28 Ill pw | 2 + ew De WO u oe eee ® LPN Yom wr ~ " “4 »- Potato Culture Investi;:;at1ons, — = om om ow oe we oe Qnrm---- ~~ = The potato ef en article of fuod renks secona ty no other arricultural procuct. Iv ais founa upon tre te- ple of tye millionaire as well €8 upon the tabsre of the PEESANT. The feilure,or pertial failure,ot tre cro: over any lerre seetion of tre country brings wide 8preca suffering. The famine in Irelena in 1646 wes in a very large measure due to tre aesiruction of the potato crop by the raveres of late blight. In our Own country in recent years blisht Frese frequently causea t7¢e acsiruction of tre crop over cons -terebdle Grecs,ent were it not for the fecility with wrienr crops ere movece in this Country Breat suffering woula often be experliencea ir tcertein lLo- celitics, Furings, tre present winter of 1901 2 trous- eanas of huskels of rotetoes heve een imortea from Furope,ana this importation wes mece necessary neciuse the potato srowers of America have not learneG the ley whicr aprvly in potato srowing. The universal ins-ortunce 94655 | nw q of the crop,ena & nelief that tre rules of ;otato culture were being; violate& lea to the inauvretion of the ex} ei iments herein Gciscussed, The potato crop stancs second only to meize in ne- ing the most veluable egricultural contribution of Ameri- ca to tre world, It is found thet in tne most Gensely populeted countries of Europe,that where most intensive tillage is practiced tre potato crop resj;oncs to the ex- tra care flven anc the emount of food procuct is Hvreeter than that which would be furnished by any other crop on equél area, Acecorcin: to stetisticse obiainea From the rerorts of the Unliea Stétes TLepartment of fs:'riculture (Rivision of Statistics,!Miscellaneous Series, Report No.5 193) we learn thet "Germany is the vreatest potato pro- Gucing ana consuming country in tre world," the averéese ennuel pvroacuction hein#g neerly 900 000 000 bushels... Ags grown in Germany the potato ig glven whet we woula term "“sarden" culture, As tre potato 18 grown in the Unitec States trherc is no other crop wrick will encure the neo lect ana yet proauce e fair crop,anc ego fer as we have learned no other crop responés more liberally to improvec C: eonditions then acoes the rotato. The experiments herein aescrined were lnuueuratea at the vrounds of the Cornell University Agriculturel Ex- periment Stetion in 1&95,enc durins the first yeer theo the details of the work were in crirve of Professor George C.Wetson to wrom we give creait fur contucting tie work QGurin:: the first season. We also ceélnowlecsze urc .¢ . - ._. relpful ecvige et ell times oc; Professor I.F.kore: ts, OBject of tre Experiment in 1695, The experiments aquring 1095 were Gistinctively tv qetermine the effects of tillaze upon the yield of Lota- toes, The lana selected for the work wes c vravelly Loe: Which hac heen heavily ecroppea for previous yezrs,the ro- tation having heen wheat,clover,corn ano ozts, In live the lana wee all plented to corn th: fertilizer @;ulliea ceiling arovt ten tons of mixed hern manure per acrée,éena evenly distributed over the entire cree, Prevareation, In tke Fell of 1894 atter the corn fia Deen remov- ed all plats were plowed, In tre Srrings of LEYS all plets were gans plowed,t!e soil was harrowed anc tre Pore rows were leia off et Gistences of rvorty incres, The furrows were opened deeply by means of & aouble mould board plow anc the potatogs were plented on May Sra,anc 4th, Nn ize of Pléets. The plats were each one-twentieth of a@n acre in area enc so laie off thet six rows of potetoes coulu ne grown upon each plat. Separating the outside rows upon ‘each plat wat «= synsce Of six feet ana elght inches ena in the center of tris space,or three feet ana four inckes ror. the outsice row on each plat,was plantec 4a row of potstoes which wes cisearced at the time o* Cirsing. in all plat experiments,cespecially where the plats are of smoll grea it is important that the outsice rows of ezech Plat he frown under the same conditions so far 4&8 possi- ble ss the other rovs, O Seea Tuhrerse UELC. The seea turers usca were in every case goua merk- etable y;otetoces, “ot the largest but tose of mealum size neins selected, They were cut s0 tret there grould re @i least one good strong eye to tre piece,anc after the furrews were opened the secd pieces were arourpea one piece in ce place anc pieces fourteen inches avert in the row, Recora of Planting The record of planting the various plats was es follows:- to Rural New York- nD "ray S--planted plets 21 ena £& er NOD, hay 4--plantea@ plats 23 ano 24 tu Orhan, Vay 4--plented plats £5 ana £6 to Burel Mew York- er “"O, De Ny cy wot May 4--plantea plats £7 ana to /merlcen wonder. oe The seed was all droppce. carefully in place ny henad,anc the covering was done hv means of 2 hoe,anout four inches 0° so.l being placed over each piece,all e- ing covered as uniformly es wae posrinle, Record of Tilléve. The first tillere fFiven the :.octatoes wat on tre tenth of Mey,when « Treed's weeder was used, On ve seventeent’ ov Mey the spike tooth herrow wee used, Totr or theese cultivetions were viven pnefore tre plants hac arpearea above fround,aénce tre work Gone by the har- row wee especially veluanle in loosening the surfece suil. On Mav fora Vay 2oth.anad Tune oth.all i. lets were tillea with @ sprints; tooth cultivator, Up t9 this tire the treatment of ell plets wes alike nut from now on tke treatment varied, the following isc & com: lete recora of' the tillere given efter June bth, éune L7- Plats €1,23,55,4ance 27,cultivutec, eune @:- All plats cultiveteé, Tuly 2- Plets £1,23,25,anc £7 evltivated, culy 9- 4ll plats cultivated, July 15- Plats £1,23,25 and 27 evltiveteac, culy 23- All plats cultiv:teé, Fuly 29- Plats 21,°3,£5 ané 27 cultivetec, Avgust- All plets coltiveted, The tillaze continvned until the vines entirely covuerec the svace hetvucens rows when furtrer tillase woula heve Camegead the vines. jelas, Fecords of The record of yielas from tre verious plets 18 shown in the following tenle. Plat Yo. “umber of Yieleé per acre cultivetions, rushels, cd Lo ae The averaze of ell plats recelvini thirteen cultivations wae Z37 rushels, The evereze OF all pleats recelvin: nine ecultivetions was $67 rushels. These ylelas are high even thoush superior tillese wes practicea, “ut tre e¢casgon was exccedinzly faevorehle,the everave yiela per sere in “ew York heins lke hnusrcle, ~“onclusions from tre work for 1895 The very satisfactory yields obtéinea lceeas to tre conclusion thet pny thorough tprepration of tre soil and ny giving the potetoes surcrior tiilere tre yield per ée- cre may re consicerably increesed. Trerge sceme however to ne a limit to rrofitahle tilleve for 1t le seen thut better results were cecured wit nine cultivations then wit? thirteen. Thre reason for this 18 thought to ne Gvue tc the fact that the thirteen cultivations kept the vincs so freouently disturned that the turers were retarcgeda in their cevelopment necause of the injury Gone to the vines. Potato Exveriments in 1&96 om oe ow oe & ow Owrr--2"7- The soil upon which the potato experiments were conéucte@ in 1&96 was similar to that of Lédo., Adjoin- ing one-twentieth ecre plats were selected for tire Work, and all the plets haa heen plented to corn in 1594 and Lé95, Preparation of Soil, In the fell of 1€95 efter the corn wes hervestec all ulets were seceaed to wreat as a cover crop, This seceding wes done after harrowing the lana ana without clowing. The puri-ose of thie cover crop wes to protect tre soil from crosion,to preserve tre solurle plant fooec anc to aca to the kumus or tke soil when plowed uncer in tre Snring,. It is founc in tre latituae o* New York trere is no hetter cover crop “or lete secdins than vhect Or rye. In tre Spring: of 1696 the land wes rlovea se V9 ecrly cs conciticons woulc permit anc tmmceciately after peirs plowea was harrovea unas rolled, Tefore rliunating tre Aeme herrow wee uscé to loosen the surface soil, Rows were merkec off at Gietences of Forty ineles enu tre furrows were orunead ny means of « couble mould-noara LOW Planting. ae iw Oe The veriety of