332 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1899. 
THE POTATO. 
By W. SOUTTER. 
So far back as 1535, when the Spaniards invaded South America, they found 
the cultivation of the potato there a matter of ancient history. Its advent into 
England dates from between 1580 and 1585, it being conveyed thither by Sir 
Walter Raleigh or Thomas Herriott on their return from a voyage to Virginia. 
The exact location of the spot where these voyagers found the tuber is partly 
veiled in obscurity, and on its being demonstrated that the tuber could be 
successfully grown in the British Isles there was an outcry against its use; 
even the pulpit condemned it as being an unholy article of diet, seeing the 
race and place from which it originated. To Dr. Buchan, in 1805, and Sir 
John Methuen is due, in a great measure, the popularising of the potato in 
England. It will therefore be seen that nearly 220 years elapsed between the 
date of its introduction and the time when the floury tuber became by any 
means popular. : 
Speaking broadly of the potato, it may be said to contain chemical] 
starch, gluten, and woody fibre, with, of course, water. On the authority of the 
late John Wilson, Professor of Agriculture, Edinburgh, an 8-ton crop of 
potatoes taken from an acre of land, removes from the soil in which they 
were grown—of the bases of alkaline earths, 90 lb. of potash, 8 lb. of soda, 
5 lb. of lime, 7 lb. of magnesia; and of acids, 34 1b. of sulphuric acid, 20 lb, 
of phosphoric acid, 10 1b. of hydrochloric acid—in all, 174 lb. of inorganic 
matter. This was for tubers alone; and if an equal quantity were allowed for 
the tops, the quantity taken from the soil would be about doubled. 
It is therefore evident that to grow potatoes to perfection the foregoing 
constituent elements must be present in the soil. Professor Wilson, in a, 
series of very interesting experiments carried out by him, found the best 
results to be attained by preparing the soil early and applying phosphatic and 
potash manures, some time before planting, in the proportion of about 150 lb, 
to the acre. And at the time of planting, nitrate of soda is sown in the drills 
at the rate of 1 cwt. per acre, and from } to } ewt. at earthing-up time. 
On light, poor, sandy soils, nitrogenous manures in the form of sulphate 
of ammonia should be supplied at the rate of from 140 lb. to 170 Ib. to the 
acre, one-half to be used at the time of planting, and the other half at the 
final earthing up. 
: The matter of farmyard manures in growing potatoes is a somewhat vexed 
question. Farmyard manure is good, provided it has been properly fermented. 
and well decomposed; but there is nothing more fatal to good results with 
potatoes than putting fresh manure and potato sets together,” for the young 
plant can never force its way through the fermenting mass of decay, consequent 
upon the slow decomposition. } 
Perhaps the best soils to grow potatoes in are those into the composition 
of which decomposed granite enters, or on alluvium. Some of our scrub soils 
_ yield a fairly good crop of tubers, but they are usually very watery and bad 
keepers, while there is frequently an abnormal growth of tops. As regards 
planting, it is usual in Queensland to plant on the level—that is, behind the 
ordinary plough. Why not follow the old plan of action adopted by the 
British farmer? Many a crop of potatoes would be saved which otherwise 
must perish by the excess of moisture were the same methods adopted in the 
colony. Itis seldom that one sees a double mould-board plough; yet one of 
these implements is essential for making perfect potato furrows. 
(The history of the potato affords a strong illustration of the influence of 
authority. For more than two centuries, as stated by Mr. Soutter, the use of 
this invaluable plant was vehemently opposed, especially in France. A 
* This was very clearly shown by an experiment which we ourselves made some years ago, 
The potato sets were planted in furrows on stable manure. The haulms were luxuriant when 
they grew, which was only here and there, most of the sets having rotted ; but as for potatoes, 
the result was nil.—Kd. Q.A.J. 
