EXPERIMENTS IN POTATO GROWING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 8

EXPERIMENTS IN POTATO GROWING.

(North British Agriculturist, March 7.)

The Edinburgh Agricultural College v.-as formally opened under very encouraging puspiccs by Lord Balfour of Eurlo/%h on Wednesday last, in i-rcsence of a largo evowd of interested agriculturists. But as Lcrd Bulfour very happily remarked, ihe college had already opened itself without any formality, and had got a gratifying record of good work to show for itself before the formal opening. In fact, contemporaneously with the formal opening of the college on Wednesday last, the authorities of the college issued a Bulletin— No. 9 of process, as the lawyers would say — giving the results of a series of experiments conducted by the college staff in the gro\v : ng of potatoes. The Bulletin is partly written by Mr Bruce, tho director of county work, and partly by Mr Potter, B.Sc., N.D.A., lt>e teacher of chemistry. Th© first part of th.'j Bulletin is directed to setting forth thero^iilts of a second season's trial of 13 different varieties of potatoes at five different centres. Among the varieties so tested were the following : —Factor, Pink Blossom, Up-to-Date, Good Fellow, King Edward All, White Blossom, British Queen, EverRcod, Royal Kidney, Twentieth Century* Empire Kidney, Empress Queen, and Langworthy. Ml* Bruce, who writes this part of the Bulletin, says that, among the lale varieties tested. "Factor, Pink Blossom, and Up-to-Date are the- only varieties that have yielded a heavy crop of tolerable quality." Of the mid-season varieties, King Edward VII stood first as a' cropper,' and was closely followed by White Blossom and British Queen. Sbmp of the newer varieties gave a- very disappointing account of themselves alike as croppers and disease-resisters, and {he director of county work does not mince matters in dealing with th© new varieties which, "although much boomed and sold at a high price, have turned out worthless." This part of the Bulletin is followed by the report of a "First Trial of Twenty-five Varieties of Potatoes," which was conducted at Hilton of Burleigh, Kinrossshire- In this test quite a number of new varieties were grown side by side. The results are set forth in the following table : —

A further test had reference to the advantages of "boxing" main crop potato-es before planting ; but the results, though decisively in favour of boxing, are such as to leave a doubt as io whether the boxing !.<id been well managed. The final test was in regard to the manuring of the potato crop, which led the experimenter to recommind j the application of a medium dressing of farmyard manure along with the following mixture of artificials per acre : — 1 cwt sulphate of ammonia 3 „ superphosphate 15 „ sulphate of potash. The Bulletin contains a good deal of matter which is of interest to potato growers. Possibly enough, however, some of those who have large stocks of new varieties to dispose of will scan its pages with , rather mixed feelings. i It is officially announced that thf> Briti.sh ! Admiralty has decided to abo'.isli cloth ' trousers, serge frocks, and drill frorks, as part of the kit of petty ofliceis and men of H.M. fleet dressed as seamen. The order is to come into effect on May 1 next. A new pattern serge jumper, with cuffs, i 6 to be supplied, with gold badgc=, and will lie used for best uniform, in place of the old serge frock. This change will be applied to the Commonwealth naval forces. The Imperial Bhass Sprat Pump: Witt Stream and Fine Spray Nozzle.— Made by American noted manufacturers. Are obtainable from Nnnio akd Blaik, Dnnedn:. FniitsxoTreis and Oxchudistf ilwuld uge tbesu

Variety. ! Early— Mid-Lotnian Early . . Puritan Sharp's Express .. Ninety-fold Second Early — Dalmeny Radium .. Johnston's Diamond Maid of Coil .. ... Crofter .. .. .. Laird Cottager .. .* .. Late — Moneymaker .., „ Dalrneny Acme «* Niven's Premier •• Eldorado .. „ .. ■ Table-talk Warrior .. ..■ •> . Tyne Kidney .. .» Dalhousie -. .. .«, Heather Blossom . « Dalm-eny Begent . . Peacemaker .. . . Northern Star (S) .. Northern Star (D) .. What's Wanted Sutton'a Discovery .. Yield per 20 sq. yds. Quality. Lh. 74 Good 93 Inferior 125 91 " 101 Good CO Fair lGi Very Good 126 Inferior 157 " 173 Good 118 Excellent 78 Fair IG7 Good 77 Inferior 140 Fair 190 Good 135 111 „ 154 94 Inferior 100 Good 184 Inferior 102 149 Fair 78