RUAKURA.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XIII, Issue 1, 20 July 1916, Page 60

RUAKURA.

The following is the Experimentalist’s report on potato-variety tests at the Ruakura Farm of Instruction for the season 1915-16 :

The potato crop was grown in No. 6 paddock. The previous year this paddock grew a crop of cereals which received i| cwt. superphosphate and 11 cwt. bonedust per acre. After the cereals were harvested the land was ploughed and sown down with white mustard at the rate of 10 lb. per acre, intended for green-manuring. The mustard was ploughed in on 20th September, 1915, the land being again ploughed, disked, and harrowed on Ist November. It was then ridged and the manure sown between the ridges. The manure used was the following mixture per acre : 4 cwt. basic superphosphate, 3 cwt. bonedust, 1 cwt. Seychelles guano.

The sets, being previously sprouted in boxes, were then planted 14 in. apart in the drills on 12th November. On 13th December horsehoeing was done between the rows to eradicate weeds, and hand-hoeing between the plants. The crop was again horse-hoed on 23rd December, and received the first spraying on the following days. The Bordeaux mixture used for the first spraying was as follows : 4 lb. copper sulphate, 5 lb. quicklime, 50 gallons water.

The . crop was again horse-hoed on 28th December, and for the last time on 10th January, 1916, followed up by a second spraying on nth, 12th, and 13th January. The mixture used for this spraying was slightly different, as ordinary washing-soda was substituted for the quicklime used in the mixture for the first sprayings. The spray consisted of 5 lb. copper sulphate, 7| lb. washing-soda, 50 gallons water. After being sprayed, the potatoes were ridged up.

. It may be mentioned here that spraying experiments were carried out, testing Bordeaux mixture, lime-sulphur (strength 1 in 80), and Tuber-tonic (strength 3 lb. to 50 gallons water). As there was no sign of disease during the season the only effect seen was that the potatoes sprayed with the Bordeaux mixture . did not ripen off so quickly as those sprayed with the Tuber-tonic and lime-sulphur.

The crop was dug between the 20th and 28th April, but owing to the very dry season after the New Year some of the varieties gave a light yield ; also, one half of the paddock being a heavier soil, the varieties grown on that soil gave a heavier yield.

. It will be noted that although Commonwealth did not give the highest total yield, it gives the highest yield of table potatoes. Next to it are Bismarck, Coronation, and Celt. Bismarck, however, having very deep eyes, is not so useful a variety as either Coronation or Celt. — A. W. Green, Manager, Ruakura- Farm of Instruction. - , ■ ■

Weight per Acre. Variety. Weight per Acre. Table. Seed. Pigs- . Total. Tns cwt. cwt. qr qr lb. lb. Tns. cwt Tns . qr. lb. . cwt Tns. cwt. . qr. lb. qr. lb. Tns Tns. cwt. cwt. qr qr. lb. lb. Tns. cwt. qrlb. Abbey Craig .. 4 o I I 2 18 O 11 6 15 I 25 13 13 3 9 Breeze’s Prolific 3 15 2 6 2 8 O 0 6 4 0 7 12 7 2 13 Commonwealth 6 12 2 12 I 11 2 16 2 16 2 22 II 0 3 22 Alpha 4 15 2 2 I 14 I 12 3 II I 12 IO 4 0 26 Coronation 6 I 3 13 2 2 2 5 2 6. 2 15 IO 11 0 5 Bismarck ... 6 2 0 0 I 6 2 16 2 16 I 18 IO 5 0 6 Blue Derwent . . 4 8 0 0 2 8 0 19 3 4 3 8 IO 0 3 27 Celt Scottish Seedling 5 10 I 12 3 IO 0 6 0 13 1 5 . 9 13 2 23 Daniel’s Sensation 4 ■ 6 3 I 2 11. 3 12 ' 2 !4 3 17 9 13 2 2 Sutton’s Bountiful 4 z 4 0 8 1 16 2 7 2 16 0 14 9 6 3 1 Conquest (White) 4 13 0 9 1 15 1 23 2 8 I 7 8 16 3 11 North Pole 4 II 0 25 2 0 1 9 I I 0 14 7 12 2 20 Up-to-Date . 2 15 2 18 2 8 0 26 • 2 5 2 4 7 9 1 20 Runciman’s Purple •3: 3 0 26 .2 8 2 3 I 8 I 23 7 0 0 24 Findlay’s Rosebelle 3 6 0 12 1 19 O 24 I 5 I 1 6 IO 2 9 Duchess of Buccleugh 4 13 0 14 - 1 5 3 IO 0 7 3 11 6 6 3 7 Brownell’s Beauty > 2 19 3 15 3 12 1 24 0 19 0 0 7 11 1 11 Britannia 2 15 2 1 1 15 2 25 I 13 3 17 6 5 0 15 Acme . .. '■ 3 16 1 23 0 19 1 3 I 15 0 1 6 10 2 27 Findlay’s Aurora 2 16 2 1 I 17 0 25 I 6 0 0 5 19 2 26 Radium 3 6 0 12 I16 0 20 0 *7 0 20 5 19 I 24 Factor 3 5 0 11 ll 14 3 17 0 19 0 2 5 19 0 2 Excelsior .. 3 3 0 18 I ’ 8 2 9 I 5 2 O 5 17 0 27 Dalmeny Beauty 3 3 0 18 I 3 3 0 I 3 3 0 5 10 2 18 Dakoto Red 3 3 2 21 I 6 3 12 0 18 2 8 5 9 0 13 Duke of Albany 3 14 2 23 0 19 3 23 I 6 3 19 6 1 29 Dalmeny Hero. . 2 19 3 9 I 0 3 22 I 3 0 23 5 3 3 26 British Queen 2 6 0 6 I 13 0 27 I 6 2 10 5 5 3 15 Conquest (Purple) 4 15 2 26 I 4 2 II I 8 . 3 12 7 9 0 21 Late Rose I 11 3 18 2 2 3 7 0 T 7 0 - 1 4 11 2 26 Findlay’s Challenge I 17 3 16 I 5 1 1 I 7 3 19 4 II O 8 Northern Star .. i 5 1 26 I 13 0 27 I 9 i o. 4 7 3 25

Following are particulars of the yields :-