NOVEL POTATO CULTURE. Ill 



CHAPTEE XIII. 



NOVEL POTATO CULTURE. 



A NOVEL system of securing a supply of young tubers dur- 

 ing the autumn and winter without the aid of artificial 

 heat, was described in the " Gardeners' Magazine," dated 

 February 14, 1903, by Mr. George Stanton, the talented 

 head gardener to Mrs. Noble, of Park Place, Henley-on- 

 Thames. He says: " We have been obtaining supplies of 

 young potatoes of good quality all through the autumn and 

 winter without glass or artificial heat. The system is so 

 simple, and gives so little trouble, that it might, with 

 much pleasure and profit, be practised extensively even 

 by those who have no gardens. The results of our trials 

 have been so much appreciated, and the produce so much 

 enjoyed, that in future they will not only be repeated, but 

 will form a part of our routine work. 



Best Sort to Grow We grow as a field crop enough 

 potatoes for the supj ly of a large establishment. For our 

 main crop we find nothing better than the variety Windsor 

 Castle. When lifted the tubers are taken and kept in 

 some chalk caverns, of which we have several, and few 

 places are better adapted for storage. These caverns are 

 perfectly dark, arid do riot vary much in temperature. The 

 potatoes are placed in heaps, and, of course, left un- 

 covered, and can easily be examined by artificial light, as 

 may be necessary through the season. 



How the Tubers are Treated The crop of 1901 

 was a very good one, and about ten tons were stored. We 



