96 DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



it 3 virtues without its faults; secondly, a corrective that will 

 re: tore to the soil the fertility and vegetable fibre that the sum- 

 mer*fallow has wasted. Both of these have been found and are 

 being used on the Experimental Farm in preparing the land for 

 wheat. Indian corn, with constant tillage between the rows, is 

 found to be a substitute for summer-fallow. It produces almost 

 as good a following crop of wheat and destroys weeds as well, 

 at the same time furnishing a large quantity of fodder which, 

 being returned to the land in the form of manure, keep up the 

 fertility. Leguminous forage crops such as clove and alfalfa, 

 are also found to be a corrective for the faults of the summer- 

 fallow. By their peculiar power of drawin;? nitrogen from the 

 air and storing it in the soil, they renew the lost fertility nd their 

 fibrous roots, in decaying, return the vegetable fibre and prevent 

 the land from blowing. These crops are therefore displacing, 

 to a considerable extent, the summer-fallow as a preparation for 

 wheat. 



Oats, one of the main field crops on the Farm, are grown 

 chiefly for feeding, the Banner being the variety forming the 

 bulk of the crop. Variety tests are also carried on of such sorts 

 as appear promising. 



Barley is also grown mainly for feeding purposes and is 

 found excellent for fattening stock. The varieties grown most 

 largely are Mensury, Manchurian and O. A. C. No. 21, all six- 

 rowed. 



Peas are a crop that deserve to be more widely grown; they 

 yield well and are very valuable both for food and for their 

 enriching effect on the land. The variety chiefly grown here in 

 field lots is the Arthur. 



A limited quantity of flax is grown each year, usually on 

 sod land. 



Indian corn for ensilage is one of the most highly valued 

 crops on the Farm. Not only is it of great value as a substitute 

 for summer-fallow in a rotation, but it produces a greater bulk 

 of good feed per acre than any other crop we can grow. The 

 Northwestern Dent i^ the variety chiefly sown here, as it is a 

 very early sort, well suited to our conditions. The corn is planted 

 either on land that has grown grain for two or three years and 

 needs summer-fallowing or else on sod land. In either case, 

 manure is applied and ploughed in. The corn is planted about 

 May 25th to June 1st, and is kept cultivated throughout the 

 summer. It is cut about Sept. 5th to the 10th, and is stored in 

 the silo. The ensilage makes a fresh succulent feed during the 

 winter and is much enjoyed by the cattle. 



Mangels and turnips are both grown for winter feeding, the 

 mangels being fed to the milch cows, pigs and poultry and the 

 turnips to the young cattle, steers and sheep. A few carrots are 



