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JOUBNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 12, 1376. 



injure the health of the neighbouring population, the Bulletin 

 Franqais has lately published some interesting faets. It was 

 in 18B8 that the method was brought into operation. In 1860 

 the population of Gennevilliers had reached the number of 

 2052 inhabitants. Dividing the series of years since then into 

 two periodB, it is found that the average annual mortality in 

 the first period was fifty-two persons ; in the second, forty- 

 six. Not a great difference, indeed, but it is sufficient to 

 prove that when the irrigations acquired their greatest extent 

 the mortality did not increase, but rather diminished. Since 

 1872 there had been in the commune twenty-seven cases of 

 intermittent fever, but all without exception have been in the 

 neighbourhood of a lake into which the waters of the village 

 flow, and on its north side. They are probably due to this 

 lake, not to the irrigations. Again, when the sewage irrigation 

 commenced, the hamlet of Gressillons, which is in the middle 

 of the irrigated land, had fewer than forty inhabitants; it 

 now numbers 327, and its sanitary state is excellent ; there has 

 not been a single case of intermittent fever. It may be added 

 that the workmen employed in the irrigation live in the heart 

 •of this supposed centre of iufection. There are thirty-five of 

 them, and some have worked for eight years there, yet they all 

 enjoy excellent health. The water of wells sunk in the plain 

 of Gennevilliers is perfectly clear and limpid, though it is 

 certain that it comes from infiltration of liquid which has not 

 been absorbed by the plants or by the soil. This water, treated 

 with permanganate of potaBh, has not been found to contain 

 any organic matters. — (World of Science.) 



EXHIBITING POTATOES. 



I am not a disappointed exhibitor, as I did not compete in 

 the classes at the Alexandra Palace Show ; I have therefore 

 the less hesitation in noticing the way in which many of the 

 Potatoes were staged and the manner in which they were 

 judged. 



I went to the Show for the purpose of gathering information, 

 such as would enable me on some future occasion to stage col- 

 lections to the best advantage. I wished to know whether I 

 should select tubers large or of medium size ; also whether they 

 should be simply washed, or whether they should be polished 

 and buttered for the Judges' inspection. I went at some cost 

 and distance, and I went hopefully, but I have returned per- 

 plexed and disappointed. 



To begin with the dressing of the tubers. I am inclined to 

 think that the Scotch polish found favour in the eyes of the 

 Judges, and that had it not been for the gloss — the varnishing 

 and burnishing which the tubers had received in the premier- 

 prize collection, that they would not have won their position. 

 I think so for this reason: By far the majority of on-lookers 

 — and most of these competent gardeners — on being appealed 

 to as to which collection was most suitable for the dinner table, 

 considered that the medium-sized tubers of Mr. Pink were 

 (preferable to the large produce from Mr. Porter. On the score 

 of appearance, however, the Scottish collection undoubtedly 

 bore the palm. 



Now there is as much difference between Potatoes which 

 have been prepared by Scotch polish and others which have 

 been simply washed, as there is between a pair of boots which 

 have been oiled and another pair " shined " with the best " Day 

 and Martin." I made several inquiries as to the mode adopted 

 m polishing Potatoes. " Oh I it's the soil they are grown in," 

 says one — he was a canny Scotchman. But others were less re- 

 ticent, and from one who had assisted in polishing I gathered 

 that the tubers after being well washed 'are smartly rubbed 

 with a coarse cloth, are then doctored with new milk, and are 

 again smoothed with the hand or some soft material. My 

 informant also said that occasionally butter was used, but he 

 regarded new milk as the best " Potato polish." Certain it is 

 that many of the prize tubers had been operated upon with 

 something besides pure water, and I can further say that after 

 trying the recipe above given it produced the same appearance 

 on the Potatoes as that borne by so many of the tubers at the 

 Exhibition in question. 



In thus polishing their produce the exhibitors infringed no 

 rules, the only stipulation was that the tubers must be washed, 

 and the polishers have the justification that the Judges in most 

 instances awarded them the prizes. How far the practice is 

 worthy of encouragement is another question. If it is legitimate 

 to impart an artificial gloss by the application of a substance 

 foreign to the nature of the Potato, is it not equally permissible 

 to " drees" a flower, or add a tint to an Apple or Pear? 



