302 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



t October 5, 1876. 



is of a rich crimson and allied to Dr. Masters. Ros:eflora is 

 of pyramidal habit, and the flowers are pink. Charles Yan 

 Eckhaute is> good white, but rather late. 



HOME ADORNMENTS. 



To the various picturesque contrivances devised by Messrs. 

 Dick Radclyfie & Co. is added that of a miniature floating 

 island in association with their small room aquarium. The 

 small figure of this submitted explains itself by showing how 

 colour and perfume may be added to the usual aquatic plants 

 by taking advantage of the adaptability of Hyacinths to this 

 mode of decoration. That a pleasing effect can be produced 

 in rooms and other places in the way suggested is very appa- 

 rent^ The plants employed are easy of management, and are 

 certain to flourish without any special care or extraordinary 



Fig. 44. 



skill; and this, " the latest novelty" of the firm in question, 

 is worthy of being submitted to those of the public who desire 

 to see their rooms rendered attractive by artistic contrivances 

 of this nature. 



INTERNATIONAL POTATO SHOW, ALEXANDRA 

 PALACE. 



September 28th and 29th. 



Subely never before in the history of the Potato, and that 

 history has been a chequered one, has so much interest been 

 attached to the tuber as in this our day and generation. Never 

 before the past few years have such Btimulants been offered for 

 the introduction of new varieties, as well as encouragements 

 been given for improvements in the culture of older sorts. 

 This is almost entirely due to private enterprise, and if real 

 good does not result no fault can attach to the promoters of 

 such exhibitions as the one in question, for those immediately 

 concerned have evidently worked well and for a good purpose. 



There are those who can see no beauty in Potato shows, and 

 are incredulous that any real benefit can arise from them ; but 

 on the other hand there are others, and not a few, who hold 

 opinions diametrically opposite, who believe that exhibitions of 

 Potatoes possess no ordinary attractions, and that the gathering 

 together of the best samples of the best varieties extant cannot 

 fail to be advantageous to the general community. The Potato 

 in itself is not an object of beauty so much as an article of 

 utility. But how often are theBe two qualities allied ? 



That the Potato possesses features which are attractive is 

 as certain as that it possesses qualities which are agreeable 

 to the palate. Possibly it is only those who have given special 

 attention to the tuber who can fully appreciate its points of 

 beauty, and who can discern at a glance whether that beauty 

 is more than " skin deep." These are the experts— the en- 

 thusiasts ; and it is well that there can be enthusiasts even in 

 the matter of Potatoes, for enthusiasts in every branch of in- 

 dustry and science have ever been the pioneers of improvement. 

 _ Potato shows unquestionably afford a stimulus to the cultiva- 

 tion of new varieties, and kitchen gardens become thereby more 

 interesting to their owners, the ground becomes better managed, 

 and the natural requirements of the Potato are more studied 

 by the cultivators. These are advantages produced by exhi- 

 bitions. Other advantages are expected from these special 

 shows. They should teach the public, through the judges, the 

 standards of excellence desirable to be attained in endeavours 

 to produce tubers in the greatest perfection. They should 

 teach us not only that Potatoes to be perfect must be spot- 

 less, speckless, and scabless, and, if not eyeless, the growing 

 parts must almost approach the " vanishing point," and that 

 the form of the tubers must not be irregular and corrugated, 

 but symmetrical, and without furrows or protuberances. These 



desiderata are generally acknowledged by the judges, but another 

 important point, that of size, is not nearly so unanimously de- 

 termined. It cannot be too urgently repeated that Potatoes to be 

 acceptable must be of medium size. These are not only almost 

 invariably the best in quality, but they are undoubtedly the 

 most agreeable in appearance ; yet how frequently do we find 

 unwieldy size triumphant, and the big bearing away the palm 

 of supremacy. 



Besides desiring to see an authoritative veto placed against 

 gigantic tubers, we desire especially to see the real qualities of 

 varieties brought to the Eurface. This can only be done by 

 cooking. The cooking of hundreds of dishes would entail con- 

 siderable expense, but that in a measure might be met by com- 

 petitors. We should like to see a great international handicap 

 open to all the world and every kind, an entrance fee being 

 paid on every dish submitted to the cooks. We should like to 

 see the prizes substantial and numerous, and to know the nature 

 of the soil, modes of management and manures used in pro- 

 ducing the prize dishes. Unquestionable good would then result, 

 valuable information would be forthcoming, and a competition 

 of great interest and importance would certainly be produced. 

