12 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
July 1, 1905 | 
EXPERIMENTS ON THE MANUR- 
ING OF POTATOES. 
(By R. P. Wricut.) 
The general conclusions of this year’s 
work are that large crops of potatoes can 
be grown with the use per acre of 20 tons 
of barnyard manure alone, of 10 tons of © 
_ manure supplemented with commercial fer- 
tilizers, and also by the use of commer- 
cial fertilizers alone. The amount of in- 
crease from the use of manures and the 
resulting profits were found to be largely 
dependent upon the variety, a strong- 
growing, productive variety being usually 
‘the most profitable. 
The increase in yield with manures was 
entirely due to an increase in the size of 
the tubers. Light dressings of barnyard 
manure produced much better results than 
the same quantities employed as heavy 
dressings. The use of 10 tons per acre, 
either alone or with commercial fertilizers, 
was very remunerative. Commercial fer- 
‘ tilizers were more effective when used 
with light dressings of manure than when | 
given with heavy applications. 
The best cooking quality and highest 
nutritive value were obtained in the crop 
grown with commercial fertilizers alone, 
the particular application consisting of 6 . 
ewt. of superphosphate, 2 cwt. of sulphate 
of ammonia, 1 cwt. of nitrate of soda, and 
2 cwt. of sulphate of potash per acre. 
Heavy dressings of barnyard manure alone 
produced watery tubers, but light dres- 
sings were less injurious, and commercial . 
fertilizers applied with the manure had a 
tendency to counteract’ its unfavourable 
influence upon the quality. Considering 
both quantity and quality, the use of light 
dressings of barnyard manure, together 
with suitable applications of commercial 
fertilizers, is believed to be the best prac- 
tice. > : 
Potash in commercial fertilizers given 
with barnyard manure increased the dry 
matter and starch content of the tuber, 
and the data indicated that about 84 Ibs. 
per acre furnished in 1.5 ewt. of sulphate 
of potash was the most profitable quan- 
tity. With barnyard manure either high- 
grade sulphate or muriate of potash 
should be used, and with commercial fer- 
tilizers alone the commercially pure. sul- 
phate of potash should be employed. In 
these experiments sulphate of - potash 
gave the finest quality of tubers, ‘while 
those grown where kainit was used were 
much inferior in quality. Muriate of pot- 
ash produced potatces intermediate in 
quality between those grown with sulph- 
ate of potash and those grown with kainit. 
The muriate had effects on the 
quantity when only commercial fertilizers 
were employed, but with barnyard manure 
it was sometimes as effective; or even more 
so, than sulphate of potash. . Where com- 
mercial fertilizers were applied a top dres- 
sing of 1 ewt. of nitrate of soda per acre 
immediately after the first weeding had no 
injurious effect on the quality—Experi- 
ment Station Record, Washington. 
similar 
ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT, 
_A.J.W —Send in a specimen leaf, and we will 
advise you willingly. Write to the Metho- 
dist Book Depot for the Text Book on Botany. 
SHIERLA W 
and CO., 
TAILORS, 
HATTERS, 
AND 
Outfitters. 
CLOTHIERS 
16 Hindley St. 
Seedsman, Nurseryman, and Florist. 
—_——-—-0-—-— — 
Adiantum gloriosum—A magnificent new Maidenhair Fern of very pleasing appearance, 
producing fronds from 2 to 8 feet in length by about 1 foot broad. Pale olive green, tipped 
when young pale pink. 
elegans and the pine larger. 
In a young state the plants are more spreading than Adiantum 
The plants furnish much better than that variety, making it 
an invaluable plant for market growers. When grown into specimens it makes one of the 
finest of exhibition ferns, and for furnishing cut sprays it has no equal among the Maidenhair 
Ferns. Itis of quick, easy growth and very attractive, and should be in every collection of 
greenhouse ferns. 5s. each. 
Adiantum nebulosum—A most elegant Fern. with very 
light and graceful fronds. The 
multiplicity cf minute pinules and the almost invisible ramifications of the rachis impart to 
the plant a peculiarly charming appearance. The texture of the fronds, which are about 
1 foot long, and 8 to 9 inches across, is thin and very fragile. The color“is very psle olive 
- green. 38. 6d. each. 
New Metumias. 
een oer 
Blue Queen--Lavender blue, nearest approach to blue yet sent ont; flowers large, double, and 
nicely fringed, 2s. each. 
Squire Dutton—This I consider one of the very finest double Petunias it has been my good fortun® 
to raise. ‘The plants are dwart and compact, and the flowers very large and full, magnificently 
fringed, and of a new shade of color, rosy peach, tinged violet amaranth; quite a gem among 
Petunias. 2s. 6d. each. 
BEEHIVE CORN 
ER, ADELAIDE. 
Nurseries--Payneham, West Marden, and 
7 Aldgate. bereits 
TELEPHONE 607 | | 
—————_—_.. 
* Printed for the Proprietors by ©. K. Batwpwinson, 114 and 115, Royal Exchange, Adelaide. 
