Janoary 14, 1875 ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICUIiTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



27 



not two leaves of the same tree which identically resemble 

 each other. That no two beings, not even twins, are exactly 

 alike. That the seeds of the same plant, of the same capsule, 

 never identically reproduce the mother, and tbat no one of 

 them is identically similar to the others, not even among 

 annual plants. 



" Then if that is so, man cannot by artificial means per- 

 petuate that which Nature has made variable. Man cannot 

 have the power of changing anything to natural laws. Those 

 who say that man by artificial means can prolong indefinitely 

 the existence of a variety (of an individual), can they furnish 

 the proof ? Is the life of man long enough to enable him to 

 know the duration of the existence of a plant ? We know that 

 annual plants die when they have accomplished the act of re- 

 production. Has anyone studied the duration of perennial 

 plants ? 



" It may be objected to the extinction of varieties, that Nature 

 has provided a great number of vegetables with the faculty 

 of continuing their existence by suckers, tubers, or rhizomes. 

 But as alongside of this means of reproduction. Nature has put 

 that of the continuation of the race of the species by seed, I 

 conclude from it that the first means cannot be but temporary, 

 and that the second warrants the admission that Nature does 

 not wish perpetuity of the variety, because it would be contrary 

 to the law of variability. 



" Why does man study natural laws — why does he seek to dis- 

 cover their secrets, if is not to appropriate them to his wants '? 

 If not that, what would this knowledge serve him ? It is, 

 therefore, useful to know that varieties cannot be perpetuated. 

 For man knowing that, utilises the means Nature offers him to 

 regenerate varieties and ameliorate races. 



" This is what has already been done instinctively, uncon- 

 sciously, for the Potato and for fruit trees, and is done daily in 

 all the branches of horticultiue. — Jean Sisley." 



JOTTINGS ON LAST YEAB'S GARDENING. 



The year 1874 wiU ever be memorable in horticultural 

 annals, Mr. Hunter having grown and exhibited a bunch of 

 Black Hamburgh Grapes weighing 21 lbs. 12 ozs, the greatest 

 triumph in Grape-growing achieved in this or any country. 

 All honour to Mr. Hunter, hia name will continue on the page 

 of horticultural history to the end of time. Had the feat been 

 accomplished by any large-bunching kind, as, for instance, the 

 Syrian, little indeed would have been the wonder, for had not 

 Mr. Speechly at Welbeck in 1781 grown a bunch of Syrian 

 to the weight of 19J lbs. ? Prodigies, it appears, in Grape- 

 growing occur about once in a century. Speechly's 19i-lbs. 

 bunch of Syrian has been described as a monster of a com- 

 paratively inferior kind. And what is a 19.}-lbs. bunch of 

 Syrian as compared with what it does grow to in Syria ? A 

 mere fleabite indeed if the figurative ideal given of the 

 spies laden with the fruits of Caanan be at all faithful ; a 

 cluster of Grapes being a load for two men. Ideals of this 

 kind have yet to be realised, and we certainly are advancing 

 towards it, for Speechly's lOJ-lbs. bunch is so far outstripped 

 by a bunch of Syrian grown and exhibited by Mr. Dickson in 

 1872, weighing over 21 lbs. — a clear advance in very nearly a 

 century of 1} lb. The following year (1873), Mr. Hunter ad- 

 vances to the front. Four pounds is a good weight for a 

 bunch of Black Hamburgh Grapes up to that date, but he 

 grows and exhibits a bunch of this kind weighing 13 lbs. 2 ozs. ; 

 and in 1874 raises the weight of a bunch of Black Hamburgh 

 Grapes to, as before stated, 21 lbs. 12 ozs. The vwdiis operandi 

 by which such bunches are produced wiU, no doubt, never be 

 told. Seeking to find it, as some have striven to, by insinu- 

 ations of its being due to adroitness in adding bunch to bunch 

 by experts at grafting, has not been attended with result other 

 than disfavour ; spurned, indeed, by every gardener of Anglo- 

 Saxon origin throughout the world. Condescend to such 

 knavish tricks they do not ; acting openly, not placing their 

 light under a bushel, but upon the exhibition table, subject- 

 ing the products of their skill and industry to the world's Ught 

 of criticism. 



Beyond the grand " output " of the Lambton Castle bunch 

 of Black Hamburgh Grapes, 1874 were the least remarkable, 

 horticulturally, of its predecessors. No introduction of ex- 

 traordinary note of plant or fruit has taken place. There has 

 been no innovation of any system, subject, or thing calcu- 

 lated to turn horticulturists off the track they have hitherto 

 pursued, otherwise much to spur them on in that they have 

 been so successful by in years past, and only one by which it 

 is to be expected in those to come. 