 If the able and energetic managers of the Alexandra Potato 

 Show could see their way to establishing a class of this nature 

 they would more completely achieve the object which they have 

 in view— improving the Potato and its modes of culture. 



"We will now look more immediately at the Show. There 

 were seventeen classes, in the first of which prizes to the amount 

 of upwards of £30 were offered. Two silver cups were provided, 

 and other substantial prizes were offered by those who are more 

 or less identified with Potato culture. 



We will follow the arrangement of the schedule, beginning 

 with the first and most comprehensive Class, A. This was for 

 twenty-four varieties of Potatoes, distinct, nine tubers of each 

 (open). All the prizes in this class were given by the Alexandra 

 Palace Company, who contributed forty guineas to the general 

 fund. The amounts of the prizes were £12 12s., £9 9s., £5 5s., 

 £3 3s., and £2 2s. In thiB class fifteen collections were staged, 

 and the Judges could not but have had considerable difficulty 

 in distinguishing the relative merits of such admirable examples 

 of culture, but eventually they awarded first honours to Mr. 

 Porter of Old Meldrum. There could be no disputing the clean- 

 liness, beauty, and finish of this fine Scottish collection, but a 

 majority of the tubers were too large for table purposes. Porter's 

 Excelsior were very large, but the tubers of Model were models 

 as to size, as also were those of Hector of Woodstock, Victoria, 

 and Albion Kidney. Other fine dishes were Select Blue, Bresee's 

 Prolific, Climax, Snowflake, Wonderful (red), Napoleon, Ashtop 

 Fluke, Crimson Walnut-leaf, Early Vermont, and Early King ; 

 while the Grampian, Blue Aahleaf, Napoleon, and Champion were 

 rather coarse. The second prize went to Mr. Pink, Lee Court, 

 Faversham, who also staged a splendid collection of medium- 

 sized tubers ; they were also smooth and well finished, but not so 

 transparent as their larger rivals. Highly superior amongst the 

 rounds were Model, Coldstream, Porter's Excelsior, Rector of 

 Woodstock, and Red Emperor ; Giant King was also good. The 

 best kidneys were Birmingham Prizetaker, Berkshire Kidney, 

 Bountiful, Bresee's Prolific, Hedley's Nonpareil, and Snowflake ; 

 other good dishes beiDg Bryanston Kidney, Early Vermont, Prince 

 of Wales, MagnumBonnm, and Late Rose. Many on-lookers con- 

 sidered this collection equal in merit to that which secured the 

 premier prize, but it lost the honour by the unpardonable coarse- 

 ness of Scamle's Glory, Ruby, and Blanchard. The third prize 

 was awarded to Mr. Lye, Clyffe Hill, Devizes, but the tubers as 

 a whole were wanting in clearness, although most of them were 

 of the correct size. The best dish was Model, followed by Early 

 Market, Climax, Bresee's Peerless, and Lye's Favourite. The 

 best kidneys in this group were Snowflake and Bountiful. The 

 fourth prize went to Mr. Peter McKinlay, Beekenham, who 

 staged a collection containing some handsome dishes, especially 

 of McKinlay's Seedling, a rather small but beautifully clean 

 pebble-shaped tuber ; also Model, Webb's Imperial, Boyal Ash- 

 leaf, and International Kidney. The remaining dishes were 

 more or less coarse, yet the collection was quite equal to the 

 third-prize lot. The fifth prize went to Lott & Hart, Whitehall 

 Nursery, Faversham, for a good collection. 



In Class B, for eighteen varieties, distinct, nine tubers of 

 each, open to gentlemen's gardeners and amateurs only, the 

 first prize, a silver cup value £10 10s. was given by Messrs. Sut- 

 ton & Sons, seedsmen, Beading. The remaining prizes were 

 £10 10s., £6 6s., £4 4s., £2 2s., and £1 Is. For these prizes there 

 were twenty-three competitors, first honours again going to Scot- 

 Scotland in the person of Mr. G. Donaldson, Inverurie. This 

 was a very superior collection, and merited the handsome cup 

 which it won. The varieties comprised Hundredfold Flnke, 

 Victoria, York Regent, BreEee's Peerless, Yorkshire Hero, The 

 Countess, Rector of Woodstock, Long Blue, Early HandBworth, 

 Bountiful, Bresee's Prolific, Scotch Blue, Snowflake.Early Bose, 

 Early King, Early Goodrich, Webb's Imperial, and Main Crop. 

 every variety being shown in admirable condition. The second 

 prize waB awarded to Mr. Finlay, Wroxton Abbey, Banbury; 



