1870.] NEW POTATOES. 185 



Now, as I will not give you the slightest room for cavilling, I will just tell you 

 that, whether growing upon my own roots or grafted upon the Black Hamburgh, my 

 prolificacy was just the same, though I must confess that, wedded to the stronger 

 constitution of the Black Hamburgh, my bunches are much improved in every 

 respect, and that, in fact, to grow me in my best form, the assistance of a stronger 

 stock is indispensable, and the Black Hamburgh I like the best. Do not, however, 

 run away with the idea that I may be united to any strong-growing mate. If you 

 do, you will run into an error as great as that which prompted you to speak despair- 

 ingly of me, and I will tell you why. 



Several years back a friend who had a coarse-growing white Grape from Spain 

 determined to graft me upon it. He did so, and the fine rod which I produced 

 the following year bore fruit ; the few bunches left were large in size, superb in 

 colour, and, to all appearance, perfect; but — tell it to your readers, make it known 

 throughout the land — the flavour was so much like the condemned Spanish Grape 

 that a committee of connoisseurs, who knew me well, could not tell who or what 

 I was, so much was my flavour deteriorated. At the same time, Grosse Guil- 

 laume or Barbarossa was grafted upon the Black Hamburgh, and was so much im- 

 proved in flavour that not one of the same committee knew it. For that reason I 

 at once plighted my troth to the Black Hamburgh ; and if in any case I am not as 

 large and free-bearing, and much superior in flavour to that esteemed variety, it 

 will be because I had not the aid of its vigorous constitution. From this you 

 will perceive my proclivities are social. I do not like to live alone ; but if you 

 unite me to the Black Hamburgh, as I have before suggested, you will find me 

 in every respect a matchless grape. I grant that my constitution is delicate, and 

 that upon my own roots I am frequently ashamed of myself ; but there is no 

 such cause for disappointment when I am united to the Black Hamburgh. If 

 you have any doubt upon this subject, I can only say that if you or any of your 

 friends come into Nottinghamshire at the right season, and will call upon either of 

 my esteemed patrons, J. R. Pearson at the Chilwell Nurseries, or W. P. Ayres 

 of Nottingham — if the sight of me, as grown by those gentlemen, do not con- 

 vince you of the injustice you have done me, why, my name is not The Black 

 Muscat op Alexandria, alias Muscat Hamburgh. 



Nottingham, Feb. 18, 1870. 



NEW POTATOES. 



"We are indebted to Messrs Hooper and Co., Covent Garden, London, for the 

 opportunity of giving illustrations of two new Potatoes of American origin, recently 

 imported to this country, the advent of which has been heralded by glowing 

 accounts of their high-class quality. It will be in the recollection of many of our 

 readers that the Early Rose Potato was distributed last season at what appeared 

 to be an unusually high price, but which sold freely nevertheless. It was tried 

 in many parts of the United Kingdom, with varying success, and, as is common to 

 new things generally, whilst some cultivators severely condemned it, others as 

 enthusiastically praised its fine qualities. If the demand made for it just now 

 can be taken as evidencing its worth, it must be held in high esteem, notwith- 

 standing so much hostile criticism, as the sale is said to be astonishingly large. 

 Respecting the Early Rose and the new varieties figured by us, Messrs Hooper & 

 Co. state: "The Early Rose was introduced with considerable eclat last season. 

 It was an American novelty — hundreds tried it — and though many were disposed 



