624 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [nov., 



Varieties of Potatoes {Cumberland and Westmcrland Farm School, 

 Eleventh Report, 1907). — Seven varieties were grown, and the best results 

 were obtained with Scottish Triumph, Dalmeny Beauty and Dalmeny Acme, 

 all of which were but little diseased, while four other Dalmeny varieties were 

 more or less attacked. 



Varieties of Potatoes (Beds. C.C., Agric, Education Com., Rept. o?i 

 Demonstration Plots, 1907). — Experiments were carried out at three centres 

 on small plots. Among the late varieties, Scottish Triumph, Table Talk, 

 Up-to-Date, Northern Star, and Factor, which have occupied the first five 

 places in these experiments for the previous three years, are again well to 

 the front. A variety which appears to be as good as these is Dalmeny 

 Radium, which has for two years been the best of the newer kinds. 



Varieties of Potatoes (Univ. Coll. Reading, Agric. Dept., Bull. 2, 1907). — 

 In 1905 and 1906 about sixty varieties of potatoes were grown at the College 

 Farm with the object of determining the degree of difference in botanical 

 and other features among the recently introduced kinds. They were divided 

 into four groups — viz., Up-to-Date, Maincrop, Imperator, and Abundance. 

 The largest yield per ounce weight of set was obtained from the Up-to-Date 

 type, and the next best from the Imperator group. In the majority of cases 

 there was a very decided decline in yield in the second season, and the 

 varieties of the Maincrop group suffered most in this respect. 



So far as botanical features were concerned, the varieties named in each 

 group could not be distinguished from each other with certainty. In the 

 Up-to-Date group there appeared to be two slightly different types. It is 

 observed in the Bulletin that for practical purposes " the name of the variety 

 matters little or nothing, and the grower would not suffer if nine-tenths oi 

 the names were dropped altogether. So long as a grower obtains a potato 

 belonging to the Up-to-Date group, for example, he may call it what he 

 likes without fear of affecting its yielding power. What does matter, 

 however, is the history of the seed, whether it is from Ireland or Scotland, 

 how long it has been grown on the same farm or in the same district, and 

 how long it has been treated from a cultural point of view." 



Varieties of Potatoes ( Univ. Coll. of North Wales, Bangor, Bull. 10, 

 1906; Bull. 4, 1907). — In 1906 fifteen varieties of potatoes were grown, some 

 from fresh seed and some from home-grown seed. The difference between 

 the yields, in two instances where the same variety was grown, was very 

 marked. Up-to-Date gave the highest yield from Scotch seed ; but of the 

 new varieties tried, viz., Table Talk, Highlander, Premier, and Dalmeny 

 Regent, yielded very well. In 1907 Highlander stood lower on the list, 

 but good yields were obtained from the other varieties, as well as from 

 Warrior, Duchess of Cornwall, and Dalmeny Beauty. A cooking test was 

 made in both years. 



Planting Potatoes (Camb. Univ. Dept. of Agric, Guide to Expts., 1907). — 

 The Report contains tables showing the results of the following experi- 

 ments : — (1) Effect of cutting sets ; experiments at Burgoyne's Farm in 1903 

 and 1904. (2) Effect on yield of size of potato sets, and cutting potato 

 sets ; trials at Burgoyne's Farm, 1905. Under this head is included an 

 experiment with Discovery potatoes for the purpose of ascertaining whether 

 the value of a large set is due to the store of food or to the greater vigour of 

 the " eye." Eyes were scooped out so as to leave little adhering flesh, and 

 were started under glass before planting out. The results showed that the 



