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BOOKS AND BULLETINS. 



fifteen inches apart ; when halves are used, the distance 

 may be increased to two feet ; and when whole tubers of 

 medium size are planted, they may 

 Distance to be placed at from two and one-half 



Plant Potatoes. to three feet, and thus admit of cul- 

 tivation both ways. In each case 

 these are intended as maximum distances. This will 

 require from twelve to fifteen or perhaps twenty bushels 

 of seed potatoes per acre. With well prepared and 

 thoroughly drained soil, and in favorable seasons, the 

 smaller amount might be somewhat diminished with 

 profit, but for the average planter, and in average sea- 

 sons, the largest would prove best in the long run." 



Further experiments were also made upon methods of 

 cutting. 



Potatoes were planted at depths varying from one to 

 five inches. One-inch planting gave best results. 



In regard to fertilizers for potatoes, it is recorded that 

 "the slight excess in yield [from various commercial 

 fertilizers} will not warrant the use of fertilizers at com- 

 mercial rates where manure can be ob- 

 Fertllizers tained, as it can in most portions of the 



for Potatoes. state, practically for the hauling. Wood 

 ashes can, as a rule, be easily obtained, 

 and for potatoes or any other crop can be used with 

 profit. In addition to the plots mentioned above, four 

 others were used, in which sulphate of potash was tested 

 against unfertilized plots, but little or no difference was 

 noticeable." 



Of forty-three kinds of radishes, the following are 

 recommended : Forcing radishes — Cardi- 

 Radishes. nal Globe, French Breakfast, Forcing Non- 

 pariel. White Turnip, Eldorado. Summer 

 radishes — Wood Frame, Scarlet Short-top, Chartier, 

 Celestial, Strasburg. 



The earliest tomatoes at the Michigan station last 

 year were Advance, Prelude, Earliest, Keyes, King 

 '^King of tlie EarliL-s), Hathaway, Atlantic (^Atlantic 

 Pj-ize). "Of the second early varieties, Haine's King 

 of the Earlies and Victor (Canada) were most productive. 

 Advance and Hathaway will also give satisfaction. The 

 Victor was obtained four years ago from 

 Tomato Germany, and by careful selection the 



Varieties. form has been much improved. Of the 

 red varieties, for the main crop, the Igno- 

 tum, Cumberland Red, Red Cross, Puritan and Red 

 Mikado were most productive. Perfection, Optimus, 

 Nichols, Volunteer, Red Apple, Belle and Matchless are 

 all valuable. The Mikado (Turner), Beauty, Acme and 

 Potato Leaf were best of the purple varieties, and Sun- 

 set and Golden Queen of the yellow sorts." 



" /£notu/n.— Another year's selection has served to so 

 fix the type of this variety that few rogues will be found. 

 It has now been thoroughly tested in all parts of the 

 country, and almost without exception it is pronounced 

 as the best tomato for home use, for market or for can- 

 ning. Some complaint was received of its rotting, but 

 we found it no more subject to rot than other large, 

 smooth, red varieties. Where the plants received fre- 



quent and regular cultivation and were not checked in 

 their growth, little or no rot was observed." 



" For three years we have attempted to learn the ef- 

 fects of planting seeds from the first fruits that ripened, 

 as compared with those selected late in 

 the season. The first two years a slight Tomato 

 gain in the earliness of the crop was Selections, 

 noticed, but it was observed that while 

 this gain was considerable in the case of varieties of the 

 angular type, it became a loss when the smooth apple- 

 shaped sorts were considered. This year the results 

 show, as an average of fifteen varieties, that the plants 

 grown from early selected seeds gave ripe fruits in 143I 

 days, while those from the main crop were I45y\ days- 

 a difference of i j- days in favor of early selected seeds. 

 As in previous years, the angular sorts show a marked 

 difference, while in the apple-shaped sorts there is, if 

 anything, a slight average loss in earliness." 



Sweet Potatoes and Garden Vegetables. Bulle- 

 tin No. II, Georgia Experiment ■'station. By Gustcive 

 Speth. Experiments were conducted by Mr. Speth upon 

 the best distances apart for planting sweet potatoes. 

 They were tried 1-J-X4 feet, 2x4 feet and 2-^x4 feet, 2x4 

 was found to be best. Concerning fertilizers for "this 

 justly so highly-prized vegetable," the following conclu- 

 sion was reached : " That the yield 



of sweet potatoes is governed by the Sweet Potatoes, 

 amount of potash in the fertilizer ; 



that single rations gave the greatest yield over half and 

 double rations ; and that a fertilizer, as in the experi- 

 ment, analyzing eight per cent, phosphoric acid, three 

 per cent, ammonia and ten per cent, potash, is the most 

 effective for sweet potatoes." 



Fertilizer tests upon the tomato in Georgia resulted as 

 follows: " (i) That the application of nitrogen alone 

 gave no increase over unfertilized plot. (2) That min- 

 erals produced a marked increase. (3) 

 That nitrogen in single ration, in com- Tomatoes In 

 bination with mixed minerals, showed Michigan, 

 a decided gain over mixed minerals, 

 alone. (4) That the largest yield was attained by the ap- 

 plication of double rations of nitrogen and mixed min- 

 erals. (5) That the effect of nitrogen depends upon the 

 presence of mineral elements, phosphate and potash. 

 (6) That earliness is in proportion to the effectiveness 

 of the fertilizer." 



"The varieties indicating the greatest yield are Pre- 

 lude, Cumberland Red, Essex, Golden Queen, Ignotum, 

 Optimus, Puritan, Red Cross and Table Queen. " Among 

 the causes which tend to produce new varieties of to- 

 matoes, Mr. Speth gives this: " Seemingly new varie- 

 ties are discovered owing to the tendency of the tomato 

 to revert to former types, caused by insufficient care in 

 selection of seed." We believe that the facts are just 

 the opposite of this — that careful selection and the dis- 

 position of the tomato to respond to it, are the most po- 

 tent means of securing new sorts. 



Tabulated records of trials with cabbages, peas and 

 beans are also given, and also a list of fruits. 



