ILLUSTRATIOX FARMS OF THE COMMITTEE ON LANDS 11 



APPENDIX No. 3 



won out as the best specimen of wheat grown in America — as judged by American 

 experts at an American Exposition. It was awarded -the $1,000 prize in gold. The 

 original was a wheat bred and selected at the Central Experimental Farm. After 

 Mr. Seager Wheeler obtained it he applied the system of selection according to the 

 rules of the Canadian Seed Growers' Association; and he has written to the Secre- 

 tary of the Association gratefully acknowledging the benefits he derived. 



USE OF CLOVER SEED. 



Few farmers sow enough clover seed with their grain crops. Many farmers use 

 three pounds of clover seed per acre; some use five and a very few Uise 10 or 12 

 pounds. The farmers who use 10 or 12 pounds report that they get far better results 

 than from the smaller quantity of seed. The schedules show the percentage of the 

 acreage of grain crops which are seeded with clover. In Nova Scotia it is 60 per 

 cent, in Prince Edward Island 57 per cent, in New Brunswick 50 per cent, in Quebec 

 74 per cent, in Ontario 45 per cent, and in British Columbia 42 per cent. There 

 has been an immense improvement in that respect during the last ten years; but 

 there is need for progress in the direction of using more pounds of clover seed to 

 the acre. 



A CASE OF SMUT IN OATS. 



Diseases of plants are becoming in some districts a menace to profits. Some 

 Tarmers are preventing such as smut by the treatment of the seed grain. However, 

 lieglect is evident in that respect. A striking illustration of that was given in the 

 county of Dundas when the Agriculturist was there. He discussed with the farmer 

 the question of diseases of plants and whether he was troubled with smut in his oats. 

 The farmer replied that it was no trouble to him, that smut did not bother him at 

 all. Mr. Nunnick examined the crop in the field in which they were then standing, 

 and without moving his position reached out and picked 43 heads of smut. ' That 

 farmer's eyes were opened. It was a revelation. Hereafter he will treat the seed 

 grain to prevent smut. 



WEEDS A XATIOXAL DAXGER, 



A few words about weeds. The survey shows that they are not merely a serious 

 menace but an increasing menace in the older provinces as well as in the newer 

 ones. The Russian sovv* thistle is a case in point. It is reported as coming into the 

 county of Lanark, only six years ago. The records show that it has already become 

 so firmly established that farmers say some farms will have to be abandoned. You 

 would not think that to be an exaggerated way of putting it if you had seen some 

 farms I have myself observed. I do not know of any weed introduced into Canada 

 that at all approaches the Russian sow thistle for the damage it does, and the per- 

 sistence with which it spreads. 



By Mr. Welister: 



Q. In what section of Lanark was that? 



A. I cannot say which farm it was. 



Q. I understood you to say you had seen some of the farms? 



A. I have seen the condition of other farms, but not those to which I refer as 

 having to be abandoned. 



In "Waterloo County it is becoming serious. In Ontario County some farmers 

 say they are controlling it by means of rotation of crops. It is reported from 42 per 

 cent of the farms in ISTova Scotia, from 89 per cent of the farms in Prince Edward 

 Island, from 15 per cent of the farms in New Brunswick, from 02 per cent of the 

 farms in Quebec, from 56 per cent of the farms in Ontario, from 30 per cent of 



