NEW DELICACIES. MANURES FOR POTATOES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 185, 30 April 1908, Page 2

NEW DELICACIES.

MANURES FOR POTATOES.

Milk-blended butter has reached tho age of christening. These are the names with which the British Board of Agriculture have endowed it:— Consumo, Casora, Casmon, Casana, Casoa, Casa, Iveldalc, Iveldone, Iveleat, Ivclene, Ivelettc, Ivelikc, Ivemene, Ivelmore, Slayblossom, Peark's Bredspred, and Poarksown. . Truly a delightful list! Fancy going into a restaurant and asking for a cup of tea with bread and bredspread, or inviting your visitors to afternoon tea to Jake, a, little broad and mayblossom. But this is not the only burden which the milk-blended butter lias lo bear. It has to. be wrapped in a wrapper bearing the following inscription:— "This is a. mixture of butter and milk,--nnd it contains nearly 24 per cent, of water, which is 8 per cent, (about 1} oz. in every pound) in excess of the 16 per cent: (about 2} oz.) allowed in buttor."

SOME POINTS SETTLED. Potato manures have boon on trial for several years past at the Midland Agricultural and Dairy College (Englaiid).. In 1905 it was demonstrated that nitrogen was most profitable in the form of sulphate of ammonia, phosphorus in superphosphate, and potash in sulphate of potash. . V.' ■ In 1906 the quantity of artificials to apply was decided) this, of .course, being , used along with- dung. Briefly, 4cwt. of superphosphate seemed to give the best results,, but the ammonia and potash manure did not provide aiiy reliable indication of what.qUan- " tity was most profitable. Accordingly last year the chief points dccided,wore to find tho most profitable quantity of sulphate of ammonia, superphosphate, aiid • sulphate of . potash. The results are. thus summarised:— (1) Where, farmyard manure alone is; applied to the potato crop, moderately heavy ■' dressings (up to 20 tons per acre) may profit... ably be given.'... : i ' (2)' Artificials alone givfe" considerable profit when applied ill moderately largo dressings, but aro not so good 'as artificials and, dung together. : (3) It pays better to supply nitrogen'to the potato crop in tho form of sulphate of am-, 'monia than as nitrate'of soda. (4) Dissolved bones do not give such good results as whert tho same amount of phos-. : phoric acid is applied in the form of super- -. ' phosphate. ■ • ; ' (5): When equal amounts cC.potash are'', used, sulphate of potash has a -more beneficial otfect..upon the potato crop-than either muriate ■ or, kainit. ; (6) .Very heavy dressings of artificials are not to he recommended. : ■' .-(7) Four cwt. of' superphosplfate;''.'proved more profitable than either 2-or 6wt. 1 . (8) The most profitable mixture used along with duns,was.as follows:— . J. , 'ljcwCsulphate of ammonia'..; , ' . 4cwt. superphosphate. ... lor IJcwt. sulphate of potash., 1