Jan. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 37 



Farmers^ Experiment Plots* 



Potato Experiments, 1918-19. 



New England District. 



R. W. McDIARMID, Inspector of Agriculture. 



The potato experiments established in the New England districts last 

 season were located with the undermentioned farmers : — 



L. M. RixoD, Uralla. 



R. A. Bell, Dumaresq. 



J as. Piper, junior, Llangothlin. 



Theo. Farlow, Red Range. 



J. F. Chick, Tenterfield. 

 The experiments comprised variety trials and manurial trials in each dis- 

 trict. The former were uniformly fertilised with superphosphate at 2 cwt. 

 per acre, while the manurial trials (with the exception of Dumaresq) were 

 put down with the Manhattan variety. At the Dumaresq plots, Queen of the 

 Valley potatoes were used. 



The season was rather too dry in most New England localities for pota- 

 toes ; this was mostlv in evidence at Dumaresq, (Jralla, and Llangothlin. 

 At Red Range the season was dry for early sown potatoes, but December 

 sown potatoes responded well to the January and February falls. This was 

 also noticeable at Tenterfield. Indeed, had all the experiments been sown 

 in December they would have yielded probably double the amounts. The 

 Llangothlin district pi'omised exceptionally good potato crops until flowering 

 time when the dry weather beat the crops. 



Soil and Cultural Details. 



rralla. — -The plots here were i^i granite country, the land having been 

 sown to wheat and oats the previous year. The stubble was ploughed under 

 in January, and re-ploughed in September. .Sowing was done on 9th October, 

 and the land harrowed immediately afterwards to conserve the already scanty 

 amount of moisture. The seed used was mostly cut, and, on account of the 

 dry year, the germination was naturally net good. Strictly speaking, the 

 yields are not truly representative of each variety, as the amount of cut seed 

 varied with each. 



The rows were 3 feet apart, and sets 18 inches apart in the drills. Duviog 

 the growing period the land was well worked between the rows, and hilling 

 completed by 12th December. The rainfall from planting until harvesting 

 amounted to 12 inches, but the dry month of December caught the crop at 

 its critical stage and materially reduced the yields. 