rotetoes plentea wes Rural Mey Yorker “oO.ce The tubers were Pror, selected sioeck “enG were cut into larsvs rieces with Prom two tu trree eves to tre niece. Pieces were Grovpcag in t!e rows fourteen incres eavert,en& ia covering trem a culitivetor witr wice a 4 teeth wes used to roll t*?. soil over tie totstoes, All “a > , sy yee; yo rN ° : : - L-- - 7 a ' plats were plentea Mav S,ena ive conelticons ‘ wy C3 & roa C if oO b -- terenimrent ena Seed vuevca wer: alike excervt "s bhorcafter ~ Nw ar noted rah) s to fertilizer used, It is found that in cut- ting tre seed tyvers e8 trey were cut ian tv1is experiment anout Sixteen susrcle are reaviresa new aere, Tre record Of cultivation ana yields is shown in ths Pollovins tahrle. oe a emia te om we oe i eee eee em eee ee el es oe Recorae of rotato plats for 10%6, 3 ee — a oo om ee oe ee oe ee ee eee eee ee eee eee eee eee ee eee ee ee Ple plent- cultiva- dise- TO ings. tione, vine, 6 May 9 7 Oct. 9 7 " 7 tt 8 7 " 9 11 " 10 " % Li " 3 " 12 " ” " 13 ¥ "7 tt 29 " 7 " o0 " ” " 31 " 7 tt 32 " 12 " od " g " Remarks, Tuschkels, SLE.e ol0.5 590.3 538.1 260, 299.7 541.6 CN C4 fs tN Cc © Oy Fertilized with 2090090 lbs, muriaete of potash anc 399 lhs, of acid phosphate per acre, Fertilized with 200 lnhs, sulprate of potesh enc SON lns, of acid rrosphete per ACYe. Comparehle, Variety test, Fertilized with 200 ls, murlate of rotesh anc 300 lis. of ccid chosphate rer acre, Fertilizeaé with 209 lhs, or sulphete of potesh and 500 les, of ecié vhosrhate per cere, Compeargsghle, — an —_ ww Ww eh = ee ee oe es ow ee — ae Se oe He See ee -~- -- o-_ —- er 8 =P ew ee ee ee oe —_——— ee ee ee ee ee ee es ee a — ~~ owe ee we ew oe —_ Tho2e marked of ts:llere only, "compéereble" Tillasre. The firet tillere wos #iven on May ove gruuné more tillese rad meen given then is ordinarily hestowed c* ny h C oe o) c* bt < Mm N C pat TW) © He ce 9 c+ C bo e) "y i uron the wvotato lana curing mer ususily srewes tre erop, Remarks upon the Fertilizer veoc, ~~ = ——- “Our plates tere trentea with commercial fertilizer the ohject heing to determine the effeet uwson the yield anc also uvbon the quelit: of the turers, Plat "oo, oO Yee ceived 200 sourcs of muriate of potash onc 390 pounds of yor lL a! ceid prosprate per ecre; pl2et No, 7 reeeivee 2O90 uvounase of eulphete of putach anc 300 youncs of acic prosprate mer acre. The viele From trese two plats were not in- creseceé in the least by the aprlicstion of fertilizer anc so fa" as competent judges coulc determine there wae no Eifference noticirle in the aquelity of those potatocrs which were xrown wit’ muoriete of potath es « fert.llzer anc trose: «rovwn with tre sulivhete of poterch. The fer- tilizer experiment wes dGurlicetcd upon rlets <9 anc SO, Plat 29 pave en increcsec vicla s5ut apon one compserisun no conclusion can he Grawn, The qguel:itr oF the votetors WES es g:00C from one plat «es from tre other ano es Par ae elthe or murlate we have heen Enle to learn sulphate jof rotash mev eee. ne used upon potetoes witkout effeeting tre quslity of the tubers proaucea, As muriate of votasn is usualiy rrom five to ten gollers per ton the cheaper, it WOULG esem to *e the “est source of potash es & potseto fertili- ZeY, Yielés From the Various Plates, The mein onjiect of the experiment var to cetermine set of tillcge vron tre yielé of rotetccs, Tor this pur,ose verious pleats were treatea alike in every Way @xcezyt ae to tre tillase siven. Plats o,9 enc. 10 are comparahle, Plat © was cullivetleo seven Limes,,bar Qwes cultivated eleven times enc ;let 10 woe cultiveitca pun tree times, Plat & whic’ received tre seven culti- C2 Qf} ct Vations fave tre he results, The inaulesr ions were ~ 1 that upon clat 9,the tillage wee Over Gone enu Ure re- sults securea in LESS point zelsuv to tlc Same conciusivna trat im culv:ivéetin: protatocs teers 16 a Limit to tre nun- ber of times thov mer be proritaerly tiiseca,. This as ex- plainca by the Fact that when the vines get Lerge enc cOVer tre gpsce between tre rows the extra tialluve ai that time geems to infgure tre vine an@ lt if Wise vuLicy to Giecontinuye cultivation et sucht tines, Owlni to unis injury to the vines by late tillése it seems a peuca poll- cy to Fave tre Space hetween the rows Of conslitcrabdtse tee Widtr ana crowa tre potatoes in tho row... Flats ol,ose ana «3 confirm the conclusions reackhca u,on the previous- ly mentionea plets that the excessive tiils-e pruauceca injury rather than benefit. In &GG@1110nN to tre cullive- tion whick wes given all pLlets were Sureyea four times With ROrueaux mixture ena Paris .rcen,. i Wn The claim 1 J requentiy meae that wrile potiive grown ppon 2 smell plat mev yielc very setisraeciurialy yet if they were -rown upon 2 larger ereé the same gooa results woulda not hola true, TO anew tries orscelLion in pert a measurea aecre oO: potatoes wes grown ln Leoyo, Tre $044 wee & clay Loam from which &@ erop of timoiny enc elouver hey hac teen eut in Loos, During trs winter of Lovo - » a top oressin:: oF B8trewy mynure wes fFliven the Lena anc 1. the Forins: the setreyv was cemovead witli vi. horse réke leaving, only the fine meterigl to plow uncer, In the £, 4 r Drine tre lance wee FPittec ana tre fiela wes plenteu to rotetoes,veriety Rurel “New Yorker No. <2. Tris acre re> ceived six cultivetions anc yislaea 514 bushels. The reeults show tret what hee been gone upon smaeit clets of Oneetwentieth acre escn mey be Cuplicatea upon Larger areas, The followins summary grows the results fer lus anc l&96, Plats receiving 1S cultivetions vwo7.d nushels, Average yiela per acre for léyve, — > Plate recelvings ll cultivétions, 055.9 puchels, " " 7 " 545.4 w " ” 3 w 275.2 w acre sy | | -. The one, fiela,o cultiveiions, Ot, " Fertilizea plets recelving 7 cultivations 550.7 " Averege yielc per acre for ‘Yew York state (UniteG States Census) ,1&90 bo. " Average yield per acre for “New York etate,1o95, Lik. " Averese vigla por ucre for all wlite ana the one acre et Cornell Uni- " versity for 1695 ana 1LOGot, 355.0% Tre very satisfactor., results ontaeinea for two years in succession @na without the application of fer- tilizer,except as noted,leuw to the investivzation of thes tlant food containec in the soil for tre purpose of ae- termining if the total plent fooG was greater in amount than that usually conteined in esricalturael soils, Ronerts in "The Fertility of the Lana"“pives the anelyse3 of forty-nine soils. "any oF trete analyses Were muce by Tr.R.C.Keazie ena eve puolished in vichigen Agricultu- ral Exveriment Station Tulletin “o. YY, The everere of 1’ tkeee 4% anelvses srous the following amount of totlel plant fooc containea in tre surface cClikt incres of soil UPON ONG 4OCVE, rFhosproric ecida, 219 pouncs, “itrosen, 5058 " Poterr, 16317 " An analvsisg was mece of the soll From plat “o,. 62 ana there was founc in tre surface eight ineres the Follow.s:,, amounts of total plant food per écre, Phosproric acid, 2525 pounas, “itrosen, 2049 " Potesh, 6042 It will ne seen from & cormaérison of the analyses thet the potato soil contains only ecrhout onewhalf tre a@nount of plent food found in the usuel soil, In the usuel enelysirs of a soll the gravel is not teken Into consider ation ena only that pert is analyzed wkhictr pessces throu a sieve of 50 meshes to the iIneh. In the case of the potato soil we founda thet 41,65 per cent of the soll wos fo coarse it woule not pass through a sicve of L& meshes to the inch, This coegrse soOll or gravel wi.e analyzea ~~ b- 4% and in ike surfecs foot upon an acre Of Land the a@ruunt of potential plant food was founa to re us foilows, Phosphorie acia, 4908 ,ounas, Fotash, 11229 " Every time this lana wes tilled some of this grevel wees broken down and rlant food was linerated,ena to this fact must in part he aserlhed tre neneficial effeets secured hy tre intensive tilleve given tre potatoes, Tne soil is within the grea of vléciel arift anc the rocks From wrhick tre mineval tortion of tine soil 1¢ medae were rich in potash,anc this is seen now in the fully caecompos a or fine soil ana in the partly aisinterreted materiel or Prevel, Conelusions from work of LOU96, l - Tillege is of vélue not only in uestroying Wweeues anc conservinss moisture nut 1t actruil, serves tv make plant food evaularle, o> Till ing seven times aquring the per.ioa of gro.th Have rest resulte, In all cases a lary? amount of tail- laze was given in soil prersration anc tris serves to rrocguce a satisfectory vield uvon ali rluts, So - Commercial fertilizer aqoer not Elvwevs Aneresse the vielc, Tre amount of rlant fooa @ growlnke crory Coa make use of Gependads in part uron tke moisture suiyly. Turing the present season the tillase Llincrated all trv plant food tret coula be used with the arount of moisture present. 