THE POTATO BLIGHT.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8081, 18 December 1906, Page 2

THE POTATO BLIGHT.

♦ PREVENTATIVE MEASURES. ' 1 EXPERIMENTS AT RUAKURA. Just now one of the chief questions ■ ceupying the winds of potato growers is the combatting of the blight which for the past t wo or th ree seasons has so disastrously all'f. cted crops frem one end of the colony to the other. Private individuals have parried out their own ideas as to the best method of ttadiutt the disease, some with a certain n nature of success, othors with results the reverse of encouraging, 'he Government Agricultural Department his afforded every facility to its officers to experiment with samples in different localities. This was done, and spraying wai strongly recommended by the biologist, Mr T. W. Kirk. Then came the suggestion that dipping was a good preventative, and orders were given that this phase should be investigated by the officials, Here in Waikato is one of the most successful experimental farms and a large area was devoted to carrying out the tests, which are now in course of operation. The other day, a representative of the Waikato Times took the opportunity of inspecting torse plots with the idea of placing on record the stage at which the tests have now arrived, for as the kinds p'anted were all late varieties, there is, of course, ample time for considerable change in them. It may be said in passing that a great amount of interest it, being taken in these trials by t.irmers, who realise how much depends on their gaining as much instruction as they possibly can on all matters relating to their crops of whatever kind. There are experiments of several kinds in progress, the first to be noticed being that of manures from formulae of Mr B. C. Aston, the chief chemist, who is keenly interested in the results. An acre of land is dev ted to th s.andis divided into eight plots, of equal size, each manured differently, though the Bame seed (Scotia) is used throughout. Taking tbem all in all the growth is very good, and the benefit of manuring is strikingly brought home by the difference in these and one sown without any fertiliser j none of tbia seed was treated before planting. Another interesting section is that devoted to undipped Northern stars, manured with the Australian Potash Syndicate's products, principally superphosphates, sulphate of ammonia and sulphate of potash. The crops are promising, especially that manured with four cwt. of superphosphate and one and a-half cwt. of sulphate of potash per acre (the plots are l-10th acre in area). Where no phosphate was applied the growth was only small. Plots dealing with dissolved bones, Maiden island guano, rimu ash, basic slag, blood and bones and flax refuse are also under trial. The beat results are recorded from those manured with an equal mixture of superphosphate and dissolved bones. The plots already mentioned were sown with seed not steeped in any preventitive, but now we come to the areas so sown. Though no blight has yet made its appearance, the plants are too small for any definite pronouncement. It must.be said, however, that they look extremely healthy. On the other hand, that is, apart from any symptom of disease, it must be said that it was clearly shown that some of the varieties do not thrive at all after being dipped. Ahundance, Esrly Vermont, Century, Datato Red, Evergood, Sootch Champion, Sutton's Satirfaction and Buncioun't, purple have stood treatment well, whilst Early Kose, Lapstone Kidneys, British i,,jueen and Northern Stars have suffered from some of the solutions. Taken as a whole, the untreated plots looked much better than the ethers, which would lead one to doubt whether any benefit is derived fr m dipping. From the present appearanoa of the plot? the conclusion to be drawn is that the best way to combat the blight is to manure the ground heavily, as the plants are advanced to the stage when resistance is possible bef Te the disease has had time to obtain a foothold. This, it may be said, has been found true, not only on the Kuakura farm, but generally throughout the colony. Of course it is impossible to give on piper any satisfactory idea of the state of the various plots, and farmers should certainly makes point of visiting the farm not only cnoe bat often, in order that they may see for themselves the effeots ot dipping and manuring at the different stages of developement. The fol'owing table will, however, give a general account of the work done by Messrs W. Dibble, i the manager, and A. W. Green, nurseryman, who are sparing no pains in the endeavour , to make the farm what it ought to be—i a valuable object lesson to all agriculi turalists ; also the results so far. ! MR ASTON'S EXPERIMENTS. i Plots are each J acie, sown with un- , dipped Scotios, planted October 12th • 1906. i No 1. 28lbs Superphosphate (35 per 1 cent). 211bs Bonedust; good. ; No 2. 70lbs Superphosphate and bone- ; dust; good. , No 8. 84lbs Superphosphate, bonedust , and Potash-sulphate; very good. No. 4. No manure; poor, i No. 5. 74lbs Superphosphate, Bonedust, i Ammonium-sulphate (19 per cent. N.) and i potash-sulphate; good, i No. 6. OHibs Superphosphate, Bonedust, . Potash-sulphate and Ferrous-sulphate; i good. s No. 7 Btlbs Superphosphate, Potashi muriate and Bonodust; very good, i No. 8. 561bs Superphosphate; good, DIPPING EXPERIMENTS. i Plots 1-lb' acre, sown different varieties ■ dippod in solution for blight, and ) manured. i No. 9. Treated with Bordeaux mixture of 4.4 10 strength, and manured 14lbs guano i and 38lbs dissolved bones—Victor Rose, : good; Blue Derwents, poor (seed a poor ; sample). No. 10. Bordeaux mixture, lllba guano, • 281bs blood and bones—Koyal Kidney, fair i to good; Up-to-Date, good; British Queen, , poor; Lapstone Kidney, poor; Northern i Star, fair; Victor Bose, good. No. 11. Bordeaux mixture, 421bs blood and bones —Beauty of Hebron, poor (seed poor); <-toneral French, good; Duchess ot i Huecleugh, good; Sutton's Satisfaction, i good; New Colonist, fair; Federation, fair. No. 12. Steeped in S-harland's blight exterminator; 14'bs sulphate of potash, 281bs dissolved bones British Queen, , poor; Early Vermont, exoellent; Victor ■ Hose, poor. No. 13. Sharland's exterminator; 14lbs sulphate of ammonia, 28 dissolved bones— Lapstone Kidneys, died out; Lord Roberts, died out; Upto-Date, weak. No. 14. Sharland's exterminator; 211bs each blood and bones and dissolved bonas Early Rose, poor j Dakato red, good; Scotch Champioe, good. No. 10. Sharland's exterminator; 421bs dissolved bone* Northern Star, poor; Century, good; Sutton's Satisfaction, good. No. lf>. Sharland's exterminator; 421b? blood and bones—Krownell's, good ; Federation, poor; Kvergoud, good. No. 17. Nitrate of potash and sulphate

