FARM OROPS OF CANADA IN 1901 31 



the eastern provinces or in British Columbia that is strictly uniform in quality. Such 

 may be found, I believe, in the North-west. 



Q. Can you find such in tlie North-west ? 



A. I thinlf so. In the great North-west plains the soil is probably more uniform 

 than in any other part of the Dominion. 



In all countries that have been occupied by trees when the clearing takes place 

 tlie surface soil is so disturbed and dug over, in rooting out the stumps that the land 

 is made very irregular in quality, and in British Columbia where very large trees have 

 to be taken out, and excavations made sometimes 30 to 35 feet across to get out the 

 stumps, the gravel is turned up and mixed with the soil in such a way as to make the 

 land very variable. 



Q. That would not obtain in western Canada ? 



A. Not to the same extent. In nearly all the valleys of British Columbia, the 

 alluvial soil is underlaid by gravel and in digging out large trees much of the gravel 

 is raised to the top and that of course depreciates the quality of the soil on such spots. 



Potatoes gave remarkable crops at Agassiz where the best 12 sorts produced an 

 average of 661 bushels 5 pounds par acre. The hay crop was also unusually heavy. 

 The crops at the experimental farm at Agassiz may be regarded as fairly indicative 

 of the crops on the farms in the coast climate of British Columbia. It will thus be 

 seen that farm crops all through the west have been very good. 



In the east while hay has been an excellent crop and corn for ensilage generally 

 above the average, most of the grain crops have fallen below the average. At the 

 Central Experimental Farm the best 12 sorts of oats have averaged 55 bushels 22 

 pounds per acre. I may say generally that the field crops of oats haye gone nearly 

 50 bushels per acre, showing very little difference this yea^r between the yield of the 

 trial plots and those had in the fields. 



The best six sorts of two-rowed barley gave 48 bushels 23 pounds. The best six 

 sorts of the six-rowed variety gave 36 bushels 37 pounds per acre. 



The twelve most productive kinds of spring wheat have given an average of 30 

 bushels and a half, and the best twelve sorts of peas 31 bushels 23 pounds per acre. 



The six best sorts of Indian corn cut green for ensilage^ gave an average of 23 

 tons 1,007 pounds per acre. 



VALUE OF ENSILAGE AS A CATTLE FOOD. 



By Mr. Wilson: 



Q. Have you as much faith in ensilage for feed as before ? Does the continued 

 feeding of it show it is a success ? 



A. Yes, there is no way in which we can get the same amount of nutritious food 

 for the same cost for the feeding of steers and cattle as we can with ensilage. We 

 find this year our ensilage has cost us less than $1.50 a ton put into the barn. This is 

 including $3.00 an acre for rent of land and all the cost of growing the crop and put- 

 ting it in the silo. We have not found any other crop which will furnish food as cheap- 

 ly as ensilage made from Indian corn. 



Q. Do you find there is any discussion among the farmers about it ? 



A. Yes. 



Q. They don't seem to dissent from your views of it ? 



A. No .1 hear no dissent from those who have had experience. There are a great 

 many silos in Ontario and Quebec. In the North-west this has not been tried to the 

 eame extent although there we find it furnishes excellent feed. 



By Mr. Wright: 



Q. In our section some farmers are putting up three and four silos. 



A. We iise at Ottawa an average of about 500 tons of ensilage every year. 



