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DOMINION OP CANADA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EXPERIMENTAL FARMS DIVISION OF FIELD HUSBANDRY SUMMARY OF RESULTS FIELD HUSBANDRY 1913 PamriMMa n O. C. WHITE, B.S.A. AituUint Chmimum PUU Hutbandman SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE BRANCH EXPERIMENTAL FARMS AND STATIONS Bulletin No. 75 J.VNUARY, 1914. 630. i< C212 )y direction of tho Hon. MARTIN BURRELL, Minister of Aaricultur« Exp. Farms Serv: e Bui. DOMINION OF CANADA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EXPEHIMENTAL FAUMS DIVISION OF FIELD HUSBANDRY SUMMARY OF RESULTS FIELD HUSBANDRY 1913 Pripahed bt O. C. WHITE, B.S.A. Aiji jn( 'Jominion Field Uu.'bandman SUPERINTEN THE BRANCH EXPERIMENTAL FARMS ANP STATIONS Bulletin No. 75 JANUARY, 1914. Published by direction of the Hon. MARTIN BURRELL, Minister of Agriculture 65007—1 TABLE OP CONTENTS. PACK Letter of Transmittal 5 Central Farm, Ottawa 7 Charlottetown, P.E.I 13 Nappan, N.S 14 Kentville, N.S If, Ste. Anne de la Pocatiire, Que 17 Cap Rouge, Que 19 Brandon, Man 22 Indian Head, Sask 20 Rosthern, Sask 2!) Scott, Sask 32 Lethbridge, Alta 3*) Lacombe, Alta 38 Agassis, B.C 40 o5007— 1| SiH, — I have the honour to submit herewith bulletin 75 of the regular scries entitled " Diviiion of Field Husbandry: Suniiaary of Results, 1913.'' Under the method it has been found neeo -sary to follow in the issuing o' he mniual report of the Exjteriinental Farms, results as secured from crop prodt lon and field exjieriniental work do nut reach the public until about e'ghtcen m 'iis after they have been collected. It has been thought dc:sirable, tlicrefore, tt -gin a series of annual bulletins covering tlie .above lines of work as dealt with by the Divisions of Cereals, Horticulture, Field Husbandry and Forage Plants. In these bulletins, of which this is the second, the aim is to give tlie more inijiortant of the season's results in a sunim;irized form. The details of the work will be dealt with in the annual report ot the Expf . ' cental Farms, to be prepared, a.-; usual, after the close of the fiscal year. The plan in compiling these crop bulletins is similar to that now being pur- sued in the preparation of the annual report. The introductory matter and the account of the experiments on the Central Farm are prepared by the Dominium officer having charge of this branch of the work, in this case the Assistant Domin- ion Field Husbandman. The data from the various branch Farms and Stations are supplied by the officers in charge. It is hoped that the Canadian farmer may be materially aided by these summaries of results and the recommendations based thereon. These will, it is hoped, reach him in time for him to profit by them in 1914. I have the honour to be, sir. Your obedient servant, The Honourable The Minister of Agriculture, Ottawa. J. H. G1U8DALE, Director, Dominion Experimental '''arms. Ottawa, January 24, 1914. DIVISION OF FIELD HUSBANDRY : SUMMARY OF RESULTS, 1913. Prepared by O. C. White, B.S.A., Assistant Dominion Field Husbandman. AND THE Superintendents or the I\ranch Experimental Farms and Stations CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM, OTTAWA. WEA EATHKR (W DITIONS AND CROP NOTES. TliP crop season of lOlS hlis hcon one of tho worst in the history of the Ottaw» vailcv. ■ » i'lovprs, as a rule, were badly winttr- and spring-killed, and the hay crop at tho outspt promi.spd poorly. June and July were very dry. Hay made littl* growth, and in many cases was a failure. Com suffered severely and yielded below the average. Straw was light, but the oats filled fairly well and harvested an average crop of grain. Mangels were greatly retarded at first but made a good late autumn growth and produced almost up to the average for this Farm. The few turnijts grown germinatpd so poorly that thpy had to be re-seeded, and a faif croj) only wa." taken olT. The crops grown under regular field conditions yielded approximately aa follows :- Hay, 2 tons per acre. Corn, 12 tons |ipr acre. Mangels, 10 tons per acre. Oats, 50 bushels per acre. Potatoes, 210' 2 bushels per acre. ROTATION OF CROPS. For tlie past ten years, experiments have bern carried on to detcrrnine the relative value of dififerent rotations or successions of crops. The results distinctly IKiint out the advantage of growing crops in such regular order that after eack crop the land will be left in Uie best pt)ssible condition to receive the one follow- ing. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 8 Before presenting the results of our experiments to date, brief mention may be nuide of the chief reasons why a systematic rotation of crops is more profitable than long-continued growing of the same, or similar crops, on the same soil. 1. Hecausc different plants have different nianurial requirements. 2. Because plants vary in their power to abstract certain foods from the soil. 6. J<et;ausc all planta do not feed to tlie same uei)th in the soil. IJicaiise all plants arc not alike in the residues they leave hoiiird. Iki'aiiso a proper rotation aids in the coiiservation of suil moisture. Hecause some plants tend to jiroduce better tilth th.an others. Hec;iuse cer*:iin weeds may be more effectively controlled. Hecuse ditfiTC]it pliuits vary in their resistance power to bacterial and fungous diseases and to in.s( ct enemies. y. Ik'causc the eiui)loyrnent of a variety of crops distributes labour refiuire- ments more evenly over the season. 10. Because it practically insures the farmer against compl-te loss of a season s harvest. *i. 1^'*"; '"^'^ ''^ fiirming engaged in must, however, determine to a great extent tti« kind and relativ.- amounts of crops that sliall be growi, and mav in some Mees, prevent following to the letter the rotation th.-it would provide ihe larL'O'^t returns. In any case it may be said that a nood rotation will include (1 ) meadow or pasture, (2j roots, corn or other hoed crop, and (3) some cereal crop The rwults of our expenmentc go to show that for greatest profits these crops should follow each other m the order named. The following rotations have been devi.'sed to meet different requirements One or the other of them is likely to be found suitable for conditions that obtain on the average live st</ek farm in Kastcrn Ontario and Quebec. BOTATION 'a' (UVK YKaHs' DUKATION). /•'(>*•/ )/''"'•.- Hoed crops. When com is the Ined crop u.sed, manure is »pi)lied in spnuf; at rate of 15 tons per acre and shallow ploughed shortly befors plant ing time, turning under clover and manure. After the hoeil crop is har- vctitwl, land is .-h ilKw ploughotl or cultivated. Second ye4ir. Cram. Seeded down with 8 pounds red clover, 2 poujids alsike and lU pounds timothy per acre. Third year. -Clover hay. Two erups expnted. To)) dressed in fall with manuri* .'it rate of lo tons per acre. rourlh i/car. - Tiniothy hay. Field iilouglicd in August, toj) worked and ribbed up in Oelober. Fiflh near, (irain. .deeded down with 10 iiounds red niover, whieh is allowed to grow to be tiinifd iindi-r foilowlnu; sprinn when the hoed erop is corn. This rotiitioii has proven an cx« rllent one hen-. Whi-ii carefully followed and whiMi iiiilural operations wi-re w. II peiioniied, weeds have been kei)t und.T fair control, ju.d eroj) \ ields have been maintiiiiie.l. One-lifth of the land is in boed erop, two-(ift!is in grain, one-lifth in clover hay and one-fifth in timothy ii iv or pasture. • ' It supi)lies ii relatively larger proportion of unuii to roots an<l hay than the ordinary three- or tour-course rotation, and for that reason .voiild beprefeiable where considerable grain is called for. ROTATION 'b' (riVK YEARs' DUMATION). Firgt year.--Ho..y\ crop. When corn is the hoed crop iise<l, nmnure is applied in spring at rate of 15 tons per acre, and shallow ploughed shortly before |>lantinK time, turoiiig under both clover and nmnure. Second year. — Grain. Seeded down with 10 pounds red clover, 2 pounds alsike and 5 pounds timothy per acre. Third year. — Hay. Ploughed late fall, manured at rate of 15 tons per acre. Fourth year. — Grain Seeded down with 10 pounds red clover, 2 pounds jilsike and 5 pounds time thy per acre. Fifth year. — Clover hay. Thougli the arraiiRcment is different, this rotation is very similar to 'A' in the ichitivc ami)unt.s of tlie different crops it supplies. In 'A' both clover and timothy h:iy are provided, whereas in 'B' clover hay only is Rrown. 'B' has iiiuintaiiied crop yicidi^, and has given profits equal to 'A' in the tests so far con- ilucicd, but, as indicated, does not answer the purpose whore a certain pro- port i('ii of timothy hay is called for. It can, however, be very easily extended into a six- or seven-year rotation to in< hide timothy hay or pasture. As a seven- year rotation the crops would succeed ' ich other in the following order: — Hoed crop; grain, seeded down *ith clover and timothy; clover hay; timothy hay or -pasture; grain, seedetl down with clover and timothy; clover hay; timothy hay or pasture. ROTATION 'c' (fouk years' Dun\no\.) First year. — Hued crops. Second year. — Grain. Seeded down witli 10 poujids red clover and 12 pounds timothy per acre. Third year. —Clover hay. Fourth iicar. — Timothy hay. Field i)louj;hed in August, manured at rate of 24 tons per new, A'orked at mtervals aiid ridged uj) in late fall in preparation for hi cdcrop.'*. This rotation is most satisfactory from all t-tandpouits, except that it supplies a rather sm.-dler proi)ortion of grain than is often desired. Where live stock is the rnainstiiy of the farm, this is, however, a very minor fault. The turning of a ghaJlow fmrow when ploughing sod in preparation for grain or corn has been found to be good practice here. In preparing for roots, deejjcr ploughing or the regular phiugh with subsoiler is to be advised. iu)r.\Ti()N 'd' (thio;e years' dvhatiom.) Fir.^ >irar. —llovd rr.))i. For corn, manure is applied in spring at rate of 18 tons iier .-irre, .ind .•^liallow ploui;hod shortly before corn planting time, turning under both clover and manure. For roots, land should be ploughed previotis fall. Seniml i/car.- drain. Seeded down with 10 pounds red clover, 2 pounds alsike. jKinnds alfidfa and pounds timothy per acre. ThirtI '/car. -Clover Imy. 'I'l i- would be a most excellent rotation to put into j)raoticc where sufficient ro!!'»!i l:nid was iwiulable to serve a-i p:istuiMg(\ It is the rotation that would supply the greate-t amount of forai!,e of the best description for dairying or beef production. It is better for heavy than for light soils. rotation 'k' (IHHKi; ^KAl<.s' nUllATION.) First j/cur. -Corn. Manure applied in spring at rate of 18 tons per pcre. Shallow ploughed shortly before coru planting time, turning under bt)th clover ftnd manure. 66007— a 10 Second year.— Pens and oata mixed. Cut green for cattle. Seeded «!own with 10 pounds red clover, 2 pounds alsike, 6 pounds alfalfa and 6 pounds timothy per acre. "^ Thir(f year.— Clover hay. Cut green for cattle. This is a rotation specially designed to supply soiling crops. Two years' records only have been kept. If a careful > xamination of the above rotations be made there will be noted a few desirable cliaracteristics common to all: — 1. Grain fields are always seeded down with clover, even though it be used only as a fertilizer, as in the case of the fill h year of rotation 'A'. 2. Grass and clover sordings wi' 1 .avy. Increased crops of hay and rare failures of a catch have justified tli( iii. 3. Hoed crops from a large proportion of every rotation. An attempt to farm a small area without a hoed crop was not successful. Weeds could not readily be kept in check. 