I879-] A GOSSIP OVER POTATOES. 127 



season there were tried some six or seven sorts, all of them handsome 

 in shape, and pretty in the markings of the several sorts, but in other 

 respects worthless. I find no round Potatoes better in their respect- 

 ive seasons than are White Don, Dalmahoy, and Walker's Eegent. 

 The first-named is the finest-flavoured Potato I know. Early Market 

 is the earliest good eating round Potato ; but in this respect much 

 depends on how the tubers are treated before planting -time. Of 

 kidney-shaped sorts, the earliest I have grown is Early Sovereign, 

 one of the Early Pose type : it is also the best flavoured of this class, 

 though not a productive sort. Late Eose is the heaviest cropper ; but 

 I fancy there is an apparent tendency in this variety to revert to the 

 type. Beauty of Hebron, the latest addition to this family, is not 

 worth speculating in. A good selection of Myatt's is a very profit- 

 able Potato. Mona's Pride is rather earlier. Magnum Bonum I am in- 

 clined to consider as never likely to become a standard sort : it has 

 turned out a large crop of good tubers here, but its quality is inferior. 

 Each set was allowed a space of 5 feet by 3 feet, and the shaws 

 produced were something enormous. Snowflake has not proved a 

 Potato really worth growing, taking the test quality — that of eating 

 — into consideration. It is, however, very productive, the tubers 

 being also handsome. I had somewhere about three hundred picked 

 tubers of this sort last season from a comparatively small space 

 of ground. To eighteen of these was awarded a cup at a neighbour- 

 ing show. At another show, held during summer, some International 

 Kidneys which were shown were believed by many to have been 

 rubbed over with cream or fresh butter, though merely washed in 

 soft water and dried with a soft cloth. I have been greatly dis- 

 appointed with this variety, having bought it at a high rate, not 

 only under the impression of its being a fine sort as regarded 

 " looks," but also an extra fine-flavoured kind. It is indeed the 

 finest-looking kidney Potato grown, but it is not fit for table. Mr 

 Gray mentions Bountiful. This is a kind that needs very liberal 

 cultivation. It is possessed of a peculiar flavour, though pleasing ; 

 and when well grown, is a very good variety. It is curious that 

 every particular variety of Potato is possessed of a flavour peculiar 

 to itself ; but, as in the case of the Pea, the number of really good- 

 flavoured kinds is very limited. Sextus, and a sort I have been told 

 of named Eclipse, are kinds I think highly of. Where kidney sorts 

 are appreciated, these will be found good garden varieties. Victoria 

 still reigns finest of late kinds. It will not be wise for any one to 

 limit the space planted with these old approved sorts, expecting to 

 be better with newer kinds ; most of these are merely fit for pig's 

 food. E. P. Brotherston. 



Tynningham. 



