10 Nov., 1Q09.] Potato Experimental Fields, 1908-9. 



739 



One grower informed me that he purchased 10 tons of seed, whicli 

 cost ;!^5o. Of this, he had to discard 3 tons, and the crop produced b\ 

 the balance was of such inferior quality that he had to refuse orders for 

 seed and therefore he sustained a loss which he estimated at ^150. 

 Instances are on record in Great Britain where whole parcels, in one case 

 amounting to 70 tons, were discarded. In Westphalia in Germany 

 the diminution of the crop in 1905, in the case of one variety, ranged 

 from 5% to complete failure and averaged from 50 to 75"o- 



AVERAGE SAMPLE FROM PARCEL OF POTATOES AFFECTED W'YTU 

 SPINDLE DISEASE. 



The potatoes, amountini>- to 10 cwt., were lifted in February, 1909. Of these, IfiO average sets were 

 placed in trays and by 1st .July only two tubers had sent out a strong- shoot. 



Manure Experiments with Potatoes. 



F. E. Lee, Agricultural Suferinteudeut. 



Yxom. the point of view of manuring of potatoes, facts of con.sequence 

 have yet to be established. It is generally admitted that artificial manures 

 produce a profitable increase in the yield of a crop over their cost, but 

 which is the best combination, of manures and especially what is the 

 most economical amount to use per acre, are some of the points which the 

 experimental fields herein dealt with are endeavouring to ascertain. It is 

 very commonly reasoned that because one or two hundredweights per acre 

 of manure produce a satisfactory increase in yield, that double or treble 

 those dressings should produce correspondingly increased yields. 