A short time ago I read that a fine collection of quilled 

 Asters was disqualified because they had been dressed with 

 flour, and I further read the opinion of a good authority that 

 dressing of flowers is permissible by removing from them any- 

 thing which marred their beauty, but to aid anything to them 

 is culpable and should not be tolerated by judges. 



In the latest fashion of dressing Potatoes for exhibition it 

 is clear that something is added to them, and that the " gloss " 

 which " catches the eye " is produced artificially. Observe, I 

 do not find fault with the Judges, and I am perfectly satisfied 

 that their awards fell where they did, simply because no rule 

 was infringed ; but in future I cannot help thinking that for 

 the sake of simplicity and uniformity it would be well that the 

 tubers should simply be washed, and that no grease or polish 

 should be added to them. Intending exhibitors would then 

 know what to do ; but at present they do not know how far 

 polishing may extend, or whether suddenly and without notice 

 it may be discountenanced by the Judges. 



I should like to hear the opinions of some of the gentlemen 

 who acted as Judges at the late Show, whether doctoring of 

 the tubers should be prohibited or permitted. 



Next, as to size of tubers. It is clear that a standard is 

 necessary, for some judges award the palm to Potatoes which 

 are beyond all doubt too large for any gentleman's table, while 

 other judges allow correct table size to weigh considerably in 

 their deliberations. It was impossible to gather from the awards 

 at the Alexandra Show whether large or medium-sized tubers 

 should be selected, because the Judges in some classes awarded 

 the prizes to large, and others to comparatively small tubers. 

 That much depends on the individual fancy of a judge is 

 certain from the fact that the same exhibitor must stage — say, 

 for the best dish of a given variety, one dish of large, another 

 of medium size, and another of comparatively small tubers to 

 " make sure of a place." Surely such a mode of guesswork is 

 not satisfactory, and it cannot be regarded as impossible that 

 those who give special attention to the showing and judging of 

 Potatoes cannot make some definite provision that Potatoes 

 to win must be of presentable size for placing on a well-furnished 

 dinner table. 



At present the standard of size is not in any way defined, 

 and the awards at the great Show have only added to the 

 general perplexity on .this point. If the Judges were gentle- 

 men's gardeners they must have known that they could not 

 have placed many of the dishes which found favour in their 

 eyes on their employers' tables. The question of size may be 

 a difficult point to determine, but surely a man who has been 

 sending Potatoes to table for, it may be, a quarter of a century, 

 knows that a tuber which is large enough to fill a plate is not 

 such as will do credit to his choice in the estimation of the 

 guests at the table. 



Unless Potatoes fulfil the conditions for which they ate 

 primarilyfcultivated they cannot, I think, be considered per- 

 fect. Prizes should only^be awarded to perfect dishes, and we 

 look to Potato exhibitions and judges to show us the standards 

 of perfection, but hitherto we have looked in vain. Since the 

 two great shows at the Alexandra Palace growers are more 

 perplexed than ever ; they do not know what Bizes to select, 

 and how far dressing is ,a virtue or a bane. These are ques- 

 tions worthy of consideration and discussion which may tend 

 to a=sist jboth judges and exhibitors, and enlighten many. — 

 A Puzzled Visitob. 



NOTES on VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 



Kitchen Garden. — See to the planting-out of Cabbages for 

 spring use as fast as plants can be obtained, because the weather 

 at present is so favourable for them to establish themselves. 

 This is such a usef al vegetable that it can hardly be planted out 

 at the wrong time, and if plants are planted on good ground 

 where they grow quickly they can be used in quite a young 

 state; therefore tho plants maybe put out thickly now, say a 

 foot apart in the rows, and this will allow of every other plant 

 being taken out for winter use, leaving the rest to heart in the 

 spring. Something depends upon the sorts used. If a large- 

 growing sort is grown the plants must not be planted so closely 

 together, but just so that they will be finally left at a regular 

 distance sufficient to produce good-sized Cabbages. Those left 

 in the seed bed and which are not wanted for filling-up during 

 winter may be planted out in Bpriug, and will be certain to be 

 useful. 



Lettuces must be planted out under walls and sheltered places 

 as space oan be provided, and another small bed of seed Bhonld 

 be sown. The plants from this sowing may not all thrive, but 

 when we consider that in the autumn and sometimes the early 



