evidence on potato growing. I grew 2½ acres of potatoes last year and got 140 bags off it. I had however to sell them for 3s a bag. There was no market for them. This year I put in two acres and had an absolute failure. I put in 17 bags and took out 28 bags at 15s per bag. The trouble is that this land so often gets swamped. It is not possible in my opinion to grow potatoes in the South-West under £8 per ton. I consider that the Government should fix the price. Potatoes from the eastern States swamp the market and absolutely kill us. The average yield for the district is about 3½ tons to the acre and the average cost of putting in and harvesting the crop is over £19 namely manuring £5 labour (three men, a horse and plough) 25s , seed - say 10 bags to the acre - £7 10s , digging and average crop £4 4 s bags £1 8s , or a total of £19 7s. This is of course without cartage. I should say £20 for a 3½ ton crop and £25 for an 8 ton crop. I have written to the Bureau of science and industry in regard to the utilisation of potato waste. They advise me that inquiries have been made and as a result I have received a very complete reply from the secretary in Melbourne describing the method of producing industrial alcohol. The committee is carefully considering the question of the most suitable sources for its production and while information so far received goes to show that in this country sorghum and maize are the most suitable crops to grow for this purpose the committee has not come to any conclusion in the matter. From the following paragraph of this letter it would appear however that the produce accruing from the potato crop waste would not make the proposition profitable ;-

The present price of methylated spirits in Melbourne is about 1s 9d per gallon. The number of Imperial gallons of alcohol (95 precent) that can be obtained per ton (2,240lbs) of potatoes ranges from 16 to 24 depending on the starch contents of the particular variety of potatoes and on the efficiency of the plant. Taking a crop of four tons per acre the yield of alcohol per acre would therefore range from 64 to 96 gallons and with potatoes at £4 per ton the cost of raw material per gallon of alcohol would be 4s. It will be seen therefore that the price of £4 per ton would have to be decreased by more than one half before the production of alcohol from potatoes could be undertaken profitably. In addition there is the cost of producing the alcohol to be taken into consideration.

10636. Have you any difficulty in getting satisfactory seed ?—I consider it practically impossible to get clean seed. I have purchased seed described as Delaware and got as many ass seven varieties of potatoes from it. The potato regulations make it practically impossible to get new varieties.

10637. It has been suggested that the Government should start a stud seed potato Farm ; do you favour the idea ? — Yes ; I consider it would be a good idea. Growers would be prepared to pay more for good reliable seed, true to name. I have always noticed that where I am able to get good reliable seed, the returns are proportionately good.

10638. To the CHAIRMAN : In regard to the value of green manure for potatoes, in Victoria where I worked the farmers carried out experiments in the production of leguminous crops for potatoes. I remember that the best results were from the cultivation of lupin. The root goes down at least 2ft. 6in. in the ground. After three crops I find that the land runs out unless something more than artificial manure is used. I Consider this is a matter that should be investigated at the State farms.

(The witness retired)

IVOR JAMES LOVELL , Farmer , Boyanup , sworn and examined :

10639. To the CHAIRMAN : I have been established on the land here for 20 years. I have about 500 acres. The holding is in small blocks, some freehold and the balance still C. P. The conditional purchase is at 10s. per acre. Of my 500 acres I consider only one acre is first class land. It is two miles from the Boyanup railway station. It is all fenced, 60 acres cleared and under cultivation, 20 acres of orchard planted to mixed fruits. I have a dwelling house, bay shed and other buildings, 25 horses, about 50 head of cattle and 12 pigs. I have the usual farm implements for orchard work. I started with practically nothing in the way of capital and am free of debt. I consider that a man should have for general mixed farming 500 acres of country. The land varies very considerably here. It is very patchy. I am able to make a decent living from my holding.

10640. To Mr VENN : I am growing potatoes mainly on my land and consider I have been successful in this line. I find Delaware the best variety. Seed is one of the most important questions now. We are unable to get satisfactory seed, and we find that growers will not sell seed true to name. We have lost hundreds of pounds from obtaining inferior seed. Some growers are very unscrupulous. I consider that a penalty should be imposed on anyone selling poor quality seed. So far as I am concerned I always save my best tubers and consequently get good results. The only way is for growers to follow this practice. On account of the varying quality of our soils, no set manuring can be prescribed for any soil. It must be applied with discretion and each grower must use his common sense. The best crop I have had was 10 tons. Four tons is about the average, and if a settler could rely on four tons this would pay. Marketing is a serious trouble, and neither the producer nor the consumer are getting a fair deal now. The merchants advise that they are only getting a fair rate of commission from the sales, yet potatoes we sold at from £6 to £6 10s . per ton were selling in Fremantle at £10 10s. per ton. The handling, surely, does not warrant £4 per ton. There are too many middlemen getting a cut out of the handling of potatoes and the farmer, as a rule, is not making money out of it. The auction system in Perth does not seem to be any benefit. There are too many charges to meet. The Eastern States produce is dumped in here and we get no chance on the local market. Potato growing is an absolute gamble. Potatoes are not being grown locally in many places where they could be grown profitably for the reason that the markets are flooded with imported stuff.

10641. To the CHAIRMAN : I consider that the merchants accumulate large stocks and ultimately the consumer has to pay for them. They buy up and hold until the markets are bare. I believe that the public would consume a great deal more