An analysis of the above tables shows quite clearly that 1915 was a favourable year 

 for oats. While a yield of 104 bushels per acre is very high, it is not by any means the 

 highest on record — a yield of 114 bushels in the Rainy River District having been 

 reported to the writer. The favourable season is further evidenced by the fact that the 

 average of all winners in the counties growing oats amounted to 82 bushels and the 

 average for the Province was 41.9 bushels. 



In the mangel growing competition, the winner had a yield of 1,652 bushels, as 

 compared with an average of 498 bushels for the province. The cost of production 

 was $42.33, and the net profit was $155.91 with mangels valued at 12c. per bushel. 

 In turnips a yield of 994 bushels was secured in the competition and the average for 

 the Province was only 478 bushels. Corn for seed also showed a marked increase over 

 the average yield of the Province — 154 bushels as compared with 70 bushels. An 

 even more striking difference was noted in the corn for silage competition, when a 

 yield of 39% tons was secured, the average yield for the Province being 11 tons. 



When we know that these large yields have been secured by our young farmers, we 

 realize something of the possibilities of agricultural production, and naturally are 

 desirous of learning how such results were obtained. It should be borne in mind m this 

 connection that these results are secured from a limited area, and that the a op no 

 doubt received much more careful attention than could be hoped for when growing crops 

 on a large scale. It is equally true that the land selected for this competition would 

 probably be one of the best fields on the farm. These facts in themselves, however, 

 do not account in any large degree for the marked difference between the yields secured 

 in the competition and the average for the Province. It will be remembered that the 

 young men taking part in these competitions have come to appreciate the importance 

 of employing up-to-date methods of farming In other words they have selected well 

 drained fields, prepared a good seed bed, secured seed of high germination and desirable 

 variety, given the crop thorough cultivation and where necessary have made intelligent 

 use of spraying materials. These are the factors that have, in the main, been responsible 

 for these large yields, and the regret is that their importance is not more widely recognized 

 and more generally adopted. 



Note: — In estimating the cost of operation, $5.00 per acre is allowed for rent of 

 land; 15c. an hour for manual labour and 10c. an hour for horse labour; a charge of 50c. 

 is made for each two-horse load of barnyard manure. In the same way a charge of one 

 half the purchase price of commercial fertilizers is made against the crop ; each contestant 

 must keep a careful record of the cost of operations and in every instance reliable 

 witnesses are secured to weigh or measure the crop to be harvested. A valuation based . 

 upon the prevailing market price- is put upon the crop but arbitrarily fixed by the 

 Department in order to insure uniformity for purposes of comparison. The net profit 

 is arrived at by deducting all < ust of production plus rent of land from the total value 

 of crop. 



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