Culturally the Koyal Agricultural Society has, to its own 

 satisfaction no doubt, proved there are no kinds of disease- 



proof Potato. It is hoped the public, and especially the 

 ninety-four essayists, will be convinced that the prize of Earl 

 Cathcart was justifiably withheld. Singular indeed woulil 

 have been any other result by subjecting any kind of Potato 

 to the culture practised by a majority of agriculturists. Expect 

 to find disease-proof Potatoes, forsooth, following the treat- 

 ment most calculated to produce it, which none know so well 

 how to effect and compass as farmers. Certain kinds were 

 not, I suppose, submitted for trial as disease-proof, cultivated 

 upon a system most conducive of disease, its propagation and 

 therefore continuance ; but certain lands were named by 

 " several of the essayists " as disease-resisting when cultivated 

 upon the system propounded by the essayists, the object of 

 which is to prevent the Potato plant attaining growth favour- 

 able to attack by the fungus. Culturally as well as by disease- 

 resisting type of haulm, the Potato disease may, and will, be 

 rooted out. Never will it be until there is a radical change in 

 the system of culture. There will be no change amongst the 

 great producers until it is by public opinion forced upon them. 

 Another Potato famine would do more to remove the cloud 

 than ninety-four multiplied into itself of essays. It would be 

 more convincing than seeking to provoke by a liberal prize an 

 antidote lor the disease, and apply it in such a manner as 

 destroy its eflicacy — administer the antidote as the patient 

 shall dictate, ignoring the precise instructions of the physician. 

 Who would think to cure a patient of a complaint induced by 

 stimulants by prescribing their continuance ? Instead of 

 arresting the disease, it would be the best possible means to 

 adopt with a view to a fatal issue. 



Respecting the other issue of the Potato essays, the life 

 history of the Potato fungus, we are encouraged by the state- 

 ment that the resting places of the oospores is likely to be 

 settled. Granted, they are found on the Potato, or on the 

 soil, or existed on plants of some kind. What then ? A so- 

 lution for dipping the sets in prior to planting, an application 

 to the land of mineral substance, with avoidance or riddance 

 of certain plants, and maybe districts, will be suggested; and 

 there it will, I have no doubt, all be found in the essays, so 

 that practically we shall know as much as the essays would 

 have given us at a much earlier date. Climatal conditions 

 inducing to disease over which the cultivator has no direct or 

 certain control are not to be ignored, nor could they well be 

 in any essay otherwise than alluded to, for if the cultivator 

 may not change the climate, it is his to adopt such precaution- 

 ary measures in advance, as well as at the time of attack, as 

 will lessen the virulence of the disease and stay its progress. 



Everybody knows all this and much more, but the agri- 

 cultural mind is so wedded to its own ideas as not to admit 

 any innovation from without, believing themselves ruined 

 beforehand by everything intended for their good, and receiv- 

 ing no change of ideas until altered circumstances forcibly put 

 upon them cause them to do so, in the end finding them- 

 selves and others every way benefited. 



If the Royal Agricultural Society is not to be congratulated 

 upon finding disease-proof Potatoes, the country has cause for 

 thankfulness in the comparative freedom of the Potato crop 

 from disease, giving it less need of bread, and less dependant 

 upon foreign supplies. 



The season 187-i was a dry one, but favourable upon the 

 whole to most descriptions of crop. The hay crop hght, but 

 secured in good condition. A light hay crop is a certainty of 

 the early part of the summer having been dry. Grain crops 

 upon the whole good, but Beans may be set down a failure. 

 Root crops were upon the whole good, and yet there were 

 some partial failures through drought. 



The season was not remarkable for great heat, though it 

 was 91' in the shade, but nevertheless warm and dry ; and 

 the warmth and congeniaUty of autumn were remarkable, 

 being continued until late in November, when we had cold and 

 snow, and that ever since. Christmas week was bitterly cold, 

 reaching its climax on the evening of the 29th and morning 

 of the 30th December, when the temperature (in Yorkshire) 

 was at 6°, or 20" of frost. 



Spring fine and dry but with sharp frosts at night in April 

 and May, the early part of June being very cold and did much 

 injury in some places, especially to Pears. Ours were in 

 blossom and had the flowers destroyed. Early Potatoes had 

 their tops blackened by the frosts of April and May, and some 

 damage done to fruit blossom, especially to Apples. The crops 

 of fruit upon the whole good. Pears and Apricots with Plums 

 being a good crop. Apples were in some places good, and in 

 olliers indifferent. Bush fruit, excepting Black Currants, was 



