JENSEN’S SYSTEM OF POTATO CULTIVATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1101, 16 November 1883, Page 2

JENSEN’S SYSTEM OF POTATO CULTIVATION.

A correspondent of the NB. Agriculturalist soys'. —Last year Mr Jensen’s pamphlet regarding his system of high moulding potatoes was brought before the East Lothian Agricultural Club at the July meeting, and it was agreed to make experiment with one of Mr Jensen’s protection ploughs, which was sent over from Copenhagen for the purpose. The results of these experiments were in two cases so satisfactory that the occupants of the farms intend to cultivate nearly their entire crop this year on the same system. Now as this system of high moulding is only in its infancy here, a few explanations and further trials are required. All practical farmers know how important it is to have the earthing up of potatoes thoroughly well done, and to secure, as far as possible, a good tid for doing so. What Mr Jensen recommends bears a thoroughly practical stamp in its every aspect. After hoeing and deep grubbing, he advises a flat moulding of about four or five inches high, and then to make the high moulding before the potatoes are met in the drills, so as not to injure the stems. Mr Jensen’s instructions last year were to delay the high moulding until disease spots appeared on the leaves. This ]

year a series of experiments are being made in different countries to ascertain the best stage of growth at which to complete the high moulding. Two sets of these experiments are being made in Fast Lothian and one in the neighborhood of Glasgow. The moulding is to be made at intervals of a fortnight, from July ist to September 15th, and drills in different divisions of the experimental plots are to be treated according to ihe usual practice of the district where the experiments are made. In short, the experiments are arranged to give as perfect a test as possible of the value of high moulding, and to ascertain the best stage of growth for earthing up potatoes, so as to ensure protection from disease, besides the possibility of increasing the crop. In all the experiments made by Mr Jensenj he found it necessary to have a covering of 4 inches of earth on the uppermost potatoes, so as to ensure complete protection from disease. An ordinary moulding plough will not throw up a mould to do this. Mr Jensen’s protection plough has moulds constructed for the purpose; but anyone can easily make a trial, by earthing up a few drills with a spade or hand hoe. Some farmers will assert that this high moulding will diminish the produce, and it is with the view of thoroughly testing this that these experiments of earthing up at various stages are being made. One thing is certain, that Mr Jensen has proved over and over again, and others along with him, that high moulding, if properly performed, will reduce the amount of potato disease in the very worst seasons to almost nil; and surely such an important subject well deserves the attention of every one interested in the land produce of our country.