Potato Growing in New York. 199 



More extended and thorough experiments than have been at- 

 tempted by this Station have been conducted by the State Experi- 

 ment Station at Geneva and to its reports the reader is referred for 

 more detailed information, regarding the benefits of spraying. 

 Bulletin No. 217 of this Station gives instructions in regard to making 

 and use of Bordeaux and other spray mixtures. 



Varieties. Every farmer knows that the question of varieties is an 

 important one. It is not uncommon for one of two varieties planted in 

 the same field to outyield the other two to one. Owing to the rapid 

 degeneration or " running out " of varieties as they are ordinarily 

 managed, the testing and reporting upon varieties of potatoes is very 

 unsatisfactory and unattractive work for experiment stations, as 

 the value of the data obtained is only temporar}^ (the varieties changing 

 in vigor so quickly) and often of only local application, as different 

 varieties are adapted to certain soils and localities in different degrees. 

 The test of varieties is an experiment that should and does appeal 

 strongly to the individual potato grower. The results obtained 

 upon his own soil are more valuable to him than those obtained 

 elsewhere and more valuable to him than to anybody else. Keeping 

 posted on varieties is much like keeping posted in regard to market 

 prices. 



To assist farmers along this line, for several seasons past the 

 College of Agriculture has included variety test of potatoes in its 

 list of extension experiments. Five pounds of each of several 

 selected varieties of potatoes have been sent to farmers for test. They 

 are requested to plant them on uniform areas, give uniform treatment, 

 harvest and weigh the product and report results to the College. 

 The -following tables give some of the results secured in 1903 and 

 1904. A study of the tables reveals the fact that nearly every var- 

 iety will take first rank in some instances and last in others, but 

 that some are much more likely than others to head the list ; also that 

 some varieties seem to be much more affected by the character of 

 soil than others. The rank assigned does not always follow yield, 

 but the preference for varieties as expressed by the farmer after 

 taking all characteristics into consideration. These are all varieties 

 that were highly recommended at the time they were tested: 



