POTATO CULTURE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 254, 15 July 1918, Page 8

POTATO CULTURE

Mr. D. Tanuock gftvo an instructive lecture on potato culture in the lveuipthorne Hall, King Edward Technical College, Dunedin. A native of Chile and other parts of South America, said Mr. Taenoek, the potato was said to have been introduced into Great .Britain by Sir Walter lialeigh, and first planted on his estate near Ccrk,. It was largely cultivated in 'Ireland, and became tho staple 'food crop Later on it was introduced into Scotland, and now its cultivation was carried on in all temperate countries. The potato, according to the speaker, was the suprome vegetable, and its cultivation was becoming more important every year, both as an article of tood and for the manufacture of' starch and spirits. The shortage of food in these days and the high cost of hying increased interest in the potato crops as a source of food supply. The .potato prodined a larger quantity of food per acre than any grain crop; it could be grown quite as successfully in the garden in a small plot as in the fields, and it did not require an expensive method of preparation to render it ready for human consumption. Air. Tunnock went on to explain the methods adopted by the Dunedin City Council in transforming barren and manuka-clad areas about tiie city into, productive areas yielding splendid crops of potatoes. He said that potatoes from these areas had realised from JCG 10s. to J67 10s. per ton, and 300 stones of seed had been disposed of at lb; Gd. per stone. The City Council pro-' vided allotments, advice, and seed, and much good work hud been effected. Potatoes would grow in any soil, but preferred a sandy loam with a sunny, open aspect. Preparatory to cultivation the • laud should fee trenched, or at least bustardtrenched. Manure or organic mattershould be added at the time of trenching. If the soil hud been already trenched it should U dug deeply m theautumn, and if manure was to bo added it should bo applied then. Thcsoil wai I hen exposed to the ameliorating influence of frost, rain, and air during the winter. In tho spring the soil should bo broken up and manure, wood ashes, or lime added at the time of forking, so that they would be mixed with the soil. There'were three ways of planting tin.' tubers-with a dibbler, trowel, -or by drawing shallow drills. Mr. lanoocK spoke of tho four ways of combating trie potato disease, which could bo mitigated, if not prevented entirely, by:, a) (-rowing new varieties; (2) improved methods of cultivation and manuring; (3; improved methods of seed selection and preparation; and ■(+) spraying with a fungicide. The lecturer concluded by saying that the potato should always bp boiled in its jacket, as m that way its nourishment was retained and was.e obviated. - ' r>