Report on the Cultivation of Potatoes. 499 



in the second week of September the same buyer bought the field, after he 

 saw the disease checked, at 24Z. per imperial acre." 



The general opinion in the Lothians appears to be in favour 

 of a large-sized sett, although the majority of the growers plant 

 cut potatoes in preference to whole ones. Mr. Rintoul has 

 obtained the best results from large setts, with only one eye to 

 spring from. Mr. ShirrefF, whose practice is different in this 

 respect, as already observed, is this year making experiments on 

 a large scale, with a view to elucidate this question. 



The practice with regard to renewal of the stock is to purchase 

 from a later district either sufficient seed, or sufficient potatoes to 

 raise seed, for the next year. The latter plan has many advocates 

 in this as in other districts, as it allows the crop to be got earlier 

 for market, although sometimes at the expense of a certain pro- 

 portion of produce, the crop being found to diminish after the 

 first year. 



Mr. Scot Skirving says : — 



" I once grew a large lot of (Irish) Skerry Blues, and they took no disease, 

 whilst the Eegents were badly affected. They were also a very large crop, and 

 were good to eat. Yet I never grew them again, as the public did not know 

 them, and would not buy them ; and half of a bad crop of Eegents brought 

 more money than a good crop of sound Skerry Blues." 



As to early or late harvesting, Mr. Scot Skirving remarks : — 



" Disease has never struck the early varieties in East Lothian so hard as 

 the late ones. Those ripe in July and August comparatively escape. There- 

 fore, if the potato will keep, the sooner it is harvested the better in disease 

 years. In 1872 I realized 15?. per imperial acre, while many of my neigh- 

 bours made a dead loss. I lifted and sent to marJcet in August. I could not 

 lift them fast enough, and lost much more the longer I was in lifting. Had 

 I been able to hft faster, I should have made 201. per acre." 



With the exception of a prcAailing opinion that high 

 manuring renders the potato-crop more liable to disease, little 

 information is given by the Lothian growers in reference to the 

 influence of different methods of cultivation or management on 

 the extent of the potato-disease. Mr. D. W. C. Smith, of 

 Coulston Mains, Haddington, thinks old pasture-land less liable 

 to disease than other soils, and has found spent tan bark in the 

 drill beneficial as regards the disease, but the potatoes were 

 nearly ruined for selling by the ravages of worms and insects. 

 He also believes that dung renders the plant more liable to 

 disease than artificial manure. 



The opinion of the Lothian growers appears uniformly in 

 favour of allowing the potato-crop to mature thoroughly before 

 being raised, if it has to be stored ; but if the crop can be sent 

 to an early market, it is better to avoid the risk of loss by 

 disease by lifting as early as the crop is fit. 



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