PART VI VILLA GARDENING 513 



Varieties. — The Newiugtou Wonder is an excellent variety 

 for the short days in winter. The jDods are small, but the plants 

 bear verj' freely and continuously. Osborn's Forcing is another 

 good kind, and the Canadian "Wonder comes in well when the days 

 lengthen in spring. 



The Potato. — Few things are more eagerly sought after than 

 early Potatoes. To be able to dig early in April the sets must be 

 started at the beginning of the new year, and grown on steadily 

 without check. The selection of the seed and its preparation are 

 important matters, as, like all other things, there is in Potatoes an 

 inherent propensity to productiveness or the reverse, and if the seeds 

 were saved from the productive roots only (especially for forcing) 

 the crops would be much larger. Some Potatoes of the same 

 variety are much more productive than othei-s, and my own opinion 

 is that the cause of this is constitutional. Therefore, when taking 

 up Potatoes that we intend saving for seed, the best and most pro- 

 ductive only shoiUd be saved. It is a very easy matter, in digging, 

 when we come to a very productive root to save the best and 

 handsomest for seed. In October, the selected seed should be 

 placed in shallow baskets or trays, crown upwards, in a single 

 layer ; the trays or baskets to be placed in some light position, but 

 safe from frost. Under the stage in a cool greenhouse is a good 

 place to start the central crown eye. All others must be cut or 

 rubbed off, jis only one stem should be permitted to grow. The 

 first beds ought to be made up in January, and shoidd contain 

 enough material to keep up a steady heat till the crop is fuU 

 grown. Tree leaves should enter largely into the composition of 

 the hotbeds for forcing vegetables. They are both genial and 

 lasting, and the labom* requu'ed in turning and mixing to prevent 

 overheating is almost nil. In forcing Potatoes in frames or pits, 

 from 10 inches to 1 foot of light rich soil should be placed on the 

 beds ; and when the warmth has penetrated it, the sets may be 

 planted, covering them about 3 inches deep. Sometimes the sets 

 are helped forward in pots, and in that case the beds need not be 

 made quite so soon. The space under glass is valuable, and must 

 be made the most of; and as each set is limited to one stem, 18 

 inches between the rows and 9 inches between the sets in the 

 rows will be ample. When the plants are 8 inches high, place a 

 ridge of soil between the rows, and in a day or two, when it has 

 become warm, di-aw it up round the stems of the plants. During 

 the growing season the soil must be kept fairly moist, but when 

 grown on beds of fermentmg materials, unless the weather should 

 be bright, the plants wiU not require water often. Once a week 

 will be sufficient, and it should be given on the mornings of bright 