4. No field is left in hay for more than two successive years. Our records show that the second crop almost always costs more per ton than the first and th,-^ succeeding crops are very liable to be grown at a loss. 5. Barnyard manure is applied frequently, in comparatively small quantities rather than at long intervals, in large quantities. Iji order that the net profits (profits after deducting cost of rent, ill manual and horse labour, manure, .seed, twine and u.se of machinery) as well as the yieldi of these rotations could be determined, careful records have been kept of all itema chargeable ngaijist ♦he rotations. The season of j!>1:{ was so extremely dry that many of our crops were grown at a loss. The returns are, therefore, very low as compared with the average returns for proc'ding years. A re-arrangement of th. ..otations was made in 1912 hence averages have been drawn for the preceding eight years only. ' CtJSM, Ucii-HNs AND Net rimnTH or llirTATioNs 'a', 'b', 'c', "d", and ■■'. Uotiition. A riv<^ yfnrs' ilurition ) n I live " ) «' (I'l.iir '■ ). 1) (TliriH! " ) (,'osl to 0(KT- atopt ruorp. Value of n'tun>« Pnifit or losi por acre, i per urn-, 1913. t cU. 17 &5 '.M s:i 17 OH 19 :t.^ 19 It t <-u. IcU. 1!) 40 1 nr, 21 47 — :iii Iti '.17 - 11 17 SO - 1 ,'.r> r,i M ;w Profit, nvcr- avr of 8 vran I!N)4 II. t rt,. S 78 U 03 S II 10 08 •Rpoonln kept lor 1912 i i only COST OF I'HOniCTloN OF FIKI.O CHop.S. The f;ill()\vi!iK foiir-veiir r(it;itiun. on v.liich have been grown corn, turniiin, oats, rhiver h.iy (first year liay) and timothy hay (second year Ii.mv) ha^ been in openitidn for the past ten yours. / /»/''"•. \\w<\ en. p. Turnips were grown frciii HtOt to I'.MH) inclusive, .111(1 ciMH from 19101(1 liH.'i iiichjsive. Strond yrar. — ( »ats. Seeded down to clover and (iiiiothy. Third year, ("lover liny (first year hayV Fiiuith yrnr. - Timotliy hay (seeond year hay). In this rotation, good farm praoticM have been followed, i>rofitable crop pri'diiction being the aim. 11 Charges against the crops include manual and horse labour, rent, manure, seed, twine and use of machinery, and in each case represent the cost of the crop in the granary, loft, root house or silo, as the case may be. CusT Of Production or Fulo Cbots. Ottawa. Crop. Number of years. AvefBge yield P« Cost to Produce. Per ai're. Per t Per bushel. Oait 10 10 10 6 4 Tons. Lb. Bush 45 . Lb, 33 t rts. 14 14 12 f)5 11 90 :i« 85 2ii 19 Sets. eta 80 S 3 231 2 1779 20 159S 14 12(1 4 06 4 12 1 86 1 72 Hay (spronil year) 711 03 S.4 SHALLOW PLOrOHlNr. AND SUI ROILlNt; V KRSUS DEEP PLOUt;HlNG. This experiment has now been under way for ten years. Two four-\ ir rotations, differing only in the al)ove-nientiont'd methods of preparation for hoed crop, were laid down in 1904. ROTATION 's' (shallow PLOCOHING AND SUBSOILING.) First year. — Corn or roots. Field manured at rate of 24 tons per acre. (Ploughed out of sod previ-ius August, 4 ijuin-.s deej), subsoilcd to a depth of 8 or 9 ' inches and ridged up in late autunui. The land is ploughed shallow or cultivated 'in preparation for tlie grain which folio a's. Sicond year. — Gram. Seeded down wiih 10 pounds red clover and 12 pounds timothy , "r acre. Third year. — Clov?r hay. Cut twice in the season, and the aftermath left on the field. Fourth t/car.— Timothy hay. Broken in August and prepared for com or roots, as indicated above. nOTATION 'P' (deep PLOUGHING.) This rotation differs from rotation 'S' only in the treatment of the timothy hay field in preparation for corn or roots. It is n.. mured and ploughed in August, 7 inches ileep, top-worked, and plouglied again ir late fall, 7 inclies deep. Thi' .'WorttRe returns for the ten years show .i very slight advantage in favour of the <lt-ep i>loiit!,liiiig. If ti. (•'•(• is taken iiiti) cDiisidiTatiuii the fact that whore Rubsoilinn is priictised a single nln.'gh must be used, wliereus a two .urrow riding j)lough may be operated unde.- tlie <l('>"^)-plou)jliing method, t'.,e higher cost of oprratioii itt the former method would reduce t!ie actual net profits still more. This exiterimeiit will be coiitiinhHl, as the results have not as yet shown any dt'iiilcd adv; ntage in favour of cither method. COMMKRCIAL KKHTILIZKHS. In 1013 there were completed five years of exi>eriment.i» desii^ied to sup|ily infnitnalion conrerning the relative fertilizing nnrit.s, in regular farm rotation, of: 1 . No manure or fertili" • of aiiy kind, but pastured one yoar in four (records kept in 1913 only). 66007—21 12 2. Barnyard manure. 3. Complete commercial fertiliser. 4. Barnyard manure, together with commercial fertilizer. ,v. '^' j'^'^r^P- ""* ^'''^^ ^^"'''^' ^""'' '^'"'^'^ "^f ''^"'1 w<''"<^ selected, 'N' in 1912, and 'X', Y and 'Z m 190^'. Each area was divided into four equal-sized plots, and placed under the following rotation: — First yvar.— Hoivl rrop. .Second year.—OaXi. Seeded down with 8 pounds red clover, 2 pound , alsike and 12 poujids timothy per acre. Third year. — Clover hay. /''oi<W^7/ear.— Timothy hay on rotations 'X,' 'Y' and 'Z,' and pasture on rotation N. Land ploughed shallow in early autumn, top worked and ribijed up m late autumn. The fertilizing treatment given these areas is shown in the following; table- - Fehtilizer Treatment given Rotations 'N' 'X' 'Y' and 'Z.' Crop. Rot.ition N. ■ Rotation X. Rotation Y. Rotation Z. Mangels. No fiTtiliJcr. . JManuro 15 tr i Onta No fertilizer. . . No tcrliliicr. (•lover hay... No tcTtilizer. . . No [ovtiliiiT. Timothy hay Paslund No fertilizer. I I ~~~ • ^'" "i^'i'iirp 'Mnnun-. 7J lon.i . :>up.rph.i.-plialc, m) lb Su|),.rplii>.-pl,:,le, l.V) lb Miri,ii«(,t pi, lash. 7.-> Ih ■Muriate of polafli. :i7! II. Nitrate of sihIj. lOn 11, Nitrate of sodn. SO lb. Nitrate of soila, UK) lb Nitrate of ».»la, 100 lb. Nitrate oi so.1 .. 100 lb Nitrate of .,1,«1-,, 100 lb. Nitrate of TOda, 100 lb j Nitrate of so<l.i, 100 lb. The five years results for this experiment supply rather interrstin*? data K.-tation X, which was fortiliml with barnyard manuie alone, cost the least to operate and pn.duc.d the lareest returns. The avera-e profit per anv for the period was S/.SS. Rotation ' Z,' which rce.ived a mi.xture of barynard m.muie aiul commerei ' fertilizers produced equally .ms well as rotali.m 'X' but cost sliKhtlv more tooi.erat,. with tlie result th;tt the net i)roht wa.s just .*(i.77 per acre. Rotation 'V receiving commercial fertilizer ahme was the lowe-t in iiio- d-':ing power and cost as much to operate as ' X. The i)ro(its therefrom hiw averaged only .:^;).,).) per acre. These results show a distinct ad\ aniage of barnyard manure aloi.j over com- mercial fertiliser alone for this ,^oil, but point »,. tU, po.siI,i!itv of combinii,.. the two to good advantage when barnyard manu.e i .-carce or lii^^h in price 13 EXPERIMENTAL STATION, CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. J. A. Clark, B.S.A., Superinteyident. rilARACTER OF SEASON. The previous winter was severe, with snow on tlie ground for a very short period. The spring opened ea-ly in Aprii wit'\ vi i y waim weather. T.us was followed by a cool, dull May and June. July and August were sjasonablo. September was fine and the early harvest was well saved. October wa i extremely wet, with mo t, warm weather throughout. Very 'ittle harvesting was done during the month, and it was not until the cold, dry winds of November that thf late crops were brought in. ROTATIONS. Records were taken of all tlio work carried on with the six rotations started in 1912. The feature of these rotations was the splendid crops of clover obtaino.l. In one ca.se the aftermath was harvested for scoil, in tlie others it was ploughed Under. The crops on these rotations were harvested in good condition and, witli tlie exception of wheat, which was injured by the joiut-wurin and r..st, the yields were good. ERADICATION OF COUCH (TWITru OR QUACK) GRASS. A hay field that was badly infested with couch gr s was pUiugliid August, 1012, and was rollt-daiid cutaway-disc-luirrowcd ti.efolli ■ing'lMy. It was given A double cut with the disc harrow on .\ugust 14, 22, aiul 20, and <ni Sei)teni!)( r 10, 12, and 27. It was worked deep and the couch cut in short pieces and buri< <1. In the spring of 1013 the field was as green as ever with co\ich. It w.%s tlien decided to resort to our old method of destrovi'<g this troul)lesonie weed. Tlie teeth of the .spring-tooth harrow were set dvep ajid the field w;is gone over twice on May 12, tlie smoothing harrow being used afterwards to sh.ike out the roots. On May 14 the field was raked and several tons of coii'-h roots per acre were removed. It was then ploughed six inches dn< i>, spriiig-tootli harrowed twice, rolled and seeded. The snioothinf; harrow was ii~ed again to shake out the coiu-h roots tliat the other harrow hatl brought to the surface, and ihouiih the harrow wa.« lifted contiiuinlly the couch gatliered into bunches so that it had to be spread oy hand. Wlien the couch on tlie surface was thon)up:hly lUi'd out, the field was given a lipht top-ilre.ssing of manure. The couch whicii had been hauled off and completely killed Wiis placed on top of the spreader loads and put back on the field. The field gave an average yield of 80 bushels of oat- per acre, toid iqjpeared to be completely free of couch. APPI.U' Vr!(»\ OK RAHNVAHD MANUHR. One plot in rotation ' F,' with an .ea of .88 of an acre, had not received mnnure, so far as we could leiirn, for fifteen years. In the spring of 1013, 3 tons 1,800 pounds of baniyard mamire were applied to the north half of the plot. The wiioie plot was then ploughed and worked similarly and seeded to Uauncheii 14 lurley. After the >;rfliu camp up, the south half received a toj) dressiiiR of 3 tons I .SOO i)oun(ls of .)nrnyard manure. During the summer the t()|)-dresf.ed portion I't llie fiehi was at least one weeiv behind tlie other, and at iiarvest it yieUicHl A t/ushels i;} inninds less Iiarley and 43 pounds less straw than the ploughed under l.nlf. The difference in yield of barley per acre in favour of the manure behig ploughed down was 7 bushels 21 iK)unds". I)Raixa(;k. Four carhmds of tile were purcliased and the area acfpiircd fnmi the Connolly estate was drained. Forty acres of land in all were acciuired by the Station in 1913 and two-thirds of it will be drained as soon as the tile can be'laid. Tlie land drained previously gave excellent results in 1!M3. IMl'HOVFMENTS. All the land newly at .piired was i'ence<l with a stronj; woven wire fence and the posts were painted. Dikes and rows of trees were levelled ;nid HMUoved. The fields were surveyed and roails opcnctl. EXPERIMENTAL FARM, NAPPAN, N.S. W. W. Haiuo. U.S.A., Siiperliitfiiilnil. SEASONAL CONDITIONS. During the winter 1912-13 the snowfall was scanty and no severe fro.^t wa.s registered during the latter i)art of the season. No axnlw fell after March l.j, but two niches of rainfall, on March 27, caused considerable damage by washing the helds. Seeding commenced on May d, but ,vas retarded and germination was checked by the cohl weather which prevailed through<nit the nunith. In fact, growth was slow until .)ul\-. when vegetation innde reni:irk:'blc progress. Duo to the freinient r;iin throughout the growing scas^i, the ripening of the harvest was slow. The c.'irly-sown grain was liiirve.sli d in late .\uiiu>l or early September but late-siiwn grain was not ripe unlii ( •ctober. wlicn the |>e,'i\ y rain damaged the grain to micIi ;in extent a,- to make it n-elcss for <<(d and b:ilrlv lit for feed. The yields of crop> grown in lii'id iol averaged as follow- in lit|;;; VIKI.DS OF rillLD < Hors. iiiditinns Mangels, 111 Ion- tis."i 1 lomi Turnips. 