Smyrna times., 1927-06-29
POTATO GROWERS CONDUCT
SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS
.1<,rp,sT MADE BETWEEN GER
U1rrED UU SEED AND USUAL KIND
Rms of DIR. Alfred Smith and r.
a. Wilson Two Demonstrations
ha.l Made Which are Interesting

=. Wilson Two Demonstrations
paing Made Which are Interesting
within the past few weeks the at
.on If Kent County Agent, Russell
Evil Z wilson has been called to two very
=, .,,;no potato demonstrations show
sIli4l, tbe contrast between certified cob
TIL iIs saed and that Of common stock
VII ,,rtnown origin, and the variation
q .ba I Growth and color Of the vines
L .sra ~ two different kinds Of CONNER
VIII WI fertilizers were used in the same
field. ,,o-+no+ions j IL
M MI N the farm Of DR.. Alfred Smith
SatSa i 81 near Wyoming, and consists Of
MI area Of cobbler potatoes BE-
crown from homegrown seed as
ns szoaarpd to the remainder Of the
tuItf eI5 wbich was planted with certified
n'.g nv entire field received a lib
sssp' ssI .Dnlication Of 3-5-8 commercial
t,.+ili4er sr@i z at the rate Of approximately
tS0o mounds per acre, and both plots
,ra receiving the same IhelHOuS -
.atvation and treatment.
'4I Tbe seed was planted during the
a. week in April, when this field
y. NJ inspected by County Agent Viii
~ an June s the vines which came
Fam the non-certifed seed gave evi-
lorco of being affected with various
trne. IF mosaics which are inherited
Nj ire found to be quite common on
rotatoes which are produced from
sood stock of unknown sources. The
,ines which were produced from the
certified seed were found to be free
from disease, and the foliage was Of
mucb healthier nature and darker
grppn ii color than those in the non
certified plot. A similar difference
i'll also observed in the uniformity
If the stand, for in that section Of
tbe field planted with certified seed
tbe vines are very uniform in growth
and general appearance and indicate
tbat GOOD yield may be expected,
While in the plot containing the pota-
tOes planted from the non-certified
tOck there can be noted a decidedly
mven stand which, in addition to the
revalenee of disease, will greatly re-
duce the yield per acre.
On the farm Of R. Harry Wilson
near Dover will be found a demonstra-
ton showing the effect which different
kinds Of commercial fertilizer will
have On the growth and appearance Of
potato vines, even though the same
type Of seed is used in both instances.
This entire field was planted with
Maine certified cobbler seed, and the
plan Of fertilization followed on the
greater portion Of the field consisted
Of an application Of one-half ton per
acre Of double strength fertilizer Of
a 1O-1614 formula, which is equiva-
lent to an application of one ton Of
5-8-7 mixture. The remainder Of
this potato field received a mixture Of
Wo-tlirds acid phosphate and one
third muriate Of potash at the rate Of
me-haf ton to the acre, in addition
70 a top-dressing of nitrate of soda at
the rate Of 200 pounds per acre. One
Tow d, the potatoes which received the
@mplete fertilizer Of the double
hngth formula was also given this
lrate Of soda treatment in order to
kzrmine if this additional amount OF
ttlization will have any beneficial
eject upon the yield.
remarkable contrast in the grow
a Of the vines and in the color Of the
aEage can Be readily noted in these
Eo plots at this particular time, in
dcating that a commercial fertilizer
Each contains a high percentage Of
rrogen ingredients is essential to
ae production of satisfactory stand
potatoes. The plots on these two
arms will be harvested separately,
shd the yield calculated on the acre
'asr, and it is expected that there
MOe remarkable difference in pro-
0aCaon in favor of the certified seed,
'na nose potatoes which received the
"nplete fertilizer Of the high analys-
content.