168 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and one-half inches, and the potatoes had what is called level culture, 

 I. e., only a very slight ridge was thrown up by the cultivator. The 

 deeper plantings were somewhat harder to dig. The McCallum digger 

 took thera clean but it was harder work for the team. 



DISTANCE APART IN THE ROW. 



The planter can be set to drop 14, 18 and 27 inches apart. Two 

 rows of Dakota Red were planted at each of these distances. The 

 yields were: 14 inches apart, 70 bushels; 18 inches apart, 58 

 bushels ; and 27 inches apart, 40 bushels per acre. 



FERTILIZERS. 



With the fertilizer attachment different quantities of pulverized 

 slaughter-house refuse were scattered in the rows with the (Chief) 

 potatoes. The yields were : 



Without fertilizer, 88 bushels per acre. 



With 240 pounds per acre, 76 do. do. 



600 *' *' 80 do. do. 



960 " " 101 do. do. 



On our rich, mellow soil, where manure has been freely used, for- 

 eign fertilizers did not seem to produce paying results. Farther tests 

 will be made on poorer soils. 



POTATO BUGS. 



The drouth and heat brought them in great numbers and made the 

 vines speciall}- subject to their attacks. Hand-picking was tried, but 

 promised to cost from $2 to $3 per acre, and so London purple was 

 used. Barrels of water were placed in a wagon, and rows were 

 sprayed with a weak solution of London purple b\' means of a force 

 pump with small nozzle. The man stood m the rear end of the 

 wagon and worked the pump, holding his finger over the nozzle so 

 as to cast a fine spray over five rows at a trip most thoroughly. 

 One-half pound of London purple or Paris green is enough for a 

 barrel of water, if frequently stirred. The work was rapid and 

 effective, and cost, aside from cost of force-pump, only about fifty 

 cents per acre. 