2:! *' Li> Corn. 12 tt 1 ..tSI) Marshlan.l 1 ay. 1 ton i,.s.-it; llilanii hav. '* ton- S.")li Whcit. 29 bushei-i 3t» Fpland oiils, .•)9 it 21 Miirsliland o It-*, 21 > t( (H) arley. lili u 44 I'otatoes. 37() II (M) 15 ROTATION OF CROPS. There is, perhaps, no single practice in farm management of more importance tlian a systematic rotation of crops. So many different combinations of crops "re possible, that a test of all that suggested themselves to us was quite impracticable. The following three, chosen because of the good results they have given in other sections of tlie country, are now in operation. ROTATION 'b' (fI\E YEARS' DURATION.) First year. — Roots. Manured at rate of 25 tons per acre. Second ycar.^Grvim. Seeded down with 10 pounds red clover, 2 pounds alsike and 6 pounds timothy per acre. Third year. — Clover hay. Ploughed in autumn. Fourth year. — Cirain. Seeded down with 10 pounds rod clover, 2 pounds ftlsike and 6 pounds timothy per acre. Fifth year. — Clover hay. ROTATION 'C' (four YEARS* DURATION.) First year. — Roots. Manured at rate of 20 tons per acre. Second year. — Grain. Seeded do-wn with 10 pounds red clover, 2 pounds alsike and 12 pounds timothy per acre. Third year. — Clover hay. FovHh year. — Pasture. ROTATION 'd' (three YEARS* DURATION.) First year. — Roots. Manured at the rate of 15 tons per acre. Second year. — Grain. Seeded down with 10 pounds red clover, 2 pound« ftlsike and 6 pounds timothy per acre. Third year. — Clover hay. COST OF PRODUCTION OF FII.LD CROPS. Ii> calculating net profits from the rotations, i-n\ui- intctfsting figures havt been obt.Tinrd regarding the cost of prodncins the \arious frojjs grown. la exphmation of tlie rather high cost m •'utnc cax's it may he explained tiiat in 1913 some of the fields did not yield quite up to the .(vcr.age proilnrtion for previous years. Corn and tuniips were tlie thief sufferers. Cost or PRuurniiJN or Field Cuom, Nacpan, 191;). I'rop. Vii'KI prr ii' re. Per Here Co>t lo I'rOilll: 0. Per tun. Tiirnips M;in;£i'ls . Tons. ■u 19 12 Lb. n fis.'i I,3«0 Rush. 767 044 378 S9 M SI Lb. 0.1 4t (» 24 3« 44 1 >'l.. 4.^ .57 49 SI 39 :{3 49 ;!6 17 M 14 42 13 83 $ rill. 2 .58 3 10 l"n(*i!:mo corn (•■Its \\ l,..|it I!:iilcy Per bualiel. rts .1 94 7 68 13 13 28 9 4S 9 40 S 16 COM.MERCIAL FEUTILIZEIIS FOR TUUXIPS. Seven different varieties of turnips were sown in lots of one acre each. One- half acre of eacli variety was fertilized with barnyard manure alone applied at the rate of 20 tons per acre. The other half acre of each varietv received barnyard manure at t)ie rate of 20 tons per acre, and, in addition 400 lunnids per :;cro"-,.f a commercial fertilizer mixed in the following i)roportion: .Superi)h('.si>liate, 1 ' 2 pounds; bone meal, l>-2 pounds; nitrate of soda, ] pound; nmriate of potn^I , 1 pound. Of the seven test.>i made, two only gave jirofits to compens,",te for ti.e cost of the fertilizer. As these results accord closely with tin se obtained in prcvi( iis years, it seems evident that turnips on our soil are not Ix npfitcd to any extent l>v the use of the above commercial fertilizer in addition to the regular application of barnyard manure. EXPERIMENTAL STATION, KENTVILLE, N.S. \V. y. BL.\m, Sitpcrintnulcitt. The Field Husbandry work at this Station, in 1013, ctmsisted largely of the clearing of new land and the growing of crops on same to secure feed for wintering stock. CORX. Ten acres of corn were planted. Part of it was seeded on May 20 on la;id fertilized «ith barinard manure at ilie rateof :iO tons [ier acre. The manure was put into piles on the field during the winter and spread and jjloughed under oo May 13 to ITj. A crop of buckwheat to be ploughed undc i Ii^kI been grown the summer before, inuncdiately following the removal of the stumps. Three varietii s of corn were so^^ n ir rows three and one-half feet apart. The following yields were obtained: — Longfellow, 1 1 tons 1 oO pounds per acre. Comptuu's hlurh-, 10 " 1,410 Canada ^'(^ilow, 8 " 1 .410 Two acres of Longfellow, sown June 4, withotit stable manure, but fertilized with 4r»0 pounds per :iere of a complete fertiii/er containing four ]ier cent nitrogen, eight per cent phosj)lioric acid, and ten per cent potasli, jichlcd only 4 tons 100 pounds per acic. TURNIPS. One and tliree-quarter acres of swede turnips were sown on May 19, the variety Lapland being u.sed. The ground had been numured in tiie f.aii of l'.U2 with 20 tons of stable manure per acre. A croj) of buckwheat had been i)loughed in during the summer of li)]2. This land was worked up and fertilized with 400 pounds per acre of a complete fertilizer. The turnii)s were sown ni drills with a horse turnip ,(•( der. The crop wa.-. harvested November to 8, and yielded (j2S bushels per acre. 17 Two acres of turnips were sown o\\ land which had been stumped the previoua summer and which had never before growa a crop. No st 'le manure was used, but a commercial fertilizer, containing four per cent nii.ogen, eight per cent pluisphoric acid, and ten per cent potasli was applied at the rate of 800 pounds per acre. This was sown broadcast just before the ground was drilled for seeding. The variety Lapland was uced. The yield was 505 bushels per acre. OATS. Ten acres of field oats, sown on newlj'-broken land, and fertilized with 200 pounds per acre of fertilizer containing four per cent nitrciRtn, eiglit per cent phosphoric acid, and ten per cent potash, yiehled an average of 38.6 bushels per acre. CLEARING LAND. Seventeen acres of new land were cleared of stumps and i)loughed during the season. Ten acres of the more easily cleared area cost as follows: — Dynamite, (80 pounds (78 pounds per acre; S 140 40 Fuse and caps 18 CO Pulling out stumps 93i UO Dynamiting 143 00 ' Cleaning roots, piling and burning 213 50 Clearing up roots (second time over) and burning 183 00 Moving stones 172 00 Harrowing :io 00 Ploughing 350 00 Total cost for ten acres I 2,187 50 Cost per acre 218 75 The remaining seven acres were much more difficult ai:d cost .?28'2.40 per acre. Thirteen acres were brushed ready for stumping during tlio summer, at a cost of $21.15 per acre. FENCING. Eleven thousand three hundred and twenty feet of wire fences were erected on the east, north and west boundaries of the Station. Part of this was built through woods, which made the work very difficult. Owing to the great number of roots, and to the presence of sandstone and slate rock r.ear the surface, holes for the posts had to be blasted in many cases. Cedar posts were used, and were set at a distance of one rod apart. EXPERIMENTAL STATION, ^TE. ANNE DE LA P0CATI£RE, QUE. TosKPii B£i.i.N, Sujtcrinteiidciil. WEATHER CONDlTU)NS, l<)i:5. The spring of 1913 opened favourably, and soediii};; was commenced in good time. Weather did not continue warm, however, tlirough May and June, and all rrnpp m.ide slow growth.. Corn, espfcially. suft'er!",! from tlie cli.inge.tble temperature. July was cool and witidy, with more rairit.il! than in June. Clovers had been badly winter-killed,, owing to the presence of ire on many of the fields, and hay yielded poorly. The early-sown grain was harvested in September in good condition, but the later sown was not ripe till October, and had to be gathered under very unfavourable weather conditions. 55007—3 18 CROP YIELDS. There were no facilities this year for weighing the total crops as they came 'rom the fields, but careful estimates were made in all eases, which we publish in order bitter to convey to our readers the degree of success attending our efforts to increase crop production by improved rotations and cultural methcSs. Crop Yiklda (ArPHn.xiMAre), Sti. Annb di la Pccatieri:, 1913. Tr. . Aroa. Yirld poracre. TurnipK, MiiRuni Rdnutn variety Arrra. 1 3:» 8 (JO 1 3:i • W)3 Tung. 4 2 Lb. iooo Bush. 78H Lb. IS Corn, Longfellow viiri"ty Oats and prap, cut for hay 31 Oats, for grain 17 . ROTATION OF CROPS. Believing that much benefit would result if our fanners would adopt rotations that would eliminate the long continued growth of any one crop on the same land, it was decided to inaugurate a series of rotation,^, .-^o that, by comparison the benefits of a well-arranged succession of crops could be shown. As yet three rotations only have been laid down, btit more will l»e iulded as soon as land for the purpose is availiible. The three already undrr w;iy are: — ROTATION 'a' (fUE YEAHs" OIKATION.) Firfit ye( r. — Hoed crop of corn or roots. For corn, manure applied at rate of 25 tons per acre in spring and ploughed under. After rr.ip is harvested land is shallow ploughed or cultivated. SccnnrI year. — drain. Seeilxl down with 10 pounds red clover, 2 pounds alsike and 12 pounds timothy j - acre. Tinrd year. — Clover hay. Cut twice if p<)>-iljle. Fourth y>nr. — TiiiKithy h.ay or ]iiistme. I'ltnighed shallnw in Augu-st, top worked and n-plouglieil or ridjjcd up in l;itc autninii. Fijth year. — Grain. SetNlctl do%m with 10 jxiumls red clover which is allowed to grow to be turnotl tinder following spring, when tie hoed crop is corn. UOTATION 'c' (I'OUK VEAIis' DL'UATION.) First 7/£(jr.--H<)('d ernp of corn or riMit.-^. SccuikI jidir. (jraiu. Kceded down with 10 pound !d c '. cr, 2 pound.-! alsike and 12 pounds timothy per acre. Third ?/far.— Clover hay. Cut twice if i)ossil)le. rourtli.ycar. — Timothy h.Ty. 1' ieUl ploughrd shallow in .^ u ,u.-^t, top-worked p.r.d rp-p!t!Ughed or ridged up in late autumn. ROTATIO.V 'd' (THIiEE VEAKs' nUK.V IION.) First year. — Hoed crop of corn or roots. For corn, land is manured, lo tons per acre, and ploughed in spring; for roots it is ma.'iured and ploughed in full. 10 Second year. — Grain. Seeded down with 10 pounds red clover, 2 pounds alsike, 6 pounds alfalfa and 6 pounds timothy per acre. Third year. — Clover hay. DRAINAGE. After the removal of the old fences, and the ploughing up of the old, unpro- ductive sod land, underdrainage was the first improvement -work that claimed our attention ; 9,4 10 feet of tile were laid during the season on land intended to be planted to orchard, and a beginning was made in the draining of the land to be used for g(nieral crop production. In order to demonstrate to just what extent underdrtinage is profitable, two four-year rotations were laid down, one of which will be thorougldy underdraijupd, while the other will be left undrained. Records of the cost per acre to opefute, and the value of the products from each rotation will be kept, so that a some future time we shall be able to publish reliable data as to the length of time required for the drains to jiay for the cost of their installation. EXPERIMENTAL STATION, CAP ROUGE, QUE. Gus. A. L.^NGELiER, Superintendent. CHARACTER OF SEASON. The rnild winter of 1912-13 left bare many fields and pastures, whicl. were afi. .ted by frost. On the undrained, low areas practically all the clover waa killed .11 id some of the grasses suffered. The spring, however, wa,s very early and most suitable for the germination of the spring-sown clovers and grjisses. Some grain was sown by the end of April, but the bulk of the seeding took place between IM;iy 7 and 1.5. Tlie early-so,vn grain was (iani.njiod by fros», but the Liter sown made a siiloudid growth and yiohird well. Craiii seeded after the above dates, how- vcr. sulTored extremely troiu tlie dn.iiKiit, wliicli la.stod through- out .