776 
The Wohurn Experiments on “ Potato Disease.” 
drying day with moderate breeze ; the dressing then dried on the 
leaves at once, and when this was the case it seemed to stick on 
them much longer than when put on upon a dull damp day. Mr. 
Elliott watched the dressed leaves carefully, and noted that the 
effect of the spraying could be found on the under side of the leaves 
quite six weeks after its application, although all trace of it had 
been washed off the upper surface of the leaves. 
Cost of Dressing . — The raw materials were purchased as follows : 
Sulphate of copper (in half-cwt. lots in small wooden kegs), 18s. 
per cwt. ; burnt lime (when purchased at a distance), 10s. per ton ; 
molasses (pui’chased locally), about l\d. per lb. A small addition 
must be made for carriage, but, taking it all round, it may be said 
that the general cost of the materials used in the two mixttires of 
bouillie were : — 
I. Bouillie 
Borddaise 
s. d. 
IT. Bouillie 
Bor delaine Sucrie 
$. d. 
For 100 gallons per acre . 
. 8 G 
6 
0 
1 20 
>> -LwU J, ,, , 
. 4 2 
7 
2 
„ 140 „ 
. 4 10 
8 
4 
To the prices of materials must be added the cost of the actual 
application. This Mr. Elliott estimated at from 4s. to 6s. an acre. 
Taking 5s. an acre as the average, this would give the total cost of 
using the dressing : — 
I. Bouillie 
BordelaUe 
s. d. 
IT. Bouillie 
Bordvlaise Sucr^e 
s. d. 
For 100 gallons per acre ; 
. 8 0 
11 
0 
„ 120 „ 
. . 0 2 
12 
2 
140 „ 
. 9 10 
13 
4 
The last valuation necessary to make is that of the produce, 
which is very difficult to fix even approximately, as so much depends 
upon the state of the market. This year, indeed, owing to the 
small prevalence of disease, potatoes in Bedfordshire were almost a 
drug in the market, and very great difficulty w^as experienced in 
getting rid of them at almo.st any price. The price would vary also 
for each kind of potato. From 45s. to 90s. per ton (of 40 bushels) 
were the variations, and it could not be said that, as regards the 
really saleable potatoes, taking them all round, a higher price than 
55s. a ton on the farm could be put. As to the others, a good 
number had to be sold as “ cattle ” or “ pig ” potatoes, and did not 
I’ealise more than 25s. or 30s. a ton. 
Planting . — The field was ridged up well and dunged all over 
with about twenty loads of yard manure to the acre previous to 
the potatoes being put in ; the tubers were set on the dung, and the 
ridges were split back. All the diderent varieties were set from 
April 15 to April 26, the early varieties first, and a nice steady 
rain succeeded the planting. The plants were bouted up June 10 to 
J une 14. A severe frost on J une 1 4 affected to some extent the 
