26 Director's Report of the 



department of botany. 

 Potato spraying experiments. — The ten-year potato spraying ex- 

 periment begun in 1902 has been continued during 1903, both at 

 Geneva and Riverhead. Again, spraying has resulted in a large 

 increase in yield. At Geneva the increase in yield due to three spray- 

 ings was 88 bushels per acre and that due to five sprayings, 118 

 bushels. At Riverhead three sprayings increased the yield 39>4 

 bushels per acre and five sprayings increased it 56 bushels per acre. 



In order to determine the actual profit in spraying potatoes under 

 ordinary farm conditions, six business experiments were conducted 

 in cooperation with farmers in dififerent parts of the State. In each 

 experiment the increase in yield was determined and an account kept 

 of all expense. Since late blight was unusually destructive the past 

 season, spraying proved highly profitable. On a total area of 61 1-6 

 acres sprayed in the six experiments there was a total increase in 

 yield of 3746 bushels which is at the rate of 61.24+ bushels per acre. 

 The value of 3746 bushels of potatoes was, at least, $1,873. Subtract- 

 ing from this sum the total expense of spraying, $296.49, there is a 

 remainder of $1,576.51, which is the total net profit. This is at the 

 rate of $25.77+ P^^ ^.cre. 



It is estimated that the loss from potato blight in New York in 

 1903 was fifty bushels per acre on the average. Since the acreage 

 of potatoes in the State is about 396,000 acres and the average price 

 of potatoes last fall fifty cents per bushel, the total loss sustained 

 by New York farmers was nearly $10,000,000. A large part of this 

 loss might have been prevented by spraying. 



The results obtained by the Station, during the past two years 

 especially, indicate plainly that the spraying of potatoes is a subject 

 which should receive careful consideration by every potato grower 

 in the State. 



Unusual apple decays. — During March there was reported to the 

 Station by apple dealers the occurrence of an uncommon decay of 



