500 THE GARDENER. [Nov. 



necessary than it is. Another mistake generally perpetrated by seed 

 growers, is to lift the Potatoes while only half-grown, under the idea 

 that such Potatoes make better seed. There is no exception that we 

 know of to the rule that all seeds, tubers, &c, are better fully matured 

 than half matured ; and having made experiments on this point, we 

 maintain that Potatoes cannot be too well matured. We are also well 

 satisfied that, ivhen good cultivation is given, changing the seed is 

 a great mistake. When they are badly cultivated the case may be 

 different. The writer grows a collection for exhibition in which he is 

 pretty successful, and he finds that should he require to buy fresh seed 

 of any standard variety it takes him two, and even three, years of good 

 cultivation to bring them up to their proper character. Here are two 

 secrets for would-be successful exhibitors. Keep your Potatoes clean 

 and sound by the use of ashes, salt, and soot, and a finely-broken soil, 

 and get them into character by not changing your seed, but by good 

 cultivation, and the selection of your finest tubers annually. It may 

 be objected that we have only written for those who wish to exhibit. 

 Not so. You will find the same principles profitable when growing for 

 the supply of the kitchen. The Potato is easily grown, and so it is 

 never half -grown like every thing else that is easily grown, from 

 Herbaceous border plants to Geraniums and Fuchsias. 



Preparing the Seed. — Laying the tubers out in sun to green does 

 no good unless they are half -matured only. Keep them in a dry pit or 

 a cool shed where no frost can reach them, nor yet so warm that they 

 will spring into growth before March. About the end of March lay 

 them in a warm place in a greenhouse, or vinery, or other place, as cir- 

 cumstance may direct, to cause them to spring ; and if they are sprung 

 a quarter of an inch by the middle of April, and the soil is in a dry 

 warm condition, they should be cut into sets of not more than two eyes 

 each. Let them lie and dry a little before planting them. Plant in 

 the manner directed, three or four inches deep, in a broad shallow 

 trench, and cover over with fine dry mould. As soon as they are fairly 

 through the ground, go over them with the fork and break up the soil, 

 which will very likely be battered down with the rain, and destroy all 

 weeds, and throw out all sticks and stones in the operation. Repeat 

 this again in three weeks or so, and when the stems are tall enough, 

 earth them up with the draw-hoe. Thin out the stools to two, or at 

 the most three, stems, and leave the strongest. Small weakly shoots 

 only produce small worthless Potatoes, and, by crowding the others, 

 harm them. Perhaps we may be expected to say something on the dis- 

 ease ; but we confess we are helpless. Our own are very badly diseased, 

 Magnum Bonum alone standing out ; and we do not hesitate to say 

 that this is at present the most valuable Potato which we possess. It 

 is proving to be a splendid cropper. We had it in very good condition 

 in August, kept over from last year's crop ; and it stands disease better 

 than any other which we know of : a Potato with a better character 



