INTERNATIONAL POTATO EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2100, 16 November 1880, Page 4

INTERNATIONAL POTATO EXHIBITION.

['* Mark Lane Express."} When it became known that purchases of seed potatoes would be made for restocking those districts of Ireland which had Buffered most severely frem the failure of the potato orop last year, tbo committee of the Interactional Potato Exhibition determined to offer their services to the Government, both iiß advisers and agents, it need be, in this matter. After some communication with the Government, a sub-committee was appointed, which issued tho following recommendations ; i. The land intended to bo planted with potatoes should be effectually drained, for if it becomes saturated with racisture.at any time while occupied wit h tho crop, disease is likely to ensue. Tho neglect of drainage in potato culture has been so largely attended with disoppoiatment and disaster that it is impossible to overrate the importance of tho subject. S. Tho land should be prepared by deep digging and liberal manuring with whatever cheap fertilisers the district will readily afford. The cow-byre and pig-stye should bo regarded as supplying life to the potato crop. Weeds and parings of heath soil burnt in small heaps, carefully stopped with earth or clearings of ditches to ' prevent flame, will furnish an excellent fertiliser at little cost, and suitable for every kind of soil. Where fclw land is poor and sandy a mixture of kainifc and ouperphosphate of lime, to be used at tho rate of from three to five hundredweight per acre, would bs likely to prove highly valuable in aid of the crop. In places contiguous to the sea tho people should bo encouraged to manure their potato plots with sea* weed, wrack, shells, and sea-sand, all of which contain minerals which conduce directly to the healthy growth of the potato. 3, Only on dry, sandy soils should the dibber belussd in planting potatoes. The best mode of planting is to open shallow trenches with the spade or plough, and lay tho seed therein at regular distances, to bo covered about four inches] deep only in tho first instance. When the shaws first show the ground should be well worked between with fork, hoe, or plough, to keep down weeds and admit tho air into tho body of the soil. In Shout three weeks afterwards they should be moulded up. It should bo impressed upon all cultivators that to mould the plant overmuch ;c injurious. It is sufficient if tho growing tabors are fairly covered. Indeed, if a few aro exposed, and become green in consequence, there is no loss entailed, for they can be saved for sued.

4. In planting on the poorest soils, a distance of at least 20 inches from row to row, and of 9 inches from seed to seed should be allowed. Generally speaking, with land of average quality and sorts of average growth, a distance of 2ft. Gin. between the rows, and of Ift. between the seeds will bo found tho best. Sorts that are known to be rank in growth must have ample space allowed for tho spreading of the ohaws to tho light and (air, and with those a distance of 3ft. or oven 4ft. between tho rows will be requisite. The danger of delay in the planting is that the increasing warmth of tho season compels the coed to sprout unduly, nad thus leads to a waste of energy. E-’ery detail of potato culture should have in view to conserve the original vigor or the plant. s*. The sorts specially recommended for general culture on heavy soils, and for districts where the rainfall is considerable, are Scotch Champion, Redskin, Flourball, Magnum Bonum, Irish Cup, Perthshire Eed, and White Rock. The sorts epseially recommended for light land and for districts that Lava u moderate rainfall are Early Bose, La to Rose, Beauty ot Hebron, Manhattan, Victoria, Grampian, Skerry Blue. All those recommended for heavy land may be planted on light land, but those recommended for fight land should not be planted on heavy land.

6, The practice of planting small refuse oeci has contributed in a most material degree to the deterioration of tho potato, not only in Ireland but throughout Europe. Any need tuber weighing less than an ounce and a half is unfit for planting, and it is to bo preferred that tubers averaging two to four ounces should bs selected. Seed that has sprouted but little or not at all is to be preferred to that which has made much growth in otore.

7. Tho proper cultivation and improvement of tho potato may be greatly promoted by moans of competitive exhibitions, at which prizes should be awarded for tho best samples, true £o name, presented in a clean and attractive manner. In the schedules of all agricultural and horticu tural exhibitions, classes Chould bo provided for potatoes, with a view to quicken inquiry and promote a permanent interest in the rational treatment of the plant end the selection of tho most useful varieties for particular soils and climates. 8. Tho so called Lazy Bed system of potato growing should be discouraged except in cases •where proximity to towns ensures a ready and profitable market for early crops of small growing sorts of high quality. The robust habited kinds, on which alone dependence should be placed for main crops in agricultural districts, are scarcely amenable to the system, which necessitates close planting, and tends directly to degeneracy of the stock.