ELLESMERE AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2545, 5 June 1882, Page 3

ELLESMERE AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

Tho annual general meeting of members was held in Spring’s Hotel oa Friday, June 2nd. There were present—Mr VVm. Bong, president (in the chair), Messrs W. D. .Lawrence, W.S.Watson, Geo. c-tephens, O. T. Dudley, B. Withell, J. Witholl, J. Osborne, W. Bishop, D. Marshall, E. Lockhead, P. O’Boyle, B. T. Jeffery, T. Darrant, F. Jameson, and tho honorary secretary. The annual report for the year ending March Ist, 1882, was read. Mr McLeod’s protect against tho decision of the judges in not submitting his dog to a t'ial was considered. After some discussion it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Osborne —“ That a copy of rule 12, general regulation, be sent to Mr McLeod, and that he be informed that, as the judge had asecond prize.no alte.'ationcan be made.” Mr Lawrence said he hudgrrat pleasure in moving —“ That the congratulations of the association be submitted to their patron. Sir John Hall, on the honor conferred on him by Her Majesty, beoonded by Mr Lockheai and earned unanimously. The meeting proceeded to elect office bearers for the ensuing year, when the following w.ra chosen :—Patron, Sir John Hall ; president, Mr John Bennie ; vicepresident, Mr D. Marshall; treasurer, Mr Osborne; auditors, Mr P. O’Boyle and Mr B. Lookhead ; secretary, Mr Frederick Jameson. Mr Lawrence proposed a vote of thanks to the past officers, which was carried with acclamation. A managing committee 01 twenty-four gentlemen was then appointed. It was resolved—" That during the winter months the hour of meeting be 2.30 p.m., and that the next meeting for revising the programme be held at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, tho 4lhJuly.” At the close of the meeting, on the suggestion of Mr Lawrence, it was decided to give Mr Dudley a public dinner, on the occasion of his leaving the district, and a fairly representative committee was appointed to give effect to the resolution. The dinner to take place at Spring’s Lseaton Hotel.

POTATOES AND THSIB CULTURE, Beyond all question this is the most important of garden crops, and during the last few years great attention has been devoted to raising new varieties, both in this country and America; special means have also been taken to produce the tubers in the best possible condition for the exhibition table ; in fact, about as much care is exercised now in growing potatoes as in cultivating the choicest flowers of the garden. Nor is this to be wondered at when the tubers of some of the sorts are sold for 1s 6d per lb. and upwards, as it is in the nature of things to bestow special attention on anything costly, whatever its inherent merits may be ; hence we find such cultural feats recorded as something like a hundredweight of tubers being produced from one pound of seed during one season of growth. This is effected by cutting the sets into single eyes and encouraging the growths from these eyes to develops into sturdy and productive plants, by the aid of soil in the highest state of fertility, coupled with skilful management, generally, on the part of the cultivator. No doubt those who devote their soil and resources primarily to raising potatoes to win prizes consider they are at the same time, contributing to the food supply of the country, and further are engaged in finding and establishing improved systems of culture by whioh better and sounder crops may be. produced. Without doubt splendid crops of nondsome tubers are raised by the prize growers, under the influencs of deep cultivation, wide planting and the judicious use iof manure: yet the fact remains thatooma of the fi-ieat “show” potatoes are by no means equal in quality to the good old standard varieties that are almost known to all. Still the potato fanciers have not worked in vain, as by careful experiments they have found out the best mode of preparing the ground and seed, also the time and manner of planting with the greotest prospect of success. First it will be well to i&ter [to a few of the more

serviceable varieties for ordinary use. As a first early potato there is none more useful than Hyatt's Prolific Ashtop, but any selected forms of this section, such as the Royal Ash top, Mona’s Pride, and others of the asbleaf family may bo planted with confidence, as no other varieties surpass them, and few equal them for first crops. They like rich, rather light and friable soil. A very productive second early, but only of good quality on dry sites and sandy soils, is the Early Bose. Under such condition, it may be planted, but nowhere else if high quality is expected. On similar land the American Snowflake is both attractive and good ; but for great table excellence the true Dalmahoy and Dunbar Regents are still unsurpassed. The beet of the newer round potatoes is undoubtedly Schoolmaster, which is good alike for table and exhibition ; and for late use Paterson’s Victoria maintains its high quality for texture and flavor. These are a tew of what can be termed cheap and useful potatoes, but the late sorts are, more or less, liable to be attacked by the disease. The two varieties whioh have to a greater extent than others escaped the murrain are the Scotch Champion and the Magnum Bonum ; but these are better adapted for field than garden culture ; and if they are planted in the rich soil of gardens the rows should be 4ft apart. A few isolated instances of success have resulted from planting potatoes in the autumn; but when the results of experiments are observed over a period of thirty years, this very old practice is found to be unsafe. No good cultivators who gave a shilling a pound for potatoes would plant them in the autumn, for the simple reason that they well know that a more profitable return could be had by planting well-pre-pared tubers in the spring. A great deal of argument will be needed to destroy the force of that one fact.

Early potatoes that have commenced growing may be planted at once, especially in rather light soil, and covered four inches deep ; in cold, strong soil it is better to plant later in the month, and cover more lightly, as the tubers if spread thinly in a light place will make stronger and better growth out of ungenial soil than in it fer the next fortnight or throe weeks. Nearly all potatoes are planted too closely together, both in gardens and fields. In good soil the rows of aehleafs should be two feet apart ; all mid-season sorts nearer three feet than two, and very strong growers nearer four feet than three between the lines, the sets ranging from a foot to fifteen inches apart in the rows. It is of the utmost importance that the subsoil be broken up, so that the rain can pass from the roots freely, A hard ” sole ’’ such as in some fields is made with the plough, and in gardens often left by defective digging, is in some soils almost impervious to water, and wherever this accumulates about the roots, injury, if not destruction, inevitably follows. In low-lying ground and wet soils generally there is no plan equal to planting on the surface and covering the sots with soil obtained from between the rows, which, in this case, should bo SJft ot 4ft apart. It is surprising what fine crops are thus obtained by this method of culture in cold, wet soils. A little superphosphate of lime spread in the drills with the seis, just making the ground white, is always beneficial, and the benefit is still greater if a very slight sprinkling of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia, about half an ounce of each to a length of ten or twelve yards, and any quantity of wood ashes, are spread in at the same time. The potatoes are then supplied with some of the most important constituents they require for ensuring healthy growth and good crops.