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All other original copiea are filmed beginning on the firat page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printad or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the aymbol V (meaning "END"), whichever appliea. Lea axemplairea originaux dont la couvarture en papier eat imprimta sont filmAs en commen^ant par le premier plat at en terminant soit par la darniire page qui comporte une empreinte d'impreaaion ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, salon le caa. Toua lea autrea axemplairea originaux sont filmis en cornmen^ant par la pramiire page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la darniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un dea symboles sulvants apparaTtra sur la darnlAre image de chaque microfiche, aelon le caa: le aymbolo — ► algnifie "A SUIVRE". le aymbolo V signifie "FIN". Mapa. platea, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one expoaure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, aa many framea as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Lea cartea. planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent fttre film BREAKING PRAIRIE SOD. The success or failure of a new (settler often depends on the method employed in the preparation of the land for his first crop, and it is therefore of the utmost import- iince that the question of 'Breaking' or 'Breaking and Backsetting' be gi> en the consideration it deserves. For some years past the general practice throughout the count r>- lias be.'n to con- tinue breaking three or more inches deep so long as the teams can turn ove; the sod, then in the fall to disc the top-soil and grow grain in the spring following. From the breaking so done before the end of June, a goouffh wurk and ensures better rt»ult« in the long run. The anxiety of nearly all s^tlera to kw eviry acre poMible, regardloM of bmr or when the work on the land has bean aocompKahed, may be given a» tlra tmaoa for breaking and discing, to a large exUnt, aupenieding the older, better and safer plan. Brooking and backsetting means the ploughing of tho prairie sod aa ahallow as possible before the June or early July rains are over, and in August or September, when the sod will have become thoroujrfily rotted by tho raina and hot sun, irfougJiing two or three inches deeper in the siune direction and then harrowing to make a fine and firm seedbed. From land prepared in this way two good crops of wheat may bf expecteii. The first crop will be heavy and the stubble, if cut high at harvest time, will retain sufficient snow to pro.luco the moisture required, even in tho driest spring te germinate the seed for the next crop. The stubble-land can readily be burned on a day in tthe spring with a warm, steady wind and the seed may be sown with or with- out furtlier cultivation. In a caae where the graaa roots have not beea entirriy killed by the backsetting, a slmilow cultivation before seeding will bo found advantageous but aa 11 rule the harrowing of the land with a drag-harrow ofter seeding will be sufficient. Th-j principal objection to ' breaking and backaetting ia urged with regard to the Lack* siting which, no doubt, is heavy work for the teams, but if the discing required to reduce deep-breaking and then the ploughing or othenr cultivation that must be doiio in an effort to obtain n second crop, be taken into consideration it must be ooncoded that in the end ' breaking and backsetting ' is tljo ch«pcr and better method. When two crops have been taken from new land it should bo summer-fallowed. SUMMER-FALLOWS AND SUMMER-FALLOWING. Among the many advantages to the credit of the practice of summer-fallowing may be mentioiic ' :— The conservation of moisturc, the eradication of weeds, the preparation of tho land for grain-crops at a time when no other work ia preaeing, the availability of summer-fallowed land for seeding at the earliest possible date in the spring and the minor advant-iges of having suitable land for the growing of pure seed, potatoes, roots and vegetables at the least cost and with the