ioXo\'.. 19TO.] Potato Experiniciital Fields, igog-io. 719 



Cut versus Wliolc Seed. — As stated above a test was carried out with 

 two \arieties. Up-to-Date and Clarke s Main Crop being selected: — 



Table I. — C'vt versus Whole Seed. 



Ditt'ereuce iu favour 

 of Cut Seed. 



t. r. qr. lb. 

 Up-to-Date . . . . 5 12 2 



Percentage . . 17-9 per cent. 



Clarke's Main Cioji . . 5 2 24 



Percentage, small .. .. 13 i)er cent. 



t. c. qr. lb. I t. c. qr. lb. 



6 16 04 1324 



22 '2 per cent. 4 '3 per cent. 



6 18 24 1 17 2 



30 per cent. 17 per cent. 



In the abo\e test a few sets missed in the cut only, but not sufficient 

 to make any appreciable difference on the yield, whilst in the whole sets 

 there were practically nu misses. The most noticeable feature was the 

 large proportion of small tul)ers unsuitable for market in the whole set 

 section. 



Table J. — Peopoktion op Small. 



Up-to-Date .. .. .. .. .. .. j 17-9 per cent. i 22 2 per cent. 



Clarke's Main Crop .. .. .. .. . . i 13 percent. '30 percent. 



The above returns correspond with previous experiments. 



Varieties. — The following varieties were used in the plot: — Carman, 

 Up-to-Date. Clarke's Main Crop, Sutton's Abundance, and Bismarck. 

 None of the foregoing can be considered early when compared with Early 

 Rose, or Beauty of Hebron. An effort has been made to discover a good 

 yielding extra early potato and to that end five varieties, which in previous 

 plots in other districts had given promise of meeting the above require- 

 ments, were tried. They are as follow : — 



May Queen. — A true kidney variety, white skin and flesh. In Great 

 Britain this has proved a prolific early cropper. The yield, considering 

 the seed used, may be regarded as satisfactory, viz., 4^ tons per acre. 

 They matured very rapidly and were fit to market in cases by i8th Novem- 

 ber, or nine weeks and three days after planting. 



Thorburn. — An American \ariety resembling Beauty of Hebron in 

 many respects. Skin white, with a blush of pink; rather deeper in the 

 eves than the Beautv ; flesh white and finer in texture than May Queen. 

 This \arietv also matured in nine weeks and three days. 



Uncle Sam. — Also an American variety. Pink skin, resembling Early 

 \"ermont ; good flavour ; flesh white, of very fine texture. Yield rather 

 light in field plots, but very satisfactory results from garden culture. 



Noroton Beauty. — An American variety resembling New Zealand Pink- 

 eye. A little later than the other ^•arieties. Only a medium cropper. 



Leongatha Plots \^Mr. G. Williams'). 



This plot was primarily a variety test, although manures were applied. 



It must be stated that the manure dressings were all round heavier than 



was intended through an error in laying out the plot, which was situated 



on a' o;rev soil flat. The results indicate that heavier dressings of manure 



