540 



Agriaaltural Gazette of N .S.W . 



[Aug. 2, 1920. 



The seed of Vermont, Sussex, Early Rose and Manhattan was inferior, and 

 of the others, such as Factor, Up-to-date and Carman, many were identical. 

 Good seed was scarce last season, and there seems little hope of more accurate 

 results being obtained from experiments until reliable seed, such as a Govern- 

 ment potato farm would provide, becomes available. 



The following table shows the distribution of the i-aiufall over the growing 

 period. Where the so\vings had taken place in good moist seed-beds, showers 

 were of assistance, but where the seed-bed was comparatively dry, falls of less 

 than a half or three-quarters of an inch were not of much use :— 



Month. 



Sherwood. 



West 

 Kempsej". 



Wauchope. 



MounL 

 George. 



Com- 

 boyne. 



Bandon 

 Grove. 



Paterson. 



Miller's 

 Forest. 



1919. 



August ... 

 Sej^tember 

 October ... 

 November 

 December 

 1920. 

 January... 



Total 



Points. 

 21 

 190 

 215 

 199 

 507 



110* 



Points. 



1,242 



30 

 434 

 479 

 340 



876 



c3 

 > 



O 



2,159 



Points. 



216 

 330 

 479 

 340 



280 



1645 



Points. 



140* 

 207 

 128 

 331 



IV 



Sll 



* Sigrnifles part of month. 



Cultural Notes. 



Sherwood. — Soil, moderately rich ; loamy. The manurial section had been 

 previously cropped with potatoes in 1918, followed immediately by vetches 

 in 1919, which were grazed off, the residue being ploughed under in July. 

 The variety trial section had grown maize for a number of years. Land 

 ploughed in July and fallowed until just previous to sowing. . Prepai'atory 

 cultural methods conserved little moisture. Potatoes planted on 26th August 

 in a seed-bed, none too moist ; germination patchy ; harrowed after majority of 

 plants up ; cultivated twice and hilled ; showers in October assisted growth ; 

 good rains fell in November. Rutherglen bug did damage in November to 

 a .section of the crop. 



West Kemjisey. — Soil, stiff heavy loam ; cropped for a number of years 

 previously with maize. Land remained hard and untouched until August, 

 when it was ploughed, rolled, and harrowed twice. Left fallow for a month; 

 again ploughed, harrowed, scarified, harrowed and rolled. Although in 

 excellent tilth for sowing, on 18th September the soil was dry. It was 

 unfortunate that the heavy autumn rains were not conserved, owing to 

 ploughing being too late. Seed covered with a maize hiller — a very useful 

 implement for the purpose; germination fairly good ; harrowed, cultivated 

 twice, and hilled ; good growth of foliage, but of that dark-green colour that 

 indicates lack of moisture. Lat(^ rain helped the late-maturing varieties, but 

 the tubers were abnormal with second growth. 



Wauchope. — Soil, stiff clayey loam ; previously cropped with peas in the 

 winter of 1918 maize in the summer of 1918-19, and peas in the winter of 

 1919; residues ploughed under in July. Seed-bed in good order, but a 