\ugust. Corn was poor, due to the drought aiul fn st of September 14, which terminated its growth. Roots sulTered from the dry weather of late summer, but the cool nights of September and October, couplid with a fair preeiiiitiition, gave thein a renewal of vigour, with the result tliat an ave, lige cru)) w.a.s harvested. The following talile sunir.iarizcs the field rii))) area.'- ;!! d yields 1913: — I'iKLD ("nop AuE.-.- AND Vuti.iis, Cap Hoick, 191.1. Crop. .\rv^. Totjl Viel.l. VioUl ppr .icre. Corn » «2nrre» 7 67 " 1.52 •• 10 89 " 37 13 " 144.ftS2 1l.. SOl.ii.M " w.rm " 2s.y.w " 15:!,!IM " lt..')24 11,.,or7fons524 lb. :'.'.), ■■Ill li,., Tfi-iUHisli. .Vllb. ■'>•.' '...or 411 l.u«l.. .W lb. 2 . fr 78 busti. 7 lbs. 1 ,,..r2t,on.'il45 1b. Swrflf luniips O ,t.s IL.y 20 ROTATION OF CROPS. The following rotations are under test: — ROTATION 'd' (three YEARS* DURATION.) First year. — Com, roots, potatoes, peas, and peas and oats mixed to cut for green feed or for liay. Si'cond year. — Oats. Seeded down with 10 pounds red ch vcr, 6 pounds timothy and 3 pounds lUsike per acre. Third year. — Clover hay. Two crops cut if possible. ROTATION 'C' (four YEARS* DURATION.) First year. — Corn, roots, potatoes, peas, and peas and oats mixed to cut for grsen food or for hay. Second year. — Ornin. Seeded down. Third year. — Cli)v«''r h.ny. Fourth year. — Pasture. ROTATION 'k' (six YEARS* DUKATION.) FirM year. — Corn, roots, potatoes, peas, and poas and outs mixed for green feed or for hay. Second year. — drain. Seeded down. Third year. — Hay. Fourth year. — Hay. Fifth year. — I'asturc. Sixth year. — Pasture. The work done with these rotations, to date, has not gi\ cii the resu.ts which might have been expected, as the long rotatimi lias li'iwu tl;o must profit. Tlic figures are, nevertheless, intonsting. It must be understood that for the three- and four-yeiir rotations, the season of 1911 Wiis of a preparatory nature, and that 1912 was one of the worst ye,.rs for spring work in the piist (|Uiirtcr-century 1 1 was therefore to l)e expected that the six-year rutiitioii, witli its fciur years in. hay. would ft)rge ahead. Theji again, the piece of land where is located rotation 'K' hail been under a good four-year rotation for eight years, whereas the area where are the two others, was an old pMsture in rather pour con<tition. (JlWTS, HKTIUNS and LlWU-KS OF li TATMNii 'd' 'c' ANO 'k'. AVEHAUS lir 3 YEAllR. Uotiituin 'D' 'IliiTi' VI r»ra' (luFHti'in) . ■f" itiiur " " ). •K' i»i» " " ) - _- atr !•. I ;irr«'. VfllllC of rptiiiiiB i«i IKTl". urn- t I'tx. 2;! «fl I'll III 17 M 1 I'IK. IS III ,(1 (■_• S 77 1 li. The above (ifrures, showing a loss thmutrhout, do not at first appear encour- aging. That all of thetn are riijiidly inipimiin and will sunn show a handsoine profit seems Hppareiit, however, when the following table i^ examiuid: — iNeKKAXI IN VaLUI Of PRUDCCn 0< HljrrAIUiNK 'd' 'c' and 'k' in 3 WAI>«. lU'iim. Viilw !■( pfrnl'irln per iiiTP l!U3 I'M I Rotation I) I rtn. »• Ofl la Kii Irii rf 1* in viilui' il pro.|ur«» from 1911 t> 1913 ' iVrifnt imrtsMt^ in v»lin' of^rwlui-U fr>i'n HI I Ui 1913 (7 Roiiiiion < rls. .;:! II ; 1-' i;7 I lotitii-n K "T-i..' 21 .M IS S8 10 47 •3 (I <.I3 44 21 It will thus be segn that if the production per acre increases in the same ratio during the next three years as it has done in the last three, the present loss will oe converted into a profit, as the fixed charges for rent of land, manure, and iiiachinrry will be the same, and the manual and horse labour will likely be au<;niented only to the extent of the added cost to load, cart and unload the larger crops. COST OF PRODUCTION OF FIELD CROPS. U.sing fixed rates of $4 per acre for manure, $3 for rent of land, 60 cents for machinery and actual cost of see«l, twine, manual and horse labour, field lots of turni|)s, oats and hay cost to produce as follows: — One bushel (60 pounds) of swede turnips cost 5 . 92 cents. One bushel (34 " ) of outd 30 . 3 ccTits. One ton of haj $5.05 RATES OF SEEDING. RATES OF SEEDING COKN FOR BILAOB. As in 1911 and 1912, Longfellow corn was sown at different spaces both ia rows and in hills. The foUowuig table gives the average for the three years: — In rows 42 inclus apart, plants S inrhrs .ipnrt in row 9 tons 1,094 lb. per acre. " •' 4» " " " " 8 tons l.r.'jl " In hills 3fl " " everv direction 5tonsl,:«IS " " " 42 " " •' " 5tnnsl,:ill4 " " Accorditig to the above figures which, it must be understood, arc the result of only three years' work, it would appear that more weight can be had by sowing corn in rows than by having it in hills. Where land is dirty it would perhaps be advisable to sow in hills because of the greater ease of cultivation. RATES OF SEEDING OATS. To determine the best quantity of s( ed oats to use they are being sown at thirteen different rates varying from one to four bushels per acre. The test has been coT'ducted one year only, and as no regular gr.idalion in yield was shown, the results, as yet, suggest little of value. In our held operations, two and one- half bushels per acre is the amoinit used. EIKEtT ON YIEI-D OF HAY OF OUANTITY OF GRAIN SOWN AS A NURSE CROP. This exi>erinient was carried out in duplie.-ite, using a imrse crop of oati varying in (pjautity from one to three and uiie-liall' bushels per acre. One rear's results do not supply suflicient data upon whicli to h.ise a eoneiiision, but it may be pointed out tfiat the group of consecutive seeilings which gave the ino.st oats protliiced the least hay afterwards, ami lict versa. This is a very important ipieslion in a district wh<'re, after a crop of grain, the land is often in hay for livo or six years, and then pastured for two or three more. RATES OF SEEDING CLOVER AND TI.MOT1IT. To determine whether the liberal use of clover and timothy seed has any I'jTeet on the yield of hay, twenty-two plots were sown to oats in the spring ot' ll'Ti, on eleven of which 6 |H)UiidM timothy, t pounds r(>(l clover and 1 loiind alsike V. ere used per acre, whilst on the oth«'r eleven, twice this quantity was seeded. The full seeding yielded at the rate of 3,447 pounds per acre, whilst the half seeding gave only 2,989 pounds. The difference in favour of the heavy seeding was 458 puunils per acre, an increiise of fifteen per cent. 22 DRAINAGE. During 1913, 1020 six-inch, 1420 tive-incii, 1,610 four-inch and 22,654 three- iiicli tiles were laid. A fifteen horse-power gasoline traction ditcher was used for most of the exeavating. Though the grade in many cases was very slight, and the ground uneven, the work of the ditcher was very satisfactory. A number of two-inch tile laid by a previous o\vner were examined and foun<l to be clogged. Though tliey were, theoretically, large enough to carry away all the water, a very slight bulge or misplacement was sufficient to put them out of working order. Nothing smaller than three-inch tile is now being laid here, or recommended for the general use of farmers. Cl.KAHINC I.AM). About twenty acres of land were cleared and plougiied during the season of 1913. The large sfumjis were dynam'tccl. Vor the small ones, a double bhick and tackle were used, which is nnich sufterior to the chain att;iched f.->i!. stumj) to whiffletree direct. Another time saver is what is called a double grub book. AVith one good horse many roots which could not be taken hold of by a chain were easily handled by this method. EXPERIMENTAL FARM, BRANDON, M N. W. C. Ml KiLLiCAN, U.S.A., Superintendent. SllASONAL CONDITIONS. The season of l'.»13 opened up very favc'iiralily for the neeomplishnient of farm work. The spring was not early, but when once arriveil there was no Oieurrenee <if wint<T weather again. Seeding was pushcil forward rapidly on most .Manitoba Hirnis. On the lOxperiinentai I'arin, operations were b.'idly upset l)y a local i!ii>fortnne; the .Xs^iniboine river overllnwed its banks. The water remained on the land for from one to three weeks. Seeding on thi^ portion of the I'arni w.is eillier preventrd entirely or was very much delayed. iMid the eroi>>, wIhtc grown, were l;ite and poor. On the ni'llooded land, seediiijj ojieratimis Were liiii-hi'il early, and the crop w.'i- earl> in (ir .wing and rip<'riing. 'I'lw season was dry, the tol.il rainfall iii> to .Inly ;{{ bein^ .').:f:i inclie.-. 1 lii> shortage of nioi-lure tendt c! towaiil» linlil yield> of str.aw, but did not, however, prevent t lu- ll nvesting of ii good crop of grilin of good (pialiiy. Hay and r<ot crops were r.Mlher below tl'c aV( ra);e. HOIATION tiF CIKH'S. TIk year h.is been almost lost so far a experimental work on the rot.ation of crop-, has |)een conciTiied. 'I'he Hood was (lie can-e which so ii, validated our results. The land on which several of the rotations ari' loe.'ile<l w.i- entirely in- Uiid.itrd, ( ihcr ;;rc:!:s a^;;;;! WffC p::;ti.i!iy !:!;;U; d, r.ia! ruiiit- f— -.'ajatl Ciilinly. This nn'aiis that the conditions under which the crops in tin- various rotations were grown were not comparable. It is, Ihcicfore, inipos ilrle to know whether the dilVercMi es observed arc due to the chiiluiter of the rotation or to the elTei t of the Hood. 23 ROTATIONS 'd' AND 'e' (eACH OF FOUR YEARS* DURATION). First year. — Wheat. Second year.— Wheat. Third year. — Oats. Fourth year. — Summer-fallow. The only diflference between the two is, that whereas 'E' receives no manure, 'D' gets an application once in the four years. It is applied in the fall after the first crop of wheat, and is ploughed under in the fall. Each of these rotations occupies four fields of three antl one-half acres each. They are both located in the same range of land, the fields of the two rotations occurring alternately. This gives an excellent opportunity of observing any difference between the two. The cultivation for the two rotations is identical. The wheat of the first year is .sown on the summer-fallowed land of year four of the pre\ ious season. After this crop is harvested, the land is fall-ploughed. Wheat is sown again the next year. It is again fall-ploughed, if possible, and sown to oats the following year. After the oats are taken off, the land is summer-fallowed the fourth year. The manure is diarged against rotation 'D' at the rate of $1 per ton, in- eluding the work of the fiplication. In 1912, rotation 'D' realized a greater profit than rotation ' I'V showing that the manure more than paid for itself. This <ea.son, however, the manure has failed to increase Die crop sufficiently to comjivnsate for the charge against it. The net profits on these rotations in 1913 were $4.4.') per acre for rotation ' D,' and $5.11 per acre for rotation ' E.' ijotation 'D' and 'E' were not seriously affected by the Hood, one field only in 'E' being partially flooded. ROTATION 'f' (five YKARs' DURATION). First year. — Wheat. Second near. — Wheat. Third year. — Corn or roots. Manured preceding fall. Fourth year. — Oats or barley. Seeded with grass and clover. Fifth year. — ("lover hay. Five fields of eight and one-half acres each are us((l for this rotal ion. Af •■ . the first cro]) of wheat, the land is fall-ploughed for a serond crop of wheat. Ai;';- the second crop, it is niaiiureil and fail-plouglieil fur coni, wiiirh is kept well cultivated during the season. 