558 Experiments on the Potato-Crop. 



3 tons 4 cwts. 3 qrs. 8 lbs. weight of Fluke sets per acre, 

 planted — 



Per Acrg. 

 tons. cwts. qrs. lbs. 



As 8 oz. sets, 1 foot 6 inches apart, produced a net) -.^ "^ o 



return of j "' 



As 4 oz. sets, 9 inclies apart 13 4 2 G 



Balance in favour of small sets at close intervals of . . 1 1125 



These balances are so small, that they can scarcely be relied 

 on as indicating any decided advantage in either direction ; but 

 the nearly equal results of the experiments point conclusively to 

 the fact of *he very regular ratio borne between the weights 

 of the crop and the weights per acre of the sets, a ton 

 of sets, whether planted as large or small potatoes, producing 

 the same weight of crop per acre. It must, however, be 

 observed that, practically, the principle is only of limited 

 application. Taking 1 foot as the maximum, and 6 inches as 

 the minimum distance between the sets in the rows, it will be 

 easily understood that a weight of small sets, say of 1 or 2 ozs., 

 equivalent to large sets of 6 or 8 ozs., could not be got into the 

 ground, therefore the general principle, that the crop varies as 

 the weight of the sets, weight for weight, is not practically appli- 

 cable where the sets differ in weight beyond the proportion of 

 1 to 2. Small sets, therefore, of 1 to 3 ozs., can, under no 

 arrangement, produce as much per acre as sets of from 4 to 

 8 ozs. 



Fourthly. As to the relative advantages of cut and whole sets. 



A comparison may be instituted between the average results 

 of five experiments with sets formed by dividing large potatoes, 

 and five experiments with whole potatoes weighing the same as 

 the cut half sets. 



Cut Potatoes. 



Net Balances, 

 tons. cwts. qrs, lbs. 



Flukes, 4 ozs., cut out of 8 oz. potatoes, 1 foot apart,] ,.-, 9 n *>3 



produced f"' 



Flukes, 4 ozs., cut out of 8 oz. potatoes, 9 inches apart, j 14 in <> 4. 



produced ) 



Flukes, 2 ozs., cut out of 4 oz. potatoes, 1 foot apart,( -.q 4 ''I 



produced \ 



Flukes, 2 ozs., cutout of 4 oz. potatoes, 9 inches apart,[ ^^ -^^ -^ 2^2 



produced j 



Flukes, 2 ozs., cut out of 4 oz. potatoes, G inches apart,) 8 G "^ 1 



produced J 



Late Eed, 2 ozs., cut out of 4 oz. potatoes, 1 foot apart,) 93 7 1 q 



produced j " 



'■DO' 



Assregate on sis acres of 80 4 5 



Average per acre 13 7 1 10 



