iS79-] NOTES ON POTATO CROP OF 1878. 41 



Brayton is on its own roots, and has never been inoculated ! Mr 

 Hammond does not seem the least uncertain or nervous about this 

 apparition, and we must leave to a contemporary the task of trying 

 to " diddle " him into the belief that his Vine has, so to speak, the 

 voice of Esau and the hand of Jacob. Has any one ever seen the 

 wood and foliage of one variety of Vine bear the fruit of another % 



NOTES OIST POTATO CHOP OP 1873. 

 Last year I sent to ' The Gardener ' a few notes on the varieties of 

 Potatoes we had then under trial. It having been a very unfavour- 

 able season for Potatoes, as well as for most other crops, I decided to 

 give them a further trial this year, along with a good many other 

 varieties. This season may be considered a fair average one for 

 Potatoes. I may mention, however, that from some local cause 

 Potatoes are peculiarly liable to disease in the garden here : even 

 in the most favourable seasons we are almost sure to have less or 

 more disease, although there should not be any in the neighbour- 

 hood. Our soil is somewhat heavy, but on a dry bottom, consisting 

 of sand and gravel, the good soil varying from 2 feet up to 4 or 5 

 feet. AVe are much closed in by trees, however, especially to the 

 north, west, and south, and a 14-feet wall all round the garden, so 

 that it may possibly arise from being too well sheltered. 



The varieties I have enumerated below were mostly all grown on 

 the same piece of ground, were all planted at the same time, and 

 nearly all taken up at the same time — viz., the beginning of Sep- 

 tember. I have been thus late in sending the report, in order to see 

 how they would keep after being stored, as they were all but free 

 from disease when taken up. Some of the varieties I had last year 

 nearly all went off diseased after I had written the report. 



WHITE KIDNEY SECTION. 



International Kidney. — Extra good crop, very large tubers, and of fair aver- 

 age quality. 



Covcnt Garden Market. — Very good crop, tubers a nice size for table, and 

 very good when cooked ; a first-rate potato. 



American Bread-fruit. — Extra good crop, very large tubers, but of good 

 form ; not first-rate, however, when cooked. 



Prince of Teclc. — In every respect very bad ; discarded. 



Mono's Pride. — A well-known variety, good crop of fair-sized tubers, and 

 very good to eat. 



Snoicfiake. — This variety, though generally classed with Kidneys, should, I 

 think, be in another class altogether, being more flattish than kidney-shaped. 

 A very fine crop of large tubers, and excellent to eat. 