greatest chance for success, and that of being able to secure two crops of grain witb little or no further cultivation. Summer-fallowing undoubtedly has seme disadvantages, but so long as the grow- ing of grain, and more particularly wheat, remains the principal industry of the pro- vince, it will be necessary to store up moisture against a possible dry season, to re- strain the weeds from over-running the land and on account of the short seasons, to prepare at least a portion of the land to be cropped in the year previous to seeding and a well made summer-fallow is the best means to this end. Among the disadvant- ages are:— The liability of the soil to drift, the over-production of straw ii a wet season, causing late maturity and consequent danger of damage by frost, and it is claimed, the partial exhaustion of the aoil. The two former may, to a great, extent, be overcome by different met. ods of cultivation, and if the soil can be prevented from drifting, I am satisfied that one of the reasons for the latter contention will dis- appear. Various tnethoda are practised in the preparation of fallow and where the aim has been to take advantage of the June and July rains and to prevent the growth of weeds, success is almost assured. Where the object has been to spend as little time as possible on the work, failure is equally certain. In my annual report for the year 1889, the following was submitted for the con- sideration of the settlers. Since then many experiments have been conducted on the Experimental Farm with different systems and again I submit what, on the whole, have been found to be the most successful methods for the cultivation of the soil in Saskatchewan : — FROM REPORT OF 188». December 20. 'The year just pa«t has been uiiu of cxtruiiic». Liut wiiitur was uno of tb* miMt'Ht on n'cord and March wax ^.o very tint- that tliuusuiul^ of uurea of Kfoi" "^'o •etMltxl from tho l&th to the 31«t, and nt no timo in the hittory of the country hao the ground been in better condition for th<> retrptinn of the aecd. Inimcdiiitely after ■eeding, Itowover, exceptionally high windit svt in, foUowi-d by oxtrouto drouglit duriiiK the eutiru growing Hca'^in. In niuny iiluo's tlu- croiw wore iiijiirud liy tliu wiiidb and finally alninat ruined by the siicoeoding dry weothor. In some looulitic*, however, where tho funning has bei'ii doiio in ucconiunct! with the ri'iniiruuiontji of tho country, tho crops did fairly, and eonsiiliTiiig the exceti»ively dry weulhfr, renmrkably well. 'Tho Ex|H'riniental Farm nuffcrod in company with every other form in the country. Perhaps vory few HMlTcroii a^ much from winds, but the dry weather, though reducing the yield.4, did not provo so diaii^trou^) us to many others. In this portion of tho TerritoriiM at least, every settler knows the impt)rtaneu of properly preparing his land. For wvernl yeupH after the country became open for settlement every ono imagined that grain would grow, no matter how put in, but now tlie man it devoid of reason wlm thiukH he i- sun? of a crop williuut uny exertion on his part. It is true that since ISbiJ we have had one year in which tho land required little or no preparation for the production of an ubuniiunt crop but only too many realize the loss in the reniainine; years from ]H)i>r cultivation. ' Our seasons point to only one method of cultivation by which we may in all years expect to reap something. 'It is luite within tho liouiuis of po-tiihilities that some other and pertmps more Buccpssiul method may be found, but at present I submit that ' fallowing ' the land is the best preparation to ensure a crop. Fnllowintj land in this country is not re- quired for the purpo.-ie of renovating it, om is the ea^o with tho worn-out lands in the lEasf ; and it is a que-stion m yet unsettle•• d July, at a time when every farmer hos little or nothing else to do, and it is t iM " 's work should be done. Usually seeding is over by the 1st of May and to JSt results the Ion 1 for fallow should be iilouphed from !