24 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



among them, but not more than one at every two 

 or three shaws. 



Mr. John Barbour, Fa,rmer, Risk, Lochwinnoch, 

 ^vho planted a stone in May, 1882, planted the pro- 

 duce of that lot last spring, and also about half-a- 

 dozen tubers of the borage-leaf which I sent him 

 early in April. The crop has turned out small. 

 The potatoes are numerous enough, but the largest 

 are only about the size of a hen's egg. The quality, 

 however, as a table potato, is much better than last 

 year, but the number diseased is rather greater. 



Mr. Boyd, our Secretary, kindly asked his friend, 

 Mr. Thomas Brown, Ardneil, West Kilbride, to try 

 a few. I sent both sorts in March, and last ^week 

 received the following rej)ort : — 



"Ardneil, West Kilbride. 



"Dear Sir, — I have to-day sent to your address 

 a small sample of the Chilian potatoes. They are 

 rather small, but the season was one of the ^vorst 

 we have seen for experimenting w^ith potatoes. 

 They grew on good, red soil, but on a high field. 

 They got no solid manure but a good dressing of 

 bones and guano,— a similar quantity to some 

 Walker's Earlies and ChanqDions that grew alongside, 

 — and they w^ere a fair average crop. I consider 

 that your potatoes have not had a chance to test 

 them this season ; but I intend to put them on a 

 low field next season, and give them a quantity of 

 sea-weed or farm-yard manure, when I hope to be 

 able to report more favourably to you. They 

 had good strong shaws when growing, seemed to 

 be ripe when lifted, which was in the end of 

 October, and had little or no appearance of disease. 

 I think after a year or two of cultivation the pota- 

 toes will improve materially. The high-coloured 

 one (the first lot) seems to have done best. If you 

 have any of the pale variety (Bora j ilia), you might 

 send me a fe^v for next season. 



" I am, Dear Sir, Yours truly, 



"Thos. Brown." 