rf atnmoni*; lilb* sulphate (if ammonia Lllbs sulphate of potash and blooi and b nns—Pridn of fair

I'lic'iees of Cornwall, fair; Reliance, Windsor Castle, good; Duke of Rothesay, good. No. IK. Sulphate of ammonia and uitrata of po'adli; 111 bd sulphate of ammonia and blood and bones—Davies' Warrior, good; Royal Kidney, fair ; -utton'a Supremo, fair; Record, good; Wyatt's Prolific, vary good. No. 10. Nitrate of potash, sulphate of ammonia; 421bs blood and bonea—Robin Adair, poor; Dickson's Bound Seedlings, Koo<i; Burpea'g Superior. No. 20. Nitrate of potasu aud sulphate of ammonia; of fhx refuse.— Ruudinan's Purple, good; Colonist, fairlygood N

No. 21. Nitrate of potash, sulphate ammonia, 121tis guano, 281 ba blood and bones.—Erergood, good ; Findlay's Her Maj-Bty, good; Cigarette, poor; Abundanos, good , Browuell's Beauty, fair. No. 22. Nitrate of potash, sulphate of ammonia, 28ibs each guano and blood and bones.—Table Talk, fairly good; Gold Coin, good (seed not first-class); Star of Now Zealand, fairly good. No. titb Formalin, lltlbs good; Up-to date, fair; Sutton's Satisfaction, very fair. No. 24. Formalin, 281b dis3>lved bonra *nd 1 Albs guano—Early Vermont, splendid ; Lleauty of Hebron, died out; 20th Century, very fair; Lapland Kidneys, very fair; Early Roso, poor. No 25. P.'rnrtnganate of potisb ; 2Hlba each gu mo and dissolved bones— Vhtofia B)se and late Rose, both very go>d. "On the other side of a v;ryptomerja hedgi the series begin again.. AUSTRALIAN I'OTASH STfNMCATK's EXPERIMENTS. Phteof 1 10ta of an acre, sown with Ncthera Star-* not dipped, but manured, o. 1. No masure Suffer greatly in comparison with other plots. No. 2. Bi!b sulphate of ammonia and 451ba super—excellent. No. 3 iSitja - ; up. r, 171 jk sulpha'.. l potato as good as any on ground.

