422 Bicton Gardens, their Culture and Management, 



trees, they do not come to proper perfection, and are mixed with 

 the others which were grown in the open field, which accounts 

 for some being found waxy or watery amongst the others when 

 cooked ; likewise in the next season, when planted again, for 

 finding a few in one row and a few in another curled. 



As I have before observed, all potatoes that are meant for 

 seed should be ripe, and hardened by the sun and air before 

 stowing away ; that they should be kept in an airy dry situ- 

 ation, and never allowed to grow until they are planted out, under 

 any consideration ; that a thoroughly good winter fallow should 

 be made, and the ground well broken up at this season of the 

 year, and laid as rough as it can possibly be made, for the sun, 

 wind, and frost to penetrate through it. Any good stable- 

 dung, cow-dung, dung from the pigsties, or any other good 

 manure, will grow potatoes well, if the ground is only properly 

 prepared, and thoroughly sweetened with the atmosphere ; taking 

 care to plant them in good time for general crops. I- like to 

 have them all in between the middle of March and the last week 

 in April. 



For the growing of potatoes in pots in hothouses, &c., to have 

 them good in January, they should be planted the first week in 

 October in a 60-sized pot, placed at the back end, or in any 

 part of the hothouse where you can put them thick together ; 

 as fast as they get up and are three inches high, take them 

 out into a colder place, such as a vinery or a peach-house. 

 When you have a quantity in readiness, fill as many good-sized 

 pots as you can spare ; get some good, open, rich, sweet mould ; 

 fill the pots three parts full, not sifted but rough ; place them 

 where you intend them to stand in rows. A peach-house is 

 the best place ; in one where you intend beginning early, you get 

 the first crop off before the leaves of the peach trees shade the 

 house at all. In planting them into the larger pots from the 

 sixties, pull off all the shoots except the one that is the strongest ; 

 never allowing more than one shoot to each plant at this season 

 of the year : put three or four plants into a large pot, accord- 

 ing to the size. Be careful never to water with cold water, or 

 they will come on very slowly ; also be sure you do not over- 

 water them, or the flavour of the potato will be lost ; a little 

 manure liquid, with some soot in it, once, is a fine thing. When 

 fit to earth up, fill up the pots ; and when they have made their 

 growth, leave off watering them altogether, if you Avish to have 

 a good-flavoured and dry potato. If you have not smaU sixties 

 to spare, use pans, shallow boxes, or an old basket, or lay them 

 inside of a hotbed, either in a frame or in a hothouse, which 

 will hatch them quite as well. 



For growing them in pits or frames, I make a very slight 

 hotbed Avith a few leaves and rubbish (for bottom-heat does not 



