I905-] 



Experiments with Potatoes, 



35 



The first method specially commends itself to the grower of 

 early potatoes who, in addition, may subject the tubers to a little 

 artificial heat, but the difficulty of adopting it with second-early 

 and late varieties is very great at a time when work presses. 

 Were it possible to obtain equally good results by deferring the 

 "boxing" till some time in winter or early spring when weather 

 conditions permitted of the "pies "being opened and men could 

 be spared for the work, then such a modification of the first 

 method might be generally adopted by potato growers. Ac- 

 cordingly, three methods of dealing with seed potatoes were 

 tested : — (i) Storing in boxes in autumn ; (2) Storing in boxes 

 during winter or early spring ; and (3) "pieing" in autumn and 

 planting direct from the " pies." 



The comparative advantages of storing in boxes in winter or 

 in early spring have been tested for several years. In 1902 and 

 [903 there was a slight advantage in favour of the spring- 

 prepared seed, the conclusion being that quite as good crops may- 

 be looked for by giving the same attention to the preparation of 

 the seed at either period of the year. 



In order to get still further evidence on this question of seed- 

 preparation, ten varieties were included in the test of 1904. 

 Seed from the same stock as that put in boxes in autumn was 

 " pied " in the usual way, transferred to boxes in spring as soon 

 as the least signs of sprouting were noted, and exposed to light. 



Of the ten varieties tested, nine showed a balance in favour of 

 spring-preparation. The weight of evidence obtained in these 

 experiments during the past three years certainly tends to show 

 that quite as good crops can be obtained from spring as from 

 autumn-prepared seed. This is regarded as satisfactory, for 

 whereas it may be quite impracticable to " box " seed in the 

 autumn, little difficulty should be experienced in getting it done 

 at odd times in an average season during the winter or early 

 spring, in spring, again, the risk of frost is not so great, and the 

 question of accommodation is less serious. 



Potatoes were also planted direct from the "pie " in 1903, and 

 it was found that the crop obtained was two tons less than from 

 the " boxed" seed. In 1904, therefore, a further test was made 

 on this point with five varieties, when the following results were 

 obtained : — 



D 2 