> to 7 inches dfc , II after this date as possible. Land ploujrhed after July is of no use wb ■■•. ,s the rains in August are nuieh in excess of the average. A good ban stiouH suceed the ploughing aiul all weeds or volunteer grain be kept down by successive cultivation. .\ good deal of uncertainty is felt with regard to a second ploughing, some holding that it is useless; others maintaining that it is an injury: while others again have found it to give from five to ten biishfls per acre more thon one ploughing. So far the pxporimont« on the Experimental Farm have shown that by far the best rettirns hnve been received from two ploughings; ami more noticeably was this the ease when the first ploughing had been completed in ^lay or June. Without doubt, two ploughings cause a greater growth of straw and con- sequently in a wet year the grain is several days later in maturing, cnnsinir greater danger from frost: but taking tho seasons so far passed, 18St excepted, two ploughings with as much siirfaco c\dtivation as possible in between, may be safely reconnnendod. ' Above all it is of the greatest importance that tho first plouirliing be as deep as possible, and that it be done in time to receive the June and July rains,' After seventeen years further experirnce and observntion the following was written on this subject in the Annual Report of the Experimental Farms for 1900. FROM HKFOHT OF KHmi. IfKTiinrM OK |*n»:i'AHiN(i Hon, roii Uuws Cmdm. MKTIIdM or PRKI'ARIMi NEW liBtMMi. ' In view of the faijt that every y»i»r briiidt to the Northwot in»ny n«w nettlor-. who arc uii«c«|iiaintr,l with the nwihixl* of brukiiiu up ntid preparing lu laii.t for crop, H few Mi|{K''»tioiit with P'jiar.l Ip thi^ importHiit wc.rk luty not bo a.ni»K. ' III uU Kwii„nH where tlw mI i. ihi.k atn! tough. l.^,.kinK un.l l.Hcki--ttinu should U. done; while in the districtH where bluff* yl.ound and the xod i, tiiin. or H-imJi share. U the bo-it. Wiicn ilw breiiking is i-omplm,,! (which fihould not be lator than the second week in .lidy), rolling will hasten tin; rotting pro<'e«(( und i>cna'n backsetting to coDinwiK-e curly in AiiguM. 'Backsetting is menily turning the cod bncl; to it^ originiil place, and at tlio tame time bringing up two or ...rco inchiiH of fresh wil to cover it. The plouuliing •hould be done in the *.nme direction a* the breaking and the gaiuo width of furrow turned. Two inches below the breuking is considercl deep enough but three to four inches v.'ill give bolter results. 'After bttcktA'tting. iIk- soil cannot be innde t.K. tine, and the U8i of dine or Kiin- dall harrow to cut up every piece of viirotted ^ml. will complete the work.' DKKI- nilKAKIXQ. ' Deep brc.ikiiiij. whi.h in some sections of the country is the only practicnble way of preparing now land, and which is, tinfortunufely, done in some instances wliere breaking and backsetting would give much more ssatisfactory residts, consists ;„ the turning over of the sod aa deeply t» possible, uitually from four to five inches W ■< the sod has rotted, tb« top soil should be workeod-bo«l. ' Whether the land is broken shallow or drcp. it is necessary to have the woi!; completed early, so a,s to take advantng.' of the rains which usually come in June or early in July. These rains eiiuso the sn<| to rot. and without them, or if the idough- ing is done after they are over, the soil remains in the same condition as when tur. d. and no amount of work will make up fiT the loss.' SDUIER FALLOWS. • The true worth of properly prci«r«l fallows has been clearly demonstrated in past year- in every district of Sarkatchewan. ' The work of preparing land for crop by fallowing is carried on in so many way, in diflFcrent parts of the country, that perhaps a few words on some of tho methods eniployeil may be of use to at least some of the new settlers. 'It ha- been ob.served ii\ some parts of Saskatchewan that the land io be fallow,,! is not. as a rule, touched until the weeds arc full grown and in many cases, bearing fully matured seed. It is thou ploughed. ' By this method, which, no doubt, saves work ot the timt>, the very object of a summer-fallow is defeated. In the first place, moi.