Aug. 2, 1920.] 



Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 



543 



Results of Potato Manurial Trials. 



Manures and Mixtures. 



Mt. Geor'jre. 



Sherwood. 



Wauchopc. 



Coniboyne. 



Miller's Forest. 



No Manure 



2 owt. P7 



2 „ P5 



2 „ P8 



2 „ Superphosphate 



t. c. q. 



12 15 1 



10 17 2 

 14 19 



11 18 3 

 14 13 1 



lb. 

 11 

 5 

 25 

 26 



t. 



8 



lb. 

 3 



c. q. 



7 3 



6 22 



15 16 



12 7 



2 2 



c. 



15 

 7 

 5 

 6 



14 



lb. 

 6 

 

 9 



10 

 8 



c. q. lb. 

 18 2 

 3 



12 



The mixture P7 -consists of equal parts of bonedujst and superphosphate, 

 and P8 of equal parts of blood and bone and of superphosphate. P5 consists 

 of superphosphate i parts, and sulphate of potash 1 part. 



Potatoes estimated at £10 per ton. 



The above table shows that by a very small application of fertiliser, 

 dusted along the drills, increases in yield ranging from nearly a ton to two 

 tons, and equal to a monetary return of from £8 to £18 10s. per acre, are 

 obtainable. The results on the rich volcanic soils of the Comboyne are 

 most striking. There an increase in yield, ranging from 3J to four tons, or 

 equal to over 200 per cent., was obtained. 



While it is true that the majority of farmers are aware of this means of 

 increasing the crop, comparatively few adopt it, being quite satisfied with 

 less progressive methods, and returns ranging from 25 per cent, to 50 per 

 cent, lower than would be obtainable with an application of 2 cwt. of 

 fertiliser. Farmers in the older potato centres of the world find it profitable 

 to use a ton and even more of fertiliser per acre. 



Synopsis. 

 With few exceptions, farmex's still fail to grasp the important part that 

 humus plays in the successful production of a crop of potatoes. The 

 choosing of a site which has produced a crop of legumes such as field 

 peas, cowpeas, or vetches, or an old lucerne paddock, is still left to the 

 select few. • . 



The fertility of the soil must be kept up by increasing the humus content. 

 Besides being the chief source of food supply for the plant, it is the main 

 moisture-holding constituent of the soil, and its value in this respect alone, 

 when one takes into consideration the dry spells encountered during the 

 spring, is all-important. 