No. 4. B|lKb sulphate ammonia, 171bs sulphate puia^i—fair. ho. 5. 451bs super, BJlbs sulphate ammonia, 171ba sulphate potash. Shows benefit of super, as far ahead of Nc. 4. MANURE EXPERIMENTS. Plots 1-luth of an acr.-, different varieties, dipped and undipped, manured. No. 6. Undipped, lcwt dissolved bonesNorthern S'tsr, excellent.

No. 7. Undipped, iewt escb dissolved ■ ores, and Midden Island guuno—Northern Stirs, i xoellent.

No. 8. Treated and untreated, lcwt basic slag—Northern Stare, tjood. No. 9. lcwt K.P. special potato manure —Ds'uiani, excellent.

No. 10. |cwt super and dissolved bines - Dalmani, excellent: in fact best of all.

•No. 11. Treated with permanganate of potash ; lcwt Maiden Island guano—Lapstone. Kidneys fair. No. 12. Perinangunate of potash ; lew! rimu a^h—Lapstone Kidneys, not ao good as No. 11.

No. 13. Nitrate of potash and sulphate of ammonia; Jcwt each" super and dissolved hones—Lapstone Kidneys (whole 3eed) poor. Mo. 14. Nitrate of potash and sulphate of ammonia; iewt each super and blooo ind bones—Lord Kobort=, seed killed.

No. 15. Nitrate potash and Bulphattimmonia; |cwt. each rimu ash and dissolved bones—British (jaeen, good. No. 16. Nitrate of potash and sulphate of ammonia; |cwt. each super and dissolved bones —British Queen, very good. The following lots vary in size owing to an angle drain, and are manured with iewt. each Maiden Island guano and dissolved bones; the seed, which was dipped in permanganate of potash, was cut before treatment.

No. 17.—New Colonist, fair. No. 18. New Colonist, fair; Lord Roberts, very good. No. 19,—Lord Boberts and Up-to-Date, good. No. 20. Up-to-Date, very good. On the hill on the north of the railway line is about 17 acres of potatoes, including Scotia, Hobart Town, Dalmani and Early Kose, which were manured with 10 cwt of K.P. epeoial potato manure to the acre. This appears at first blush a somewhat extravagant amount to put in, but when it is stated that a crop of 15 tons to the aore is anticipated, it will be seen th it Che benefits more than outweigh the expense. The manure costs £3 103 per half ton, and at tha low estimate of £$ per ton for potatoes, the return would be £4o. As tnny be iniagiued, the plants loot vtry nealthy. Spraying with Bordeaux mixtu -e tias been once resorted to, in order to preveni blight. Of course, it is impraoi icable to have any plot unsprayed as once the disease obtains a foothold it spreads even to plants sprayed. In addition to the potato exr irimental plots is a large area devoted to vegetables and the like. In cereals there are four varieties of runners and Bpelts. The vegetables include 20 varieties of turnips, 18 beans (runners and dwarfs) 10 peas, 8 oarrots, 3 parsnips, 6 beets, occupying iu all about 11 acres. General nurtery shrubs, trees and flowers, covering onaaare, make a very fine show, and this section promises to be one of the best. To the farmer the most instructive and interesting suction is that devoted to experimental plots of grasses and clovers, whioh are now receiving that attention whioh their important relation to successful farming demauds. While on the farm our representative took the opportunity of visiting a field on the hill on the north of tha railway. The educational value of the field lay in the fact that a portion had been left in it* original grass, another portion dressed with two tons of lime to ttie aore, and yet a third had been top-dressed. The limed portion certainly looked better then the original grass, but the benefit of topdressing waß clearly Bhown in the abundance of grass in the latter portion. The seed consisting of 161bs oockifoot, 41bb Timothy and 41bs (cowgrass, was sown it July, 1904, with 2owt basio slag, iewt bonetand *cwt super; the topdresaings being 2icwt basic slag in July 1905, 2cwt super, August 1005, and basic slag in Juut 1906.