SOIL CULTURE, CEREALS AND FRUITS. 21 



Per Acre. 

 Bush. Lbs. 



Mensury 50 15 



Trooper, 47 24 



Odessa 47 24 



Oderbruch 45 38 



Common six-rowed 45 35 



Royal , 45 34 



Making an average for the six varieties for five years of 47 bushels 4 pounds per 

 acre, the Mensury leading in the yield in this list. 



In peas reported on for two years, none of the same varieties appeared in the 

 best twelve for the two years. 



In the case of Indian corn, five of the same varieties are among the best six 

 varieties for the two years. 



In turnips five of the same sorts appear each year among the best six, and in 

 mangels the same proportion is found. 



In carrots the same six appear each year and exactly in the same order. 



In potatoes where there are a very large number of varieties under trial and a 

 greater tendency to vary in the field, the same tendency is manifest. Six varieties 

 appear amongst the best twelve during the whole period. The six varieties which 

 have appeared among the best twelve for the whole time are Late Puritan, Irish 

 Daisy, Empire State, Clark's No. 1, American Wonder and State of Maine. Four 

 others have appeared among the best twelve twice out of three times. These are 

 Lee's Favourite, Carman No. 1, Seedling No. 230 and New Variety No. 1. In view 

 of these new facts I have submitted to you and bearing in mind that in the arrange- 

 ment of these plots each season, no efforts have been made to give to any variety any 

 advantage in point of location, and since the land often varies in the same field, it 

 seems quite remarkable, that the results covering so long a period as these tests 

 have occupied, in different climates and in different soils, should have been so 

 uniform in character. It is scarcely necessary to pursue this subject further. The 

 facts given furnish the strongest proof of the inherent productiveness of varieties. 



The good work we are doing in this country in the testing and introducing of 

 productive sorts of grain, is attracting attention abroad and is bringing credit to 

 Canada in the motherland. Prof. E. Patrick Wright, who is at the head of the 

 West of Scotland Agricultural College at Glasgow, Scotland, wrote to me early in 

 1899, expressing his great interest in the work we were doing in testing varieties 

 and asking that a selection be made from among those oats which had succeeded 

 best here for trial in Scotland. Several varieties were sent to him and he has found, 

 like ourselves, that the Banner stands at the head of all the varieties tried. In a 

 letter received from him a few days ago, he says the Banner oat was tried on nine 

 farms in different parts of Scotland against a number of other varieties, and he 

 reports that the average yield given by the Banner oat was 4 bushels per acre more 

 than any other sort tested. Prof. Wright, in speaking of the Banner oat, says : — 



'The notable feature about the Banner, besides that it gave the highest produce 

 on the average, was that it appeared to do well on all the kinds of soils in the experi- 

 ments, and could be relied on to give a good crop on almost every farm.' 



He asked for a further supply of seed, in order to enable him to continue these 

 tests in Scotland, which he intends to undertake on a larger scale, and 12 bushels of 

 Banner oats were lately sent to him for this purpose with 8 bushels of Golden Giant, 

 a variety which has also given good satisfaction. 



CHANGE OF SEED GRAIN. 



Another point which I wish to bring before you is with regard to some experi- 

 ence had during the past year, which seems to bear evidence to the benefit arising 

 from change of seed. Last year a fresh supply was imported of three varieties of 



