DIVISI02; OF CEREALS 



10S7 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



EXPERIMENTAL FARM, AGASSIZ, B.C. 



P. H. MOORE, B.S.A., SUPERIlfTEI^ENT. 

 WEATHEE. 



The spring of 1915 was oue of the earliest on record. All the variety test plots 

 were sown by April 9. The first sowing was done on March 27. The months of April 

 and May were comparatively .wet, having over 5 inches of rain each month. June and 

 July had a small amount of precipitation, which, with the good start the small grains 

 received in April and May, tended towards a good development. Excellent harvest 

 weatlier in August also favoured the small grains and one of the best crops iu many 

 years was threshed. The colour and quality of the grain were equal to that of 1914, 

 which was above the average. 



The following is an official report on weather conditions between seeding and 

 liarvest : — 



1915. 



Inches precipitation 



Hours sunshine 



Highest temperature 



Lowest temperature 



Mean monthly temperature 



Totals. 



14-62 

 775-8 



88-2 (aver- 

 38-6 age.) 

 58-59 " 



LAND AND TEEATMENT. 



The land upon which the cereal crops were grown was sandy loam in nature. It 

 was a portion of the land which grew mangels in 1914 and received the same treatment 

 as our regular four-year rotation. This four-year rotation consists of: fall ploughing 

 of pasture or hay land, ploughing in manure in winter and early spring, spring plougli- 

 iug and seeding to mangels or corn. Following the hoed crop it is fall ploughed and in 

 the spring it is prepared and seeded to grain with a grass mixture. The two years 

 following this it is used for the production of hay and pasture. 



All grains subject to smut were treated with formaldehyde, before sowing, in the 

 f olloAving manner : One pound of commercial formaldehyde in 40 gallons of water was 

 put in covered barrels and tlie grain was placed in^acks, immersed, and soaked for five 

 minutes. It was afterwards spread out on the floor to dry, and sacked up ready for 

 seeding. 



SEEING WHEAT. 



Six varieties of spring wheat were sown. The yield per acxe for all varieties wan 

 low. Early Eed Fife gave the highest yield with Marquis second, but, calculating on 

 an eight-year average the Marquis gave the highest yield with Early Eed Fife second. 

 The " wheat midge " which has always been a factor in our low yield was not so severe 

 in its attack this year as usual, a condition which is possibly due to the early planting. 



