FODDER CROPS. 



To the work of the Experimental Farms is due the introduction of 

 a number of the most valuable fodder crops now grown in Canada. 



GRASSES. 



At the time the Farms were organized, there was a serious 

 dearth of grasses suitable for the Prairie Provinces. When searching 

 for hardy wheats, Dr. Saunders was also on the outlook for fodder 

 crops that w r ould withstand cold latitudes. He well understood the 

 necessity for alternating grasses with cereals in the West in order to 

 maintain a productive soil. As early as 1887, there was received from 

 Riga, Russia, along with a shipment of Ladoga wheat, a supply of seed 

 of Awnless Brome grass. This was sown in plots under the charge of 

 Dr. Fletcher and it gave such promise as justified its trial on a more ex- 

 tended scale. It proved a heavy cropper and very hardy, not only at 

 Ottawa, but also at Brandon and Indian Head. On the two western 

 Farms, it proved a most persistent producer of excellent fodder and, as 

 its good qualities became known, it spread to all parts of the West until 

 it now ranks with the best grasses grown for pasture and for hay. Its 

 strongest rival apart from timothy in the Western Provinces, is west- 

 ern rye grass, a native perennial, that was discovered by Dr. Saunders 

 and one of his officers during the course of a drive in that country. 

 Seeds were gathered and sown at the Brandon Farm and at Ottawa, 

 where it gave excellent promise. Very soon both Rye grass and Brome 

 grass were being grown on a scale sufficiently large to make pos- 

 sible the distribution of seed to a large number of farmers. From that 

 period until now the area devoted to these crops has been constantly in- 

 creased until they occupy a position in the agriculture of the Prairie 

 Provinces similar to that held by timothy in the older provinces. 



CLOVERS. 



In the early years of the West, the growing of clovers was 

 despaired of because of the severity of the climate. Through the 

 persistent efforts of the Director and his officer, methods of success- 

 fully growing both Common Red Clover and Alfalfa have been discov- 

 ered at both Brandon and Indian Head and already these crops 

 are entering into the rotations of many western farms. If the Exper- 

 imental Farms in western Canada had done nothing more than lead 



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