THE SASKATCHEWAN CROP GROWERS' PLANS IN 



WAR TIME 



PROF. JOHN BRACKEN, Professor of Field Husbandry, University of 



Saskatchewan. 



To those of us who are not in khaki but who are nevertheless anxious to do their 

 share in bringing victory to the Allies' cause the question of modifying our farm practices 

 to meet the needs of the present crisis is one that deserves our most serious consideration. 



The call has come to the Canadian farmer to increase his production, because, in 

 this way, he can be of very material service to the Empire. No one doubts the favour- 

 able effect a large crop will have on our staying powers in this war. The question is, 

 can we get the larger crop? 



We produced 10,543,796 acres of grain in 1915. We fallowed 2,043,841 acres of 

 land and "broke" 729,553 acres of virgin prairie. 



The fallow is practically ready for seeding without extra work. Where it has been 

 done well no additional cultivation other than mulching by surface tillage is necessary 

 or advisable. Where it has not been done well it is too late now to do anything that 

 will make it right; although no doubt, many poorly prepared fields may yet be improved 

 by suitable cultivation in the spring. Our fallow can be depended upon to produce some 

 crop. The climatic conditions will determine whether it will be large or small. 



Much of the "breaking" can still be improved, but the time for doing the best wcrk 

 on this land is also past. We can yet see, however, that a suitable seed-bed is prepared 

 and that poorly cultivated land is surface tilled. The breaking lends itself more to 

 improvement than the fallow. It is not so sure to give us a crop as the fallow, but more 

 sure to do so than the stubble land. 



Of the 10,500,000 odd acres that were cropped this year, very little has received 

 any preparation for next year's crop. Under ordinary circumstances at least 3,500,000 

 acres of this land should be fallowed. This would leave 7,000,000 acres of stubble 

 land to prepare for a crop. The Provincial Department of Agriculture estimates that 

 1,730,000 acres of this have been fall ploughed, leaving over 5,250,000 acres yet in 

 stubble. 



Under these conditions what is to be done? Shall we sow ill-prepared land and take 

 a chance, as, fortunately, many of us did in 1915, or, shall we sow only the land that 

 can be well prepared? In other words shall we, having made a fortunate stroke, take 

 another turn at the wheel, or shall we play safe? There can be no doubt that the 

 latter is the better plan, not only for the nation but also for the individual. 



The Empire's needs must receive first consideration from the farmer as well as 

 from the soldier. But poor farm practice will not result in satisfying the Empire's 

 needs. If we expect that the war will be concluded within from twelve to twenty 

 months, the most patriotic among us may be led to sow all or nearly all of our land, 

 including a portion or all of what should be fallowed. We would serve an immediate 

 need at the expense of the future. We would take chances on our 1916 crop and run 

 an even greater risk with the crop of the following year. 



Without a reasonable amount of fallowed land in 1916, what would be our contri- 

 bution to the Empire's needs in 1917, providing the war continues two years or more? 

 Where would the individual be financially? It is conceivable that the 1917 crop might 

 be a failure. It is not only conceivable, but it is quite probable, that it would be a 

 small one — small in direct proportion to the absence of fallowed land. 



Ordinarily the stubble land that is cropped is either fall ploughed, spring ploughed, 

 burned and surface cultivated, or sown on the stubble without any cultivation. Less 

 than one-quarter of the estimated stubble land to be sown was ploughed last fall. It is 

 possible that an equal proportion was disced. This leaves at least 3,500,000 acres to 

 be prepared in the spring. If the spring opens up early, some spring ploughing can be 

 done for wheat and more for oats. This year, on account of the long stubble, much of 

 the land can fortunately be burned and cultivated, and thus fairly well prepared at 



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