958 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [march, 



trifoliorum) was found on this plot in either year. Disease was very 

 prevalent on a plot that received farmyard manure. 



Effect of Spraying on Mildew in Swedes (Univ. Coll. of North 

 Wales, Bangor, Bull. IX., 1906). — Three plots of ^ acre each of 

 swedes affected with mildew were treated as follows : — (i) sprayed 

 with a solution of 24 lb. sulphate of copper, 30 lb. washing soda in 120 

 gallons of water per acre ; (ii) sprayed with a solution of 1 cwt. nitrate 

 of soda in 120 gallons of water per acre ; (Hi) dressed with 1 cwt. 

 nitrate of soda per acre, applied as a powder. A fourth plot was 

 not treated. Some improvement seemed to take place on all three 

 plots, but the improvement was only apparent, as the weight of roots 

 on all plots was practically equal. 



Finger-and-Toe Disease (Field Expts., Harper-Adams Agric. Coll., 

 Report, 1907). — A trial was made with the view of comparing the results 

 obtained by using different forms of phosphatic manure as a preventive 

 of finger-and-toe disease among swedes. The disease was, however, 

 entirely absent on this side of the field. Another field was cross- 

 dressed in the following manner : — Plot A, 2h tons per acre of lime 

 slaked on the ground ; Plot B, no lime ; Plot C, 1 ton per acre, ground 

 lime. The results were : — Plot A, all sound ; Plot B, 10 per cent, 

 diseased ; Plot C, 6 per cent, diseased. 



Four disease-resisting varieties were sown, but as the disease was 

 practically absent, no results were obtainable. The yield per acre of 

 these four varieties was less than the main crops. 



Potato Diseases (Field Expts., Harper-Adams Agric. Coll., Report, 

 1907). — Spraying with Bordeaux mixture was tested, two dressings 

 being applied, one late in July and the second early in August. The 

 sprayed plot produced 1 ton 16 cwt. per acre of saleable potatoes more 

 than the unsprayed plot, which represented at current prices a value of 

 £6 15.9. The cost of the spraying was ijs. 



A series of experiments was arranged on land known to produce 

 scab,— salt, lysol, carbolic acid, and copper sulphate being applied as 

 dressings. The only one that was effective was the copper sulphate, 

 with which further experiments will be arranged. 



Scab on Potatoes (Univ. of Leeds, Bulls. 63 and 70). — It has 

 been noticed that scab is more prevalent in a dry than in a wet 

 season, and in Yorkshire it is confined chiefly to sharp sand and gravel 

 soils. In 1906 and 1907 plots of land especially liable to produce scab 

 were treated with substances capable of retaining moisture — sawdust, 

 shoddy, rape meal, and peat moss, in each case both with and without 

 salt. The sawdust and peat moss were soaked in water. 



The best result was obtained from a dressing of about 50 cwt. of 

 sawdust (wetted) applied over the sets at planting time. The addition 

 of 5 cwt. of salt materially reduced the yield. It is thought that the 

 beneficial effect of sawdust may to some extent be due to the protection 

 which a covering of this material affords the tubers against the attacks 

 of Oospora scabies. 



Soaking the seed in a solution of formalin (8 fluid oz. commercial 

 formalin to 15 gallons water) reduced the scab. 



An experiment on a small scale was made with sterilised soil. 

 Potatoes free from scab and treated with formalin were planted in 

 buckets of sterilised and unsterilised soil. No scab was found in the 

 produce from the sterilised soil, and the yield was two to three times 



