693 The Ormskikk Potato Trials : Keport. [Nov., 



abnormally early. In the last days of June a very strong north- 

 west gale caused considerable damage to a number of plots. 

 It must be clearly recognised, therefore, that in many instances 

 the yields recorded in the Report may be due to adverse 

 weather conditions, and are not characteristic of the variety. 



The land was ploughed anly once, and rotted stable manure 

 was applied at the rate of 15 tons per acre. Superphosphate at 

 the rate of 4 cwt. to the acre, and sulphate of ammonia IJ cwt. 

 to the acre were also used. No potash was available. All the 

 manures were applied in the drills at the time of planting. 



The work of putting in the seed had begun during the second 

 •week of April, 1919, but certain of the plots were not complete 

 totil June, owing to delay on the part of growers in sending 

 -in their stocks. Some specimens, in fact, were not received 

 'Until the third week in June. Such delay in planting does not 

 ;ipermit the varieties to show their cropping qualities to 

 advantage, and in future it may be necessary to fix a date 

 after which no potatoes can be received. 



All varieties were planted at a distance of 28 inches between 

 the drills and 15 inches between the seeds, and all large tubers 

 were cut. The Report states that the number of weak stocks 

 'sent in was very noticeable. The sprouts broke late, and were 

 feeble and spindley. The seed" did not decay in the ground, 

 but remained hard and firm throughout the entire season. 

 The haulm was weak and the foliage often curled, with the 

 result that there was a poor crop of small tubers. At lifting 

 time, some of the susceptible varieties showed undecayed sets 

 with masses of wart attached to them, a condition not pre- 

 viously observed on the trial grounds. The reason of this may 

 be that the sprouts being so late in breaking were not through 

 the ground before the spores of the disease had become active. 

 The sprouts were consequently attacked, and warty tissue was 

 formed on them. As the 1918 crop was harvested under very 

 adverse weather conditions, it is more than probable that much 

 seed was unavoidably sweated in the clamps. 



An encouraging feature of the 1919 trials was that in spite 

 of the disadvantages under which growers have worked for the 

 last few years, the majority of the stocks of the leading immune 

 varieties were remarkably free from " rogues." Growers will 

 recognise that if Wart Disease is to be combated successfully, 

 the immune stocks must be kept free from susceptible 



rogues." Stocks can be most easily rogued " in the seed 

 boxes when the potatoes are being sprouted ready for planting. 