4 - Muriate or sulphate of potash may either ne used without effecting the quality of the potatoes, 5 - Suraying with “oracaux mixture ena Paris green protectec the fullaeve Prom beetles ana from nlisht,ane ic 1s of importance that the foliare ne kett healthy at all times, Potato Investigations in 1L&Y7, ow am em em ee ow me Qr----- rr oe ruring tne yeers of 1l&95 anc 1696 the concirvions whicr prevailed throughout New York were favoraehle for large vields of potéetoes ana enormous crore were preaucca Rut the veer of 1597 was racicelly different, Potato blight caused the enti: destruction of ihe crop over large @reas,anac in otrer sections where the croo wes not entirely Gesetroyed 10 Wes ewreatly injured, Tre result wae that wrile in 1696 potatoes haa netted the farmers not more thar five to te: cents per busrel the price for the 1697 crop wes from fifty to seventy-five cents per nhusrel, It seems to re @ guaelity of humen navcure that sposnver there 1s nut Little Ggemana for re ys when all crops information, but let cdverse conditions come Ena there is immediately a sreat call for information @s to how the acverse conc1itions may pe over come, It 1s no great credit to vrow @ guoG crop in e& -ooOU season when all things _~ wh ere favorarcle. Every poay else grows € fooa croup anu is a ba e 2 result tre price for tre product 18 lov, Ornjecta of the Experinents in 1l&97, The general objects were the same a@s Guring Loyd ance LEI6,to determine the effect of inprovea soll conci- tions uron tre potato crop, In accition to tre soil conditions,tests were also mece of the efficiency of Srrévingss wit’ Poreceaux mixture to prevent hrlisnt,. Preparetion or tre Lena. After the removal of the crop in tru Fail of Lovo tLe ena Less GY & CUVEE? 7) tre lana wes plowec ang sown to o na Eervea 03 cro}. The o&ft8S anc peaS mice & fovd #xrowth useful trurvose in preventing, soil erosion in coneurvia: the soluble plint food,anc when vplowéu uncer in the Spring humus was aacead to the goil, Tre pens belny le- 4 fumeg aaced some.wnat to the nitrogen content of thre soil, The spring Plowing wes Gone April 2,ane S, anu between those aqates anc tl:e time or planting tée sull wee Stairrce frequeatlvy with the Aeme harrow, Thus tre moisture Wrich f.c peen stored us by fall ana winter rains ws not wastec br evenoretion enc wee Largely reteinea for tie potato cro). Selectin: “seed” Tuners, The “esed"™ used wos selected wit! svecizl care ante consisted of sood marketanle rotctoesg, These a@re cut so thet eecr piece snrall have from two to three hucs uron each piece,but if trere 198 rut one bua it 1¢*¢ consicered sufficient. The suc enc oF ths rotato is not Ciscercce hut is elwsvse agiviaee so too many shoots nay not stert From one hill, In cuttin: seed tubers the size of cach piece is of more inyortzinace than the numhber or “vcs wron ezen p1ece, While « single nuc my procuce geoa results wren @ll conaitions are fevorenhle,vet 1t 16 tre exce: tion cr Lae ns oe ct @ll concitions ere fevorsble enc the rruaent planter O is cr e ce must provice for the acverse concitions, Lee TT © c @ perenniel es it frows unger natural conaditions,inc the purrose of the enlzerjsca underground etem or tre turer,1s to serve es eae storehouse for food upon wrich tre tender tplents will feed »efore trey ere sufficiently strony to GQraw fror. tre soil, A So00G $1zZ6€G Seec VLicee tren shoulu ne plented anc. where this is cone & stron visrurous shout 1s likely to result, Plenting t’c¢ Potatoes, All plats were plented on ley 7, The rows Were markea off at distances of forty inches ana were Opened ~ Gceply with a shovel plow,ana then the seed wes Gro: ea, one piece in o place,enca pieecs fourteen inehes apart ids tre row, “etter results seem tu follow py planting closely in toe row anc heaviness tree vows ehout furty inches apart. Tre eaverin, of the rotstoes wae Gcne wile «4 rence hoe es it wes troueht more uniform cuveriasr coule ce eecured, but this practice hss Since Slven awey to wrat 1s considered e better methoa,. The treatment siven tre various rlsats enc tre results are srown in tke following oo me ame oe ome eee ew eee eee oie eee To, Of time sprayed VYarlety. with Por- Totcl yiclad Flat 7o,0f cul- CeeUx and ber eere NO, Livations, Ferls Green, Tushels. 34 Carmen ¥o,3 Glevel gtince Sie 25 a " " w S97 36 " " 5 level " Sa 37 " " " " S65 OS " " 5 hillea " 26 59 Rurel New Yorker No.2 5 level No times 254 40 " " " 4 times 505 41 " " 7 level " O27 +2 Rose of Sharon " " 520 43 " " 5 Leveé " S1ll ~—_— = oe le eee eee ele ele eee ee eel lee lle le eee ee eee Several points of interest are Shown by tre above tunle., Plats 64,85 anc 56 received the same treatment in every wey except aus to tillase. Plat oc nau been treztea aif fcrently from tre other plats during 1046, It wage sown to spurry (Spersula arvensis) ana the growth was plowec uncer,so that no crop wes removed from tre plat in Lovo, This #ave it some aavantége over the other plets anc lt responaed by giving the larsest yicla secured upon any plat.. It 18 @ metter worthy of notice in cunnection With the gsvowth of the Spurry that thougn the entire crop WES ploweo under Qeeply,éena a ecultivateu crop hes been ryrown upon tre lena every yeéer since,that in 1YOL tre plat wae well covered wiih spurry plante which haa come rrom tre originel secaing,or from plants whick hec escep- ed cultivation anc aevelonea seed, Upon all plate ex- cept 34 forave crops were frown in lL6&Yo,. Attention is callea to tre results on plats S7 Ene 58, These two plets were treatea alike In every respect except thet at the lest time of cultivating plat $7 wes left level anc plet SE wes hillea, The reftult shows «@ yield of thirty-seven hushels more per acre on tne plat left level than on the plet hilled. If in any season the hilling would have shown yoouw results it shoula have been Guring tre present season, Rain we qr a) ts Oo & a ¢> ‘» ct s* on) Cc at no time curing prowth wae 1t épparent thet ine plants were susfering necause of lack of moisture, The reason Ordinarily given for hillins potatoes 1s that 1t 1S Goune to keeo turers from growing out of the grouna anu recom- ing sunburned, If the loéna be properly fFilieaG uc tie plantinis properly aone the potetoes Will not vrow oul of the ground, On tre plet wrere Level cultures wes elven no potatoes weve thrown out recause of Sunhurnaing. The { potato loves = moueretely cool,noisi suil anc tre hallin,, crocess if not éecepted to proauce these cunclitions. In tre case of the two plete nmentionoa anove,tre Vallins of i in yield of potatoes on the plat receivins hitl culture means the present season c loss of 324.09 per acre,és tr: potatoes wore seloe alrecet fror. tre fPiela for sixty-five cents per hustrel, The generel result? witr culture verify the results Onteainea in 1OY6, i.e. that in tre ortwinary svesuon anvat ceven to nine cultivations witr ¢ fine toothea implement are likely to give best reeults, Ae the vines of tre rotato epreaa so sf tv cover @ portion of tre Spice ne- tween the rows tre cultivating implement shouvla be mate nerrower so thet 1t will not come inivo too close contact with tre plants, It has neen stated thet curing loy’/ tke potato mlight was especially severe ena ther. throughout tre en- tire stste the potéto crop was injured ena in many locel- ities entirely destroyed, Plat No, SY wes nov Spruyea with Poraecux mixture but the potato neetles Were Ke;,t in nN “ check wit’ Psris pvreen applica with sypsum, Plet tio,«0 with which plet “o. SY As comparanle Was Spraeyea will Bporaceaux mixture anc