82 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



5. Experiments with Potatoes. 

 (Var. : Beauty of Hebron.) 



The experiments carried on in this connection are at present 

 conducted for the following purpose : — 



Firsts To study the special effect, if any, of muriate of 

 potash and of sulphate of potash on the quantit}' and quality 

 of potatoes raised by their aid as the principal potash source of 

 plant food. 



Second, To ascertain the effect of planting whole potatoes 

 and half potatoes, on the yield of the crop. 



Third, To inquire into the causes of the production of 

 scabby potatoes. 



The first two objects of inquiry have received attention 

 since 1884 ; the last-mentioned one has been added to our task 

 during the past year, at the special request of the Franklin 

 Harvest Club. The same piece of land has been used from the 

 beginning of our field work (1884) , as far as the first and second 

 lines of observation are concerned ; whilst a separate field was 

 chosen for studj'ing the behavior of ^^ scabby potatoes" as 

 **■ seed potatoes." As a short description of the course pursued 

 in previous years cannot fail to assist in a due appreciation of 

 the results of the past season, a few essential circumstances are 

 in this connection republished from previous annual reports. 



A. — Experiments with High-grade German Potash Salts and 

 Ground Bones as Fertilizers. 



1884. — Three plats, each one-fifth of an acre in size, were 

 chosen for the experiment. The land had been for years in 

 grass, and contained quite a number of old apple trees. The 

 majority of the latter were removed, and the turf thoroughly 

 broken up before manuring, during the spring of 1884. 



Plat 1 (west end) received one hundred and twenty pounds 

 of ground rendered bones and thirty pounds of muriate of pot- 

 ash (equal to from twenty-six to twenty-seven pounds of phos- 

 phoric acid, four to four and one-half pounds of nitrogen, and 

 fifteen to sixteen pounds of potassium oxide). 



Plat 2 received no manure of any kind. 



