Atoosi 11, 1888.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



155 



pearance of blight. .7. Burnett, 'Hie Deepdenc Gardens, 

 Dorking, 



Kent. — Potatos look extremely well, but almost 

 too much haulm on main crops. Early sorts are 

 turning out Tell in quantity when lifteil, but exceed- 

 ingly soft, especially Early Rose, and some of the 

 larger kidney sorts. I have heard rumours of blight 

 already, and am afraid it will become general should 

 this wet weather last. Win. Craik, Hothjield place, 

 Ash ford. 



Potatos are looking wonderfully well, and if 



dry hot weather should set in the crop will be 

 immense. With the present weather every one is 

 watching with the greatest anxiety. //. Cannell, 

 Swanlcy. 



Potatos are looking very well in this neigh- 

 bourhood, both in the cottagers' small patches and 

 in larger breadths. The tubers so far are sound and 

 good, but late. With a rise in the average tempera- 

 ture and dry weather the crop is likely to be a 

 tolerably heavy one. G. A. Don, Bcdgcbury Gardens, 

 Hawkhurst 



Sussex. — We grow several novelties each year, 

 weeding out those that do not satisfy us. Mid- 

 summer Kidney and Chiswick Favourite are this 

 year our early sorts, but these are not up to our last 

 year's standard, and the crop is fully a fortnight 

 late. This is not surprising, as the last six weeks 

 have been cold and sunless— just the weather to 

 favour the Potato blight, although none as yet has 

 been observed. I learn to-day (July 9) that some 

 cottagers close by have had the disease in the tubers 

 very badly. H. 11. Holmes, Ashbumham Place, Bait!:'. 



Potatos are everywhere looking unusually 



well. Tubers from the open ground are tine ; no 

 blight has been observed as yet (July 10), and all 

 garden varieties are looking most promising. As to 

 later crops, it is rather early to know much about 

 them ; one thing, we want more heat. Vicar of 

 Laleham, The Dean, White Elephant, Queen of the 

 Valley, Beauty of Hebron, Prizetaker, Reading 

 Kusset, are all looking splendidly, and, to judge from 

 their tops, I shall get a good crop, if the blight 

 keeps off. AH other kinds of root crops pre looking 

 well, as also Peas and other vegetables. This will 

 prove to be one of the best seasons we have had 

 for some time for all kinds of vegetables. S. Ford, 

 Lronardslcc, Horsham. 



Hants. — Potatos are irregular in yield and the 

 quality poor, the tubers being very soapy. The 

 Midsummer Kiuney is the best so far ; even Myatt's 

 Prolific this season is bad. Late varieties promise 

 well. E. Molyneux, Swanmerc Pari; Bishops 

 Waltham. 



Hants. — The Potato crops were never better, and 

 at present (July 18) there is no appearance of the 

 murrain. All are late, by reason of the extraordi- 

 nary cold and wet state of the weather. The first 

 to be ready for use was Sutton's or Fenn's Early 

 Regent— the best flavoured and heaviest cropping 

 early Potato in commerce. It is much superior to the 

 several types of Ashleaf, and that much over-rated 

 but popular market variety. Beauty of Hebron, is 

 not worthy to be mentioned in the same connection. 

 Vegetable crops are generally good. Early spring 

 sown Cabba;e, Cauliflower, and Peas 1 have never 

 known to do so well. French and Runner Beans 

 are late. We shall not gather in the open air till 

 quite the end of the month. W. Wildsmith, Heckfield 

 Place Gardens, Winckficld. 



Wilts.— The crops of early and late varieties are 

 very promising, and should we now get a spell of 

 fine weather the produce will be plentiful and good ; 

 otherwise disease is sure to attack the crop. H. W. 

 Ward, Longford Castle, Salisbury. 



WESTERN COUNTIES. 

 Cheshire. — The early kinds of Potatos are of 

 good quality and size, Ashleaf being the best. 

 Sutton's new kinds are looking wonderfully well, 

 including Suttons' Seedling, Best of All, Satisfac- 

 tion, and Masterpiece, which all turned out last year 

 a fine crop of best quality, and which cooked well. 