'I'he barley antl gra-s si itl arc snwn tlif i\ext spring without ])lougliiiiK. As s< :. , tin- (toji of li;iy \< cut in the fifth yi ,ir the land is ploughed up and n'lvcn a partial sinnuu'r-f;iil(iw for the bai.ince of tin season. It Is then in first-class condition for the wheal iif the first year. Kctation '1'" is a niixrd farming rotation suited to conditions where it is df iri'd to grow both a con^iilirabli' (luaiitity of win at and a l:ir}rc amount of fodder for stock. It pic-suiiposcs a sullicimt area of permiim nt p;i>ture outside the rotatiiui. It <'liiniiialis the summer-fallow. This rotation is proMiiij a decided ■-neces> on the I Aiurinieiital I'ann. In n couiitiy where suininer-fallowinK is nenernily eonsidcie<l es-;etitial, it demon- htrates the pi)ssibility of prixliK inn a j)rolitable crop e\eiy year. The ".ul)- Ftitutes for the summer-fallow are, first, corn or roots, iiinl, secondly, clover hay. While the ~e crops do not slinw in themselves any \ eiy gtcit [irolil, they more than pay for the operations llicy in\olve, and lor Uie om iliead cliarurs counted against them, and they leave the I tiid in >ucli a condition that the following crops of grain are nioie profitable than any grown in 1 lie ,-! i :,i(r|i( (;ruui-Rro\/ing rotation. The net prolit jier acre of rotation I" was $li.07. Two fields were patlially in- jureil by the fiood. • 24 KOTATION 'u' (six YEAHS' DUKATION). First year. — Wheat. Second year. — Wheat. Third year. — Oats or barley. Seeded down with grass and rlover. Fourth year. — (^lover hay. Fifth )/for. ^Pasture. Siith year. — Corn. Manured j revious fall. Six fields of six iurcs each are p Hotted to rotation ' G.' It is a mixed farming rotation, pro .idinp for wheat, coarse grains, hay, pasture, and fodder corn. It has been giving excellent results in past years, but unfortunately the land was entirely flooded this year, and as a result the figures obtained have no value. ROTATION 'h' (six YEARS' DURATION). First year. — Wheat. Second year. — Wheat. Third year. — Summer-fallow. Fottrth year. — Oats. Fifth year.— lliiy. Sixth year. — Pasture. Six fields of four and one-half acres each are used for rotation ' H.' This Rotation is suitable for a farm whore grain is still the principal crop, but where hay and i)a-^ture are desireil for stock. It has no hoed crop and is therefore suited to the farmer who considers a hoed crop impracticable under present luliour con- ditions. Rotation '11' was entirely flooded this sea.son and the results are of no value. ROT- iUN 'l' (,S1X YEAUb' UritAMO.N.) First >iear.—V\a\. Manured. SfCdlul yair. -~Oi\\<. Third yiar. — Suninicr-fallow. Fourth i/tur. -Wheat. Fifth ;,eor.— Hay. It occupies a similar area to rotation 'H' and is -iluatcd in similar cir- cum-^tance- , the dilTeittice bring a substitution of flax for one crop of wheat. This rotation was conipU tcly Hooded this vear. noiAlIDN 'g' (KKiItT YFAKs' ,it KMIUN). First year. Hoot^ anil i)cas. Sirond yinr. — W heat or oats Third year. ll:iv. Fiitirth year. —l\i\v. Fifth yrar. — I'a-i me. Sixth year. — Past ure. .S< Ir'iill ;/( ((/■. — r.'i-i nil'. Fiyhth ytar. — (ircen feed ami Manured prectding fall. rape. l'"ive acj-es are allot led to each field of this rotation. It i- i-jiciMfdly Mdai)trd to R piect! of poor, light land u-cd as a sheep ranch. A profit of ir^'J.tKJ per .icre was the result oi (hi* geasou's uperutiuus uu this land. 25 ROTATION 'w' (ten YEARS* DURATION). First year. — Wheat. Second year. — Wheat. Third year. — Corn or roots. Manured. Fourth year. — Oats. Fifth i/ear.— BarU\v. Sixth year. — Alfalfa. Sown alone. Seventh year. — Alfulfa. Eighth year. — .Alfalfa. Ninth year. — Alfalfa. Tenth year. — .\lfalfa. Ploughed up in midsummer. Ten fields, varying in size from one and one-half to two and three-quarter acres, are to be used for this rotation. It is not in full operation yet. This rotation is intended for a dairy or live stock farm, where the production of abundant fodder of high quality is the ni ain consideration. SOIL CULTURAL EXPERIMENTS. A oomprehensive .system of soil cultivation experiments, inaugurated in 191 1 , has reutlicd the ^t i^c where all the operations are being performed. Not much has yet -en obta'u<d in the way of definite results, hence, in this report, little attempi ..< made to draw conclusions. A brief summary only of the work being done is herewith given. DKPTH OF PLOrOHING. Inthisexijcriment there are tested: — 1. Ploughing wheat stubble three, four and five inches deej) in preparation for oats. - 2. Various depths of ploughing, and ploughing and subsoiling summer- fallow to be sown to wheat. 3. Ploughing sod three, four, five and six inches deep in preparation fur wheat. SUMMER-FALLOW TREATMENT. In this experiment, seventeen different methods of summer illowing are btiiig tried. 8TUI1BI.E TUKATMFNT. Ten (lilTerent wnys of handling wluat stubble lan<l in i)reparatiiui for another crop of wheat, and three ways of preparing it for a crop of oat- are being tried. BRKA&INd SOD FROM CULTIVATED GRASSES AND ILOVERS. Land has been M'cded down wit'i a unifnrni tnixture of grasses and clovers and is being broken up aeenrdinK to eight dilTiiciii iiictliuds. APl'LleAllON OF UARNVAHD MAM llE. Nine methods of applyir wheat, ottts and burl. ... •lure are being ti led on each of corn or roots, 26 GREEN HANURINO. A comparison is being made of ploughing under peas or tares and summer- fallowing with and without ba-nyard manure. A summer-fallow with barnyard manure has given l)e>it results so far. SEEn BF.D l*!lKPARATION. Throe degrees of st ed bed preparation, 'poor,' 'good,' and 'extra- ordinary,' are conkparcd. The preceding suninior-fallowing and ploughing are the same in all ca-es, the difTerence being entirely in the preparation of the seed bed at the time of seeding. SOIL PACKI HS. Twenty-five different ways of using the different types of packers on summer- fajlowed land, eleven on si)rinR ploughing and fourteen on fall ploughing, are being tried. Results in this experiment show an advantage of all types of packing over no packer, but little tlistinc tion between kinds of packer or times of application. DEPTH OK SEEDINO. Seeding one, two, thr(.> and four inches deep is being tried with both wheat and oats. Two and three inches deep gives the best results. CnMMERCI.«L KEnXIMZERS. Eight kinds and combinations of commercial fertilizers are compared with no fertilizer, barnyard manure and clover. undekdhaininq. Two drained plots arc compared with eight undraincd plots. SEEni\(i TO GRASSES AND (LOVERS. The same mixture of grass and clover seed is used on all pints. Eleven different arrangements of picpaiatory crops and other conditi<in> arc under trial. EXPERIMENTAL FARM, INDIAN HEAD, SASK. T. J. Il.AKUisoN, H.S..\., Siipirintendint. WEATlll.lJ CONDITIONS. The spring opcn'^d up coniparativrly (aily and the soil was in a tillable con- dition by April II. .May \.-as dry, which farilitatcd the early sowing of the (Top. In .!;uu- ::iit! Jli'v, Sri'MtirhtS t;f r.iiii ir!i j;;>iriK t'ji'' <Tn]) pi, nty <if ill. li^f lire at the growing jx'riod. This resulted in a rank growth of sfriiw on the suninier- fallowed land. August, with the excei)lion of one ba<l >torm which lodged the praWi was dry and bright. The grain ripened early and was .all harvested before .Si.i>,nber U. September w.as «lry and warm, and the threshing was well ad- vaui cd before wet woath >r came in October. 27 ROTATION OP CROPS. This pxporimcni consists of four rotations on which the cost of production and profit per acre are carofuliy calculated. The soil is analy^sed from time to time to test their effect on soil fertilitj'. B'nATIOS ■< ' (THREB YtAKu' DURATION). Kind of Crop. Cost per acre. Valuo por acre. Profit per acre. t rts. 4 96 10 49 10 03 t cts. 31 01 23 29 f cts. Wlirat WliPat 2052 13 26 Profit per acre on :ill l^iml in rut:itiun $9 61. ROTATION 'j' (SIX TEAlis' DfKATlON). Cost per a:-re. Value pt r acre. Kind o( Crop. Profit i)cr acre. t cts. 6 25 12 0:i 11 20 12 12 5 m 3 51 t cts. 89 59 31 li 30 91 rt U 5 50 t cts. Wlical 27 56 Wheat Oat« iK»'e»!rtl )*o vn ttilU western rye K''.i^s and alfalfa 1 Ilav 22 95 18 79 7 45 I 99 Profit per lureoii idl land in roliiliiin, fl2.(IS. l|r»TATlllJI >' (EKIHT YEAH*' D\liATMS). Kind of Crop. Cost per acre, \*at'.l'' per a •re. Profit pir acre. $ eta. $ > 3fi 'lO 3:! !.•> ■:■•■ 4T IJ 7J .■> ".U Is — t CIS. .S I'ii 11 11 i:t ...-. 9 '.",1 14 (■)? !J ■•■ 7 :u 6 :ts . \M.,.,,t 23 19 \\ lie-it I'l on Sn-iimer-tiillow C.im lljuley, (seeded dtt'v n with v.'Cf^'.ern rye r—ss and ..italfa; H»v 19 23 5 41 12 Profit per acr I- on all lanil in rotation, tK.:v.'. 28 BOTATION '■' (mini TIARb' DURATION). Kind of Crop. Coit per acre. Value per acre. Profit per acre Fuinn;cr-(allow t ctl. 6 09 28 42 12.18 10.80 698 ;i 87 7.14 5 17 t CtB. 64 20 33 72 19 04 3S00 13 31 6 50 t St: Hoiitr. 35 78 Wheat 21 .M 8 24 Oiits Sumiiicr-fanow Wlieat .. ... 23 13 Oats, (s('e<li>.l down with western rye grass ami alfalfa' Hav 6 17 33 Profit per acre on all land in rotation, $9.12. While rotations 'P' and 'R' have given a sivialler profit per acre than 'C and ' J,' their wortii should not be underestimated. Their cost to operate is higher, in that considerable manure is added and charged, the full benefici-xl effects of which will not be felt for some time. RATES OF SEEDING WHEAT. Marquis wheat was .sown on summer-fallow at the rates of three-quarter.-^, one, and one and one-half bushels per acre. The highest yield was obtained from a seeding of one and one-half bushels per acre. SOIL CULTURAL EXPERIMENTS. DKPTU OF PLOUGHINa. The results from a trial of ten different depths ranging from three inches to eight inches, and from five inches to eight inches with a four-inch subsoiiing, wouhl seem to intiicatc that six inches, and six inches with a four-inch sub.soiling were best suited to the weather conditions of this season. 8UMMER-F.\LL0W TREATMKNT. This experiment consisted of seventeen methods of treatment. The in- dications aic that one of the best methods is to plough six inches deep in .lun<', harrow, sulsurftue pa<'k iit once and cultivate as necessary to kill the weeds and form a iiuilili. Tlic only method that gave better results was where tlie land was cultivated the fall previous but rceived similar treatment the next season. Siinnl-K TRKAT.VIKNT. This coiisivts of a trial of ten methods of preparing stul)b!e land for wheat, anil three methods for oats. The best results wi'tc obtaitit d by sowing wheat on fall ploughed land that was subsurface packed immediately after ploughing. Willi ";'*■-, spring p!"i'(i;hir,g and s,!!i--i!rf;Me pnckir,}; g:>ve the be?t rcsuitr. SEED BED rUKl'.Ml.\Tl().\. This experime-iit consists of thii> methods of preparation whith may be designated by the terms ' poor,' ' good.' and ' extraordinary.' The results ihow that the good and extraordinary methods give the most profitable return.s. 29 BOIL PACKERS. 