71 



In the year 1899, at the experimental station at Koeslin, Pom- 

 zrnerania, potatoes received the following mineral manures per acre of 

 medium soil: 



The phosphoric acid and potash were given some little time 

 before planting, together with one-half of the nitrate of soda when 

 the potatoes appeared above ground, and the other half before hill- 

 ing them up. 



Dr. Somerville, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, writes as regards experi- 

 ments made at Cockle Park : The addition of 1\ cwt. of mixed arti- 

 ficials without potash to 15 tons of farmyard manure has produced 

 an average increase of 6J tons of marketable potatoes. The addition 

 of 1 cwt. of sulphate of potash, costing 9/ (here 12/) has resulted in a 

 marked increase, 1 tons in one case and 1 ton in the other plot. 

 Where 15 tons dung, 1J cwt. of sulphate of ammonia, and 6J cwt. 

 superphosphates were applied, the percentage of "small" to the total 

 crop was 25, whereas plus 1 cwt. of sulphate of potash to these 

 manures, the percentage of small potatoes was reduced to 18. The 

 same was observed where the dressing with muriate of potash was 

 doubled. With 1 cwt. per acre the percentage was 34 ; with 2 cwt., 

 23. At the potato-growing competition of the East Lothian Agri- 

 cultural Society there were separate plots of half an acre, which 

 received the same manures as others, but in addition potash and 

 all used 3J cwt. kainit, and the increase on some plots was 2 tons 

 4 cwt. 3 qr., 2 tons 1 cwt. 3 qr., and 2 tons 14 cwt. It was said that 

 near the sea the winds would carry sufficient muriate to the land, 

 but where 3 cwt. kainit was there applied to very rich land it 

 yielded 28 cwt. more merchantable potatoes. 



I may remark here that there have been cases reported by 

 members of our Branch Bureaus that soaking potato setts in a solu- 

 tion of 1 Ib. of sulphate of Ammonia and 1 Ib. of 

 nitrate of potash in 5 gallons of water had proved a 

 successful manuring ; if soaked for twenty-four hours, and 

 then left twenty-four hours before planting. This solu- 

 tion has as least .rotted cut potatoes, and has certainly 

 shown in many instances that it required more water, so as to be 

 harmless, and even then was not always a success. At Hawkesbury 

 College, "New South Wales, also solutions of J Ib. of sulphate of 

 ammonia and J Ib. potassium nitrate with 1J gallons of water and 

 other solutions often prevented germination. 



