390 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



9-10 EDWARD VII., A. 1910 

 EXPEEIMENTS WITH POTATOES. 



■TESTS OF VARIETIES. 



Twenty-five varieties of potatoes were planted on May 19 on sandy loam, that had 

 been backset the previous season. The rows were two and one-half feet apart. They 

 were irrigated three times on July 22, August 1 and 10. They were all dug October 

 9. The yield was computed in each case from the weight of potatoes obtained from 

 two rows each 66 feet long. 



Average yield for the 25 varieties, 7 tons 867 lbs., or 247 bushels 47 lbs. per acre. 

 There was no rot in any of the varieties. 



FOEAGE CHOPS. 



ALFALFA. 



On account of the land being so new, it was thought best not to plant a very large 

 area of alfalfa, for this crop usually thrives better on older land. Consequently only 

 about five acres were so^vn. The ideal preparation of the soil for alfalfa is to summer 

 fallow a field on which at least one or two crops of grain have been raised. The seed 

 should be sown in May or early in June, without a nurse or cover crop. 



The alfalfa plots were all irrigated on August 4 and 5 and again on October 8 

 and 9 so that the ground might be thoroughly wet for the -nnnter and to avoid the 

 necessity of having to irrigate before the first cutting was made in the spring. 



