EXPERIMENTS IN POTATOGROWING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 20

EXPERIMENTS IN POTATOGROWING.

some' interesting data. Mr H. E. M'Gowan, of Willowbridge, South Canterbury, an exceptionally auccessful grower of potatoes, has carried on experiments for a number of years which have gained him a reputation not only in New Zealand, but elsewhere, as is shown by the numerous orders he receives from places oversea. Mr M'Gowan is methodical and sj-stematic, and the information he collates annually is therefore of great halite. In an interview with the representative of a contemporary Mr M'Gowan gave full particulars of the' digging results of the past year's operations. " Those who read the results of the trials of 1908," said Mr Jx'Gowan, "will not be I surprised to Jearn that many varieties were j put a.iide last season. It is my desire to [ keep before the public only those varieties ! which are as nearly perfect as possible. Uy i this I mean we must grow only those ] kinds which will yield the largest crops of good keeping properties, the best quality for cooking purposes, and, above all, we must grow only those varieties which show the .greatest resistance to blight. No varieties airo immune, but there> a/re some that will remain free much longer than others. The present has been a bad season for blight, and. many growers will lose the whole of (their crops. This state of affairs has, in many cases, been brought about through neglect and carelessness. When 6ome people choose a potato plot they do not consider the questions of good drainage and sunny aspect. Some will plant potatoes twice in succession on the same ground. They probably never think of changing their seed. Ag>ain,_sorne growers plant their potatoes after their other crops have been put in, and theji wonder why the potatoes are so late. I hardly think anyone would be so foolish as to knowingly plant infected seed, though I have heard of such a thing. Last, but not least, many never think of spraying. Growers of this class deserve to lose their crops. Already they have surely paid dearly enough for their neglect, and so, for one season at any rate, they should choose a potato plot on a nice, sunny slope with good drainage, procure good reliable seed (preferably from a

colder climate), plant early, cultivate weU, and epray three or four times, even if no blight is observable on the haulms. "In this year's experiments my Princess Victoria has again topped the list. Un- -- doubtedly. ths potato has come to stay, and l in this district it is superseding all other varieties. It is, indeed, an almost petrfeot potato, and has not one fault, being 1 prolific, yielding fine-shaped white tubera of oval shape, a large haulm grower, an excellent cooker, a good keeper, a blight? resister, and a splendid main crop. " Henderson's improved Early Puritan, a; splendid early variety, fairly surpassed! itself this season, and yielded an abundant crop of deliciously flavoured tubers, with no sign of blight." Mr M'Gowan then gave the digging results as tuider: — PLOT I. (The plot was plani-d October 10, 1908.) Varieties: A, American ; E, English. ; I, Irish. Monarch of the "Up-to-date tribe; splendid flavour; 12 tons 9cwt lqr. Dnkota Red (A); oval, xed skin, splendid quality, no sign of blight ; 9 tons lewt 2qr. Vanguard (A) ; 'an early, pink skinned • variety; 7 tons 19cwt 3<jr. , ' Irish Flcurball (1) ; round, white tubers,^ very few small, 13 tens 2cwt 2<ir. -~ Table Talk (E) ; poor quality and crop this season; 4 tons lewt 3qr. button's Recorder (E) ; very pocr ; 3 tons locwi: " ~* Mr Breeze (E) ; pink skin, similar to Eobin Arlair, very early; 7 lons lewt 2qr. Sutton's Reliance- (E) ; splendid n-ew first early, uncommonly well-shaped tubers; 11 tons 17e-,vt lqr. •■ Harbinger (E); new variety, very' poor; 2 tons lewt. "VVindsot Castle (E); one of our best £' cond eurlies, well shaped tubers and -\ heavy cropper; 10 lons 12cwfc 2qr. Sution's Satisfaction '&) ; one of the best yet introduced, tubers very even; 12 tons 2cwt. ■ ■ , - * Epicure (H) ; one of the finest first earlies • jrown , 11 tons 7cwt lqr. SuHon's Fr.nrem? ,'B) ; very poor; 3 tons 2cwt 2qr. Sutton's Superlative (E) ; splendid lot of tubers of even size, good quality: 12 tons 4twt lqr. ; Sutton's Ab-iadance (E) ; prolific grower of good sound potatoes; 13 tons 7cwt 3qr. i Radium (E) ; inclined to , deteriorate -quickiy, poor; 4 tons Scwt lqr. Concrusring Hero (E) ; very poor ; 1 ton lcvrt 3qr. j Princess Victoria (I) ; undoubtedly the queen of all potatoes, possessing every good> . | quality necessary ; 18 tons 7civt 2qr. i Eldcrado (E) ; orly suited to damp soils;4 tons 4crvvt lqr. King Edward VII (E) ; a fair second;' early, tulwrs excellent for show purposes; 7 tons 18cwt 2qr. I Solanum Commersonii (viclet), the giea*. i blight resister, and niagnificant cropper; 17 ! tons 19c wt 3qt. ! Diamond (E) ; a new variety, .not yet «•■-, climatised ; 5 tens 7c-wt lqr. I Pearl (E) ; inclined to deteriorate quickly i". , 4 tens 16cwt 3qi\ - J X I Gem (E); jnelined to de'.erior&te quickly;3 tons 7cwt 2qr. Early Vermont (A); a sp^nlid first, early, 1 pink skin, tubers 'well shaped; 7 tons J 7cwt. ! Early' Rosa (A) ; good early on light soil ; ' & tons 4cwt lqr. , Davio's Warricr; docs not do well v here, _ - tubers very small ; 6 tons 2cwt lqr. I Endurance (E) ; many of the tubers rot-^ ten, would suit poor soil; 7 tons lewt lqr, 1 Rasfurly (X) ; fine-shaped tubers of Brcez* I Prolific tribe'; 10 Tons 7c\vt 3qr.'. j Lonl Robert 1 - (E); spl"ndi'd-shaped tubers, second early; 11 tons lOirwt lqr. ' Early" Sunrise (A); first early, good quality; 6 tons 4cwt 3qr. " . Zjon House (A^ , another good variety, rail shaped tub&rs; 12 ' tons 13cwt 2ojr. Early Etauty (A); a splendid lot; 13 tons 32cwt 3qi. ; Robin Adair (E) i one °* '" c ' 3est P inK firso eariies vet inircdured, a, good blightrcsister; 12 -tons 19cwt lqr. Sir J. Llewellyn (E) ; a good nr3t early, deteriorating qvickly.; 4 tors 17ciH 3qr. . l Ireland's Farewell (I); splendid xountf, bine, shew tubers; 5 tons 14cwt lqr. ' Belgium Prak (A); fair quality, first , early; 4 tens s6cwt 3qr. . t • j Bruce (k) grand second eariy, ovai w.irtai • tubers; 14 t~rs 17cwt 3qr. , Irish Flounders (I) ; good quality, oval, . i white; 12 tons 15cwt 2qr. ! Challenger (E) ; hardy variety, round, white, good quality; 10 tons 17cwt lqr. v Brer.d Fruit (A) ; splendid first eaarly, round, white; 11 tons 13cwt 3qr. Lapstone Kidneys (E) ; one of the best second earlies, a few Mighted; 10 tons 2cwl* q Sutton's Discovery (E) ; blight resister,. suitable for damp soils; 12 tons lcw^ Bqr. { Maori Chief; good second early, fair-sized tubers; 7 tons 12cwt lor Early Breeze (A); splendid first early* well-shapped tubers; 3 tons 17qwt lqr. - Daniel's Sensation (E) ; splendid lot or tubers, few. snail; 14 tons 6cwt 2qr r Snowdrop No. 1 (E); white oval tubers, good quality; 6 tons 3cwt lqr. Cliff Kidney, very large lougn tubers,' no blight; 19 tons 7cwt 3qr. Champion Skerry (I); round! blue tubers, ' good blight resister; 8 tons Gcwt lqr. | Sutton's Flourball (E) ; large tubers, deep j pink eyes ; 11 tons lewt lqr. . j Scotia (E); good blighfc resister, red skin, i oval; 7 tons llcwt 3qr. | Derwents; much blight and a poor crop; . 1 5 tons 19cwt. , 1 "White Elephant (E) ; tubers co*rs» and j large, good blight xesister; 14 tons 17cwt I q Acme (A); much similar to above, gcod- ! table quality ; 15 tona 3cwt 3qr I Red Skins (Australian); good crop, tew. ! blighted; 12 tons 17cwt lqr. PLOT ll(Consignment received from England, and planted January 7, 1909.) Sutton's Epicure-, Sutton's May Quee»* Sutton's Ninetyfold, Sutton's White City,

