BIG SAVING FROM SMALL EXPENDITURE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1039, 31 January 1911, Page 8

BIG SAVING FROM SMALL EXPENDITURE.

SPRAYING FOR. IIUSII BLIGHT, The following from the New South Wales "Agricultural Gazette," besides relating the facts of a very interesting experiment with blight-aftlicted potato crops, illustrates how much may- bo saved by a small expenditure in time. An instanco of the value of spraying with, Bordeaux mixture' to check tho spread of Irish Blight in potatoes, is re.ated by Mr. Luke Gallard, Inspector under.; tho Fruit. Pests Act (says the "Gazette").' Early in November, -1909, when the blight was/spreading in the Narara district, Mr; G.'Dmr had a plot of potaabout three acres in extent, comprising 2\ acres' of Browncll's Beauty, and three-quarter acre. Ear'y. Rose. Mr. Gallard arranged with Mr. Dun to have the plot sprayed .as. an experiment. On November \\ when the spraying commenced), the blight had a good, hold'..of the Early Rose, which * wore*more forward, and had just started in the BrownfourC diftGrGnt-placesl'haviiigonly spread about 8' 'or" 9 feet around each cetttro.. The Brownell's were just coming into liowor.

: Tho Bordeaux mixture in tKe proportions, of. Oib. blucstone, 41b. lime, and. 40 gallons water.- A, largo, spray pump/'holding 100 gallons, used, worked with upturned nozzles, and drawn by. two . horses. Two rows on side of the dray could -be sprayed; so-that two men and a boy could spray-four tows; at'each turn. .;.[)• . •The Brownell's Beauties were left to die',down naturally,-and when du«* produced tho bast lot of tubers which-Mr. Gallard has seen anywhere 7 in tho . district: Tho infection'had only spread about a rod around each centre, and even there li'ad not"..reached, tho tubers to. any great extent. The-Early Rose potatoes suffered a' little more,-as the blight had a fair hold of them at the start. They also suffered considerably from Leaf Spot and Dry Rot. Tho latter in the- early stages did moro harm than tho Irish Blight did afterwards.

Mr. Bun gave the cost of materials 1141b. "Milestone" and 761h. linveV; including freight, as J32 Is. Gd.; ?ud labour. £2 lis.; ortotal cost of spraying, 12s. 6d. Tho. yield was about 15 tons, returning about JCIOO. Mr.' Gallard estimates that at least one-third would have "been lost if they had not; been sprayed, tho estimate being based upon results of two unsprayed plots under observation in'the same locality, and as nearly' as possible under the same' conditions; An. exp6lidi> tuvo of ; . Mi 125.-'6 d.' saved over «S3O 'in hnrd cash, besides protecting tho soil from contamination.