POTATO-SPRAYING.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 109, 10 May 1909, Page 8

POTATO-SPRAYING.

RESULT OF AX EXPERIMENT. Another demonstration with the object of showing the value of spraying potatoes was arranged some time ago by Mr. Macpherbon, of the experimental station division of the Agricultural Department.. Five plots were planted on Mr. Thos. Davies' farm at Woodend, Rangiora. One half of each of four plots was manured, and also sprayed with the Bordeaux mixture recommended by the department : the other half did not receive any manure. No part of the fifth plot was manured. The | results of the experiment have just been received by Mr. T. W, Kirk, the Government Biologist, and are most interesting to potato growers, showing, as they do, that spraying has had the effect of increasing the yield of the tubeis. The returns are as follows, the figures representing the yields per : — NO. 1 PLOT.

When the offer of a Dreadnought, or two if necessary, was cabled to England from New Zealand, a reporter from the London Standard saw the secretary to the High Commissioner (Air. Keniidvray). That ollicial declared that the finances of New Zealand were amply sufficient to meet the strain of the gift of a Dreadnought to the Mother Country, and, if necessary, of two. The New Zealand Three and a Half Per Cent. Stocks stood at from 98 to 99, They were, if anything, a better security than the Indian Three and a Half Per Cent. Stocks, which stood at 96. "The offer made by our Prime Minister," he said, "has the absent of the Cabinet. Parliament is not sitting, and, should the ofter be not ratified when the Legislature assembles, o+' course the Government will go out, but I do not think there is the least likelihood of such a contingency. New Zealand appreciates the importance of a strong navy, from her isolated position. As to her finances, her revenue in 1906-7 was £8,399,075, and her expenditure £7,774,926, and last year the revenue was £9,781,814, and the expenditure £8,213,965. She has a growing revenue. [Mr. Kennaway is reported by the Standard as having stated that the revenue last year was £8,399,075. That is such an obviouh error that we have corrected the mistake from the Year Book of 1908.] The Marine Department reports that the Hinemoa has left Greymouth for Martin's Bay with a party of men engaged to blow up the rocks which obstruct the entrance to the Hollyford River. The steamer will come direct to Wellington from Martin's Bay, and is due here about Thursday. After she has visited the Cook Strait lighthouse stations, she will leave on the Northern lighthouses trip. An effort on behalf of tke boys is being made by a number of gentleman associated with St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church, Newtown. A room attached to St. Anae's Club is used for the purpose, and on one night a week that room is given up to the boys, "free, gratisand for nothing." A variety of amusements is provided for them, and efforts ire made to not only attract them to the room, but in various way.* to improve their minds and bodies and generally preserve them as wholesome member of the community. On their part the boys appear »to regard tho idea as a really good one, the sense of responsibility and appreciation has already been developed, and youngsters who developed ideas as to conduct which were of too liberal a character have already been "warned off." Acting-Gaoler Ching, of the Wanganui Prison, has received word that shortsentence prisoners, remands, and all female prisoners will still be detained at the Wanganui Gaol, states the Herald. A second batch of long-sen-tence prisoners has been despatched to Auckland.

Sprayed ... Onsprayed ;ons cwts. qrs. . 11 13 2 7 9 3 lbs. 25 13 Difference ... 4 3 3 12 NO. 2 PLOT. Sprayed 9 10 Unsprayed ... 7 b 3 1 18 22 Difference ... 2 2 1 24 NO. 3 PLOT. Sprayed . . . Lnsprayed ... 12 5 ... 7 19 2 3 7 9 Difference ... 4 5 2 26 NO. 4 PLOT. Sprayed 10 16 iJnsprayed ... 7 16 0 1 20 1 Difference ... 2 19 3 19 NO. 5 PLOT (NO MANURE). Sprayed 7 14 1 7 unsprayed „. 6 19 3 17 Difference 0 14 1 18