-ture is not conserved because tho land has been pumped dry by the heavy growth of weeds; and. secondly, instead of <. fill- ui.inf the (.umni«TfHll..tt n- n in.ni of rra.licaiiim «....!,. ,, fnun.lmlon i« loiil for jretrn of labour iii.l .xixii.,. h.v lii. iii,v.i«.|» of foiil »«.|> tiini.,1 uii.l.r. 'The i.n.ll.«4 rt. 1.1. „t >,.ll„«-l!,.wer..I wm.U. |fi.n..rolly n«ll Mixtitril {.Vr«/.,i p.,„i- I ulatn), tfHtfy to the iiKliffrrrrit wnrk ilmic in mutiv .li»tri.t<. .in,J, whil.. n.. \u;;] h morr ewily i>ra<| |,y H tr<>oliitrl.v n.M,.,-iuv to .iir. sp. .mil I hrre rep. iit lli.. il^,,!* imi.i r.' tMt» carrioil on for sonii- yfard pa»t. •Fir.t Mi-lhuJ.—V\oni(\u,l ,l,rp (tt to S inrhi',) b.fow lii^t of Jiim.; «,irfii,.. .Milti- Tat.ul durintf thoKrowinK Bt■ll^on, iin.i ju-t l>ofori.' or imm.-.liut, Iv iifirr hiirv.->i i.Iom«Iio.| 5 or fl inchcH (Iwp. 'Rc»iilt- Too much Int.. Kfowth if Mii-on wa, at nil w.'f ; jfrnin l.iio in riin nin«, •ml a large i-rop of wniN if the irrain wu- in nny way injiind hy win.U. 'Second M>thoJ.~Plox,eh(il shrllow CJ inchr^ .l..p) bofor,. the hut of .hm- ; M.r- faai cultivntod during ihu growiun ...•a«,,n, inul phriKhf.l shullow Ci to 4 inch.-- .ji.p) in thi> autumn. ' Kosu.t. -Poor crop in u dry .Mur; m«'dium .i-ii in a wet y.ur. N'ot lutH.-icnllv itirrcd to onuhlc soil to ri'luin fho moistnrr. ' Third 3/^tly advi- d against, • In the first place, after the rains are over in .luiie or early in Jnlv. :,- tliev iiMMil'y are, no amount of work, whether deep or -halh.w ploMf;hinK. or surface .■iilt..ation. . ali put moi,sture in the soil. The rain mn-t full on the Hrst pi.uighins and be eoiis.rv.-d by surface cultivation. ' Weed*., when allowed to attain their full growth, tiike from th.. s.nl all the moist- ure put thoro by the June rains, aiul !.huighin«--Mn.ler w.h.Is with tlieir m,.,Is i-i,., ,.r nearly so. is adding a thoiisar f.ild to the myriads already in the »oil. and .Iocs not n'aterially enrich the land ' During the past two years the te- n 'dry farming' has been uppli.d to vhat was formerly known in the West as • summer-fallowiii'r.' With the exception of the ad.lition of the use of a s'oil-jiaeker there is le change in tY methods formerly cmi.loyed, when the spring rains and fr. .lueiit cultivati.in were depended upon for the pa.king of the soil. Packer? are, without doubt, most useful implements on the farm and where from any cause, the soil is loose, they siiould be used. They are, however, expensive im- pb>nMata still within th* moan* of aomparatirvty tmt of tha nmr MtUnn. Fortunately, ••rljr ploughing and fraquant ahalluw cultivation riiav b4< ikpendad upon to produM •imntt equally tatiofaotorjr nwulta in th<> majority nf attm. LULTIVATIOM u»' nri BBLI!. Wboii farmcra luinnter-fallow otio-third of tliair oultivatad Lmd • :iy nhuuld, oiiu-httlf of fu<'li .vcar't urup will b>l>riui{, and i^Uior r.iiilivaU! aholluw bpfura auniinc or five oims or two atrokia of the liiirruw al'tt'f M><''litiK. (h« iilijci't b«>ing to fo^iii a tuuluh tu uuiM«>rve wbat«ver moiitura may b« in tliu 'oil, until tbo conuuonceuwut of tho Jun« rain«. Tho (Kirtion intvn
  • d for oat* nr barley, iihoiild tw> ploughed four or fiva inohaa dij)>p and liarruwttl itumediataly ; than m'iIim) and hnrrowod lu fino a* piia»iblf>. In ('a time will nut purniit of ploughing, L;".id return* muv U' i-X|'-;ut«d from sowing tim mmnI oata or l>«rUty un thi< burnt grotiud, and dinkintr it in; tlH>n harrowing well. KAI.L riuruillM^ With regard to fall plmiu-hing it may l>« Miid thnt, an n ruK on acooimt of iihort ■envms and dry Nnjl, vury little wurii can poMibly b<' done in tb<' full, but If the itublile- loiid in in a condition to plough and tbi< i«tubbU< i^ not too lontc. that portion int4'ud(!d for out!* and horlny may thuii U- |>li>ugh<>d, if tinio permit*. It it, howevi-r, a mi-<(4iko to turn ovpr aoil in n lumpy or dry condition, m nine time* out of ti-n it will n-muln. in tlio xame Matif utitil )fay or June, tvith inaufflcient moisture to properly germinata tho scod, and tlio crop will very likuly be overtaken by froiit. As to the quantity of tead to grow und the depth of sowing, long exporionoa has shown that the b<