11 Aug.. 1019.] 



ManiiriiKj for Profit. 



475 



the average price for this season (approximately £10 per ton) had been 

 used. But it is obvious, even taking the lower rate, which is a fair 

 average one over a number of years, that the liberal use of fertilizers is 

 a sound policy for the potato-grower. 



While not strictly within the experimental field, the achievement of 

 Mr. J. Gibson, of l)almore, is probably so near to a Victorian record 

 that mention of it should be made. 



Out of a total farming area of 100 acres, Mr. Gibson planted 75 acres 

 with potatoes. The variety mainly grown was Carmen I. The soil on 

 this farm is some of the best at the Dalmore end of the Koo-wee-rup 

 Swamp. Mr. Gibson closely followed the practice, constantly advocated 

 by this Department, in the matter of using only good seed and adopting 

 the boxing system of storage for same. Manuring was done at the rate 



Planting Machine designed by Mr. J. Gibson, of Dalmore. 



of (approximate) 6 cwt. nitro-super. per acre. No effort was spared 

 in tending the crop during the period of its growth. 



The result was an average crop over the whole area of about 9 tons 

 to the acre. This, coupled with the high selling price obtaining this 

 season, is palpably a most profitable achievement. A feature of this 

 case is the fact that practically all of the work in planting and growing 

 the crop was carried out by the grower himself, with little assistance. 



An illustration is given of the planting machine designed by this 

 grower, and used exclusively in planting his 75 acres. The illustration 

 is self-explanatory. 



In potato cultivation, as in any indusry, specialization is the keynote 

 of success. Haphazard methods must eventually disappear before those 

 which give as near to a guarantee as it is possible to have in farm 

 practice. 



True agricultural progress is to be secured by making acres produce 

 more, rather than by making more acres produce. 



