REPORT OF THE HORTICULTURIST. 



131 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



rapidly in warm soil than in that which is cooler. The soil within the first three or 

 four inches of the surface is warmer than that three or four inches lower down, hence 

 the conditions are more favourable for the potato. The tubers when the potato is in 

 the wild state develop near the surface or on the surface of the ground. It seems 

 natural, therefore, that the cultivated potato should be planted shallow. 



On the other hand, much of the success of shallow planting will depend on the 

 moisture of the soil. If the season is very dry the first two inches of soil may be so 

 dry that the. potato will not take root readily, and the season of growth will thus be 

 shortened, but this has not happened here during the past three years. Once the roots 

 begin to grow they speedily reach a depth where plenty of moisture is found. 



From the results obtained it seems reasonable to conclude that where the soil is 

 not dry the best results can be obtained from shallow planting. In any case, early 

 planted potatoes will probably succeed best when planted shallow, as the ground will 

 be warmer. In places where the spring is late or where the ground is cold, best 

 results will probably be had by shallow planting. 



Although the best results have been obtained in sandy loam soil by planting the 

 sets one inch deep, this method is not recommended for field culture. Unless the sur- 

 face of the soil is kept loose and free from weeds the potato crop will not be large. 

 In order to kill a large proportion of the weeds which grow, the ground should be har- 

 rowed once or twice before the potatoes come up or just as they are coming up. If the 

 sets were planted only one inch deep and the soil harrowed, many of them would be 

 dragged out, hence about four inches deep would be the best. 



POTATOES PLANTED AT DIFFERENT DATES. 



In 1898 an experiment was begun in planting potatoes at different dates, begin- 

 ning when the main crop was put in and continuing at intervals of two weeks until 

 August 23, 1898, July 23, 1899, and July 21, 1900. An early and a late variety were 

 used in each case, the varieties being Early Norther and Irish Daisy, in 189S, Early 

 ^Norther and Eural Blush, in 1899, and Early Norther and Sir Walter Raleigh, in 1900. 



In 1898 and 1899 the decrease after the third planting was so great that it appeared 

 as if a fair crop of marketable potatoes could not be produced when the seed was 

 planted much after June 24, but the results obtained in 1900 by planting on July 7, 

 go to show that it is possible to produce a good crop of potatoes after a crop of early 

 vegetables, such as pease, has been removed. The yield of marketable potatoes planted 

 from seed of Early Norther, planted on July 7, was at the rate of 224 bushels. 24 

 pounds to the acre. 



This experiment will be continued for several years yet. 



*NoTE. — This great decrease in yield was probably due to a variation in the'soil which it is sometime 

 difficult to avoid. 



16-9J 



