REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST 187 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



July 25. — Left Prirxce Albert at 10 a.m., and drove 48 miles to Kinistino, where 

 a good meeting' was held in the evening, in the main street of the town. At this 

 meeting several ladies were present, and many questions were asked about insects 

 injurious to crops. 



July 26. — Took train to Star City, where a small meeting was held at 3 o'clock 

 in the afternoon. 



July 27. — Took train for Prince Albert, arriving soon after noon. In the after- 

 noon we drove out to hold a meeting at Birson, and afterwards visited the Weed 

 Inspector, Mr. George Connors. 



July 29. — Left Prince Albert for Warman, where a good meeting was held in the 

 afternoon in the implement shed of the Saskatchewan Trading Company. Most of 

 those present were Menncnites. "We left Warman at 3.20 for Radisson. 



July 30. — Collecting on the sand hills at Radisson in the morning, and in the 

 afternoon at 2 o'clock, a large meeting was held with Mr. George Langley, M.L.A., in 

 the chair. We left the same afternoon, and arrived at Lloydminster before midnight 



July 31 : Lloydminster. — A large meeting was held in the afternoon, Mr. Jones in 

 the chair. In addition to the other subjects usually spoken of at these meetings, the 

 value of Brome grass was discussed. Seeing the lack of good hay in the district, I 

 urged tlie settlers very strongly to cultivate this valuable grass, which is not only a 

 source of a very large supply of succulent and highly nutritious fodder and hay, but 

 is very early and also bears late into the autumn. It was explained that this grass 

 had been introduced and was still highly recommended as a source of feed for stock. 

 Many adverse reports which were made against it, were by those who had found 

 trouble in keeping it out of tree plantations, or who did not want to give the proper 

 amount of work to cultivating their land. Awnless Brome grass is a succulent 

 vigorous-growing perennial grass which roots deeply and therefore is rather trouble- 

 some to eradicate when the land is required for other crops; but it produces more hay 

 and of higher quality than almost any other grass that can be cultivated. It is 

 specially suited for the soil and climate of the Northwest, where in many places 

 grass is one of the most dsirable crops. The seed is easily threshed and handled 

 and has a ready market. Many of the farmers in the ISTorthwe'st have told me that 

 they owed their prosperity mainly to this grass. The difficulty of eradicating it from 

 the land is, I believe, much exaggerated, and those who have tried it find that they 

 can destroy Brome sod by breaking and back setting in the same way as the native 

 grasses on the prairie. When it is wished to renew a piece of Brome pasture or 

 meadow, this may be i^loughed shallow in autumn or early spring, which, as the grass 

 is very deep-rooted, stimulates growth and renews the stand. In districts where the 

 soil is light and apt to blow, there is no better way of putting hrnnus and fibre into 

 the soil than by growing a crop of Bromo; and, from a careful consideration of this 

 question, I am convinced that no farmer in the Northwest can afford to condemn 

 Brome grass on the dictum of other people; but should try a small patch of this 

 valuable grass on his farm. Wliere farmers think more of their ornamental trf'9 

 plantations than of their farm crops, or if they can m.ake more money out of growing 

 trees, the conditions of course are different, as undoubtedly Brome grass or any other 

 plant growing among trees will rob them of moisture and stunt their growth. This 

 meeting was the last of the series. The meetings were well attended throughout, 

 and a keen interest was shown in the subjects treated of. Mr. WilHng's extensivo 

 knowledge of farming conditions and farm practice in all parts of the Northwest 

 made him a valuable source of reference to all who wanted information on these 

 matters. Dr. Skinner delighted the audiences with his clear and definite presentation 

 of his subject. • He showed the great danger of allowing house flies free access to 

 houses or places where food was kept, and explained the method of transmission of 

 diseases by the various kinds of mosquitoes which carry yellow fever, malaria, &c. ITe 

 also dealt with other blood-sucking insects, and showed conclusively the value of a 

 knowledge of insect life both to farmers and to dwellers in cities. My own addresses 



