AGRICULTURAL AND EXPERIMENTAL UNION.

ANNUAL MEETING.

Experimental

The twenty-fifth annual meeting of the Ontario Agricultural and Union was held at the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, on Monday and Tuesday, December 7th and 8th, 1903.

The President of the Union, Mr. Nelson Monteith, B.S.A., ex-M.P.P., Stratford, Ontario, presided over the three-day sessions, and Dr. James Mills, President of the College, over the public meeting on Monday evening, and at the annual supper on Tuesday evening.

SECRETARY'S REPORT.

By C. A. Zavitz, B.S.A., Agricultural College, Guelph, Ont.

The manuscript of the addresses, reports of co-operative experiments, and summaries of the discussions of the last annual meeting of the Experimental Union were carefully prepared for publication and forwarded to the Department of Agriculture, Toronto, Ontario, in January last. When printed, the report made a volume of eighty-seven pages. Some twenty-five thousand volumes were distributed among the farmers of Ontario in May and June. Although the results of the experimental work were brought to the homes of a very large number of the farmers of Ontario, it was unfortunate that the reports did not reach them at an earlier date, so that they could read the results of the experiments of 1902 before the commencement of the spring seeding of 1903.

The Board of Control appointed at the last annual meeting has met twice during the year-once in December, 1902, and once in September, 1903.

The co-operative experiments were conducted on more farms throughout Ontario in 1903 than in any previous year.

Four years ago the ex-students of the Ontario Agricultural College residing in the United States organized the "American-O.A. C. Union," and within the past year those residing in Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and British Columbia organized the "Western-O.A.C. Union." We are also pleased to note that similar organizations to the Ontario Agricultural and Experimental Union have been organized in at least five States of the American Union, namely, Ohio, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Illinois and New York, and that others are being organized in Kansas and Iowa.

Dr. A. C. True, Director of the Office of Experiment Stations in connection with the Department of Agriculture for the United States, wrote in 1898 as follows: "The work which the Union has undertaken is certainly a very important one. I believe your college has led the way in showing what ought to be done in all our States, and I hope your good example may soon be followed throughout the United States."

The Ontario Agricultural and Experimental Union has good ground for encouragement to move forward with its good work. We have great reason to believe that the co-operative work is extending in influence as well as in magnitude.

We, the undersigned Auditors, declare that we have examined the accounts of the Treasurer, and found them correct.

Dec. 1st, 1903.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.

M. CUMMING,

W. P. GAMBLE,

By Nelson Monteith, B.S.A., Stratford, Ont.

With the experiences and lessons of another year, we gather to this the twentyfifth annual meeting of the Ontario Agricultural and Experimental Union. To you we extend a cordial welcome, and trust our meeting together may be mutually helpful.

No fewer than 3,845 experimenters throughout the Province have co-operated with us during the past year, which is a satisfactory evidence of the increasing confidence placed in our work by the agriculturists of Ontario.

The introduction of improved varieties, of grain, roots, and fodders, through the agency of this Union, has done much to bring about the present vastly increased production of our farm products. The Mandse heuri barley, a variety imported by this College from Russia, and widely distributed throughout the Province of Ontario by our experimental tests, has proven an excellent yielder, and, in a measure, accounts for the present very large increase in barley production. Dawson's Golden Chaff among fall wheats, though not very popular with the millers, has proved a money-maker for the farmer. The Siberian oat, also a Russian importation, has proved a valuable addition to the most important of our cereal crops. Through the wide distribution of grains, roots, corn and various fodder crops, properly named, growers have become familiar with the leading characteristics of the varieties that are best suited to their locality; hence the educational as well as the monetary value of our work. The horticultural branch of the Union's work has introduced choice varieties of small fruits into many sections, thus adding a new pleasure as well as profit to farm life. These are but a few of the many benefits that flow from our Union, now one of the senior organizations for the advancement of agriculture.

Progressive farmers are no longer selling grain as their finished product. Our very large exports of cheese, butter, beef, bacon and poultry are an evidence of their increasing skill. The prosperity of the farmers is reflected in our towns and cities by greater industrial activity, which is yearly drawing an ever-increasing number from our farms. To meet the changing conditions, many farms are being seeded down to be pastured with cattle for the production of beef. The introduction of improved machinery of larger capacity is also relieving the situation in a small measure. The condition of the farmer is not

wholly satisfactory; in fact, it is unsatisfactory, except from a financial standpoint. The long hours of labor caused by the lack of help, both in the field and in the house, are causing many to lead lives of drudgery, and to neglect that social amity that should exist in well-ordered society.

The meeting of the Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire in Montreal, and the rapid filling up of our own great West have given increased prominence to our Dominion and its agricultural resources. The launching of the preferential trade proposals, now under discussion in the mother land, is an event of the past year that may have a most important bearing on agricultural methods of Ontario.

In recognition of the great importance of live stock and its allied industries to Ontario, you will note by our programme that prominence has been given to the stock feeds and to the feeding of live stock. It is fitting that we should discuss the best methods of using the grains, roots, and fodders made prominent by our co-operative experiments in field agriculture.

It is with pleasure I express, on behalf of our Union, our appreciation for this splendidly-appointed hall wherein to hold our meeting. This Massey Hall and the Macdonald Institute are most fitting tributes of their donors to the needs of scientific agriculture, and help to round off the necessary equipment of our Alma Mater. The ex-students and students of our College are taking a foremost place in the agricultural life and thought of our own Dominion, and also in that of the United States. We rejoice in this fact and are justly proud of it. But does our whole duty end here? Is it not time that the men of our College are entering more largely into the public life of this young and growing country?

As co-partner with our Union, The O. A. C. Review is doing splendid work in keeping alive a healthy college spirit amongst our ex-students, and it is with pleasure that we observe its widening influence from year to year.

Reports from the various committees will be presented for your consideration, to which we invite your most careful attention, not forgetting the time allotted by our programme for the discussion of each subject.

In conclusion, I have to thank you for the honor conferred upon me in my election to the Presidency of this Union during the past year. I am especially indebted to our Secretary, whose untiring efforts in behalf of the Union have rendered my duties largely honorary.

AN OFFICIAL ORGAN FOR THE UNION.

Mr. E. C. Drury, Crown Hill, said that the Union was doing good service in experimental work, but that it had a further duty to perform in creating a still more cordial feeling towards the College on the part of the farmers in general. There should also, he said, be a stronger feeling of union among ex-students of the College, and to this end he suggested making The O. A. C. Review the official organ of the Union.

This suggestion was generally approved and the following committee appointed to discuss the matter and place their report in the hands of the Secretary: T. G. Raynor, W. J. Brown, Prof. Hutt, R. J. Deachman, W. R. Dewar, and C. A. Zavitz.

Whereupon it was moved by Mr. W. J. Brown and seconded by Mr. W. R. Dewar, and carried unanimously, "That, in the opinion of the committee, The O. A. C. Review should be made the official organ of the Union, and that a Board of Editors be elected from the ex-students to co-operate with the present editorial staff, with the idea of bringing the paper more completely in harmony with the needs of the ex-students and experimenters, and that we recommend for their consideration the establishment of departments of the College paper to be devoted to the interests of the Union."