1880.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



113 



tilated annually in an established shrubbery 

 than those of a young specimen Conifer on the 

 lawn." 



New Peas. — It is remarkable that amongst 

 the myriads of varieties of peas, new or old, 

 Daniel O'Rourke is still the most popular. 

 Thousands of bushels are raised by single firms 

 alone for seed. 



Degeneration of Potatoes.— These "die 

 out" occasionally, and new varieties have to be 

 raised to take their places. They die from ener- 

 vation, and not because varieties "naturally" 

 wear out. Plants are often injured by insects or 

 disease, and mature before the tubers are "ripe." 

 Such " seed" produces inferior plants. Where- 

 ever the potato plant lives to flower freely, and 

 not die away before its time, its tubers will pro- 

 duce plants again showing no signs of wearing 

 out. 



Mushroom Growing. — We have frequently 

 €tated that the chief reason why so many fail in 

 growing mushrooms is because no care is taken 

 to prepare the material first. In the usual way 

 fermentation is too rapid. The Journal of Hor- 

 ticulture gives the following good advice : 



" I do not know that I have anything out of 

 the common way to say about the preparation 

 •of material for the bed, but I will briefly de- 

 scribe the eystem. Droppings are collected 

 every morning from the stable litter and placed 

 an an open shed, where they are turned over 

 every day to prevent burning. When there is a 

 sufficient quantity for a bed it is removed to 

 another open shed, where it is allowed to heat a 

 little, and the turning is continued for ten days 

 •or a fortnight, till it becomes sufficiently dry 

 that it will not bind together much when 

 squeezed in the hand. It is then taken to the 

 mushroom house and made up as firmly as pos- 

 sible to a depth of 11 or 12 inches. The firm- 

 ness prevents its heating too violently, and con- 

 sequently drying and exhausting itself, and 

 causes it to retain the heat for a long time. 

 It cannot be too firm. A thermometer is placed 

 in the bed as soon as made, and it is expected in 

 a few days to show a temperature of 85° to 100". 

 As soon as the heat is declining the spawn is in- 

 serted; 95° for a day or two will do no harm, 

 but we must be sure that the temperature is de- 

 •clining, for a higher one would probably be 

 fatal." 



The Sweet Potato in England. — We 

 called attention recently to the curious fact that 

 only now, after a hundred years of American 

 experience, were the English people beginning 

 to know anything of sweet potatoes. In a re- 

 cent number of the Garden, we find this further 

 note : " I amused myself on one of those recent 

 cold days by roasting some sweet potatoes in 

 hot ashes — roots that I bought from Mr. Garcia, 

 in Covent Garden. I mean the Sweet Potato of 

 North America, which is so good when roasted 

 or baked. For the first time I found that these 

 Covent Garden specimens turned out very well. 

 The sweet potato is an excellent vegetable, and 

 I should advise our American friends to send us 

 quantities of well-ripened roots, and also tell us 

 how to cook them. I noticed in America, that 

 just as with our common Potato at home, there 

 are wet and dry tubers, mainly owing to differ- 

 ences of soil. I understand those grown in the 

 sand}' soils of the South are much better in 

 America than those raised elsewhere. It 

 seemed to be a greater favorite than the com- 

 mon potato, which was there called the Irish 

 Potato to distinguish it from this one. I believe 

 it to be more nutritious than the common po- 

 tato, and when good it turns out something 

 between a sweetmeat and a vegetable. To im- 

 port a vegetable which our climate prevents us 

 growing, and which in consequence is a novelty 

 to most people, is very desirable. I do not know 

 if their price is high in America, but it would be 

 a great boon if they could be sent here in such 

 quantities as would allow of their being used as 

 food. At present they are merely Covent Gar- 

 den curiosities." 



Prohibiting the Importation of Living 



Plants. — For fear of introducing the Phyllox- 

 era, the government of the Cape of Good Hope, 

 have absurdly prohibited the importation of 

 living plants and bulbs of all kinds. This is on 

 a par with much of our own legislation on hor- 

 ticultural and agricultural matters, and it is per- 

 haps a comfort to know that stupidity is a 

 world-wide complaint. 



The Alexander Peach. — A writer in Shir- 

 ley Hibberd's Gardener'' s Magazine, says this has 

 beaten Early Beatrice, Early Louise, and the 

 other famous early Peaches in England; and 

 " is without question one of the most valuable 

 fruits received from the other side of the At- 

 lantic." 