Paris sreen fuur tines, Tre yiela upon plei 39 wee £44 bushels per were wrile the yivela up- on vlav 40 was 605 huskels per acre, This aifference of 7l bhuskels per sere can Only be éEccountea for by tre spreying of one plat anc not spreying the ovher,. PLat O9 wee necly effected with tre lete nlight,while u,on A plat 40 there wes no evicence of blight. | The mone; los per acre upon the plat not srreyec was over ..40.00, The cost of straying an acre four times would not have ex- ceecec six Golléers. In a@cGltion to tre fungus enemies or the potetoes ase the early anu late olairhis there are insect enemles whieh must ve cared fur oOo: they will de- etrov tke crop, In the Spring ihere appears First the litile leaf flea-neetle (Crepidocere cucumeris). This is « smell black rectle which sucks the folléeize and while 11 Gog¢s not eat tre leef,yet the tissue at tre point of injury Gles ana the lesf soon hes the ttpesrunce of neing Fiiics Witr shot holes, These injurec ~laces make faevorantle resting places for tre sores of plight; the l 1s T fe infurea in vitality,cne Enytrdae wiaek inguree theo visor O. tre pacante mekes trem more Susceptirle to attizackse of slight. Tre only remeay we rave foune effective in com hetting the little lea? flea-neetle 19 RorGeagux mixture, While it coes not kill ike heetles yet In Some wey it 18 onnoxlious ty trem anc for severéel Years we have sucerss- Fully combatted ther by thoroushly ¢ureying with Torceaux mixture in tre early ¢r. r The plente are protectca at a e --- - from tre é€arly hligztht,enc if Peris ¢reen 185 put in ike Poracaux mixture,&?2 1t sroulc clweve he,tre Coloracto ;o- tato reetle (Noryphora Gecemlineete) i¢ Successfully commatteda et tre seme time. Tre successful | otvato grove er must provice means for spreying his entire acreage of Fotetoes if he woula fuarentce success, Hilled Culture comparea wiih Level Culiure,. A8 potatoes sre usually srown in‘Vew York they are plentec shellow,end then at a@nout tre thirc cultivétion an implement 1s uveed which rideces or hiiis up tre suid @rounc the plants® ena tillaese thea ceeses for the se2eson, Thie practice seems very firmly f1ixea, The reasons usau- ally siven for this practice are that it covers tre it comee Geeply anc keeps tres From necoring sunburned; Weeage Go not otter after the Filling es trey ao srounad 1s left level; that potatovse Guo nut rot wren trev are viven hill culture eno that when to GQlisring,tre wots 18 muc”™ more eesily per- formea then whea level tillere 18 precticeg. There is some truth in ell theeve statements, hut tre entire truth 1¢ not expresseG ry them, The prime onjiect oF Uolaty erowinge 1s to proauce potutoes ana all of trese other TOIints ere gsimely incicental. Flats $7 ana 65 were oatyr treatea alike in every except that viLot €7 was cultiveteu Tive times anc tre lana lett level,while plat oS Was ricdved at the Lest workin, The yielo Fron tre pLlev re- ceiving level tillsve was 325 bus*els Per Gere anu Prous. tre hillec plat the yiela wae 266 nushels per acre, Y ’ This agi:rference of 37 busiels per ecre cen only ne ec- countea for hy the aifference i: the treatmeni ur Lee soll, We believe the populeér noilon uouut hidlins puti- toes upon a Gry uplsane soil 18 erroneous,éenc that tre mein Ohjiect 1s lost sisru ofr, If the Leno 1¢ properiy fitteca nefore potetoee are plentea enc ire potatoes Ere vlanteo Geeply tre potatoes will not frow oui of the ground except ir rere esses, The weecs G>) not erow so rapidly wkeve ridrea culture 1¢ fiven heecsuse the rics iio: hurvs the weecvs Ceervly anc tren tre sSurfece of tre rilase becomes cry anc weees Co not stzert avain,. Conc itlons whick are fevorehle for tre vrowth of potetocs ere favor- eble for the yvrowtkt of weeas enc vice verea, It svems are to be truc tret where the lent 1s rideved tre potatoes not gO Ssuhieet to tie rot, This is poeslibly cue to the fect thet tre spores wkiech ceuse rot are su; osea to fall frum the potato topes tu tre prounda, If the grounaa 18S rideea these spores have a tencency to ne weshea to the ctutre of tre #psce hetween rovs anc thus mey be aceounica for tre fact tret ridging seeme to prevent potato rot, Ir hovever the potatocs are thorourvhly sSpreyeo with Toracéeux mixture the blignt mey ne Susreet @faeinst ena tre neces- elty for riding obvietea,. The matter of GQleeine: will he culickly settled Wnen potéeto growers Gemaénd amplemenats Which will die potatoes not riciead, “anufseturers will meet tre demana of the fermers,ena alreaay we hove alg- Fers which ere fuarenteca to ais potatoes uncer all couu- fitioar, All of the objections tu level tilléese ao noi Qutwelgvh tre fact that pry metzns of 1t more potitves muy -~ S "5 c Wm e be reisea if proper care 1¢ Bliven the pv One Acre Potéeto Field, Tn @G¢1ition to the Sserics of expurime catal plate which rave been Gescrinea,one écre of j;,otetoes wee ,Linc- ed on tee Lene whore $14 bushels 0: potatoes haa been harvestea in L596, Previous to l169uU this lena hea deen TG subjectcd to ea resular four years’ rotution of wheet, meacow,corn anu oats. In ture Fall of L&évo a Llighi aL- plicstion of sirawy manure wae a@pplice ent then the stra. wee all vekec off an treo Spring erore plowing the Lena for potatoes, Tre viele in lov. wes S14 dusreis. Without any acaitionel manure or FertitLizger tre lena wus asain plentea to c.otetoes in L&EvY7,anu a yieic of 275 bush els o*tained from the acre, Five cultivations anc four suravyings were given,tre first three sprayings heine with “orcgesux mixture anc Paris ereen enc tre Lest bein wiih mixture Boravceux #xlone, Thies Pielo wae suomevrau nevlectsoa owla:: to tre wet Aurust enc tre weecs were GDermlilieca to prow. wee Late ain tre season when tre weeas were ale- ct a VrRile i lowed to grow,there is no question but what tre yicla of. rotatoss was materlielly Gecreesed by ther, TO 8Le What erfect wecaine woulo have,four rows were eleence of Ure lerse weeGs hy hana anc it wee Pounce u_on hervesting tri tre wecGing hac inersesea the ylele et tre vete of 3D rushel¢ por eere. The whole peteto ficic should have 2 heen Kept Perfectly free Yrom wevcos untill whe time oF rerveetings, A source OF material loss to tre potero cron ic frecvnently cue to tre Feet test an ete Suren.wr enc early “Mell tre weed? ere ellovec to «row, Poteto Exreriments in 159, ee we we oe ow oe Qwrwrnrr-e Tetails of Experiment. The land selected for the experiment in 1o¥l was a portion of the egeries of plats upon which tre experimencs hed neen conductea in previous yeers, The soil a¢ grav- elly and porous énd especially subject to injurious ef- fects from cacroughte. The poteto cro; grown in L&Y6 wes the fifth crop removed fron. the lana since any fertilizer Or menure hac heen ep;rlied, The soil wes neginnin;: to show « Geficiency of humus owin:z to tre intense culture which hac been piven enc the slight returns of or-anic matter, While cover crovs of crimson clover,.wheat or rye haG been uvsead,yet necessarily tre xrowth hea reen re- Stricted ena the emount available to plow under in the Spring had been small. The result of tris aeflciency of humus wee shown in tre tencency of tre soll to necor:e hara &@na compact unaer the effects of beatin reins, Tn order to keer a soil permanently in good prysicael Cr. br : 3 condition,1i:i ic ahnsolutely necessary trot organic metter ne returnea in some wey eltrer by freen manuring or tre uee of raorn méenures, Previous treatment of the Soil, The plats entering Anto tre experiments hea been croppea heavily for five yeers since ény menures were &pr plied with tre exceptions notec nelow, In the Wanter oi 1693 -4,ahnout ten tons of mixeG “arn menure were a,;liea per ecre, In 1894 all plats were planteu to corn vwhicr vas one of the regular crops in the four yeers rolétion, Previous to l&U4 the rotation whicr haa been practiceu wae wheat,meacow (clover anc timothy) corn éEna ogts, The crops whicn have peen prodguceca uyon ike various plits Since 1894 are shown in the following table, ean om ow ew @ — We &— 8S Re SS ee eee ew ewe Pe eee eee eee ees ee eee es= eee es eee eee ee ee ele CO Plat Crop Crop Crop Cro, Crop No, 1&94 1&95 1LE96 1597 L59& 21 