16 



THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The following score-card may be used in judging potatoes for quality : 



Toints. 



Flavour 40 



Mealiness 40 



Appearance (colour, etc.) 20 



Total 100 



CLIMATE. 



Cool nights with moderately warm, clear days, provided there is sufficient 

 moisture in the soil, make ideal potato-growing weather. Such conditions exist in 

 British Columbia. Humid sections are not the best for potato-growing, as conditions 

 are more favourable for the development of serious fungous diseases, such as late 

 blight, etc. Where the air is dry these diseases are unknown. Climate is probably 

 a greater factor in potato production than soils, as potatoes appear to grow well 

 on any productive soil in a favourable climate. The low average yield per acre in 

 the United States, compared with other countries, is most probably due to climatic 

 conditions, because the summer heat is too great in many localities and water-supply 

 too small. In the State of Maine the air is much cooler and the yields much higher. 



Fig. S. Field of Netted Gem potatoes (original!. 



In studying agricultural conditions in various countries it is very noticeable that 

 countries which grow good crops of corn produce poor crops of potatoes ; the reason 

 being that corn requires hot weather and potatoes cool weather. The chief potato- 

 producing sections of Europe have a cool climate. Coming nearer home, we find 

 that the Province of Ontario produces only 114.75 bushels per acre on an average, 

 but British Columbia 204.25 bushels. 



SOILS. 



Many soils are adaptable for potato-growing ; however, some soils will produce 

 better crops than others, and are therefore more profitable. The ideal potato-soil is 

 a rich, deep, friable, warm, sandy loam, or loam underlaid by a more or less clayey 

 subsoil, which is provided with good drainage, either artificial or natural, and well 

 supplied with organic matter. Heavy soils, although sometimes producing good 

 crops of potatoes, are usually undesirable, since they are neither mellow nor porous: 

 or, in other words, they are too hard and heavy, lack ventilation and drainage. 



