Farm Notes.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4483, 2 November 1909, Page 4

Farm Notes.

SPRAYING POTATOES

Kw experiments conducted by the Hversity College of North Wales in potatoes, fully emphasise the Hortance of conforming to this Hem innovation in farm practice. every single instance spraying good results, in some cases so- In the matter of Hrketable potatoes the average in unsprayed crops was 7 tons, 19 H. 96lbs per acre. When sprayed He there was an increase of 1 ton Hwt. 9libs; sprayed twice, 2 tons, Hwt. 26lbs; but the late spraying H not effect such a large increase. Here were fewer small potatoes by H use of the sprayer, and less than Hf the diseased tubers when twice Hayed. The following directions Hre been issued by Professor Winter, Hicating how the operations may be Bried out: ■The following dressing is sufficient H one acre:—24lbs sulphate of H>per, 98 per cent pure; 30lbs pure Hshing soda; 120 gallons water, ■ashing soda is recommended in Reference to lime. As in practice it 11 usually be difficult to dissolve the love quantity at one operation, we odd suggest that the mixture should > prepared in a wooden vessel which ill hold 25 gallons of water. First ash out this vessel thoroughly and >ur into it 15 gallons of clean water; len take 4lbs of sulphate of copper oken to a fine powder ; place it in a mvas bag and stir it about in the ater until the sulphate of copper is 1 dissolved. Next dissolve slbs of ashing soda in 5 gallons of water in separate tub; then pour the washing ada solution into the sulphate of coper solution and stir well. The mixture should then be tested with blue tmus paper; if the litmus is turned ed, more washing soda should be issolved, and steadily added until resh litmus paper put into the solution emains blue. The quantity of maerial thus prepared is sufficient for ne-sixth of an acre. As the nozzles f spraying machines are easily choked, le mixture should be poured into the naohine through a canvas cloth, praying should be done about the nd of June or beginning of July, and gain in about three weeks.