130 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



64 VICTORIA. A. 1901 

 TWFXVR BEST YIELDING VAKIETIES OP POTATOES — AVERAGE OF SIX YEAKs' TESTS. 



POTATOES — PLANTING AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES APART. 



During the past five years an experiment has been tried in planting the sets at 

 different distances apart in the rows; the rows in each case being 2^ feet apart. The 

 best results have been obtained so far by planting the sets 12 inches apart, although it 

 will require a few years yet before accurate conclusions can be drawn. There was 

 very little difference in the proportion of marketable and unmarketable tubers in this 

 experiment. In former years only one variety was used in this test, but this year two 

 were planted ; the Early Andes, an early variety, and the Uncle Sam, a comparatively 

 late one. The average results from these two varieties are given as the yields per acre 

 for 1900. 



Distance apart 

 of Sets. 



Seed 

 required 

 per acre. 



Yield 



per acre, 



1896. 



Bush. lbs. Bush. lbs. 



34 

 29 

 24 

 21 

 19 



50 

 2 

 53 

 46 

 21 



355 

 336 

 323 

 335 



289 



18 

 36 

 24 

 30 

 18 



Yield 



per acre, 



1897. 



Bush. lbs. 



331 



278 47 



2H8 50 



226 1 



226 31 



Yield 



per acre, 



1898. 



Bush. lbs. 



268 

 347 

 290 

 233 

 253 



24 

 36 

 24 

 12 



Yield 



per acre, 



1899. 



Bush. lbs. 



392 

 406 

 454 

 392 

 234 



2 



34 



58 



3 



34 



Yield 



per acre, 



1900. 



Bush. lbs. 



327 

 316 

 325 

 279 



270 



48 

 48 

 36 

 24 

 36 



Average 



yield 

 per acre, 

 5 years. 



Bush. lbs. 



334 

 337 

 332 

 293 

 254 



54 

 16 

 38 

 14 



48 



Average 



yield 

 per acre 

 after de- 

 ducting 

 seed. 



Bush. lbs. 



300 

 308 

 307 

 271 

 235 



4 

 14 

 45 

 28 

 27 



POTATOES PLANTING AT DIFFERENT DEPTHS. 



An experiment has been conducted during the past three years in planting pota- 

 toes at different depths in rows 2^ feet apart and 12 inches apart in the rows. The 

 seta had at least three eyes each, and were about uniform in size. The soil was sandy 

 loam, both years. Level cultivation was adopted, and thus very little soil was thrown 

 ■on the potatoes after they were covered at the time of planting. The following table 

 shows that the best yields were obtained from planting the sets only 1 inch deep. As 

 the relative yields from the different depths of planting have not been the same in 

 both years, it will be necessary to continue this test for some time before accurate con- 

 clusions can be drawn. Notes were taken on the depths at which tubers were formed 

 in 1899 and 1900, and it was found that most of them were within 4 inches of the 

 surface of the soil, even where the set had been planted 6, 7 and 8 inches deep. Where 

 the sets were planted less than 4 inches deep nearly all the tubers were formed 

 between that and the surface of the soil. Two varieties, the Sir Walter Raleigh and 

 Empire State, were used in the test this year, and the average results from them are 

 «:iven as the yields for 1900. There are several reasons why the potatoes planted from 

 one to three inches deep should give the best results. Potatoes will develop more 



