1899. J PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 8a. 77 



per acre one year ; the next year, ground 1)one 600 pounds 

 and muriate of potash 200 pounds per acre ; and the third 

 year, manure at the rate of 8 tons. The system is so planned 

 that each year we have one plot under each manuring. The 

 manure is always applied in the fall, the other materials early 

 in the spring; this year April 8 and 9. 



Plot 1, which this year received bone and potash, gave a 

 yield at the rate of 5,137 pounds of hay and 2, .370 pounds 

 of rowen per acre. Plot 2, which received ashes, yielded 

 4,602 pounds of hay and 2,142 pounds of rowen. Plot 3, 

 which was dressed with manure in the fall of 1897, yielded 

 5,233 pounds of hay and 2,823 pounds of rowen per acre. 

 This field has noAV been ten years in grass, and during the 

 continuance of the present system of manuring (since 1893) 

 has produced an average product (hay and rowen both in- 

 cluded) at the rate of 6,808 pounds per acre. The plots 

 when dressed with manure have averaged 7,211 pounds per 

 acre; when receiving bone and potash, 6,671 pounds per 

 acre; and Avhen receiving wood ashes, 6,541 pounds per 

 acre. 



Variety Tests. 



Our work in testing varieties this year has been confined 

 to testing the potato. With this it has been extensive. 

 The tests have been of two sorts; (1) a preliminary test 

 with varieties grown for the first time ; and ( 2 ) a test of 

 the best twenty-five varieties, as indicated by the trial of 

 last year. 



1. Preliminary Test. — As has been stated in my pre- 

 vious reports upon variety work with the potato, I consider 

 several years' trial necessary to the formation of a judgment. 

 The seed of new varieties as they arc brought out uuist of 

 necessity come from many widely separated localities. Such 

 seed is unfit to serve as a basis for comparison, with the 

 object of determining the relative merits of varieties, as it 

 is well known to many and (juite generally admitted that 

 the place where any given variety of seed potatoes is pro- 

 duced may greatly influence its product. Newly obtained 

 varieties nmst also of necessity have been subjected to 

 widely variant conditions of handling, preservation and 



