Parliamentary Publications. 



261 



Potato Disease. — Report of Experiments and Demonstrations 

 conducted by the Irish Land Commission [Agricultural 

 Department) during the season of id>^()y in the prevention of 

 Potato Disease. [C. — 8505.] Price \\d. 



This is a report of the experiments conducted by the Irjsh 

 Land Commission during the months of June, July, August, 

 and September, 1896, for the purpose of demonstrating to 

 agriculturists the proper methods of applying Bordeaux 

 mixture to the potato plant for the prevention of potato 

 disease, and the advantages which may be derived therefrom. 



Demonstrations were conducted on twenty farms in the 

 counties of Antrim and Down, and on fifteen farms in 

 Meath, Queen's County, Kilkenny, and Wicklow. 



The Bordeaux mixture used for the demonstrations carried 

 out in Antrim and Down was made with copper sulphate and 

 lime; that used for the other demonstrations was made in 

 some instances with copper sulphate and lime and in others 

 with copper sulphate and carbonate of soda. In some 

 instances the first dressing contained i | per cent, of copper 

 sulphate, but a 2 per cent, mixture was used for the remainder 

 of the first, and for all the second, dressings. 



The amount of dressing applied per statute acre varied, in 

 proportion to the extent to which the foliage had developed, 

 from eighty to one hundred and seventy-four gallons. 



The copper sulphate and lime mixture was prepared in the 

 same manner as for the similar demonstrations conducted by 

 this department during the past few years ; the copper 

 sulphate and soda mixture was prepared similarly, the differ- 

 ences in practice being as follows : — For the copper sulphate 

 and lime mixture, lime water is prepared by mixing with 

 water one pound of un slacked lime for every two pounds of 

 copper sulphate used, but when carbonate of soda is used 

 instead of lime, three pounds of carbonate of soda for every 

 two pounds of copper sulphate used are dissolved in water, 

 producing a solution of carbonate of soda. The soda crystals 

 may be dissolved slowly in cold water or they may be rapidly 

 dissolved in boiling water, but in the latter case sufficient 

 cold water must be added after dissolution to thoroughly cool 



