44 



THE POTATO. 



per cent of nitrogen. It is best dug or ploughed into the 

 land in autumn, at the rate of 40 to 50 tons per acre. 



Some Interesting 1 Irish Experiments. The 



Irish Department of Agriculture made some interesting ex 

 periments at various centres in 1901, 1902, and 1903, to 

 test the values of artificial and farmyard manures in rela- 

 tion to the yield of potatoes. These we reproduce, as 

 follows : 



* The value of saleable potatoes is taken at 2 per ton, and of xhe small potatoes 

 1 per ton. 



" In calculating the profits obtained the following prices 

 have been assigned to the different manures: Farmyard 

 manure, 4s. per ton; sulphate of ammonia, 12 10s. per 

 ton; superphosphate, 3 5s. per ton; and muriate of 

 potash, 10 10s. per ton. 



' The figures in the above table indicate first, that 

 each application of manure has produced a large increase 

 in the crop; second, that the application of 15 tons farm- 

 yard manure has produced a crop which is not three-quar- 



