Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-02-19
AGRICULTURAL.
The Potato.

Mr.. George May, Of Benthall, England
IN his prize essay on the potato gives the
results of experiments m ll6 trial p'oss'
which may be sammcd mp MS follows
!. Every increase IN the siae OF the get
from one ounce to cigh, ounces in weight
nroduces an increase in the crop much great
er than the additional weight Of the set
planted The net profit, over and above the
extra weight of sets in planting four ounce
sets in lieu Of one ounce sets, amounted on
the whole series Of experiments to between
three and four tons per acre, and the 'o''
ther profit, on the increase OF the size OF the
cat from four ounces to eight ounces, avera'
rcd about Ave tons per acre, all the inter.
mediate steps parakins prorortlona'e'y o'
the increase.
. Tho advantage Of large scts is more
m.rke I'd in the late than in the early varle-
ties.
3. In the use Of small sets, Of from one to
three ounces in weight, large balance over
and above the weight Of the sets wasob'a'n.
Cd by planting from six to nirc inchesapart
in the rows than Al gider intervals.
4. Increasing tho interval, ut which the
sets are planted, even Of the largest siee in
the rows, no more than twelve inches di'
minishes the crop, and the wider interval.
induce no increase in the weight Of The pro
1,,oo of tha ;ndiyidual s,ta
S. 1t may be broadly stated that the
weight Of the crops is prcpnrtionate to the
weight per acre Of the sets. The fact is,
however, of limited application, az weight
Of very small GETS, o1ua! to weight Of
full-sizcd potatoes, could not be go. into the
ground, except By planting them 50 close .a'
to be preiudicia to the crop. The adcan'
tage, therefore, Of large sets, reniyins prac,
tically pnimpairel
6. Weight for weight, cut sets 10 produce
as nearly ss possible the same weigh, per
acre as whole potatoes, but, for the 'ca'on
given above, the weight Of the sets should
not be reduced by subdivision.
7. Smaller sets give larger rr'.'ncc IN
proportion to their weight taan the 4argct
scts
8. When the intervals between the set
in rows arc diminished TO less than foot,
the produce ofeach individual set is proper
tionately diminished. Though this is not
necessarily accompanied by q d!mnut!on oI
the weight Of the crop, no increase in the
produce Of each Individual set is caused by
placing the set at intervals wider than foot.
9. With reference to the relative produce
Of different varieties iate red sort takes
precedence Throughout: the experiments,
and of tie scvera! varieties cI flakes
'Spencer's King Of iiGScs, are much more
prolific than the ordinary variety.
AS to the manure best adapted to tn"
potato, il WAS found bJ Dr. Lang ,hai ali
niirogenous dressings tried in Dcvonshiie
we're rather prejulicia! than otherwise. as
regards the potato disease, but the wood
ashes (which abound in pota,h) and ln.e
and salt were beneficial.
Experiments with regard to manures were
carried on under the direction of Prof. No!k-
er, and on examining them the following
deductions have been made:
!. The best crop was obtained ky the use
Of rotten barn. a-d mamure.
2. Superphosphate amI crude potash.
salts-a pure mineral manuring-gaye q
nearly equal increase The mixture OF su.
perphosphate and crude potash rats appear
20 be specially useful fnr roo: crops On light
land.
g. Common salt enhances the efficiency Of
the superphosphatc and potash bnt
when used alone it slightly dininishcs the
crop.
4. Potash salts applied alone, though by
no means the most desirable manure Tor po-
tatoes, nevertheless had better effect than
common salt for while the crude potash
salts gave an increase Of ncsrlyS cwt. per
acre, common salt produced 7 cwt and Il
lbs. less than the unmanurca plots On the
ayersrn