THE farmer was enjoying his Sunday leisure, though work was
going on and a tractor with a patent hoe active in a large root-field. He was singularly happy (for a farmer) in the prospects for harvest, and I had walked past both oat and wheat crops that looked bumper. The one deficiency was sun. June was a hundred hours short, and of all crops wheat benefits most from sun. It has been said that dryness has never done anything but benefit to English corn, and almost every year's ex- perience in the prairie provinces of Canada demonstrates that, if the young wheat gets enough moisture to establish the plant, even the longer droughts do little damage.. Canadian wheats are " stronger " than ours, though not therefore better to eat, because they get longer hours of sunlight. We can surpass most countries in yield, but for other virtues a hot July or early August is essential. " All I want is sun," said the farmer ; and he will say the same till the harvest is gathered.
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