334 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the increased cost of the purchased seed. Thus, forexampl3, 

 in one experiment, in 1894, the difference in favor of the 

 Maine seed was at the rate of 36.5 bushels per acre. In the 

 fields upon the college farm the differences due to seed have 

 been less accurately determined, but have apparently been 

 greater than in t-Ms experiment. 



Soil and Fertilizers. 



The best soil for quality and earliness is one which is 

 quite light ; for large product, a medium loam which is well 

 drained and which will yet hold the water quite retentively 

 is to be preferred, though the chances of disease may be 

 somewhat greater. 



The practice of the majority of our farmers indicates that 

 this crop can, as a rule, be grown most successfully and 

 most profitably on fertilizers. So grown, it is freer from rot 

 and scab and of better quality than on manure. 



The potato does not withdraw from the soil a very large 

 amount of the elements of plant food, and yet it is generally 

 recognized that to grow it successfully the soil must be lib- 

 erally supplied with the elements of fertility. This crop 

 has a limited root system, and, as we cultivate it, must make 

 the chief part of its growth in about sixty days. These facts 

 explain why plant food must be so liberally supplied to the 

 potato crop. 



The materials applied for our crop last year, the plant 

 food supplied and the amount which would have been re- 

 moved in the crop aimed at were as follows : — 



Nitrate of soda, . 



Dried blood, . 



Dry ground fish, . 



Cotton-seed meal, 



Plain superphosphate, 



Floats, . 



Sulphate of potash (high grade), 



125 pounds per acre. 



200 " 



100 " 



200 



400 " 



100 " 



300 