Many Potatos are grown in this locality for market, 

 viz., Myatt's Kidney and Sutton's Early Regent for 

 earlies, Imperators and Magnums for late crops. 

 Sutton's new kinds are being planted, but not in 

 sufficient quantities for market purposes. As yet 

 all the Potato crops are looking well, and I have 

 not seen any disease. •/. Atkins, Tatton Gardens, 

 KntUsford. 



Staffordshire. — Early Potatos in this district are 

 rather later than usual, and what we have lifted 

 at present are only a medium crop, and poor in 

 quality owing to so much rain of late. Late ones are 

 looking well so far, and with fine weather we should 

 have good crops. •/. Wall is, Keek Hall Gardens, 

 Seaxastle- under- Lytic. 



Salop. — Potato crops look remarkably promising ; 

 but the earlies turn out small in size and are late. 

 Hundreds of tons of old ones are unsold in this dis- 

 trict, chiefly of Magnum Bmum — one that is mostly 

 planted hereabouts. Imperator seems to be growing 

 into favour. Personally I prefer the Scotch Cham- 

 pion of all others for flavour, especially when roasted. 

 A. Kemp, Broadway, Shi/nal. 



Worcester. — So far nothing better could be 

 wished, for the crop of the early varieties is good, 

 and the tubers well flavoured; the second earlies, 

 such as Sutton's Seedling, Cosmopolitan, and others 

 are very promising. We lifted some of the seedling 

 for trial ; they are beautifully white, of excellent 

 size and shape, and, bar disease, will give a heavy 

 yield. Late varieties all look remarkably well in the 

 haulm, notably Sutton's Abundance and Vicar of 

 Laleham. Magnum Bonum and Scotch Champion 

 are grown on the home farm, and look equally pro- 

 mising. W. Child, Croomt Court. Sioern Stoke. 



Potatos give great promise, but the protracted 



showery weather, with thunder, makes one fear an 

 attack of disease. Early varieties are turning out 

 excellently; Chancellor is one that ought to be 

 better known for field culture, as it is a heavy 

 cropper, and of the best quality. W. Crump, Madres- 

 field Court, Malvern. 



Heretordshire. — Potato seed selected from pre- 

 maturely ripened tubers did not come out of the 

 ground evenly, but most of them have started, and 

 the haulm at present looks well. I have noticed a 

 little curl in gardens, but as yet— although the 

 absence of sun and the low temperature have been 

 favourable to the development of fungoid growth — I 

 have not detected disease. I do not grow many 

 sorts, but confine myself to those which do well upon 

 our soil, eat and keep well throughout the season. 

 We start with Mona's Pride, Veitch's and Myatt's 

 Ashleaf, follow on with Covent Garden Market and 

 Lady Paget — two grand second earlies, which keep 

 good until May in the succeeding year, do not show 

 their eyes, consequently are free from a particle of 

 waste — no trifling matter in a gentleman's kitchen. 

 My main crop varieties in the rield are Magnum 

 Bonum, Reading Hero, Reading Russet, Carter's 

 Cosmopolitan, Lapstone, and Imperator. These 

 varieties look well, and, having covered the ridges, a 

 change to dry weather after these fine rains should 

 result in heavy crops of tubers. W. Coleman, 

 Eastnor Castle Gardens, Dedbury. 



Potato crops, of both early and late 



varieties, are looking remarkably well. The early 

 varieties, owing to the cold spring, were a long time 

 coming through the ground, and when through they 

 had the drought to contend against through the 

 month of May, but after the rains came they quickly 

 made up for lost time. We are now digging the 

 Early Hammersmith variety, the yield of which is 

 fairly good, the tubers well [grown, of fair size, and 

 nice and firm when cooked. A. Ward, Stoke Edith 

 Park. 



Gloucestershire. — Potatos of early varieties are 

 digging and the late ones are looking well. Persons 

 who were not careful to select good matured seed 

 have bare places in their Potato rows. I have not 

 heard one instance where the haulm was damaged 

 by the spring frosts, and there is a possibility of late 

 ones being dug earlier this season. Beauty of Hebron 

 is the one we rely upon to] comejn] ^before the late 



crops, and Scotch Champion for field culture. 

