136 DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



CULTURAL PROBLEMS ON THE PRAIRIES. 



On the prairies, some of the most difficult problems to solve 

 are those having to do with breaking virgin prairie, preparatory 

 to crop production; moisture conservation; forage crop pro- 

 duction; conservation or increase of soil fertility and weed 

 eradication. With a view to gaining some information as to 

 methods of cultivation likely to give best results along the lines 

 mentioned, the investigational work outlined below was begun 

 at Brandon, Indian Head, Rosthern, Scott, Lacombe and Leth- 

 bridge in 1911. 



Experiment No. 1. 



PRAIRIE BREAKING. 



1. — Ploughed 3" to 4'' early spring, pack, double disc, har- 

 row, double disc, sow to peas and oats. 



2. — Ploughed 3'' to 4'' early spring, pack, double disc, har- 

 row, double disc, sow to flax. 



3. — Ploughed 3'' to 4'' early spring, pack, double disc, har- 

 row, sow to flax. 



4. — Broken early Jime, 4" to b" , kept cultivated from day 

 broken. 



5. — Broken early June, 2" to 3'', rolled, backset early Sep- 

 tember, kept cultivated from day broken. 



6. — Brokeft early spring 4'', worked aaid sown to fall wheat 

 (Lethbridge only). 



Only five plots required each year. 



1st year. — To be treated as above. 



2nd year. — Plots to be in wheat. 



3rd year. — Plots to be in wheat. 



4th year. — Summer-fallow. 



5th year. — Wheat. 

 Experiment to be continued five years with new land each year. 



Flax.— 30 to 40 lbs. per acre, sow 15th to 25th May. 



Peas and Oats. — 1 bushel oats, 2 bushels peas per acre. 



E!X5»ERIMENT No. 2. 



DEPTH OF PLOUGHING. 



Ploughing on wheat stubble to be sown to oats: —  



A. 1. — Ploughing three (3) inches deep. 

 2. — Ploughing four (4) inches deep. 

 3. — Ploughing five (5) inches deep. 

 4. — Ploughing five (5) inches deep. 

 5. — Ploughing five (5) inches deep 



