DR. WM. SAVXDERa 



CEREALS AND ROOT CROPS. 



House of Commons, Committee Eoom 34, 



Tuesday, March 11, 1902. 



The Select Standing Committee on Agriculture and Colonization met this day 

 at 11 o'clock a.m., Mr. Legris, Chairman, presiding. 



Dr. William Saukders, Director of the Dominion Experimental Farms, was pre- 

 sent by request of the Committee, and testified as follows : — 



Mr. Chairman and Gentlenaen, it always affords me pleasure to appear before the 

 Committee on Agriculture and Colonization, because I have thus an opportunity of 

 presenting from year to year some particulars for your information as to the practical 

 work going on in connection with the experimental farms of which I have charge, and 

 your criticisms also are a benefit, which are gladly received. They are always made 

 in a kindly spirit, and whether thej' reflect creditably or otherwise on my work I am 

 always glad to have them for my guidance. 



THE CROPS OF 1901. 



During the past season the success attending the operations of the farmer has been 

 somewhat varied in different ijarts of the Dominion. In some districts the results have 

 been highly encouraging, while in others some important crops have fallen short of the 

 average yield, while other crops, equally important, have been above the average. As to 

 agricultural returns as a whole, bearing in mind the prices that have been realized for 

 produce, the Canadian farmer has not had much ground for complaint. In some 

 districts the crops have been unusually large and profitable. Among those most highly 

 favoured are the great plains which form what is known as the Canadian North-west, 

 comprising Manitoba and the ISTorth-west Territories. In some parts of the Territories 

 the crops have been exceptionally heavy; heavier than they have ever been known to 

 be before. 



RESULTS FROM CORRECT METHODS. 



While much of this is due no doubt to favourable conditions of weather, a con- 

 siderable portion of this increase is fairly attributable to improved methods of farm- 

 ing, and one almost invariably finds, that the heaviest crops are produced by the best 

 farmers. The summer fallowing of land in the North-west has greatly increased its 

 crop-producing power. Before the establishment of the experimeutal farms this prac- 

 tice was almost unknown. Our superintendent at Indian Head, Mr. A. Mackay, was one 

 of the first to experiment along this line and having thoroughly satisfied himself of 

 its advantages, has been a most persistent advocate of this practice, and has demon- 

 strated its utility so often at the experimental farm at Indian Head, that a large pro- 

 portion of the farmers in that portion of the country have been induced to follow his 

 example. The metliod of summer fallow advocated by Mr. Mackay, superintendent at 

 the experimental station, is described by him as follows ;— 