1 h^s experiment consists of twenty-five different kinds and times of packing. Subsurface packing the summer-fallow after ploughing and harrowing, then sub- suifiue packing again in the spring after seeding, gave the largest yield. Sub- surface packing and combination packing in the spring before seeding came next, with no difference in the yield between the two kinds of packers. APPLICATION OP BARNYARD MANURE. This experiment consists of the application of rotted and green manure at different times on land intended for corn, wheat, barley and oats. For corn, the best results were obtained by applying green manure, made from cut straw, in the winter on the stubble and ploughing it under in the spring. The wheat on this corn land also yielded highest. GREEN MANURING. This experiment consists of ploughing under peas and tares at different st iges of maturity. The results would seem to indicate that peas turned under when in blossom would give the best results. DEPTH OF SEEDING. In this experiment, wheat and oats were sown at depths varying from one inch to four inches. Wlicat gave the best results at from two to three inches, and oats at from three to four inches. SEEDING TO GRASSES AND CLOVERS. This work consists of a test of seeding down with and without a nurse crop on land prepared in different ways. The best results were obtained on fallow and corn land. Slightly larger yields were obtained when sown without a nurse crop, but it is doubtful if the increase would compensate for the loss of the grain crop. EXPERIMENTAL STATION, ROSTHERN, SASK. Wm. a. Munro, B.A., B.S.A., Superintendent. The work in Field Husb'indry at this Station has suffered considerably because of the pre^^cnce of an area of alkali which prevents authentic conclusions in experiments extending over it. The most affected area was cropped to sugar beets in 1913 to overcome this difTiculty, but as some small spots in the area are more affected than others the difficulty is likely to continue for some time. ROTATIONS. Four rotations have been in operation for three years, and a careful record has been kept of the labour, amount of seed and resulting crop. The area of each division in each rotation is exactly two acres, which makes the conditions as nearly like ordinary field conditions as is possible on a small Experimental Fnrm. ROTATION 'C' (three \EAHs' DUH.VTION). First near. — Summer-fallow. Sfcnvd i/t«''.- Wheat. Third year. — Wheat. 30 and S/^hS/un/'''' '''-''*'°" '" ^"Pn^" ^^^ »'"'''>^*« P^' ac" on stubble 42 1», )! I ''"''•'''Is P" acre on summcr-f allow, and in 1913 it was 20 bushels and on iTirl nT'^"^*"'"'^- , No manure is applied, since none would be produced on a farm earned on under these conditions """i^cu 1012^!L^s™?- ^^''loi'f • iu "'"*^ "^'l^** "^ ^^ '■^'^^3 P" bushel, was 12.05 in In 1 ; 'l^fin.f ■■' Ti ^^^'^- 7^*"'*' '''*' '/"^^ ^■°''' P«^ »"« r«q»ire'» on this rotation, nn<l a subsequent less cost per acre for operation; nevcTtheless, it produced a smaller profit per acre than any of the other rotations under experiment ROTATION 'j' (six YKAKS' DURATION). First ?/<''"■■— Siimmor-fiiilow. Second (/ear.- Wheat. Third year. — Wheat. Fourth ycor.-OaU. Seeded down to rye grass, red clover and alfalfa. rijtn year. — Hay. Sixth year. — Hay or pasture. but Sh wlIo.!i"nf'r- ""*;'""'' «"«5r,"*'y '°"^ *" openntion to prove its merit.' but with ^vh.-.it at Oo cents per bushel, oats at 2.-) cents per bushel and hav at $10 per ton, l.e profit per acre in 1912 was $3.78, and in 1913 $7 99 This rotation afTords oats and hay for stork as well as wheat for market', ROTATION 'p' (EKiirr yKARs' duration). First f/cnr.— Summer-fallow. Second year. — Wheat. Third year. — Wheat. Fourth year. — Summer-fallow. Fifth year. — Roots. Sixth year.—Bt\T\ey. Seeded down. Seventh year.—Uny. Eighth year. — Hay or pasture. rn , i^^^*'"" W,^*'^;^«'.'«'7prk on tl-^s rotation, itappcirs that more satisfactory result woul.l he derived by growing l,ar!<.y instead of wheat in the third >-ea7 and wheat instead of barley ollowing roots. The barley o„ root ground foilowl ng fa low heavily manured grows too rank, and not only is detriment L Itself, but tends to smother the seeding of grass Allowin- a value „f (i.'j cents i)er l)uslif.l for wheat, :«) cents per bushel for barley, .^8 per ton for roots aiul $U) por ton for hav, the profit per acre nths rotation in 1912 was .S.-,.«7, and in lOl.-J, $2.07. Tlu- vi..ld7roof' in 1912 wa 17 t_,,ns p,T a,.re, and in 1913, IS tons per acre. The l-ariev, in 1912, produnH 4.J. .0 l.u^lirls per a.re, and iii liM.!, r>:\ 7:, ],n,]u'h per acre ' pnuiuc.n 1 he grass seed ii-cd in K'e.lJng down in 1<!I2 proved of poor nualitv mim' instead of g..,tmg a Ingh yi,.l,l of hay in 1913 the ti'eld ha.l to^>e plo g e,i i in'l9i:r ' "■'■"""*' ••omi^Mrativly small profit from this rotali!,r' rotation 'k' (nine VEAU.S' nvUATION). Fir.<it year. SiimiiKT-fallow. Sernnd year. — ( oi n. Third year. — Ulicat. F:)1!!-th .Vf.-,v, (l-lf.^. Fifth yrnr. — Snniiner-fallow. Sixth yrnr. — \\ h( at. Sevevih ?/'Yfr.- Oats Seeded down. Eiiihth year. — Hay. Ninth year. — Hay or pasture. Manured at rate of 15 tons per acre. 31 Tuis rotation prosentp the difficulty on a small farm of too many divisionfl .uidponsequrntlyof too small fields, but in point of production and profit per iHTP It leads the others under experiment. Our highest yield of wheat on field plots, since the establishment of the htiition, was 104 bushels on two acres in this rotation in 1913 on ground on which there had been a yield of 30 tons of corn in 1912 and which had been summer- fallowed and manured in 1911. This wheat was also of the best quality of any <jn the Station. The yield from two acres of green corn was 30 tons 1,950 pounds m 1912, and 39 tons 1,240 pound.-* in 1913. The profit per acre from this rotation, with wheat at 65 r"- ' per bushel, oats at 25 cents per bushel green corn fodder at $3 per ton an , , at $10 per ton was $8.33 in 1912 and $10 23 m 1913. The conclu.sions fnm two years' work on the.se rotations tend to show:— 1-— 'i'li'^it land worked under a rotation including grains and hay gives a greater profit per acre than where wheat alone is grown, and this is emphasized in a season of earl./ frosts. 2.— That a hoed crop in the rotation increa.ses the cost of operation per acre but very much more increases the profit per acre as well as the yield of the succeeding grain <• ips. 3.— That tl. uivp-sity of crops affords more suitable food for live stock. When the.se crop, are marketed through the mediu.n of live stock, greater profit per acre would accrue than is here shown. BARNYARD AND GREEN MANURES. A visit to the Station during the growing season ought to afford anyone convincing proof of the importance of manure in crop production. Those rotations wlierc manure is applied show a mark<'d increase in j-ield over those where no manure is applied, and the effect is evident to the eye for at least three years following the application. In an experiment to determine the relative value of summer-fallow manured, sumnnT-faliow without manure, and green crops of peas and vetches ploughed un ler, the following yields were obtaiiieil with the succeeding crops: — Green- Manc hino roh Wheat roi.iowED nv Oats. riot. Treatment. ViiM ot wlieat 1(11.' ViiM lit wli.-at l!'|: f'lllowin : Ircat- . icia (.f oat.' I'SIS f'lllowinz wheat ii.cnt lull. lacllt l!tl2. 11)12. Hush. Lb. I'.u,!i. I.:,. ]\i<■^^. Lb. 1 SiiminiT-f.-iilow, no tiuinuro 40 00 4J -ii 04 0.1 2 1 Vas p!()Ui;hril ur.,l('r rally Jiily . 38 40 14 -I'P lO.S as 3 IN'a.MploujjhiH! 'indcr in 'i' 's> iin. .33 no 411 m 114 04 4 Tares pIouuhiMl uniler in hloKsoin. 46 40 4'. 10 i:iO 20 ' Siiniincr-fiillow, niunureii h7 20 01 20 141 06 The ploughing under of !i green crop evidently leaves the ground too dry for any great benelit to be (hTivcd by the en']) oi the .'iicceeding year, but in the above iii-tance shows an advantage over bar- suinim r-fallow in tlie second suc- cii'iiiiig irup. SEEDINd TO (;H.\SSKS AND ( 'I.(>^"l:IJS. An experiment lins been iiiidcr way fer three ^-ears on methods of seeding t gia.sscs and clovers. In each (■a-<' the quantity of .seed ha been 10 pound.s w,-tern rye grass, 3 pounds alfalfa and 3 pounds red clover per acre. Tliis 32 mixture has been seeded with and without a nurse crop after eleven different arrangements of preparatory crops. An experiment cannot be coni^idered really valuable or, at least, in any way conclusive until it has been carried on successfully for a number of years, but we feel fairly safe in concluding that better results are obtained by seeding alone than by seeding with a nurse crop, though the difference is not sufficient to make up for the extra grain crop that would be otherwise lost by seeding alone. In these experiments the yield of hay seeded with oats has been rather light. This confirms our results from the seeding of larger areas. The difference does not seem to depend to much whether the cover crop be oats or barley or wltoat, as whether it be not so heavy as to lodge and smother tlie young grass. For example, we have had very poor success in seeding to barley on summer-fallow. The barley grows so rank that it lodge •> and smothers the young grass. We have not tri<'(l it, biit we believe that no ( would be better than barley to .-ec <l with if it V e o on stubble land Besides the regular experimental work .n seeding to grass-es and clovers, following are the results we have obtained on larger areas: One two-acre plt)t sown to wheat in 1911 and setided down with oats in 1912 yielded at the rate of 1 ton 67 pounds per acre in 1913, and a plot sown alone in 1911 yielded 2 tons 768 pounds per acre in 1912, and 1 ton 1,950 pounds per acre in 1913. Another two-acre plot sown to wheat in 1911 and seeded'down with oats in 1912 yielded 1 ton 285 pounds per acre in 1913; another plot seeded alone m 1911 yielded 2 tons 1,984 pounds in 1913, and 1 ton 35 pounds per acre in A two-acre plot seeded alone in 1912 yielded at the rate of 1 ton 792 nounds in 1913. *^ EXPERIMENTAL STATION, SCOTT, SASK. R. E. EvKUEST, B.S..\., Superintctidcnt. The short season and the scarcity of labour in 1912 rendered it impossible (o do much fall work on stubble land for spring seeding in 1913. Spring ploughiiiir for gram crops was therefore the rule. Here, the fields were jiloughed to a dejith of four mches, packed immediately, drug harrowed, seeded, then packed agnin When the cereal crops were approach!- - «ve inches in height tiic drag harrow wh again used with a view to destroyir .d conserving moisture. ROTAi. Five rotations, varying in duration from one tu nine years, are under tc t They are as follows: — ROT.^TION 'a' (wheat CONTI.N UOISLy). This rotation was begun in 1912 only. While the profits this year are greater than for any of the other rotations, it must not be construed to mean that tlii< is the best method of cropping for this .si-ction of the country. It is not a method that IS likely to long continue very profitable for it is I oth exhaustive of fertility and moisture and ineli'ective in the control of noxious weeds. 33 ROTATION 'C' (three YEARS* DURATION). First jycar.— Summer-fallow. Sixond year. — Wheat. Third year.— Wheat. This is the rotation most commonly followed by our farmers. While it is hkdy to prove suti-^factory for a longer or shorter time, depending on the natural Icrtility oi the soil lo begm with, it cannot be given an unqualified reiomineiida- tion since from otlier di.stricts, there have been reported many instances of soil impoven^hincnt from its long continued use. KOTVllON 'j' (six years' DURATION.) First year. — Summer-fallow. Second year. — Wlu.t. Third y<:ar. — Wheat or coarso grain. Fourth ycar.—OaX^. S'f.ied down with western ry n-ass, red clover and alfalfa. Fifth year. — Hay. .S'(>//i year. — Pasture. The returns from this rotation have been moderate. It is more or less of a mixed farming rotation, suiipiying three grain croi)s in six years, two grass or hay crops and one summer-fallow. The .seeding down with a nurse crop of oats has been fairly sati.sfactory so tar. rotation 'i>' (kicht years' duration). First year. — Suiiuner-f allow. Second year. — Wheat. Third year. — Wheat. Fourth year. — Sui iiu'r-fallow. Fifth year.- Hoed crop or legume. Manured 15 tons per acre. Sixth 2/far. -Barley. Seeded down with western rve gras=:, nd clover and alfalfa. Seventh year. — Hay. Eighth ue(tr. — Pasture. This is also somewhat of a mi.xod-farming r> tation. Here, on the fifth vear of the rotation, peas have been grown altogether, and good crops have been harvested. In 1913 a good catch of seeds was obtained with barley as a nurse •ro]). ROTATIO.V 'll' (ni.NE YKAU.-,' DURATION). First yccr. — Suninirr-faHuw. Secoiiil year.