Corn Potetoes Corn Oats Potetoes OL Cora Potetvoes Corn Corn Potetoes 20 Corn Potatoes Corn Oats Potstoes 24 Corn Potetoes Corn Oats Potetoes a Oats & <5 Corn Potatoes Corn Pes Potetoes eas 26 C Potet C Oats & Potat ) orn otetoes Yorn Rarley otatoes 27 Corn Potetoes Corn Pees Fotetoes 28 Corn Potatoes Corn Rarley Potetuoes 29 Q Usca for Potatoes moyen Pote Loe orn roadway fertilizea ara Gy OF ELOES 30 Potet Potatoes at Put N wn , pa = . ° - v JL< \ S $1 Corn Corn Fotetoes Oats Potetoes 45? C C Potat Oats & POteEtoes 2 Jorn ‘orn otatoes peas OLEtOES ——— ee oo. a - The land wee plowec in early Svuring to a Gervir of anout ten inches. Shortly refore tre time for planting the land wes replowed with the feng plow,the furrows he- ing turned to e Gepth of éerourc Four incres, The surface vae then thorouskhly pulverized with the harrow. The rows were merkea o7' Ff at Gistances vi forty inches ana furrows Were openea by means of a@& Shovel -Llow to «a aerth vi anout five inches, If tre léne hes vreen plowea shellow 1 will he impracticanle to oren tre furrows tu Sucn a Ce, th. Tre “seed" was fron first clacs sStock,lerve,nmerkel- eble potrtoes only wbeline usec, These were cut laws Pieces contéining from one to three eyes to tre piece. The pieces were Grop:ea in tre furrows carectly efter ce furrows had been opened,one piece being put in a place and at disteaces fourteen ineres arvart in tre row, Tre shovel plow was asein used ane & furrow wes Openea in the micale of the space left when the first furrows were onened, This secona vse ot the snovel plow Servea tu cover tre potetocs, the earth reins: riasea ui. Glirectiv over the poteto rov, The plenting wes Gone on May LO, The soil wee then left undisturhbea until bey 2&, The riovse which’ were left over the sSgea }otetove coverct - a’ , }<¢ c Vora? eug ble » them to arout tre aepir of elsmhu aneres. the weed seeds which were in the surfiuce soil hea ;ermin- ated ena the whole surfece was coverec witk tiny weeas, A $bike tootr herrow wee Fittea with = piece of © x 4 ecuntlingg placea Giaroneally across una@erneath whe Freme eno held in place by the rerrow teeth. The harrow thus riggea was vsed uron the :otaeto plats,neing first run to lengthwise of the rows enu tren crossilse, The weds he Ooi the Griver uLon tre herrow wee necessery in orcer v9 make it do tre leveling as recuirea, The peneflt Geriv- ea from tris treatment wes very marked, All weouas were Geetroved, the surface crust wee Proken,all clocse enc etones were removec fror, erove tre row Enq Gevrosllea 11 the center of the Srece hetween rows,the surface wee lev- eled anc in every wey thre conaitions were mece favorable For tre renid growth of tre potetoes,enc the plunts é;,- pecrea enbove rround in trree or four Geys,. Tre treatment whier tre various plate recelvea the sceason ene the yiela from each vlet are show: by the following tabuler satatement,. — = -— ~ Tm ee eee ee eee LL LLL Plet Tate Verlety of puote- “o, of “O. of Jcate of Yiela ‘o, planted toes, cultures, spray- Gigsing. ver éecre in. pushcles, 21 May 10 Encéurence O level, 7 Oet LE 595.0 oe " Carman 0,3 6 tt 7 " 1& 544.6 23 " " " ge 7 " 18 505.35 OF " " " 3 " 7 " 17 or), 25 " " " & hifYledad 7 "17 527.5 26 " " " 6 level 7 Sept.29 510.5 27 " " " 3 " 7 " 2g 209 ¢0 LE ‘8 " " 3 " 7 "89 209.5 29 " " " O " 7 " 2yY 215.0 ZO " " " 5 " e "og 20u,1 S1 " Rose of Sharon iO " Y " = 9yg 118,56 32 " Endurance 6 " 0 "29 LOL» - -—= — 2 2 oe eee ee ee ele eo >> — om ewe eee ee ee - —_ en =. ae ee Gwe ap ose ae eo ew ee ee ek oe —_ es = am io _—— —- = Onservations upon tre above Tehle, The variety Enaurénce which was frown upon vler. 2) enc 32 wes claimed to be proof avgeinst pligsnt. While pleat 21 was sprayed with Toreeeux mixture Plet S2 wes not scpreyed ana it seemed tuo nave strong resisting -owers, - vw The reeults fror. tillese were not so marked cas in some previous veers. The aifference retween te level anc the Killed culrure és shown on 7. 1ats 24 enu £O Wes only 138 nushels rer acre, Turins, Tuly trere prevaiiead « se- vere carought. At times tre soil wes founa ution examina- tion to have only four per cent moisture in tie surféece foot, This condition without aount géeriously injured the crop, hut the plants were eaenle to maintain tremselves ana when the rélin ceme in Augiust srowth was renewed, Turing tre dry weather tre soll showed tre effect of ile heavy cropping to which it hed neen suniected, The hu- mus haG neen Gerleted ane 1! wee uneble tv hola moisture even though thorough tilleve was practicea, The imyor- tance of kseving tre soil well Suyplieuw with humus at ell times wee emphasized, Field rotatoes L&Y&, An area of 1.01 acres,the larger part of which hec neen devoted for several yeorsg tv tre raising of manyold wurzels,was plantea to potetoes Mey 26, Tne lena wé.g fitted similarly to the manner aescrihec on tre elats, fertilizea Part of tris land hec. reen for several years with ennual “ry lications of bern menures,enc Feu been provirt inte ee goog conaltion, Prerretion of the Seed, a « 1 Apout three weeks nefore tre potatoes were , lontea the eeea wae cut, Tt wes the purrose et the tame of cuttings tre seed to plent tre potetoes Within « Pew aeys, hut almoet continuous rain celaevece the work until the enc oF May, The potatoes wrich hac Peen so lony cut hee been very much vweekence in vitelity, havin: heatca anu moulcea somewret. They were plentea,hovwever,ance. the etencd secured was very voor,e consiceranle purtion of the fiela hevim: to be replentead. The furrows For tre potatoes were Oobenca wit? «@ couhle molaghosra ylow,thke rows forty inches avert ena the potetoes were drozred one piece in 2 plece at Gaistinces o° 14 ena 16 inches éevert, Tre Gourle mole-hno&ru tilow Wes then useaq 19 cOverin: tre potatoes ent the soil was let ricvec up anove the rowe, As £ portion of the Tiela was a eley losm soll ena rather wet eat the time ofr plenting, tre harrow wae usea within onc week ana tre ricjses were lLevelec cown Ene elvas were pulverizea nelsore trey reeame ton rera ena ary to crus® caesily, The soil c v ‘rd wee werm end moist ane tre potstoes eame up cuiekly. Arovut tre time they were Dreckin, trrouer Lic Surfece Lic weeder wees usecG w1itr fooa resulis, It nroke tre crust Enc Gestrovyea weece tret eoulaG not “e reaekea witn tie cultivetor, Poraecaux mixture wit? Paris green wes ust five times en. five cultivéetions were fiven, The yaelu from the fPield containing 1.91 ecres woes e2l1lb6 puskels,or zc yield or 214 pusk:ls ver ecre, Lesson¢e arawn From the Acre or Potetous, ——a py ee —_—- Seed shoulc mow “co cut for any consicerarle Lerioa nefore nlenting. If it ecomes neeessary to Gelexy j.lont- ing for some cunsiluvcrarie time «efter potatoes Bre cut,the cut rieces shnoulo re Custea With plaster ana Spreaa out In a moacrately moisi,cool ;lice, At least they srouic not ne allowed to heat,neither must t?.cy be aellowea to become cry. If yvlentin:; 18 gone very eéerly la tice Spring the rieves may re vrermitted to remain for ten Ceys to trvo a weeks before herrowin:, co.wn. If zplantin: 1s aqone some- whet lete the riasges should be rurroweu Within one weer after planting, In the eese or tre early planting trere 1s vesslly enousr moisture ureseat so treat the ricging mév tenporerily prove « “enefit ny enerling tre svll to become worm, In tho esse of late plenting ell the moist> ure sroula re con¢served,ana this 1s rest aone by levelin:: ths riaves. Severel causes contribtutea to the low yitla on ile acre field,chief amon; which were seed which hace necore weskened in vitelity thus necessiteting renlantiny,lete plenting, excessive Grought in duly,follovwed hy excessive reins, While the lend hea been recelving: fairly Liveral eyplications of menure Ent wee In € proua svete of fertil- ity,yet tre causes Brove mentioned conspirca Lo 1 iouuce Put Litsle more tron hel the crop which shoula heve ncen rroaucead unaer fevorarle conaitions, 4353 Potato Investigations in lLOYy = we ee om oe ~e oe om OQOwnmr----=-H- The Summer of 1lE99Y wes excécadin;ly hot anu aory,so ennormel were trese conagitiors thet we a@em 1t worth while to present tre following téenles fliving tre recoras 7 of reinfall ana temperature Curing tre prowling seeson, Recora of FPRainfell, Month Palintell inekes e Neparture from tre normal inches. ep GP sp ow owes = ew ew ow ew &@ a= 8B] we wwe ew ew]! Ss om ew ee ele le ele ee ee ee lee le Blew ee ee eee ee es = ee ee ele ee ie oe eune, July, August, September, Octorer, 1.45 2.90 Bet 2.01 £10 to tN ie - 0.75 - 1.16 - 1l.,og - 0,29 - 0.97 - 0,64 - 0.71 “y > Recora of Temreraturs, Month, Averere Neverture from Lempurature, the nornéel,. O April, 46,7 Fehr, + 4,2 Fahr, wf d 0 0 May. 98.1 " + 90,7 " O O June, 67,8 " + 1.1 " O O July, 70.8 " + 0,6 " O O August, 71.4 " + 3,4 " . 