1922.] 



Trials of Potatoes, 1921. 



169 



It was not expected that the above system of manuring would 

 be adopted in every county without variation, and Committees 

 were asked to modify the above suggestions in accordance with 

 lociil customs and conditions. 



Planting. — The time of planting was the usual time for this 

 operation in each district. A distance of 80 in. between the 

 drills, and 12 in. between the sets, was maintained throughout 

 all the trials. 



Results of Trials. — In the case of second early and late 

 varieties 323 centres were established. The results showed that 

 the effects of the drought were most severely felt in the South- 

 ern, Eastern and South-Eastern Counties. Conditions improved 

 in the Midlands and West, while in the Northern Counties 

 (York, Cumberland, Westmorland, Northumberland, and Dur- 

 ham) heavy crops of all the varieties were obtained. 



An examination of the results obtained at all the centres 

 shows that the average yields were not so inferior to those of 

 1920 as might have been expected. For varieties with which 

 comparison is possible the yield was only one or two tons per 

 acre lower than that of 1920. 



In the English counties the heaviest crop was produced in 

 Yorkshire by " Great Scot " where the yield was at the rate of 

 19 tons 9 cwt. per acre. In Wales first place was tnken 

 by " Kerr's Pink " with a yield at the rate of 21 tons 5 cwt. per 

 acre in Flint. It will be seen from Table IV, p. 165, that 

 the heaviest yields in every case were obtained in the Welsh 

 counties, the average difference as compared with the English 

 counties amounting in the case of " Kerr's Pink " to over 4 tons 

 per acre and in the case of Lochar " to over 3 tons per acre; 

 in no case was the difference less than 1J tons per acre. This 

 difference was probably due to a more plentiful supply of mois- 

 ture in the Welsh counties dining the summer and autumn 

 months. 



It will be seen that " Great Scot " and " King George " 

 maintained their reputation as the heaviest cropping second 

 earlies. V Ally," which gave the lowest yield, appears to have 

 been severely affected by the lack of moisture. 



Amongst the late and main crop varieties " Kerr's Pink 

 and " Lochar," except at one centre in Hampshire, cropped 

 most consistently in all parts of the country. " Majestic " 

 came third amongst the late varieties at both the English and 

 Welsh centres. The lightest cropping late variety in both 

 England and Wales was " Tinwald Perfection." 



