3 Oct., 1916.1 Potato Cultivation. 595 



Eugene Grubb, who acted as Special Commissioner to Europe in 

 Potato Investigation for tlie United States of America Government, 

 in summarizing his data obtained in the foremost potato districts of 

 the world, states : — " The practice of successful growers indicates the 

 best policy to be — 



High fertility of soil. 



Close planting. 



Heavy rate of seeding per acre." 



These elements of success in potato growing are within the control 

 of the Victorian farmer, and until growers adopt improved methods of 

 dealing with the crop, the average production per acre for the State 

 (under three tons) will continue to be an unpleasant reflection. 



It is of greater moment that the acres at present cultivated should 

 be made to produce more, than it is that more acres should be brought 

 under cultivation. 



The former would mean a really progressive increase in the State's 

 production — while the latter (with present-day farming standards) would 

 only increase the magnitude of current mediocrity. 



SULPHATE OF AMMONIA AS A FERTILIZER. 



Special reference is given to the use of sulphate of ammonia as 

 a fertilizing agent for various crops, in a pamphlet recently issued 

 by the Department of Agriculture of Leeds University, England. The 

 supplies of sodium nitrate not being available this year, farmers must 

 rely on sulphate of ammonia for nitrogenous manure. 



Experiments have been conducted in the East and West Ridings 

 of Yorkshire on land varying in character. In the case of barley, 

 the yield was increased from 3| bushels per acre to 7| bushels by a 

 moderate application of sulphate of ammonia. The effect on oats was 

 more marked, the increase in one case being 9^ bushels of grain and 

 4J cwt. of straw per acre. For potato(>s, sulplutte of ammonia has been 

 in great favour. 



In the case of turnips, it was found, as a result of 44 trials over 

 a period of eight years, that an application of I cwt. of ammonia 

 sulphate, in addition to dung and superj)hosphate, increased the yield 

 of swedes by 12 cwt., while a dressing of 130 lbs. gave an average in- 

 crease, over four years, of 6f cwts. per acre in the case of meadow 

 hay. 

 — Extract Joiirtial Indii.sl rial and Engineering Cheniistri/. June, 1916. 



Very little of the simjde manui'c niiiinouiuni snlphate is used in 

 Victoria. A large percentage of the amount manufactured is exported. 



On small holdings in mixed farm areas in tlic southern portion of 

 tlie State, in the midlnnd districts, ammonium snlpliato used in con- 

 junction Avith other manures is well worthy of trial. 



Departmental expei'iiiieiits in the case of ])otatoes produced increased 

 yields. 