2.0 O Septemrer, OU.e " + 1.9 " . O O Netorer, 54.1 " 4 2,4 " It will be seen that there was a aefici¢gncy in reinfall for each month anqd that the entire ceficiency wes 6,01 inches, Thais fect of atself woula reve been sufficient to account for unsatisfactory conagiriions, Put combineG with this aeficiency o7 rainfell wes high tempcratuyre, The comninea vffect of these two conai- tions accounts for a low yield of potatoes in 1699 Which vood tillegze wae not able to overcome, Soil Conditions, The plats on which the potétoes were ;:rown were @ part of tre nermanent Series wrickh have neen heretorore Gescrinrea, The soll wee sravelly ana ras necome cefil- cient in humus ena tire effect of this deficiency was pleinly seen in the cror, All plate were one-twen' ieth of en acre in area and in plenting unless otherwise aoted the method aescrihnec as practiced in 1598 was pursueda, It shoulc re rememberea in studying the following tanrnle of resuits that no manure hes heen a@rylied to tre lina since 1894, Record of Results in 1699, The following table gives @ record of tre methoas of treatment for each plét anc elso the yields, Record of Plate L&9D, - > ee = oe a _D_eanrwre= Swiss ep se ww a ee TR ewe eww ww eww ew es 2-2 OTe Ol ee eel eee ee ee eee eee eee eee ee ee ee ee ee ee ew ee ee ee eee eee eee ee ee ele lee eee eee ee Variety of Mumnoer Number of Yield per “umber of rate potetoes, Of culti- sprayings. acre, nugr- Plat. plented. vations, els. 33 May 6 Fnuurence g O z0Y Shellow plaentea,354 Maw 6 Endurance g 6 201 35 May 6 Endurance g G 1y2 36 Vay 6 Endurance Y 0 144 357 May 6 Enaurence 3} 6 L&& 58 May G Enauréence 6 6 logy 39 May 6 Enauvrance g 6 17-i Silled 40 May 6 Pndurance 3} 6 19% Level 41 May 6 Enaurance 3 6 195 42 Maw 6 Endurance O G 200 43 May O Endurance 9 6 Quid The avera:te yield of potatoes for New York state in 1E99 was 8&8 hushel® per acre, It will te sven ny a study o7 the tanle thet the yielas upon tke plats fori sz year were not ac large as trey were in previous years, The most marked result of the experiment wes tre yield upon plat “No. 36, This wes plented tre same a: was tlet S$5,anc wes trestea tlhe same in every wey aurin, the season except thet while the potatoes on plat “o, do were sprayed with Yordesux mixture anu Paris green g1x times aqurin: the season the potatoes upon plat S66 recelv- ed no Yordeaux mixture the Paris vreen necessary to kill tre potato beetles neing put on ary with vypsum. Nurin;: the season of growth the results of the sprayiniss Were nou acparent. So far as one coulda juaze 7rom the @Lpcaraence of the vines the spraying haca not proaqucea @eny benefit. When the time for Ggifsin: came,however,thre plat which hue not neen spreyed with Torceaux mixture yieclceca consiccre- nly less tran the plat with whicr it was comparea, Tetween plats 40 and 41 there wes no marked Giffer. ence, Plat 40 was hilled while plat 41 wes level. In Our experiments heretofore we heve found thet t!}.ec level culture hes almost inveriehly given the rettcr results, With the fermers througnout the poteto trowing seetion of New York state tre custom 1s almost unliversel of erowin;: potatoes py what is known as the “hilling” method. The average of all our results show thet level tillexze under ordinery concitions gives most satisfectory results. -_ — eS ee Te Oe In our experiments we have conslaerea 1t wise to Gevote an area to potetoes other tren uron the permanent eeries of plats, Upon the fiela agree in all eases hes been méce a test of the meti ods founa moet sutisfactoryv pon our exfverimentel plats. The eres of tre fFicla was 476 acre. The soil was a loam borcerin:: on 2 eléy iosm not whet is considered cholce potato soil, In loev&S tre lana was in & meaaow,é crop of mixec eclover ana timothy hay havingg been cut, Afterwaras the lanc wes pestured so that what seconc growth wes made of the elover ana timothy wae removec, In the early Spring the Lana was plowed and herrowead, The potatoes Were plaentea May Ytnh. The rows were markec off three feet apart anu the Lota- toes were drorpea in the open furrow at aistances of flf- teen inches, Turing the Qrought of tre growing season it) was founc that the vrotatoes suffered, Apparently thre 4 rows were too close,ana from a careful onservaétion of tre potatoes during the growing 8e:s0n better results woula likely have neen secured hac tie rows been 40 inches e- part instead of 36 inches, Tre following tebuler stéte- ment shows tre treatment fiven ena tre yield per acre, su heate ‘To, of Times Tate of yield per planted, cultivetions, sprayed, hervest aCYre. Mey 9, 5 5 Oet, OG 202 hus The area of potetoes prown,hmeings nearly one-helf eacre,and the yield show thet even in 4@ com-aretively Loor year aior wotatoes a fair yield mzy re ontalned if pro;er con- Gitions of soil ere secured, Lessons for tre year 1595, The most etrikinis results were obtainea in ihe spraving tests uron plats 35 enc 3», In every way tney were treated alike except that plat 35 was spreyea ana plat 36 was not, The results were not a;perent until the potatoes were harvestec and weliphed, Then it was found trat the sprayed plat ylielaed at tre rate of 468 nuskels more per acre then the plat not sprayed. This would muc®™ more than pay for the extra léhor involvec. The tillage exteriments were not merked in results és 1n former years, Potato Investirzetions in 1900. om we ee ee ew oe oe OQwrmnr--——---— The Grougsht whicr prevuilead in L6YY wis repeated in 19090 wit’ even more severity. So annormal were tic conditions that we present herewith the recoras of rain- fell and tem ereture for the frowing se-son of 1990 Pecora of Fainfell. ep eee ee ree ee =e - --2 Month. Reainfell Teparture from thre inches normel incres, Arril. 1,6& - 9,52 May. 1,51 - 2,25 June, 1,96 -1,050 culy, 2.41 - 1,44 August, 2290 - 0,95 September. 0.94 - 2,06 The total rainfall for tre e1x months given wes 19.90; inches below tke normal,or tre cefilciency expressea fay NS: ke in tons was 1140 tons of water upon tre acre, Recora of Temperature, Eee - —_ _— 2s oe >. Month, Average Nererture from temperature, tne normal, April. Gh .4 + O.Y lay. O7.1 * 0.0 June, 67.0 + 0,93 July, 72.0 + 1.8 August, Tied + 4,5 September, 64,9 # 5,6 For every montn except May the temperature wis ehove the normal, Puring Ausjyust ance September tre Ge- perture wes most marked ana wren cool weatrer shoula hive rrevailea for nest condition of the potatoes 1t wes ab- normallly warm, These concgitions are statea peceuse they offer en explanation in fart of most of tre results Se2cureca, Plat Experiments in 1909, The pléets were all One-twentieth of Gn Gere in areé ano tre soll a gravelly loam. For ©1x yeérs 1t hes “ymnrer of Plat, —_ a @ we we te = a oe 21 Le 20 24 25 26 _ = Fee + we = heen subjectec to intensive tillese without the applica- or manures, Tre agetsils of soil preperetion ana of plantins were simllar to those of otner yexurs, The re- sults of the seagons plat work are given in the followin: te-le, Recora of Pluts for 1900, Ee we o- =_ = ee ~~ ee = = oe -—- eee —_ — ao ae we ew © Oe ee ee lee ee ee ee Oe ele l -— o-~ -— & Owe @ ew & SF @ awe = 2... oe ow ew Oe ow a oF a & OD Variety of Number Number of Yield per Nete potatoes, of culti- sprayings. ecre bus* planted, vetions. els, es = ewe @ e2# ese @ «= @ ee ew a @ & @ oP we BB &— & Ow Ge ae SH |B & SP awe we Ow! BF SF & BP & aw or ae we | | BS Oe ae eee eee Oe eee ee ee Ce May ll Carman No, 3 5 4 105 May ll Carman No, 3 5 0 135 “ay ll Carmen “o, 3 5 4 G& May ll Carman ‘lo. 3% 3 4 93 Mav ll Carman ‘to, 3 3 4 104 May ll Carmen No, 3 4 hilled 4 103 Mave ll Carman No. 3 4 4 9G Mey ll cir Walter Relveigh 5 5 129 May ll Sir Walter Raleigh 4 5 Le+ Mey ll Sir Walter Raleigh 3 3 llo Mey ll Sir Welter Raleigh 4 3 147 Mav Jl Sir Walter Raleigh 4 3 139 May ll Sir Welter Releigfh 4 3 125 The everave yielc of potatoes for New York Siate in 199090 was 81 hnushels per acre, While the yiela wes not low comparec with the crop generelly proauced by tiv farmers of this section of the state,yet 1t was low com- parea with Tormer yields reported, We heve alreaauy under tre report of climatic concgitions explained in pert the reason Yor the felling cff, Proper Soil conditions must be mainteined, The results ontainea this yeéer f1lve us en Oppor- tunity to unswer a question whie> has been askea many times coneerningg our experimental work wit?r potctoes, Tre question is "fo you reconmend tre practice of s:;rowing potatoes yeer after year uron tre same Lend without the uses of manure or fertilizers?" We GO not reconmmenc the prectice,anc many heve mistaken tke real object oi our work, Vie have attemptea to demonstrate thet plent food *udicioug tillaze ey can be mece avallaple by thorough ana anc thet more often the failure or partial failure of a crop is due to lack of moisture ratrer then to leck of plent Food, Where the soil is in proper physical conai- tion the moisture mev ne conserved through an extreme Grought bv meens of frequent snellow surface tillase, Rut if the soil hes necome dGeficlent in humus no émount of tilla;e is ahle to méke good the aeficiency. If all conditions are favorahle as to rainfall ana temperature the humus prorlem 1s not so important,nut if it is Ot expectea to carry a crop succcsstully trrough & sea#eon of drought aes was the Summer of 1900,the soil must be anune- ently surplied witr. humus or otherwise it will part with its moisture anc tke crop will suffer, Intensive til- lage for best results through a@ series of yecrs must de accompanied with the use of farm ménures or green manur- ing, This is especially true of potetoes where best re- sults are secured in @ moisi,cool soil, Abundance of humus favors both these conaitions,so it 1s possible thei the lesson from the potato plats in 1900 is as iImportent ™ CG Y i cn ® as when larger yields were secured in previous e. Record oy tre Fiela Area in 1900, Eee «ae eee -_— -- The area of the potato fiela was one acre. fPuring the Winter of 1899 - 1909 a lisht a,;plication of ferm manure wes given the land,prohably anout ten tons of coarse meénure were applied to tre acre, The lana was plowed anc fitted in the early Spring anu was planted tv potatoes May lZéth, The potatoes were planted in rows 490 inches apart anc were coverea aeeply,tre lana bein: left in ridses over tre seed pieces, Ten cuys efter Doléenting the lang wes harrowedad twice over, After tre Plented, tray 12, harrowin:: the jrrowt’ of the plants was very rer ia, Ve nelieve the practice of harrowin:: potato land after ihe rotatoes are vlantec an. before tieyv ere up 1s very inn portant, The land mey often ne herrowea two or three tines with profit. This method of procedure, however, can only be séefely acopted wrere t}.e potatoes Ere coverea ceeply,not less tran four inckes, Tre followin: tenular stetement fives tre recora of the acre of potatoes for 1909, _ mie om oe - apa & aD OR & & BF | SP ew ft Oe ew ew em = OF & ow — @ GB SF ST Pe & O- BP CDW SP Peewee wee fF wewr Ww ss | SP WP wae as ss aw Tate of Yield TDigving. eer acre, No, of “o, of Variety. Cultivetion, Spraying. =a ope =e ee SE @= & SP eT e-em ee oe s—- se ee eee ee ele ee eee eel eee lel eel elle eee ee lel eel eel ee eee ee ee ele le ele le 1’? rows to Carman No, 3 5 4 Sept.<4 £00 hush, Ll row to Pnaurence. l row to VPemisvhere, - em ee | 8 Se wee a ww | © eB TT OO ww ew UE ee ee ee ee ee eel lS nn Ee ss ewer Bs = ow Be ew we ss = PB ww | | ST) ee ee ee While the total yield from tre acre wus £00 nush- els tic row of tre variety,Endurénce,yieldea at the rete Of only 143 nushels per acre, The row of the variety remisnhere which wae directly ec joining the Encurunce yieldec et tre rete of 252 ruskhels rer acre, The yield Wee The yicla Ua 0S setiefeactory considerin;>: tre season, Ot) woule Likely heen somewhat larger hea hervesting neen Ge- ayed for ten Gays or two weeks, Tut inasmuc’ Gs tre crom could *“e sold directly from the field at sixiy cents per bushel 1t was harvested anc. sola, The considerable Gifference in yield retween the potatoes sfrown upon tre experinentel plats @nd upon tre one ecre area can only be accounted for by the fact trat the soll uvon tre one acre hac vreceivec manure ana was in much better whysleal con- Gition. Puvins tre entire season the varlety Hemisphere erpeared more vigorove than aid the other varieties, Lessons from the Season's Work of 19900 o- = «aD Trorough preparation of the soil anc. intensive tillage are not sufficient. The soll is urle to take up enc ret@in moisture only when the hur.us content is main- tained, So much emphesis hes in recent years been lala upon the importence of thorough tillage that sone have overlooked the fact thet tille:e unless accompanied by use of farm menures or freven manuring may Leau to Glre fF results, Intensive tillare promotes rapid oxidation of the orgenic matter of tre soil,eana while the canser 18 Ordinarily slight, tillase may be overaone,. Tre man who ~} cultivates his potctoes every two or tree Gays aurin:: é Grv time mev co them more harm than soca, GSnollow sur- feee tille:e every two weeks conserves molsture. Guring 4 Crousht as well as does tilléase every day,inc does not make such severe Gemands uyon the soil humus, In cuse of « réin the surface of tre soil shoula be tilled soon,. even though it has just previously peen tillea, Pu aftcr it is looseneac 11 shovulc be left élone for two weeks or more,unless rain mukes tre renewel of the sur- face mule? necessary, What is trve with reference to Fotstoes ic equally true concerning otrer intro-culturcéa farm crops,ang in orchera mensement wher. @oncaitions aie similer to ttose which optain in Central New York. experiments wits Fotatocs,1lyoOl, ow ee oe eee OQrrr-r-- The lanc selectea for potatoes this yeer 1s & loam: soil boracrins on clay loam,anc «= part of the ares wes plentec ta potetoes in 1900, It 1s soil which woula he consicerea in f00G condition for the production oc: grass or ¢rein,»ut for the production of potatoes of thre best quality it is not ideal, In the Fall of 1909,after the crop for the year hac neen removea,wheat was Grilled in upon the entire erea, The wheat maae a gooa growth enc servec well && @ cover crop,ana wes plowea under lay 9th.190l,anc tre lana was measured ana staekco off in a- reas oi one-twentieth acre each, Twenty-three of these plets were devotea to potatoes. The rvowg were forty inches apert anc the seea tubers were Groprvea one In @ place ana 15 ineckes epeart in the row... The Sprin:: of 1901 was markedly different from that of 1900, Nuring the months of March,April anc “ay there wes « surplus of rainrell shove the normal of 2,605 inches, Thie emount \ stetea in inchesfalls to convey to the ming or tie ¢e¢csu- Gl resaer tre emount of weter whicn ell uvpeon every acre duriaz tre three monihs in acaition tuo tre usual normal rainfall, It represents a suviplus of 802.64 tons of wi- ter upon every acre. This cmount of water upon lana al- reacgy well nigh seturated sreatly retercead the work in the Suring, interfered with cultivation of the crop as in mony ceases tne soil wes stirred when itl wes too vet, The season es & Wnole wes feirly scutisfectory trouser tre anove mentioned conditions Were unfavoranle tu tre hijysh- The followin: teole stows the results optueinea from e test o° planters, e 0,0; No.of Yicla ter ant- Variety, cultiva-s rey- Ovsa Terle following s° LOoes,. OowWlns results ceeunrea with Ne ene: > "7 , ee ] £38 4 . O wv = ween ae ewe am ew = ew ew © = oO} OO OW STW OP we ] 8 SSO eS oe ee lew le lum Ul Ue lel eel eel el eee eee eee eee eee es ll eee ee eel ee CC lee eee “o.of Yield per *o,.,o0f Tate -let,. tlant- ed, cultiva-sprey- tions, Ings. acre Reméerks, Tushels, —_— Gee oe