EXPERIMENTAL WORK IN CANADA. 489 



their comparative value for different crops ; (¢) examination 
of the composition and digestibility of foods for domestic 
animals; (/) experiments in the planting of trees for timber 
and shelter; (2) investigation of the diseases of plants and 
of domestic animals, of the ravages of insects, and of the 
means of prevention and remedies; (/) the testing of the 
purity of seeds; and (z) any other researches which might 
be approved by the Minister of Agriculture. 
The four branch farms are located at Nappan (Nova 
Scotia), Brandon (Manitoba), Indian Head (Assiniboia), 
and Agassiz (in the coast climate of British Columbia). The 
sites were chosen so as to be fairly representative of the 
larger settled areas, while in the arrangement of the work 
such experiments as would be most likely to be beneficial to 
the larger number of settlers in each case were among the 
first to engage the attention of the officers in charge. 
It was intended that the experimental farms should 
become bureaus of information to which farmers could apply 
for aid in the solution of difficulties which might occur in 
farm work. Their utility in this direction is indicated by the 
rapid increase in the correspondence with farmers in all 
parts of the Dominion. In 1889, the year after the farms 
had become fairly organised, the number of letters received 
was 8,000; in 1899 it was almost 70,000. Of these last 36,000 
received written replies, the remainder being of sucha nature 
as to permit of their being answered by printed circulars. In 
addition 215,000 reports and bulletins were sent out. 
Among other work carried out by these State Farms may 
be mentioned the experiments conducted in the ploughing-: 
ia of green clover to enrich the land. It appears that 
clover can be sown io advantage with all cereal crops in the 
Eastern Provinces, and the coast climate of British Colum- 
bia, without lessening the grain crop for the current year, 
and that after the grain is cut the clover grows luxuriantly, 
acting as a catch crop during the latter part of the season. 
The land has been much improved by ploughing in such 
clover, as has been shown by increased crops on many plots 
when compared with adjoining plots on which no clover had 
been sown. Thus a crop of oats yielded an average increase 