 A. Chapinin, Weston Birt, GUm 



Monmouth.— Potatos of the Ashleaf type, although 

 later than usual, have nevertheless produced a pro- 

 lific crop, the tubers being both numerous and large, 

 and the flavour is good notwithstanding the wet and 

 cold character of the season. Veitch's Ashleaf is a 

 valuable variety, and we grow many of it. Second 

 earlies and late varieties look well, their haulm being 

 robust and foliage well developed. Field crops gene- 

 rally look promising, except those planted upon very 

 tenacious soil. I have failed to find any trace of 

 disease, but hear that it has been observed in this 

 district. T. Coomher, T/ie Hendre. 



SOUTH-WESTERN COUNTIES. 



Somerset. — Potatos started evenly and strongly, 

 bat are now devoloping far too much haulm. The 

 Ashleaf and other early English varieties have been 

 plentiful and good in quality, but the American 

 introductions are very inferior, especially as regards 

 quality. Disease is also prevalent among the latter, 

 and some of the early English varieties are slightly 

 affected with it, and already the chances of an extra 

 heavy crop is marred. W. Iygulden, Marston House 

 Gardens, Frame. 



The Potatos are looking wonderfully well 



throughout the county of Somerset, but there is 

 rather too much haulm for a good crop to be general 

 or likely, and the disease has appeared in some 

 places. W. Hallett, Cossington House. Bridgcwater. 



Devonshire. — Potatos are very fine, and excellent 

 in flavour ; these remarks refer to all early kinds 

 grown here and in the district, and, judging from 

 appearances, the later kinds will be very fine and 

 plentiful. To-day I saw indications of disease in a 

 small garden near the river. G. Baker, Membland, 

 Plympton. 



Potatos have, up to this date, in their tops 



shown unusual vigour, but fears may well be felt for 

 their ultimate success, by reason of the excessive 

 rainfall and low temperature, heavy fogs, Sec, which 

 have marked the past three or four weeks. Spots of 

 the disease are showing daily in the leaves and stems 

 of the plants, which will undoubtedly increase 

 rapidly unless dry, sunny weather comes very soon. 

 James Easton, Wear House, near Exeter. 



— Potatos have all done remarkably well. 

 Disease made its appearance in the tubers of Beauty 

 of Hebron quite a fortnight ago. Sutton's Magnum 

 Bonum still retains its reputation as being the best 

 late Potato, and free from disease. 1). C. Powell, 

 Powderham Castle, Kenton, Exeter. 



Cornwall. — Both early and late varieties have 

 grown very strongly. Traces of disease appeared in 

 the first few days of July. Such sorts as Early Rose, 

 Beauty of Hebron, &c, have now fully half of the 

 foliage destroyed. I have found many diseased 

 tubers among those we are lifting for use. None 

 are yet fit for storing. J. Morton, Panaliniek. 

 Truro. 



WALES. 



Pembrokeshire. — The early varieties of Pototos 

 are a good crop, but much later than usual ; the 

 second earlies are a very heavy crop, and the late 

 crops look very promising, although I have to report 

 the disease having appeared here about the 5th ult. 

 It had very severely attacked a bed of Ashleaves in 

 a warm part of the garden. 67. Griffin, Sleheck Park, 

 Haverfordwest. 



Denbighshire. — All varieties look healthy and 

 strong. The early one is a good crop, but rather 

 late. Late crops give excellent promise, and hitherto 

 there is no sign of disease. Early Rose and Sharp's 

 Victor yield heavy crops ; Ashlelf varieties fair, and 

 of fair quality. The Potato crop in fields over 

 North Wales looks a healthy, regular, and even crop. 

 The late rains, foggy, and warm sultry atmosphere 

 will now try the stamina of the Potato to resist the 

 disease. P. Middleton, Wynnstay Gardens, Bualion. 



Earlies are a fair average crop, and of fair 



quality ; they were rather later than usual, owing to 

 the long continued cold weather during the months 