— lluvd crop or Ifgunie. Manured 15 tons per acre Third year.— Whr-.A. Fi'iiiih year.- — Oats. Fifth year. — Suinniei-failow. Si.dh year. — Wheat. Seventh ytar.— (>ats. Seeded down with wo^ern rve grass, red clover and alfalfa. Eighth year. — Hay. Ninth year. — Pasture. As has been the case with ' P,' the area for liocd crops or legumes has been ■own to peas from which good profits were made tiie past year. The catch of 34 seeds with oats as a nurse crop appeared good when winter set in. Because of tlie relatively small pioportion of wheat it supplies, it may not find immediate favour among farmers, btit results bO far point to it as a valuable rotation where mixed farming is being adopted. SOIL CULTURAL EXPERIMENTS. Tlic following experiments in methods of soil cultivation are being con- ducted, Init as one year's results onlj' are available, little more than a mere men- tion of the nature of the work is here given. PRAIRIE BREAKINQ. The experiments in this connection include among other methods the grow- ing of peas and oats, and of flax the year of breaking. While fair yields of flax were obtained in 1913, the practice is not to be recommended in preference to spring breaking and leaving the land uncropped till the following year. SEEDINa TO GRASSES AND CL0VEH8. The nature of this experim shown by means of the table • pounds red clover per acre w,v '* the results this year can perhaps best be 'ow. 10 pounds western rye grass and 10 ding mjxture used throughout. I'lot. Til .{!j.i I.; \\\:i n .srrtlitu!: in l!'ll! IVi.'l.l „f hay. 11)1!. 1 Scrili t Sfili :< Si-r,|i 4 S.-,-,l. S S. ,1. « Scr !• 7 , Sri-,1. S Sf't^i!' <t S 1, 10 Scrsl. 11 St'odi li with \\ I.cal ui'ti* ,-»uiMf ' r f .Uuw A ulniio iiftcr .«i;j'ni.T fjill'w li with whi'at ..It-rr piotjt i\ alure iifu-r nnjls '•I wit! I \\ hfjt MfltT whr.it li ;ilniir uft'T \\ hr.it, li with o.'itfl ;)f(i r wliojtt ■ 1 nl-.nr nfirr \vhi\it on rnnnurni I..n'l i! with wlif;it :ifi'T twii si|f<T'*'<i\ r > ri'ps n li itlfinr !tf(.rr fp;it^ prrrctlrd liy wlicit . 1 with whi'At afUr wheat pi*'4o<|rii t)\ lie f willMt t 'I iiop T^nn. I.t. 2 401, 2 I. '0 1 2 S(M1 2 IM. 1 l-MII I 11I-.0 n 17J0 I , M) 1 s:i) I 4:m 1 !•«(;') Fdll. PArKKTtS. Ill those expcrimrnt«, thepack<'<l plots showed the beneficial effect of their treatmiiit, but as yet no marked disliiirtion in favour of any one kind of packer has tuTii oi)serve(l. DEPTH OK BEEDINO. Wheat and oats are being sown one, two, three and four inches deep. In 101'?, two inches Wiis indicated oa the best depth for wheat and from two to three inches for oats. 33 EXPERIMENTAL STATION, LETHBRIDGE. ALTA. W. H. Fairfield, M.S., Superintendent. SK.\SONAL CONnT'i,,)N>. The sra-^on of 1913 openod at al.out th. .isu;i! ti,no for u ,. district Winter pram l.owcvcr, m.JTernd many areas in t v ^m-r who.r fioKirSne l' 1^ injured owing to the high dry winds that pr, .iod. .^j^rin,. seodin^ .ommenrod T ?r.in?'n H e«"n.nat.on was rapid and a good .ta...: ■. ■ .^ oi.tained in all cascs^ J, e Prnn^raS H'^"''""^ "T ''^''"V ''«P^*a"y during late Mav and early June. Crops of all kinds suffered acutely, parti.Miiariv early-sown grain The rainfall from late June on, was reasonai.ly sati^faetorv.- The late r^in however 8t..nulated a second growth which caused uneven ripening and thus matrrlallv redum the y,eld and quality of both wheat an.l baHev. The result wUhoiH was better the second growth being so strong and vigorous hat it reached maturity before any ser.ous loss was suffero.l from the shHlingof the Hrst growtll. CROP YIELDS. On the dry land the yields of hay were very light. Br,.iac grass nrodu.ed only 1,.580 pounds, and western rye grass 1,160 pounds per acre Alfllfa sown v.^dori^'t'H* "uM'^^^ P°""'''^ ^'' arre^wherearalfalfa soJ^ n row" yielded about double this amount. It would appear, therefor- that fur hay a-s well as for seed purposes it will p.y to sow this crop in row . enoug apart to permit of cultivation. f ■■ i^ » hi « nougu On the irri^'Mted land the av.-rage yi.ld »f hi.y was between I and 5 tons per acre, this being slightly below the average for the past five or six years KOTATION OF CROPS. Space will not here i)ermit of a full explanation of the various rotations under test «t tins Station but. as showing the advantage of re, tain su"." of crops, the following results may be pointed out ■— 1. W heat following corn yielded as well a.s wh.^at after .Miiimier-failow -.nd much be ter than wheat following turnips. Th.- \,Uov diffeien.eio doubt due to the fact that the roots made considerable growth in the fail there by using up mors ure.wh.Tcas the corn ceas.d gr.wth with the first frost " in rows ail^rint^lSir^ '^'"'""''" '""" '''''' '-" ^^•-" '^^ '•'"•' -- P'-'-<i 3. Heavy yields of oats and p-us, g,„wn f.>r f I, w.tc obtained when sown on summer-fallow. v^»Il^.Q^oun 4. With iiriga1i.,n, the yield of spring wheat was „v,.r .-.2 busluls per aero following potatoes. '"^' a^ia, 5 With irrigation, potatoes planted on alfalfa M.d gave a yi.ld of G^-? Ijusiiels ,1(1 pounds per acre. .» v. «. «.... IIATKS OF SKFDINO. Tests to determine the correct quantity of whe.it, oats and barley to sow have now iM^n conducted for five and, in some cases, six years. iS of hi above grains has b.^n seed.-d at the rates of fifteen, thirty, forty-five sixVv «'venty-five ninety, one hundred and five and one hun.lred and twenty Im-.h di p<>r acre. The preparation of the land iu nearly all cases, cu.h yea , wLlum ! 3G The results in 1913 correspond closely to the average of past years. With- out oxception the smallest amounts of each gave the lowest yields. The crops ol)t:iined increased quite mpidly with the amounts of seed used up to a certain point, after which the increase was small and irregular. It is the point at whiih this change takes place that ai)pears to be the most profitable quantity of seed to use. Our results to date indicate the following rates of seed to be the best: — Winter wheat non-irrigated, 60 pounds per acre. Spring wheat non-irrigated, 75 pounds per acre. Oats non-irrigated, 60 to 75 pounds per acre. Barley non-irrigated, 75 to 90 pounds per acre. Spring wheat, irrigated, 90 to 105 pounds per acre. Oats, irrigated, 75 to 90 pounds per acre. The results with barley on the irrigated plots have not been uniform, and it is therefore difficult to draw definite conclusions. From the data to hand, however, 75 tb 90 pounds per acre may be recommended. DATES OF SEKDING. Exjierlments in dates of seeding wheat, oats, barley and flax have been carried out again this season. In previous years the rule has been for the early- sown grain to yield most. In 1913 the yicids were not according to precedent, iiut were irregular, due proiiai)ly to the unusual niamier of precipitation. Owing to the fact that it h,is been tlie custom to sow flax late in May and early in June, and that many fanners are under the impression that it would not be safe to plant it in April, the following table is presented giving the results obtained for the season just past and the average results of two seasons' work in this connection: — Dates or Seidi.no Flax (Ndn mwoATEo). Dhte sown. Diito ripo. Yifl'l 1 r arro ■ Averwep yiohi I'Jl-i piT ;vin» I'Jll' 11. Rcnmrkg. Buili. Lb. lo 30 10 46 • 21 54 20 SO It 4 Buib. I.b. 19 :ii 2.1 41 2.1 47 2.) 17 21 il April 15 M:iv 2 Aucu-t 7 AumiPt 12.., May IS Aunum a .August 2'J Crop of 1912 fru»to.l. JUTJO 19 Crop il.'-ilnijiil by frost both years. July 2 SOIL rULTl HAL E.XIM.KI.MKNTS. The dry-lanti soil cultivation investigation- in. epftd In 1911 were carried cut su<i'essfiilly, but as yet few of the experiinmi^ li.ive shown any marked ri'sults. Some interesting points, however, have been brought out, whieh may be briefly mentioned. I-HAIKIG BKF.AKINU. In this experiment, the results have brought out nothing that has not before Im-cii fairly well demonstrated. They strongly support our contention that towing crop- imm<'diately after breaking is unprofitalde, and point out that the most advisable and practical method of procedure on new land is to break the •ud in the sprii^i aud allow it to U« till the fuUuwiug seu6uu before cropping. 37 DEPTH OF rLOUOHINQ. The plots ploughed three ai; ! four inches deep appeared to suflfer from drouth lioforc those ploughed six and vfu inches deep. Ploughing beyond the latter depth, however, seemed of no :t<iv;intage. TIME or PLOUGHINO. One of the most striking results observed, because it happened almost without exception, was the fact that land ploughed in the fall gave poorer returns than that which was ploughed in the ispring. Similar results have been obtained in previous years, but the difference has never been so marked as was the case this year. No doubt the dry winter with its scanty rainfall was, in a great measure, responsible for these results. MEASUREMENT OF IRRIGATION WATER. All the water used for irrigation was measured over a weir, and a record made by a Friez self-registering instrument. An effort has always been made to ascertain the amounts of water used on each individual crop but, because of the large number of small fields, this has not always been feasible. The quantity of water u<cd for the season was sufficient to cover the land to a depth of 1 . 525 feet. The depth of water on the land on the Station devoted to mixed crops for the sea-son of 1913 may therefore be said to be 1 . 525 acre feet. It should be stated in this connection that a continuous flow of a fixed amount was not used. Wa'sT was obtained from the main canal at such times, and in such quantities, as we desired. The following table, giving details regarding dates and quantities of water used on an alfalfa field of fifteen and tlo-rr^-quarter acres, may be of interest:— Area ol &«ld. Amount of water UBcd.i.*., depth of water DatPs of Irrigk .aD. applied. M.%y 22 29 Julv IS 17 Kept. 2.) -27 754 ■• 4y.l •■ Total dopth of wutrr iipplinl 1 913 fcot. Avrranc yield p«T iiorc of i.lfiilfii 4 toni 230 poi.ndl. The rainfall during the growing sra.'^on was: — April . 52 inches. May 1.70 June 4.70 " Julv 1.29 August 1.93 " Total 10.14 " The alfalfa was cut twice, and the )rieid of hay was 4 tons 230 pounds per acre. The irrigation in September was applied for the benefit of the 1914 crop. If the rainfall in the spring of 1014 proves to be normal, probably no irrigAtioB will be required before the fint cutting is made. 38 EXPERIMENTAL STATION, LACOMBE, ALTA. G. H. HuTTON, B.S.A., Superintendent. WEATHER CONDITIONS, 1913. The seeding season opened on April 10. The weather during April and for the first ten days of May wiis both cool and dry, keeping growth in check. After- wards, however, conditions were so favourable that by June 15 all crops on well prepared laud were as fa"- advanced as has been the case in any season since the estal)lishment of the Station. Favourable weather continued until harvesting and threshing were concluded. Fair yields of grain of better than average quality were the rule. CROP YIELDS. Banner and Abundance oats arc the varieties grown in field operations. The yield, in 1913, was in favour of the Banner variety, which averaged Gl bushels per acre. Marquis wheat has yielded at the rate of almost forty-five bushels per acre. The yield of barley, from various causes, has b< n oniparativcly low, avcrng- ing only 37 bushels per acre. 1"hirty-five acres seed<Ml to peas and oats for fodder purposes jiroduccd 1 19 tons, the weights being taken when it was in fit condition for stacking. It is interestiuK to compare this yield with that secured from eighty-eight acres of timothy, from which there was produced slightly less than 1 1 1 toiis. Other crops grown for feed were turnips and corn. The yield of the latter was extremely small. ROTATION OF CHOI'S. While it is rather early to draw definite conchi-.ions as to the particular rotation best .adapted to local conditions, it has lici ii sh(.wn that a rotation which includes an apjilication of barnyard manure and at leal two years of hay or pasture will ensure heavier yields of grain, diiring th.