DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 95 



The wether lambs from the flock, together with a number 

 of lambs and sheep purchased, are fattened over winter, being 

 used for experiments in feeding, which operation is carried on in 

 an open yard on the hillside, east of where the outside steers are 

 fed. They have for shelter a cheaply-built shed, with a straw 

 roof, open in front, and boarded on the sides and back. 



Two breeds of swine are kept, Yorkshires and Berkshires. 

 The number kept is not very large, usually two or three sows 

 and one stock boar of each breed. The young pigs are mainly 

 used for experimental feeding purposes but some of the best are 

 sold to farmers for breeding. The sows that are suckling and 

 the young pigs are wintered in a comfortable piggery. The 

 boars and dry sows stay outside and shelter in cheap cabins. 



In poultry, a few birds of each of three breeds are kept: 

 Barred Plymouth Rock, Buff Orpington and Silver Grey Dor- 

 king. 



Cultural Work. 



Wheat. 



Wheat is the principal crop of Manitoba and therefore 

 receives special attention a: the Experimental Farm. Since 

 Red Fife is the old, standard variety that has made Manitoba 

 wheat famous, it is the variety most largely grown. There is 

 also a considerable quantity produced of Marquis, a new variety 

 that promises to be of great value to districts that need an early 

 kind. Smaller field lots are grown of other varieties such as 

 White Fife, Preston, and any new kinds that appear promising 



Cultivation for Wheat. 



The summer-fallow has long been considered in this province 

 to be the best preparation for a crop of wheat. On the Farm, 

 the method of summer-fallowing adopted as most successful is 

 to plough once, in June, as deeply as practicable- — at least six 

 inches — to pack the land after ploughing, and then to keep the 

 surface loose and free from weeds by occasional cul ivation 

 during the remainder of the summer. After a summer-fallow, 

 two crops of, wheat are usually taken in succession. For the 

 second crop, the land is fall-ploughed about six inches deep and 

 packed; a light application of well-rotted manure is found 

 beneficial to a second crop of wheat. 



Continued summer-fallowing, while it gives good crops for 

 a long time, must in the end be exhaustive of the fertility of the 

 land and destructive of the vegetable fibre which holds the land 

 in place and prevents blowing. It is therefore desirable that 

 ther3 be found, first, a substitute for summer-fallow that has 



