NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



285 



way reduced from 19 per cent, in the untreated to 5 per cent, in those 

 treated. — M. C. C. 



PotatOS, Experiments With. By J. F. Williamson (Gard. Mag. 

 n. 2567, p. 23 ; 10/1/03). — A short but most interesting and valuable 

 account of the results of an experiment upon a Potato crop, consisting of 

 ten selected varieties. All were planted, it appears, under precisely identical 

 conditions, and the tubers were lifted on the same date, October 8. In 

 each case seven pounds of tubers were planted, the highest yield was from 

 ' Champion II.,' with a gross weight of 210 lb., with 1 lb. diseased and 

 195 lb. marketable ; while the lowest yield was from ' New Century,' with 

 91 lb. gross weight, 2 lb. diseased, and 79 lb. marketable. 



The manure applied was 1 cwt. of muriate of potash, 1 cwt. of sulphate 

 of ammonia, and 6 cwt. of basic slag per acre over a fair dressing of farm- 

 yard manure. Such an experiment is of serious value, and affords an 

 object lesson of how experimental work, to be of value and interest, should 

 be conducted by public bodies. — W. G. 



Potatos, Field Experiments with. By G. L. Sutton (Agr. Gaz. 

 X.S.W. pp. 348-354; April 1903). — Particulars of experiments carried 

 out at the Hawkesbury Agricultural College and Experimental Farm. 

 The following trials were carried out : — 



(1) Trials of planting at different depths. 



(2) Fertiliser trials. 



(3) Test of varieties. 



(1) Shallow planting v. deep planting. Two depths for planting were 

 compared, viz. four inches, or shallow planting, and six inches, or deep 

 planting. These depths were chosen because four inches is the cus- 

 tomary depth to plant Potatos in the district, and six inches was found to 

 be as deep as it was possible to plant with the ordinary farm implements. 

 The outcome of the experiment showed that better results are obtained 

 when the Potatos are planted six inches deep than when planted four 

 inches deep. 



(2) Fertiliser trials. The experiment was divided into three sections 

 as follows : — 



(a) Trial to show the effect of omitting one or more ingredients of 

 plant-food from a complete fertiliser. 



(b) A trial of two nitrogenous fertilisers alone and in combination with 

 each other. 



(c) A trial to compare the value of phosphoric acid from different 

 sources, when used alone and in combination with superphos- 

 phate. 



Full details of these trials are given. The results cannot but be regarded 

 as disappointing, as they are not definite and in some cases are contradic- 

 tory, rendering it impossible for reliable conclusions to be obtained from 

 them. 



(3) Trial of varieties. This was intended to be a comparative one. 

 With that object in view alternate drills were planted with a variety of 

 ' Early Rose ' in order that the yield of each of the varieties under trial 