em ee ow Om oe ee oh ow ee Pee le Ge ee 8! Ge OO Oe eel elU eee es ee eee ee eee eee eee eee ee ee eee ee ee eee eee ee eee 16 17 1 & 19 © én Mev 16 aay 16 June 12 une 17 armen Cay seats Cerman Cerman Cerman Carmon Cerméen Cerman Carman 6 Oy ) 09 td re?’,sPlentead usvel Cornell way, Spravec put once, 247,Plented usual Cornell + wey. 24¢6,Plentea usual Cornell WEY Willed, 25O0,Flintea usual Cornell WAY e 200eFlented Cornell way, 229.,Plentea Cornell wey, 146,Plantea Cornell wey. 19S.Furrows Opence Geep put seed covered shellow at first,soil workea tovw- ara plents, 200.Sc¢ead tuners ;lentea in shallow furrows &aG covered lightly, Loe.Plented late otherwise Cornell way, 197.,.Plerntea late with Ropo- Dine’ Ppotsto Plentcer, D8 gs toes The éveraye yield from all tre plats wrich wer. rlantead on Mav lG wes et the rete or 2.0 bushils per cere On ulat rlaetec on June Le yielaoed et tie rete of lee bushes \ els anc another plet plented on June 17 yielaeG ai tire ‘rate of 197 bushels ver ecre, While we will not aravy any Gefinite conclusions ‘ror. these results,it simply confirms ovr Opinion heretofore expressed,tnat. Por best results with vnotatoes thev should he Elantecac in ine early Spring anc shoulc have the entire season in which tu srovwe Many farmers plant lete in the gsesson in order tu avola in part the raveves of tre “noteto pug," enc there is no question anout there belng some acventese in this respeci. “ut if continusdG exc uriments Gemonstvete thet early ;laar ing ana thoroujtr spraying will inerecsuse the erop fron, 00 to 100 saushels per aere over late plentinis enc little or no spreving it would seem Ge wise policy to plant curly ana protect tre plants ny spraying, A stuGcy o7 ti.c ta-. ple will reveal trat the plets which receivee the rost tillage aGic not in every case flive a lerser yiela tian those pleats reeeivins « lets Gwaun. of talbloce.,. The ¢va- SOM West SO wet trat in some casceet In oracr tu carrey oul our e@exr.erimecnats, tille&sco wos fliven Wren tic soil Wes too moist anc the results were nov. elweys Penericicl, Whils ellplats were apparently free Prem bliere the pleat Mo. 13 whic). was sprayea bu Once Wil Forcucun mixture vicléed 227 husrels of 1otetocs rer aeecre anu tie ecrtoinins plat “To. 14 trestec tro Sin. Liv every way Gx- cept li was sv revec tyvo tines,vlieloca Et tru rate of 227 huskels ter eere, PFlet “No, 1Y recelvea no “Oreaceux mix- ture ana yiclcea et the rate or Lee bushels per acre While tre acioinin: ylet No,l6 trentca tro sore an every way excert treat lt was sprarvea txvice yYieltca at Lie rete of 229 nuskels rer acre, Whether the results were en- tirely due to the spraying we cannot say, All the plats ve ae “a 4 : _ oe, - : * yw ws 4 : . . coy v . . . * Weve YNnvotecteaq Trom tru potato ove. LeS one Lieto woe neo ! evicence of either early or lite Plisht, In Our work ow @ With Poraecux mixture tho treatment wes very tLrorous It wes thouscht pretter to Bprey two times ene GO the work thoroughly,rather than to spray nore frequently anu wo tre work not so well, Even though we Sometings nesu noi surey with Pordesux mixture te protect from blig:t we teva always to fPlecht tre i: oteto nHeetles, oo 7 - o . <- + ’ + * 4 Ne . 7 oars yr ne ‘ - i . Sreon An connection wlir tre Yorecaux we cre enrznblea to yrotect the plant from noth Punrus ance insce. foes, ve are not satisfiea with our gspreyin Gpperetug and ers looking for some poWer spreyer whicr will prove satisfec- tory wit” wotetoes, Pruning "ines not Tencficial. Pruanins roteto vines ts One main stezlk hes been recommenaea occasionelly,in tre ezriculturel press 1. recent yeers, Upon plet No.19 tke vines were prunea, This pléet yiela- . rete ec at the of 272 bushels per acre,vhile on plat No, 12 which was treatec the seme in every way except thet the vines were not p_unea yiclaca ét the rate of 2462 hnuskels per acre, Evidently pruning: ques nol ineresse tre yiela. Potato Machinery, Planters, Three different votato planters were testea Upon tre Experimental plets,the Tewett's Improvea,the Eureka anc the Robbins, While none of the plenters mentioacd are perfect yet all possess valuarle features, The &u- tomatic @roppers while plecin: the seva @€s evenly GS it is ordinarily placed when GroprveaG ny hand srould ce sup- plemented by some attachment hy means of which an - ocengionedt skiv may he SUL, L1eG Hy the Griver, Vhile we Go not. attempt to agrew eny conclusions ag to the relative merits or tre verlious plenters tested,rusea unon only one seesons trial yet there are some essentials whiecr anv po- teto planter must vossess ia orager to re entirely setls- factory upon ell soils, These essenti«els ere fivet,fur- row tor the seed tlunmers srioulu re OLrened to any Gesired cqepth; secona,seed pieces must ‘e Groppea with ansolute repulerity; third,arility to cover ihe seed aeeply or shallow according to the nature of tre soil, If a mae- fo chine 1i¢ not ahle to méet trese requirements it shoult not be purchased, In aeacition there skhoulce be sinplici- ty of construction,ént strenit> of frame trot ihe neces- eity for repairs may pe slicht, Spraying Apparetue. Tt 18 pronable trot one reason why the practice of gsprayins votetoes hes not heen more venerally saortcad is cue to the fact treat tke machinery for the work has nov fully met the cemands, Where potetocs are f£Yruwn Upon large areas of 29 acres cr more ,pvower s;rsyers,Where the pumping 19 Gone by an enssine mey he usec successfully ana vo ang economically. Tut where @ smell crea of only two to five acres 18 frown there are few who will vo to thre expense or purchasing & power sporeyer, To pump by hana power 18 not é@lways satisfactory nut for smell erees 11 is the best methoa wrere an engine cannot he purcresea, We see no reason wry some enterprising, Voum, mén in 4 coOnmmunity coula not @o & so0odg nusiness by Investins ina smell sceasoline ensine ana a com lete spraying outfit for the purvoss of spreyin’ all the potatoes in tne conmunity. This is now Gone in many cases in orehara mangement anc coulc “e cone with potatoes equally well, In our exper- imente extending over Six years the evicence is strong in favor of thorough spraying with Rorae&ux mixture ant Paris green, When the practice is -eneradly aQ0itea by tre farmers,machinery will ne founa to meet the Gemanas, The situation is well Sunmea up by one rower oF our acquaintance who remarkea, “Fy the use of tne potato planter,th: weeder,the herrew,the wheel cultivator anc tre potato dirger I ean now vrow four ecres Of 1rotsivrs at less expense than I coule formerly «row one acre, Conclusions, -=-O--— As a result of experiments extenalng over a perioa of six vears we are firmly of tke opinion that no other crop res?:onads more reaaqily to improved concitions than Goes tre poteto,. Thoroveh Fitting of the soil hefore plenting is of prime importence, While careless methous are often practiced ana a fair crop of potatoes results, yet tre man who woulda insure 4a crop anc not have lt Gae- penaent entirely uvon climetiec conaliticns must so fer as Luessible meke 411 soll conaitions favorable. Upon e well fitted thoroughly Greéinead soil Gee) pdentings 1s cGesirable, The lanc shoulG he herrowea re- reatedly before the potato plants appeer above vruount, Nuring the avera:re season anout seven cultivations give best results, Level tillage 1s prefcrabdle to riased or hill cul- ture, Soravime with Poraesux mixture ana Paris green 1s & necessity not only to protect potetoes Lrom hugs anc blight nut to preserve tre seneral vigorous conaltivon of tke folisgse, 3 Barly vlunting is preferanle to lete Elenting where provision hes been mace tu Spray thoroushly, ™ Spraying from three to four cines with Porueaux Cc mixture is suificient to ;rotect tre. foligre, Tuners ghoula *e eelectea for seea ana trose only usea whicr come from the most fruitful hills, Fy practicing the methoas Frerein outlined nut nwa- ified to suit local concitions,trere will he no necessity of imrortins from Europe huncreas of thousanaes of hushels of potatoes nut tre market cén be entirely surjyliead ny the American farmers, STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRAR “Hii”