and Sutton's Red •. Sidney ; these being pi-anted ec late, an-d the Eeason being dry and backward in February, they did not do co well as in • previous years. Epicure came out best in the results with 7 tons 3cwt 2qr; "White City next .with 6 tons 4cwt. The others were poor, but if planted early will do well enough. PLOT 111. received from Ireland, and planted January 10, 1809.) Marshland Queen, Irish Queen, and Black Skejry; these came out very well, considering the lateness of planting. Irish Queen ■ddd specially well, and is a fine-looking, tuber. PLOT IV. (Consignment received from America, August 31, 1S08.) "White Mechanic; splendid variety of good quality; 14 tons lOcwt 2qr. Netted G-ems; all large, well-shaped tubers; 15 tons 2cwt Iqr. Improved Burbank; large shapely tubers; 13 tons llcwt. *

Improved Early Rose ; early, a. large crop ; 14 tons.lcwt 2qr ,

Great Divide; good quality, .well-slraped tuber3j 11 ; tons 13owt_2gr.. S'ussell; 'large tubers, with netted white skin, good quality*;- 14 tons, 2cwt sqr. Great Dry Land; very e^irly, round, pink ' ekin, suited to sandy 50i1: .7 tons ,12cwt Iqr. ' Washington- Dry Land; much 1 similar to above ; 6 tons^ 4cwt 2qr. Nate. — None of this lot ase" on the market this year.' • , -

LOT V.

(Specimens of wild potatoes.)

Parr's ; distinct from ordinary potato, * haulms vary prolific, tubers large and prolific, no blight; 10 tons lewt 3qr. Whera'kura. "Wonder; another distinct •variety, haulms of upright growth, tubers very rough; 11 tons 3cwt. Kowiniwini; 9omrewii*t similar to above, tubers red and white instead of blue and white; 12 tons Bcwt Iqr. Chatham Island; distinct from any .New Zealand variety, tubers white, pink-eyed and good; 15 tons 2cwi 2qr,

Ta conclusion, Mr M'Gowan said : " I wiU -be very pleased to give any advice or information regarding potatoes or potatogrowiag to anyone cornanunicatirhg with me and enclosing a. stamped) addressed envelope."