TliE FLORAL WOULD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 71 



POTATOES FOR PRESENT PLANTING 



A.ST year a large and comprehensive trial of potatoes was 

 carried out in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society at Chiswick, with a view to test the productive- 

 ness, quality, and distinctive character of the varieties 

 in cultivation. The trial, which was under the direction 

 of the Eruit and Vegetable Committee of the Society, comprised 

 271 reputed varieties, the samples being obtained from the prin- 

 cipal growers in the country. From the report of the trial, which 

 has been prepared by Mr. Barron, the gardener-in-chief at Chiswick, 

 the number of varieties was reduced by 156, leaving 115 to be de- 

 scribed. Of these number a considerable proportion are either worth- 

 less or second-rate, and, therefore, not worth growing, except'ng by 

 potato-fanciers. It is only by systematic trials of tbis kind that 

 correct conclusions respecting the value of the several kinds can be 

 arrived at, and, for the assistance of our readers, we have prepared 

 a list of the sorts which in the Chiswick trial proved to be the very 

 finest in cultivation. It necessarily includes more kinds than will 

 be required in any one garden, but the trials which have been carried 

 on in the Experimental Garden at Stoke Newiugton during the past 

 ten years have proved most conclusively that one of the best ways 

 of making sure of a good supply is to grow a number of sorts, for 

 one year some sorts will escape the disease, more or less, whilst 

 others will suffer severely, and the next year those sorts which 

 escaped the year previous will, perhaps, suffer the most, and vice 

 versa. Much depends upon the stage of growth when the crop is 

 attacked by the disease, and as the various sorts vary considerably 

 in this respect, the safest plan is to grow several. A change of seed 

 is also of great importance, for much finer crops will, in the ordi- 

 nary way, be produced from seed procured from a distance than 

 from home-grown samples. It is also essential that medium-sized 

 tubers should be planted, and if they are firm, and furnished with 

 short purple sprouts, it will be an advantage. "We shall follow the 

 classification adopted in Mr. Barron's report to avoid repetition, 

 and render identitication of the several varieties more easy. 



WHITE KIDNEY- SHAPED. 



Asldeaf Eidneij. — This is still the best for frame culture and the 

 earliest supplies from warm borders. 



Ke)itlsh Ashleaf Kidney.— The best for planting for early crops 

 in the garden. The tubers are handsome, of good quality, and it is 

 an excellent cropper. It is known by no less than eighteen dif- 

 ferent names. 



MyaWs Ashleaf Kidney. — Yery similav to the preceding, but 

 rather later. It is of excellent quality and a heavy cropper. This 

 is also known by a nimiber of names. 



Muke.— This is well known as one of the best late varieties on 



March. 



