Reports of Committees. 21 



The rye crop, as grown in this vicinity, exhibits some peculiar features. 

 While more acres are sown to rye than with any other grain, and while 

 there is substantially but one variety, and that universally subject to the 

 same influences, we believe there is no crop which gives such variable re- 

 turns, and none in which the average yield is so much be-low the maximum. 

 That while no other crop is so shabbily treated, there is none that responds 

 more readily to liberal cultivation. 



There were thirteen entries of barley, and nearly every one of them worthy 

 of a premium. 



Your committee having no experience themselves with this crop, were 

 surprised to find it so extensively grown, and with such general success. If 

 the yield of this season is not an exceptional one, the cultivation of this 

 crop might be extended with profit. 



The fifty three entries of oats indicate the prominent place which this 

 crop holds in the list of farm products. The yield this year is uncommonly 

 good, and your committee were much embarrassed in awarding the -premi- 

 ums on this crop. There we v e two pieces of Norway oats entered, each of 

 one acre, and both line crops, but, in our opinion, not equal to some fields 

 of the more common varieties — estimating their value by the same stand- 

 ard. There is much yet to be learned in the simple matter of growing an 

 oat crop, and one of the most important is to know how much seed to use 

 While all concede that early sowing is essential to success, there is great 

 diversity of opinion and practice in regard to the quantity of seed necessary 

 to be used. Our opinion is that generally too much seed is used, and that 

 not sufficient care is taken in its selection. In selecting corn for seed we 

 take only the best ears, and then reject any imperfect kernels, while the 

 too common practice in sowing oats is to take them as they come from the 

 threshing machine, or may be found in the feed bin, and think to make up 

 in quantity whatever they may lack in quality. Now there is no doubt 

 but if those farmers who sow from three to five bushels to the acre, could 

 reject from one-third to one-halt of that quantity, retaining and sowing 

 only the best, their crops would be greatly improved, especially in the qual- 

 ity of the grain. 



We frequently see a single grain of rye giving an increase of eighty to 

 one hundred fold or more, while it is not at all uncommon for a single oat 

 to mature from two hundred to three hundred perfect grains, and yet lite 

 arrrarje increase of either is not more than fifteen /'old. 



We think it safe to say that as a general rule — in all crops grown for 

 their seeds — too much seed is sown, while in all crops grown for the stalk 

 and leaf too little is used. 



That farmers recognize the importance of improving their grain crops is 

 evident from the eagerness with which they seize upon new varieties adver- 

 tised in the markets, as also from the many experiments seen in growing 

 the small parcels sent from the Agricultural Department. While these and 

 all efforts to this end are to be commended, it strikes us that a more 



