they will be more 

 extensively employed. Hitherto it has been the fruit grower or other 

 specialist who has reaped the greatest benefit from them. 



Field Crops. 



Experimental work with the ordinary farm crops has naturally re- 

 ceived much attention. The influence of rotations and of drainage, the 

 cultivation of the soil and its manuring, the preparation of a good seed 

 bed, the effect of early and late seeding, the use of pure seed of strong 

 vitality and many other factors in crop production have been carefully 

 and thoroughly studied. 



The testing of newly introduced varieties of all classes of crops has 

 always been a strong feature. These include cereals, grasses and forage 

 and farm crops generally. An annual bulletin on the subject informs 

 the farmer as to the merits and yields of the different varieties and 

 strains offered for sale by seedsmen. The plot and field work in many 

 instances is supplemented by analysis, so that we have been able to 

 place on record data as to the composition and nutritive values of many 

 grasses, native and introduced, of varieties of Indian corn as grown for 

 fodders and the silo, of different strains of mangels, carrots, turnips, 

 etc., etc. We have also worked out the stage of growth at which Indian 

 corn, certain grasses, clovers, etc., should be cut, so that the harvested 

 material may be at its best, both as to composition and digestibility. 

 The excellent quality of the self-cured western prairie grasses has also 

 been demonstrated. 



Sugar-beets for Factory Purposes. 



The more important factory varieties of sugar-beets have been 

 grown on the larger number of the Experimental Farms and Stations. 

 Representative samples of these are submitted to analysis year by year, 

 as to sugar content and purity. We have ample evidence that as re- 

 gards these two important points very satisfactory sugar-beets can be 

 grown in many parts of Canada. 



Canadian Cereals. 



Red Fife wheat as grown in the Canadian North-West has earned 

 for the Dominion the enviable reputation of being one of the finest 

 wheat-producing countries in the world. The very high breadmaking 

 qualities of the flour from Red Fife is admitted in all the markets of the 

 world. There remained, however, an important field for experimenta- 



