248 REPORT OF THE BOTANICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE 
SUMMARY OF VOLUNTEER EXPERIMENTS, 1904-1908. 
The following table shows the results obtained in the volun- 
teer experiments during the past five years,—1904 to 1908 
inclusive: 
TABLE XXI.—SHOWING RESULTS OF VOLUNTEER EXPERIMENTS, 1904-1908 



Average 
Average market price 
Year. Number of Total area gain per acre per bushel 
experiments. sprayed. due to of potatoes 
spraying. at digging 
time. 
As Bu. lbs. Cis 
ROOK see ate ee -41 364 58 28 43.5 
LOO atawas ais pO acetal 50 407 59 32 57.0 
LOGE ate elt re ats: tc 62 598 53 6 44.5 
LGOT OU oS: eee 24 264 30 28 58 
LOUS SS ee ramen s 11 74 66 18 66 

=F 

Average gain for.5 years (188 experiments) 504 bu. per acre. 
According to the above table the average gain per acre due 
to spraying, as reported by the volunteer experimenters, was 
larger in 1908 than in any preceding year. This is misleading. 
It indicates that spraying gave unusually good results in 1908, 
whereas exactly the opposite is true. In 1908 spraying was 
much less profitable than usual. It appears that the few ex- 
periments reported were the most successful ones. The truth 
of the matter is that many experimenters were ashamed to 
report the low yields which they obtained in 1908. It appears, 
also, that some consider their experiments of no value unless 
an increase in yield is obtained. This is a mistake. What- 
ever the results may be they are valuable and should be re- 
ported to the Station. 
