FSRM CROPS OF CAXADl 7.V 1001 39 



A. At the experimental farm two plantings were made, the first was on May B, 

 which gave 20 tons 570 pounds per acre ; the second was two weeks later, May 22, 

 and this gave 19 tons 42 pounds per acre. There was thus a difference of about a ton 

 and a quarter in the yield as a result of the delay in seeding two weeks. Vilniorin'a 

 Improved, sown on May 8, gave a yield of 19 tons 225 pounds, while that sown on May 

 22 gave 17 tons 1,495 povinds, a difference of about a ton and a half in favour of th« 

 early sowing. We have had a similar experience for several years past and in almost; 

 every instance we have found roots to average a larger crop when sown early. 



By Mr. WrlcjU : 



Q. Does that apply to the Early Eose potato ? 



A. That is a somewhat different question. 



Q. You said all roots ? 



A. Yes, but the potato is a tuber. All the roots we have tested have usually 

 given the larger yield from the earlier sowings, but we have not yet tried many experi- 

 ments in the planting of potatoes at different dates. 



By Mr. McGowan : 



Q. Could you get the committee these data regarding the sugar beet ? 



A. I could work that up, if desired; what States would you be interested in — 

 Michigan ? 



Q. Michigan. 



A. If the statements recently made by one of the leading papers in Toronto are 

 correct, it would seem that there are people who are interesting themselves iti beet 

 sugar production in Canada who do not want the whole truth to be known. This state- 

 ment was to the effect that the Ontario government had a deputation wait upon them 

 lately to complain that some speakers at Farmers' Institutes had said that the beet 

 was an exhausting crop, which they contended was misleading and tending to discour- 

 age the cultivation of this crop, and they wanted a stop put to these misrepresentations. 

 The Institute speakers were quite right; the sugar beet is an exhausting crop, and they 

 did only their duty, when addressing farmers on this subject, to tell tliem the whole 

 truth — any objections taken of this character are likely to be regarded with suspicion. 

 It has been said, biat I do not know how much truth there is in it, that the manufac- 

 turers of beet sugar machinery sometimes take a hand in booming this industry. 



By Mr. Clancy : 



Q. This is an important question, the two sides are presented, one side contends 

 that sugar beets do not exhaust the land, and the other side contends that they do ; 

 what is your opinion ? 



A. I gave this committee the figures last year on which my opinion was based. 

 These were the results of a number of analyses of the roots of the sugar beet. These 

 figures proved that the sugar beet was a very exhaustive crop. 



By Mr. McGoican : 



Q. Does it exhaust the land more than turnips ? 



A. Yes, sir, considerably more. I may be wrong in my opinion — I am always 

 willing to be corrected — but my impression is that this is an industry that we luid 

 better go slowly in extending at present. There is said to be a large surplus of sugar 

 in the world, more than is required at present — experts place that at about l,250,0i;0 

 tons. The Cubans, who have been prevented from producing much sugar l>y the war, 

 formerly made about 900,000 tons per annum. During the war this is said to have been 

 reduced to about 200,000 tons. The sugar industry is rapidly reviving there and tlie 



