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

Mr. George Mny, OF Benthal'' W's'ahd'
in his prize essay on the potato gives the
results of experiments m ll6 trial plots,
which may bc summed mp MS Follows
]. Every increase in the size Of the sct,
from one ounce to eight ounces in weight,
produces 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
Gets in lieu of one ounce sets, amounted on
the whole series Of experiments to between
three and four tons per acre, and the iur-
ther profit, on the increase OF the SIZE OF the
get from four ounces to eight ounces avcra'
red about Ave tons per acre, ali the inter.
mediate s.cps partaking proportionateIy OF
the increase.
Q. Tho advantage Of large scts is more
marke ed in the late than in the early vprid-
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'ain-
Cd by planting from six to nire inchesapart
in the rows than al gider intervals.
4. Increasing The intervals at which the
sets are planted, even of the largest 'ise 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
dncc Of the individual sets.
S. It may be broadly stated tha. the
weight Of the crops is prcporiionate to the
weight per acre Of the sets. The fact is,
however, of limited application, az weight
Of very small .ets, e1ua! to weight Of
full-sizcd potatoes, could not be got into the
ground, except BY planting them 50 close as
to be preiudicial to the crop. The advan-
tage, therefore, Flsrgc sets, reusins prac-
tically unimpaired.
6. Weight for weight, cut sets 10 produce
as nearly as possible the same weigh, per
acre as whole potatoes, but, for the 'cascn
given above, the weight Of the sets should
not be reduced by subdivision.
7. Smaller sets give larger prsincc in
proportion to their weight t!.an the 4G-gcr
scts.
s. When the intervals between the sei>
in rows arc diminished to less than ioot,
the produce ofeach individual set il propor.
tionate!y diminished. Though this is not
necessarily accompanied by a l.minut!on Of
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.
.. With reference to the relative produce
Of ditiorcn, varieties late red sort takes
precedence ,hroushou: the experiments,
and Of tie sovera! varieties Of tIukes,
Spencer King Of i'iGhcs, are much laOre
prolific than the ordinary variety.
AS to the manure best adapted to tn"
potato, it Was found by DR.. Lang that all
ai;fogenous dressiHsss tsi4l in pepeasii4e
we're rather prejudicial than otherwise. as
regards the potato disease, but the wood
ashes (which abound in poia.h) and line
and salt were beneficial.
Experiments with regard to manures were
carried on under the direction of Prof Volk-
er, and on examining them the following
deductions have been made
|. The best crop was obtained BY the use
Of rotten barn a d manure.
2. SuperphoSphate and crude potash.
salts-a pure mineral manuriDg--g gave
nearly equal increase. The mixture OF su
perphosphate aud crude potash ,slts appear
20 be specially useful Tor roo. crops on light
land
8. Common salt enhances the efficiency Of
the superphosphatc aud po,ash-,alts, bnt
when used alone it slightly dimiuishcs the
crop.
A. Potash salts applied alone, though by
no means the most desirable manure for po.
tatoes, nevertheless had better effect than
common salt for while the crude potash
salts gave an increase Of nesr'yS cwt. per
acre, common salt produced cw,. and u
lbs. less than the unmanurcd plots Oh the
average.