514 AXILLA GARDENING i-AiiT vi 



(lays. When the crop is nearly full groTVTi watering should be 

 discontinued, as too much moisture in the soil at that season spoils 

 the flavour and texture of the tubers. 



Forcing Potatoes in Pots. — It may sometimes happen that 

 there are conveniences for growing Potatoes in a Peach-house or 

 some other light forcing -house, or that a broad shelf near the 

 glass can be sj^ared in a greenhouse for Potatoes. The question 

 of temperature is not so important in the case of Potatoes as in 

 that of French Beans for instance. It is true that the Potatoes 

 will be fit for use sooner if grown in a temperature of 60° than 

 if the night temperature does not exceed 50° ; but in other 

 respects, if the other conditions are equal, the crop may be as 

 good in the cool house as in the warm one. Ten-inch pots are a 

 good size for Potato culture, and there should he two tubers in the 

 centre of the pot— the drainage being sufficient to ensure a rapid 

 clearance of all surplus water. Put one large crock over the liole, 

 and a layer of large pieces 2 inches thick over it, with a few 

 inches of rough turfy loam on the crocks. Fill the pots half-full 

 of soil, and plant the Potatoes near the centre, covering 2 inches 

 deep, adding more soil as growth progresses. 



Forcing Potatoes without Glass. — This is done by creating 

 temporary shelters — it may be low walls of straw, reed, or turf, 

 with coverings of similar materials to place on at night or shelter 

 during cold days. The soil is thrown out, and 2 feet or so of 

 warm manure placed in the trench ; on the manure 1 foot of nice 

 mellow soil is laid, and in this the Potatoes are planted. Warm 

 sunny borders may be treated in this way, and temporary shelters 

 of any kind used. These may be made of straw or reeds — glazed 

 calico will last a long time. Mats may be sewn together, and 

 drawn over hoops. These latter I have found useful over south 

 borders with only ordinary culture, and have had Potatoes fit to 

 dig by the middle of May. 



Varieties. — Plant the old Ashleaf for the first crop, with 

 Myatt's prolific in succession. 



Seakale. — There are two ways of forcing Seakale. One — the 

 old-fashioned way — is to cover the crowns with pots, and place 

 enough fermenting matter (tree leaves chiefly) over them to create 

 a temperature in the pots of 60° to 65°. If it exceeds this the 

 produce will be weakly, and may possibly have an earthy taste, but 

 this temperature will not be exceeded unless too much manure has 

 been mixed with the leaves. Forced in this way the plantations 

 will go on bearing for a number of years without renewal ; but it 

 makes a good deal of litter, and to keep the temperature steady 

 requires watching. When rightly managed, the Kale is fine, white, 



