Field Experiments on Root-Crops. 
379 
Experiments on Potatoes made, in 1870, hij 3Icssrs. Hull and 
Coleman on Escrich Home Farm, near York. 
In 1868 Messrs. Coleman and Hull made some experiments 
on potatoes on Lord VVenlock's Menagerie Farm, at Escrick, 
near York. An account of these experiments will be found in 
Vol. V I., 2nd Series, Part II., of this Journal. 
At my request these gentlemen kindly undertook to repeat the 
experiments with precisely the same manuring agents as before, 
and I have now the pleasure of reporting on the results of their 
trials in 1870. 
The field in which the potato experiments were made in 1870 
was a sandy loam in a fair agricultural condition. 
The kind of potatoes known as Victorias were planted on 
oat stubble on the 28th of April, and the crop taken up on the 
17th of October. 
Before the dry weather which characterised last season set in, 
no great difference, Mr. Coleman reports, was perceptible in the 
general appearance of the various plots. The potatoes came up 
well, and looked healthy on all the plots. After the dry weather 
had continued some time, the appearance of the various plots 
became much altered. 
The dunged plots No. 3 and No. 9 then looked by far the 
most promising of all the experimental plots. 
The plots manured with superphosphate and potash, and with 
superphosphate, potash, and sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of 
soda, (plots 2, 4, and 6), appeared to be much sti'onger and 
healthier than the remaining plots, except those dressed with 
rotten dung. 
On Plot 7 (manured with Peruvian guano) the potatoes came 
up at first with very dark-green tops, but when the dry weather 
began they soon lost their healthy appearance, and showed signs 
of turning out a very light crop. 
On Plot 4, manured with superphosphate and common salt, 
the tops became weak and remained as small as, and in no wise 
better than, on the unmanured plots. 
The produce of each plot was carefully Aveighed, and the 
results exhibited on the next page were obtained. 
A critical examination of these results affords evidence that 
the field gradually improved in condition, and probably in depth, 
in the direction from Plot 1 towards Plot 12. 
A glance at the following Table will show that the produce 
on the unmanured plot No. 1 was 3 tons 17 cwts. 36 lbs. ; on 
the more central unmanured plot it was 4 tons 9 cwts. 32 lbs. ; 
and on the unmanured plot at the other end of the field it was 
5 tons 3 cwt. 104 lbs. 
2 C 2 
