Report by T. Carroll with regard to experiments on potato culture during the year 1882, also on experiments contemplated for 1883

POTATO CULTURE (IRELAND). 

RETURN to an Order of the Honourable The House of Commons, 

dated g November 1882;—-for, COPY "of Reports furnished with regard to Experiments on Potato Culture made m Ireland during the Year 1882; also on any Experi¬ ments contemplated for 1883." 

Office of National Education, Dublin,! 
JOHN E. 
SHERIDAN, 

29 November 1882. 
J Secretary. 

REPORT of Mr. 
Thomas Carroll, Agricultural Superintendent. 

POTATO EXPERIMENTS. 

Albert Institution, Glasnevin, Gentlemen, Dublin, October 1882. 
I beg to report, for the information of the Commissioners of National Edu¬ cation, that during the present year 1882 the following has been the procedure in pursuance of instructions from your office relative to potato experiments : — 

I.—At 
the Albert Institution. 
(a.) 
A series of experiments on the comparative productiveness ot 33 varieties of potatoes. 
(b.) 
A series of experiments on the growth of potatoes with various manures. 
(c.) 
The raising of new varieties of potatoes from the seed of the potato apple. 

II.—jf 
the Munster Agricultural and Dairy School. 
(d.) 
A series of experiments on the comparative productiveness of 82 varieties of potatoes. 
(e.) 
Experiments on various manures in potato cultivation. 

III.—At 
the ordinary Agricultural Schools and School Gardens. 
(f.) 
The raising of new varieties of potatoes from the seed of the potato apple. 
I.—The 
Albert Institution.—(a.) 
I append hereto a Table showing the yield per acre of the different varieties grown upon this farm. 
The yields upon'the whole, is low as compared with 1880 and 1881, and the results are confirmatory of previous experiences, that a few varieties stand prominently forward as yielding considerably higher produce than others. 
A new variety, the Reading Hero, gives the largest yield of ^marketable potatoes, viz., 
7 ton> 19 cwt. 
3 qrs. 
per acre. 
In England this variety is highly spoken of for its high yield during the present season. 
Next in order came the White Rocks, 7 ton, 16 cwt, 3 qrs.; 
Scotch Champion, 7 ton, 7 cwt., 
2 qrs.; 
imported Scotch Kemp, 6 ton, 13 cwt., 
and Magnum Bonum, 6 ton, 11 cwt. 
3 qrs. 
418. 
A The