290 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1897. 
The Sweet Potato. 
Iy the first issue of this Journal (July, 1897) we published a valuable paper 
on the above subject by Mr. H. A. Tardent, manager of the Westbrook 
Experiment Farm. Reference to this paper will show that Mr. Tardent 
claiméd a possible return of 25 tons per acre of 8,000 plants. He had raised 
as much as 16 tons himself in the Roma district (820 miles west of Brisbane), 
and grew what he believed to be the record heavy potato, which turned the 
scale at 29lb. His paper attracted much attention, and we have heard doubts - 
expressed as to the yield reaching 25 tons per acre. Knowing that sweet 
potatoes had been most successfully grown at the Penal Establishment of St. 
Helena by Captain Pennefather, Comptroller of Prisons, and, wishing to place 
beyond doubt the highest yield ever obtained in the colony, we requested the 
comptroller to give a few facts for publication in the Journal. He kindly 
forwarded to us replies to questions we submitted, the replies being extracts 
from the official returns of crops grown on the island. We cannot do better 
te give the questions we submitted, and the replies appended thereto, as 
ollow :— 
H.M. P.E., St. Helena, 10th September, 1897. 
MEMORANDUM : 
In reply to Major Boyd’s list of questions in reference to sweet potatoes grown 
here, attached to your memo. of the 25th ultimo, I beg to state as follows :— 
Major Boyd’s Questions. Reply. 
1. What area was under cultivation at St. Helena 
in sweet potutoes, about 1889 or naan a i } About 12 acres; year, 1888. 
2. What was the average crop per acre ? Not known. 
3. What was the greatest return per acre (saleable 1 Wardee eosin nae 
ERLE able potatoes per acre. 
3a. On how many acres was this large return ? About 6 acres. 
4a. What was the average price obtained ? 4s. 9d. per ewt. 
4b. What was the highest price ? £6 10s. per ton. 
5. How many tons were sold for cash? 155 tons 9 ewt. 
(a) Quantity used for stock 
6. (a) How many tons were used for stock, and is not known; (0) 38 tons 
. (4) domestic purposes ? 6 ewt. 2 qr. 4 lb. used for 
domestic purposes. 
7, What was the total net return ? Not known. 
8. On what kind of soil were they grown ? Red soil; volcanic. 
9. What manure (if any) was used ? None. 
10. What kind of a season was it as to intl, 10s het 
heat, &c. not known. 
11. What variety was planted ? Maltese. 
12. What was the weight of the largest potato ? 34 Ib. 
13. At what distance were they planted between 
3 feet. 
the rows P 
14. Were they grown on the flat and hilled up, ot olen tedioriiliss 
planted on hills ? ; 3 ' 
15. What was done with the vines ? aes oy tats bags ee 
J. RYAN, Superintendent. 
To Deputy Comptroller-General of Prisons, Brisbane. 
. It will be seen from the above statement furnished to Mr. A. Peirson, 
Deputy Compiroller of Prisons, that not only was Mr. Tardent’s estimate of 
