1909.] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 315 



Of varieties of the Langworthy type, What's Wanted gave 8 tons 

 13 cwt. and Langworthy 8 tons 8 cwt. The quality was excellent. In 

 comparing the two types it is observed that a very much higher price 

 per ton must be obtained for Langworthy if it is to be as profitable as 

 Up-to-Date. The relative proportion of ware is little more than 5 to 8, 

 and the seed-sized tubers of Langworthy generally bring less than those 

 of Up-to-Date, as they are not in request for the English seed trade. 



Varieties of Potatoes (Monmouthshire Agric. Educ, Potato Trials, 

 1908). — Trials were made of 38 varieties. Of the early varieties, 

 Ninetyfold, Webber's Early, and Eclipse gave the best results. The 

 yield from Ninetyfold was very heavy, and this potato and Webber's 

 Early were also extremely good cookers. Eldorado, Russet Queen, and 

 Royal Kidney (Irish seed) gave the heaviest yields in the Second Early 

 section. None of these three were reported on very favourably, how- 

 ever, in the cooking tests. Of the Maincrop varieties, Up-to-Date 

 (Irish), Irish Queen, and Mayfield Blossom (Scotch) gave the heaviest 

 crop, the Irish Up-to-Date being the heaviest cropping potatoes grown 

 at the trials. 



Manuring of Potatoes (Herts. C.C. Leaflets 6 and 7). — This experi- 

 ment was carried out by Cambridge University Department of Agri- 

 culture in 1907 and 1908 on a farm at St. Albans. The cost of the 

 manures used is given in the report, and the potatoes were valued at 

 405. per ton in order to show the profit or loss due to the dressings. In 

 1907, 20 tons of London dung gave the largest as well as the most 

 profitable crops. With complete artificials supplying 40 lb. nitrogen, 

 60 lb. phosphoric acid, and 80 lb. potash per acre, or approximately 

 if cwt. sulphate of ammonia, 3A cwt. superphosphate, and ij cwt. 

 sulphate of potash, the crop was less, but owing to the lower cost of 

 manure it was almost as profitable. Ten tons of dung supplemented 

 with half the artificials mentioned above gave similar results. The 

 effect of leaving out either the phosphates or nitrogen from the dressing 

 of artificials was disastrous, the crops being little better than that on 

 the unmanured plot. In 1908, owing to a good season and the high 

 condition of the land, the difference between the crops on the unmanured 

 and manured plots was slight, and in consequence none of the manures 

 resulted in a profit. On land in such good condition the smaller 

 dressing (10 tons) of dung, supplemented by a complete mixture of 

 artificials, was more economical than 20 tons of dung alone. Leaving 

 out nitrogen from the dressings of artificials reduced the yield to 

 practically the same as that of the unmanured plot, but the absence of 

 either potash or phosphates had little effect. 



Manuring of Potatoes (Univ. Coll. of N. Wales, Bangor, Bull. 8, 

 1908). — The average results are given from similar experiments carried 

 out at six centres. With no manure the average crop of marketable 

 potatoes was 5 tons. Ten tons of farmyard manure produced an 

 increase of t.\ tons, and an additional 10 tons produced a further 

 increase of \\ tons, which would barely pay for the extra manure. A 

 light complete dressing of artificials, in addition to 10 tons of farmyard 

 manure, viz., 101 lb. sulphate of ammonia, 262 lb. superphosphate, and 

 82 lb. sulphate of potash, costing £1 6s. 3d. per acre, produced an 

 increase of 1 ton 13 cwt. per acre of marketable potatoes, while double 

 the quantity gave a further increase of 1 ton 5 cwt. Leaving out the 



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