266 



STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



TABLE NO. 8. 

 Condensed Results of Potato Spraying in 1905. 



Cost per acre per application, 72 cents. 



SPRAYING AN INSURANCE. 



The last column of the above table shows how long it would be pos- 

 sible to spray an acre of potatoes upon the profits of this year's spray- 

 ing and protect them against any possibility of blight, if there should 

 be no blight during that time; or, in brief, in the case of the acre 

 sprayed every ten days with Bordeaux mixture, enough profit was made 

 to pay for spraying an acre of potatoes six times for three years and 

 three times on the fourth year without extra cost. 



The cost of 72 cents per application per acre is unusually large and 

 would easily be less in large field operations. The writer believes that 

 on areas of two acres or over the work could easily be'done at a total 

 outlay per application per acre of not over 55 cents. 



III. RESULTS OBTAINED BY MR. W. A. SWAN^ OTSEGO. 



In reply to questions sent out in a circular letter to potato growers 

 by this Department, Mr. W. A. Swan of Otsego answered the question, 

 "Have you ever sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture for the blight?" by 

 saying, *'Yes, for the last five years, two years with a four-row sprayer." 

 The next question asked was, "If so, has it paid you? Give figures if 

 possible. Will you spray next year?" Mr. Swan answered, "Yes, last 

 year (1904) my crop averaged 200 bushels per acre; 2 acres were sprayed 

 six times and averaged 3.30 bushels per acre. This year I sprayed 27 

 acres; the average was 128 bushels. 



One acre through the center of the field was not sprayed and gave 

 109 bushels. 



Two acres on one side sprayed three times gave 124 bushels per acre. 



Two acres on the other side sprayed four times gave 147 bushels per 

 acre. 



I figure my total gain this year at 700 bushels, at a cost in spraying 

 of 170.00. I will keep on spraying. 



