REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 171 



CEREALS. 



The season of 1898 has been a very anxious one for the farmer in Canada. From 

 all quarters correspondents have reported unusual climatic conditions with extremes of 

 heat and drought or low temperatures and heavy rainfall. On the whole, the wheat 

 crop of the Dominion at the end of the season turned out better than could have been 

 anticipated. In British Columbia, with its diverse climates, the small grains gave good 

 returns, particularly on Vancouver Island, in the rich lands along the Fraser River and 

 in the Okanagan Valley. From the Jforth-west the accounts both as to quality and 

 yields are very satisfactory, notwithstanding almost unprecedented rains after the grain 

 was cut. Mr. Angus Mackay, Superintendent of the Experimental Farm at Indian 

 Head, says at the end of September : "From all parts of this district the wheat crop is 

 better than was expected. The lowest yet reported is 28 bushels per acre on stubble 

 land, while many have over 30 bushels per acre. The crops on summer-fallow run 

 from 30 to 45 bushels per acre. There will be an average of from 30 to 35 bushels per 

 acre." In the Manitoba Crop Report of August 22, we find : " Perhaps in no year in 

 the history of the province has the productive nature of our soil been so noticeable as 

 the present season. Seeding time was unusually favourable, but for a month or six 

 weeks after seed was sown there was no rainfall. In many fields seed did not even 

 start to grow until late in June, so that, up to the first week in July, prospects were far 

 from promising. A change came during the second week in July, when hot, growing 

 weather gave crops a good start. 



" From that time to maturity conditions were favourable. After this, however, 

 another six weeks of cold wet weather set in, from which the wheat suffered consider- 

 ably. This loss varied much in the different sections of the province, and is variously 

 estimated at from 1 to 33 per cent of the crop. The best reports were from the North- 

 central, South-central and Eastern districts. In the South-west, particularly north of 

 the Turtle Mountains, the crops suffered much from want of rain, and ia restricted areas 

 from the ravages of the Rocky Mountain Locust. Some fields never recovered, but 

 others picked up in a most remarkable manner, giving the whole country a strange 

 patchy aspect. The spring drought, followed by rain and growing weather, brought on 

 a copious second growth of grain which, from lack of moisture, had been unable to 

 germinate in the spring." 



Mr. Wra. Scott, of the McKay Milling Co., Ottawa, who purchases large quantities 

 of grain both in the Province of Ontario and in the West, says : "The wheat crop this 

 year throughout the Province of Ontario was of exceptional quality, the grain being 

 clean, hard and heavy, some samples grown in the Otta,wa valley going G4|^ pounds to 

 the bushel. We have received from our correspondents no complaints of attack by 

 weevil or any other insects. The wheat from Manitoba and the Territories is this year 

 of exceptionally good milling quality. The weed question, however, is still one of 

 enormous importance in the Prairie Provinces, and notwithstanding all that has been 

 done, even more effort will have to be put forth by our western farmers in sowing clean 

 seed and weeding their crops, if they hope to maintain their grades of hard wheat and 

 to get the best prices in foreign markets." * 



In the Ontario Crop Report for November, 1898, we find: "Fall wheat: poor 

 yields were exceptional, and large yields were common. The plumpness of the grain is 

 frequently alluded to, in many cases the weight going over the standard and as high 

 sometimes as 63 or 64 pounds to the bushel. Here and there only did correspondents 

 complain of rust, midge or other injury to the crop. The yield is 24 bushels per acre. 

 The acreage of spring wheat is onl}' a little over one-third of that of fall wheat. The 

 crop has been over an average in yield and the quality good." 



In the eastern parts of the province of Quebec and through the Maritime Provinces 

 the reports are less statisfactory, rust being frequently complained of ; oats, barley, 



