1909.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 313 



as a standard, the three plots that received basic slag all resulted in a 

 loss ; 5 cwt. superphosphate gave a gain of 2s. lod. per acre and 6 cwt. 

 superphosphate a gain of ios. nd. per acre. 



Another experiment tested the quantity of artificial manures alone 

 that could be profitably applied. A dressing of 4 cwt. superphosphate, 

 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, and 3 cwt. kainit was taken as the 

 standard, and on other plots the superphosphate was increased to 5 or 

 6 cwt., or replaced by 4, 5, or 6 cwt. of basic slag. All the variations 

 gave a profit over the standard plot, the heavier dressings giving the 

 better results. The average profit was greatest on the slag plots, but 

 the results showed that the soil itself was the chief factor in deciding 

 whether the better crop could be obtained from superphosphate or slag. 



In another experiment four different sources of nitrogen were com- 

 pared. Four plots were manured with 6 cwt. superphosphate, 3 cwt. 

 kainit, and in addition one of the following dressings was applied in 

 each case : — 1 cwt. sulphate of ammonia, i| cwt. nitrate of soda, 

 1^ cwt. nitrate of lime, and 1 cwt. calcium cyanamide, these all con- 

 taining the same amount of nitrogen. The yields were all about 25-5 to 

 26J tons per acre, the results from sulphate of ammonia and calcium 

 cyanamide being slightly better than from the other two. 



Varieties of Swedes and Turnips (Dept. of Agric. and Tech. Instr. 

 for Ireland, Rept. on Expts. in Co. Antrim in 1908). — These trials have 

 been carried on for six years. In 1908 the heaviest yield of swedes 

 (21 tons 12 cwt.) was obtained from M'Ervel's Victor. This variety has 

 given the heaviest crop in four out of the six years. In turnips Sutton's 

 Centenary took the first place with 34 tons 9 cwt., a position which it 

 has held five years out of the six. 



Experiments with Potatoes. 



Varieties of Potatoes (Herts. C.C., Leaflets Nos. 6 and 7). — In 1907 

 and 1908 trials with 15 varieties of potatoes were conducted by Cam- 

 bridge University Department of Agriculture on a farm at St. Albans. 

 The plots were acre m s i ze an d were duplicated. In 1907, 20 tons of 

 London dung per acre were applied. The highest yields were : Tyne 

 Kidney (8 tons 17 cwt.), Factor (8 tons 14 cwt.), Up-to-Date (8 tons 

 4 cwt.), Table Talk (8 tons 1 cwt.). Tyne Kidney gave the largest 

 yield, as it did in the previous year, but it cannot be strongly recom- 

 mended, as in previous seasons it has not kept well when clamped. 

 The highest proportion of diseased potatoes was yielded by Factor and 

 Up-to-Date, 10 cwt. and 12 cwt. respectively, while Evergood and Royal 

 Kidney, with total yields of 7 tons 16 cwt. and 6 tons 16 cwt. respec- 

 tively, w r ere practically free from disease. 



In 1908 the manures used, on a different field, were 10 tons London 

 dung, 2 cwt. superphosphate, 1 cwt. sulphate of potash. Scotch, Irish, 

 and in one case German seed was planted. The order of the varieties 

 according to total yield was : — Factor, Northern Star, Up-to-Date, 

 British Queen, Royal Kidney. Up-to-Date and Factor showed the most 

 disease, and Northern Star and Royal Kidney the least. 



Varieties of Potatoes (Univ. Coll. of N. Wales, Bangor, Bull. IX., 

 1908). — Sixteen varieties were compared on the farm at Madryn. The 

 land was manured with 12 tons farmyard manure, 3 cwt. superphos- 



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