Aug. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 539 



Farmers^ Experiment Plots* 



Potato Experiments, 1919-20. 



Central Coast. 



J. M. PITT, Assistant Inspector of Agriculture. 



The following farmers co-operated with the Department in carrying out 

 variety and manurial trials with potatoes during 1919-20 : — 



J. G. Ward, Sherwood, Macleay River. 



Felix Kemp, West Kempsey, Macleay River. 



J. W. Smith, " Hazeldean," Wauchope, Hastings River. 



Collins Brothers, Comboyne, 



J. C. Duff, " Somerset," Mt. George, Manning River. 



Thos. Hoad, Mt. George, Manning River. 



Alex. Smith &. A.tkins Bros., Bandon Grove, Williams River. 



M. Smith, " Bona Vista," Paterson, Paterson River. 



J. T. Perrett, Miller's Forest, Hunter River. 

 With one or two exceptions the yields were higher than those of last year, 

 and it is doubtful whether the crop of 1 6 tons per acre, taken from the Mount 

 George plots, has previously been exceeded on the central coast. 



Mr. J. C. Duff was narrowly defeated for the first prize in the competition 

 for the highest yielding plot in the district, inaugurated by the Manning 

 River District Agricultural and Horticultural Association, after having 

 gained a similar place last year. 



Messrs. Collins Bros., of the Comboyne, won first and second honours 

 respectively at the Manning River District and the Hastings River District 

 Shows, with potatoes grown on the experiment plots. 



The season for the first couple of months after sowing was dry and frosty, 

 but from the middle of October onward ample rain fell. Much of the 

 success of the plots, however, was due to the efforts of the farmers in pre- 

 paring good, moisture-holding seed-beds. It was particularly noticeable, on 

 the contrary, that where cultural methods had been delayed until the spring, 

 such as at West Kempsey, vexy little moisture was conserved, and the yields 

 were poor. Sown early in a good moist seed-bed, Up-to-date, an early 

 maturing variety, usually outyields any other grown on the coast, but at 

 West Kempsey, where the plots were sown late in comparatively dry land, 

 that variety failed altogether, the rains that fell in November being too late 

 to be of benefit. 



The season was responsible for an extraordinary amount of top growth, 

 in some places over 3 feet in height. There were individual cases of attacks 

 from ladybird and Rutherglen bug, but fungus pests were entirely absent. 



