fie;i.d experiments. 31 



cheaply than he can by the ridge method. The weeder is used 

 until the plants get too high for a weeder, then the cultivator 

 is run between the rows until the plants are 8 to 9 inches high. 

 At this time the horse hoe is used to throw up a low ridge which 

 is broader and flatter on the top than the ordinary ridge and is 

 not more than half as high. The horse hoe is used only once 

 and this is usually the final hoeing of the field. Mr. Benn claims 

 that the potatoes are more easily taken care of by this method ; 

 more easily harvested, and in a season that is at all dry, better 

 crops are obtained than by the method of ridging. 



EXPERIMENT IN I907. 



The season of 1907 proved an extremely wet one and unfa- 

 vorable for this experiment so that the modified method of ridge 

 culture could not be strictly followed. Six acres on the farm 

 of Mr. John Watson, Houlton, were given to the experiment, 

 three acres being used alternately for the modified ridge and 

 three check plots were cultivated by the method of high ridge. 



The yield on plot 2 is much below the others but this was 

 apparently not due to the method of culture but to the soil. 

 There was a strip of several rods on the upper part of this lot 

 where the tubers were very scabby and only a light yield was 

 obtained. This condition extended slightly into plot 3 reduc- 

 ing the yield of that plot somewhat but not nearly to such an 

 extent as on plot 2. For this reason in the comparison plot 2 

 is omitted. 



Yield of Merchantable Potatoes Per Acre. /po/. 



Plotl Plot 2 Plote Plot 4 Plots Plot 6 



Full ridge. Modified Full ridge. Modilied Full ridge. Modified 



ridge. riJge. ridge. 



366 bushels 231 bushels 297 bushels 308 bashels 312 bushels 355 bushels 



.\ verage for full ridge culiure. 325 bushels. 



.Average for modified ridge culture, plots 4 and 333 bushels. 



EXPERIMENT IN I908. 



For the modified culture experiment this year 90 rows, nearly 

 three acres, were planted on new land on the northwest part of 

 Mr. John Watson's farm in Houlton. The plan of planting in 

 a solid piece instead of in strips as in 1907 was adopted for con- 

 venience in cultivating early in the season when it is desirable 

 to run the weeder and smoothing harrow crosswise to keep 

 down the weeds. 