^ years these crops are grown in the rotMtion, than is possible wlu re no rotation is followed other than con- tinuous grain growing. Of the sevcrtil under test the fallowing two rotations seem best adapted to local conditions:— crop ROT,\Tl<iN 'k' (six YKAUs' DfUATlON.) Fir,-!; year. — Hoed crop. Second i/rar.- -Wheat. Third ii<ar — Oats or barley. Seeded down. Fourth year. — Hay. Manured in autumn ;it rate of 12 tons per acre. Fifth //f(ir.— Pasture. Sixth j/ear.— Pasture. Ploughed July after haying in preparation for hoed 39 ROTATION 'l' (aiX TEARS' DURATION.) First year. — Hay. Second year.— Pasture. Manured in autumn at rate of 12 tons per acre Third year.-VustuTc. Break July for winter wheat. tovrlh j/ear.-Winter wheat, or in case of failure to stand, spring wheat. t ijtn year. — Oats. rl.,v,™i^4T'~!^'''"'*J- . ^^'''^'"^ ^"^'° ^^^ * P°""*^« tin.othy, 4 pounds alsike ( lo\ er and 4 pounds red clover per acre. F. ^NED VERSUS NOT FANNED WHEAT FOR SEED. I^rarm!!,' ww"f *;''''^7''"'°^ ^^^ been conducted with fanned and not fanned a c\r'.ffl l!nU f'"^^.''7;'^'n« Purpo'^'^s. The results indicate the importance of a caret ul grading ol all seed grain. Wheat fanned three times, under strong wind „., •I't''^''^ . . •• - 35 bush. 11 lb. per acre. \V heat fanned once yielded 20 " 50 " " Wheat not fanned 24 " 00 " " SOIL CULTURAL EXPERIMENTS. A series of soil cultivation experiments is being conducted and, as far as it has been possible to judge, the yields have not been influenced other than In he treatment^ given. Among the experiments conducted, the following arc those considered conclusive enough to be reported upon :— DEPTH OF PLOUaHING. A. Ploughing on wfceat stubble to be sown to oaU. n. Ploughing for summer-fallow. C. Plo'ighingonsod. The deep working of the land in the summer-fallow vcar did not .innear to give any special results on the first succeeding crop (wheat i l,„l influenced favour- aMy the sc'ond crop (oats). In t.K- breaking out of .sod, ploughing at a d.ptli of live inches gave hotter r.' ul«; than at 3 or 4 in.hoi. This practice al.-o pro\..,| sui.erior, this vcar to liiraking sod 3 inches and ploughing the wheat stubble ti inrhcs for the following SUMMER-FALLOW THEATMENT. In the experiment with methods of sommer-fallowing, the following points hMve been iiulic'itcd:— * ' 1. That it is of advantage to plough summer-fallow but once 2. hat deep ploughing gives better results thnii sIkiIIow ploughing 3. 1 hat working or ploughing the stubble land in the fall previous U t!;e summer-fallow djes not always n-sult in im re«sp,i yields STUHni.K TREATMF.N'T. The fall or spring ploughing of ^tubble land proved l>ettcr practice than the burning of the stubble in spring, and Vbeo seeding. SEEDING GRABS AND CLOVER. When the seeding of grass is made without a nurse crop, the yield of hay is incic ised, but the increase is not sufficient to compensate for the loss of crop sustained when seeding alone. CLEARING AND BREAKING. About fifteen acres of the more heavily timbered portion of the newly pur- chased farm have been cleared, and broken by means of a steam plough. The engine drew two twenty-four-inch brush breakers and cut a clean and well-turned furrow, considering that many of the roots enecuntered measured twelve inches or more across. Another six-acre area has been brushed, cleared and broken by horse-power. FENCING. About six and one-half miles of woven wire fence were erected during tKc season, the style beinp a nine-wire fifty-two-inch fence, ten stays to the rod, number nine gauge wire throughout. EXPERIMENTAL FARM, AGASSIZ, B.C. P. H. MooRE, B.S.A., Superinktident. ROTATION OF CROPS. In the spring of 1911 practically the entire Fari.i was put down to a four- year rotelion, namely; — Fimt year. — Hoed crop of corn, roots or potatoes. Second year. — (!rain. Seeded down. Third 1/rar.— Clover hay. Fourth ijrur. — Pasture. With the increase of barnyard manure, the results from each new section planted to hoed crops have shown an imiJrovenunt. The hoed crops this sca.'^on were grown on a jjieie of land from which, since 1910, onli.inls h^ive heen removed from time to time. .\ part of the area is badly infested with couch gra.ss, and another ponion sutlers somewhat from shading, due to its location between mountains on the north, and a section of I lougla'i fir trees on the south. Notwitlot.'indiiig this, Ihe yields have been fair. In all, there were harvestwl 2SI tons 1,770 pounds of silage corn, 130 tons 110 liounds o! mangels, 9 tons 1,9S0 oounds of carrots, ton-< 100 pounds of sugar I eets. It) tons l.riC;.) pounds of ,jotatoes, and 10 tons 800 pounds of turnips, tiiakinR a total hoed crop yield of 401 tons 200 pounds. Two varieties each of corn and mangels were grown as field I'rops, namely; I.onpOllow and (^ompton's Early corn and Giant Half Sugar White and Perfec- tion Maiomoth Long Red m.angels. Regarding the corn, the sort^ grown give the Ix'st results of any of the varieties grown to date. With regard to the mangels, we are not in a position to make tlii statement with such assurance as yet, because several of the varieties now being tested give promise of greater yields per acre. 41 „ . ,'^1'"^ mangels were planted at the rate of nine pounds per acre in drills, thirty inches apart. These drills were set up with a double mould board ploueh. rolled and the seed sowu with a hand drill. This rate of planting gave, at the time of the two-leaf stage, a perfect stand. Where fertilizer tests were not ."Tried on, there were sown in the drills, at drilling time, 600 pounds .,er acre of a ih xt.ire of chemical fertilizers, consisting of 350 pounds surerphosphate, 150 1)ouih1s muriate of potash and 100 pounds nitrate of soda. For the last two yi:irs the mangels, when treated this way, have grown faster than the average wieds \\ lien once up and growing nicely they were hoed by hand with a Fniall wind iioe. 1 hey were thus easily and cheaplj kept above the weeds, an<l the horse cultivator did the rest until thinning tit e. They were thinned about foiiif een inches apart and hoed but once thereafter. Hecause the field was badly overrun with couch gra.ss, a great deal of prepara- tion w:i.-. required for the corn land. Many harrowings were given with the drag tyi)(- (if JKiirow, for too nuieh cutting only defeated our aims. Barnyard manure was i)lut).rl.,.d in at the rate of 10 tons per acre. The ( orn was planted by machine m checks three feet apart each way, for this distance has proven the most advantageous for this district in getting good silage results. The land was harrowed with a drag harrow twice before the corn came up, to keep down the corn sijurrey. After the last cultivation with a two-hor.se two-rowed cultivator (except the finishing off, for which we used the single walking ecufller), it was hand hoed once. In harvesting, the corn was bound and hauled on low-wheeled wagons. Ihe total cost in the silo was S2.73 per ton. COMMERCIAL FEiriTLIZERS. Several fertilizer e.xperiments were conducted with field plots of maneels during the past season. In estimating profits, barnyard manure was charged at the rate of $1 per ton, and all chemical fertilizers at the prices paid. Mangels were valued at S3 per ton. NITRATE OF SODA VKIISIS .MTHATK OF LIUK FOK MANOFLS. In a single field test, nitrate of lime did not give quite the amount of crop that the nitrate of sotla made. An average of several years' results, where the difference is so little, will be re.iuired before ar.y definite pronouncement nia\ be made. NiTitMi; or Sum vtusix NrrHArt or Lim«. Plot Fpitiliii-rs. \ ielj o! rnariKolg pt'i ucre. Coat ol Value of rrop p<T acre Barnynrd manure. Coranierrial fertili/( r!». terliliiers. less .-..St (if fcr- tiliiora. 1. J. 16 too*, applied (ram ■tack in tpriBg U toaa, apvliad trom ■taek iaiprug... Superphosplmls .I.Vl lb.: murinteofpot- aah, ISOIb.:ni(r»t>- o( loda, 100 lb Sup«ipho(phat«, 3S0 lb.;niunalao(pot- Mb. 110 lb.: nit- ntoo«in>*,IWlb. Tons. l,b. 23 395 » tM3 1 CM. M 42 US8 1 ets. 43. 1« MM 42 BARNYARD MA .E. COMMERCIAL FFRTILIZER ALONE VERSUS f RCIAL FERTILIZKH TOQbthb* WITH BARNYARD MANURE F ANGF.L8. In order to ascertain the value of barn> manure for mangels, an experi- ment \va> iH'giin using a mixture of commeri ..ii fertilizer only on one plot, and the same mixture, tujiether with 16 tons per acre of barnyard manure on a second plot. While the second plot yielded over 3 tons per acre more mangels than the first, the manure could not he considered as having entirely paid for itself from the first crop after api)licaiion. TI - yields of succecdins crops, must of course, be considered before the full value of the manure will be known. CuMMEmT.M. I'KRTIIIZEU AflNE VKRHCS COUUEUCUL FeHTIUZCR TOaiTHIB WITH BarNYARD MaNUEI. Plot. r<Mti!izprs. Yield ol mangeli peracra. Cost of fartilizers. Value of BamyurJ manure. Commercial fertilizer*. less cost ol Im- tilixcrs. I. t. It tons, froih sp- plied in •priac- Superphosphate, 360 lb.; .Muriateol pot- ash. 150 11).; nit- rate otnoda. 100 lb. Superpliocphate, 350 lb.; niurinti- of pot- ash, 1.50 lb ; niU rate ot sixla 100 lb. Tom. Lb. M 1820 23 ISM <eti. 24 42 842 Icta. M.IO 82 to SPRING ArPI.lCATION VERSUS WINTER .APPLICATION OF FRESH MANURE. In this verv wet winter climate it is thought there may be undue lo« through the leaching of barnyard manure applied in the fall or winter. An ex- periment to learn the probable extent of this loss has been conducted during the pa.st season. The results, as tabulated below, favour spring applicati.a. Further tests, verifying these results, must be ma(l<", before accepting thea as eonclu-;ve. RPHINO ApHI'-ATION VIRftUa WlOTlH ApfUCAflON OP Fltr.-(U M»NUR». FertiliJcm. Value ol Yield ol manfzela Coirtol fertiliser*. crop per acre laaa coat ol Barnyard Commercial per acre. lertiliien. manure. lertiliaera. Toaa Lb, • ctt. t«U. 1. IS tons, freah, ap- plind in winter — Superphosphate, 350 lb.; muriate ol pot- ash. ISO ll>.; nit- rate otaoda, 1001b. 25 1000 24 41 M.OT s. It tons, frMh ap- plied in spring.... Superphosphate, .LW lb.; murujte ol pot- aah, IM lb.; nil- mteolaod«.100lb. H 1820 24 42 it.lt 43 WINTER APPLICATION OP MANURE (PRESH) VERSUS SPKING APPLICATION (sTACk). on thp"nW fn'Jh''™*^"!' "'"^^i? i*"?* Pf ' ^"^ °* '"^""''^ ^«^« ^«'K''ed and hauled othnr A , • 7V"*"u ""'^ '^^* "1 *^^ '^'"'^' *° ''^ «P'-^ad in the spring. The am.lL'^l •''*''* ^'T^ T''""''^ '^''■*"^* ^'■°° *^« y"d in the spring. Spring ai» Ic tion ag.ain produced a somewhat heavier yield of mangels, but results will b. accepted as final only after further verification. Arp.,»ATi„N or Fhmh Manimie ,n \V..nter ver.scs Applu.*i,o.n frou Stack in Spring. Fertilizers. = Plot. ! Yi.'!d of raan^jrla per acre. Cost of fertilisers. B.arnyard Commercial 1 manure. fertilizers. — 1 crop per acre le.ss cost of fertilisers. 1 Tons. Lb. t ets. 1 cts. 1. It tons, fresh, ap-l plied m winter. ... .■superphosphate, 'iM, lb.: muriate of pot -| ash, 1,tO lb.: nit-: 1. 16 tons,' from stack, rate of soda, 100 llj.' 1 28 1000 24 42 82 07 applied in spring . . .Superplioephate, .X5o! lb.: muriate of pot- ash, ISO lb.; nit.- lateofsoda, lOOlb. 28 1780 24 42 53 24