TiLLAoE Experiments with Potatoes. 207 



treated alike except that the special area received a dressing of HOO 

 pounds of fertilizer per acre (kind not stated) and one piece of seed 

 in a place instead of two. After plants were up the regular field 

 received three cultivations and were " laid by," hilled August 1st. 

 No Bordeaux mixture used on this plat. The other ])lat was worked 

 level eight times, up to August ISth, when vines were so large that 

 further cultivation seemed unadvisable. This plat was sprayed four 

 times with Bordeaux mixture. 



Result : The regular area yielded at the rate of 200 bushels per acre 

 and the special area 390 bushels, a g-ain of 190 bushels per acre in favor 

 of superior treatment. 



Mr. Hamilton writes : " Only large smooth potatoes were used, 

 and the seed was cut but a short time Ijefore planting. The Ilea 

 beetles seemed to come out of the ground with the potatoes and were 

 always at work. The rows that were not sprayed with the Bordeaux 

 mixture showed black spots on the leaves quite early in the season 

 and were dead much sooner than the special area. Rains washed 

 the Bordeaux off to a considerable extent and the special area 

 showed the effect of blight. I think perhaps if the Bordeaux mix- 

 ture had been applied sooner and continued later the blight could 

 have been kept off. The potatoes were very large and smooth and 

 no rotten ones were found. I have found out that it pays to work 

 potatoes good." 



Brief and to the point : 



Some of the reports possess the merit of briefness if not of 

 minuteness. One from Cattaraugus county gives only the following 

 to distinguish between the two facts : 



•' Four rows 145 feet long your way six bushels. Four rows 115 

 feet long my way four bushels." 



While this report does not offer to readers of this l)ulletin m^my 

 suggestions as to methods of potato culture, the experiment was 

 no doubt very interesting and instructive to the farmer conducting 

 it, and the latter object is equally important with the former. In 

 fact very many of the reports that we cannot use in a bulletin give 

 evidence that the farmer making the experiment has received benefit. 

 And not only does the farmer himself receive benefit, but his neigh- 

 bors watch the experiment and are led to adopt the improved methods. 



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