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JOURNAL OP HORTICTJLTCBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ October 6, 1878. 



dry soil, during the past summer, with but indifferent results — ■ 

 that is to say, I obtained no greater produce out of a line so 

 planted than I did from a line planted on the old method, and 

 therefore I did not esteem the mode of cultivation a desirable 

 one to follow. Naturally I felt desirous to note how Mr. Fenn's 

 ridge-planted Potatoes turned out ; so, when the inevitable 

 refreshment had been partaken of, we turned out to the garden. 

 He grasping his digging-fork with as much zest and fervour as a 

 soldier would his beloved rifle, and I, note-book in hand, to 

 mark in permanent characters the results. But fiist I must 

 state, to my great joy, I found Potatoes were grown both upon 

 the ridge and the flat system in the old rectory garden at Wood- 

 stock; and after a fair comparison of the produce, we concluded 

 that nothing was gained by ridging, as the crop in each case 

 was about equal in a given length of row. The advantages of 

 the ridge system appear to be two — first, a saving of seed ; 

 second, great convenience for putting out winter crops. The 

 disadvantages are — first, more manual labour required in 

 planting ; second, a smaller crop from off a given space of 

 ground. One thing, however, must not be forgotten. Mr. 

 Fenn grows solely for comparison, and not for his own con- 

 sumption, a few of the coarse, rank-growing varieties, of which 

 we have far too many. His study and endeavour has long 

 been to obtain sorts that produce but a medium green growth, 

 and of such is the bulk of his crop ; so that the necessity does 

 not really exist for wide spaces between the rows, as the ex- 

 pansion of root fibres is pretty much regulated by haulm- 

 growths. Hitherto, also, the grafting process has found in 

 Mr. Penn a staunch believer — not necessarily, however, in its 

 capacity to produce great or beneficial results, but rather in its 

 capacity to produce changes ; and as I have not previously 

 scrupled to express my doubts as to the results of any kind 

 being obtained, the first thing to be done was to lift some roots 

 of grafted samples, starting with Milky White, to show its 

 natural character. We next lifted a root of the same variety 

 grafted into a Fluke, and found the produce to be more rounded 

 in form; there was a decided deviation both in shape and 

 colour, the foliage also distinctly altered. Then followed Milky 

 White grafted into Yorkshire Hero. Here the foliage presented 

 a combination of both these kinds, but the tuber was decidedly 

 in different. 



Onwards, a handsome second early round" of good quality 

 was next raised, and was followed by the same variety grafted 

 into Yorkshire Hero ; that developed a later growth of foliage 

 that was still green, and the tuber rather rougher and of 

 coarser appearance, and showing no improvement. Yorkshire 

 Hero grafted into Onwards exhibited no change whatever. 



Here we held a conference to discuss and compare notes ; 

 and this was the result of our conclusions : He to retain his 

 belief in grafting, but that it produced in the Potato no 

 beneficial results ; I to forego my hitherto utter incredulity, 

 and to recognise the principle of Potato-grafting, but with the 

 belief that for the production of improvement in sorts thereby 

 it was worthless. 



Thus far we had cleared out of our way two important 

 points of difference, and now turned to the more congenial, 

 but not less interesting duty of lifting and taking notes of the 

 seedlings and more recent kinds. I think we started with the 

 Old Lapstone, the parent of a numerous progeny. Why, I 

 wa3 quite startled this year to note in my large collection how 

 many of the sorts developed the Lapstone foliage, a growth 

 that, once seen, can at all times be recognised — upright, stiff, 

 with rounded incurved leaves — a most desirable sort of haulm 

 to get to a good variety ; but I fear that betwixt the sorts that 

 now yield this form of foliage there is rather too much of the 

 tweedledum and tweedledee difference. Here are a few of 

 them: Lapstone, Haigh's ditto, Huntingdon Kidney, Eixton, 

 Lady Paget, Pebble White, Crystal Palace, Ashtop Fluke 

 (how Ashtop ?), Daintree's Kidney, Yorkshire Hero, and 

 Beaconsfield Kidney, which latter Mr. Fenn thinks, as I do, 

 is just the old Pebble White, but having a rougher skin than 

 the Lapstone. Mr. Turner's other new variety, Union, is an 

 early round that closely resembles Walker's Seedling round in 

 general features. The Waterloo Kidney, as usual, lifted a fine 

 sample, and it is without exception one of the handsomest 

 and best bred of the white kidneys that we have. 



Now we come to one of Mr. Fenn's newest and choicest 

 productions, the Eector of Woodstock, which is decidedly a 

 good stock. It ranks as a second early, haulm of moderate 

 growth, and turns out such handsome white round tubers, and 

 (for we tasted them) of such excellent quality, that it must be 

 piononnced in Potato circles a real acquisition. This Potato 



has been the result of most careful selection, as some dozens 

 of seedlings, all of the same family, were lifted, and all good, 

 but the Eector was the best ; and we were thus enabled to sign 

 and seal Mr. Fenn's judgment, as well as that of the Fruit 

 Committee of the Eoyal Horticultural Society, who last year 

 awarded this variety a first-class certificate of merit. A fine 

 seedling round, pink in colour, of handsome appearance and 

 good cropper, is approved, and so is a handsome red kidney 

 that is very promising. Then we came upon a batch of seed- 

 lings raised from that capital round variety Early Emperor, 

 the pollen parent being Onwards, and lift a red round, much 

 like the Emperor parent, but it does not run out like that variety. 

 This seedling was both handsome and prolific. Next was a 

 pink round, much the colour of the American Kose. It was 

 rough in skin, early, and handsome, and is named English 

 Eose. This is a very promising kind also. A white round, 

 with purple-blotched eyes, very handsome and promising, is 

 next approved ; and so is a peculiarly good-looking, rough- 

 skinned red kidney, out of the same batch, that we dubbed 

 Fenn's Bountiful, for it is a good cropper, and a real beauty. 

 The last selected of this breed is a strong-growing white round, 

 having pink eyes, which is very handsome, and will make a 

 superb exhibition variety. One more seedling was from a cross 

 I between Shutford Seedling and Hogg's Coldstream. This was 

 ! a fine white round that will by-and-by take a prominent place 

 ! as a fine early. I think this is the one we dubbed, in a gallant 

 spirit, Eliza Fenn, after Mr. Fenn's kind and hospitable better- 

 : half. Mr. Fenn grows altogether a large collection, having 

 ! nearly all the best-known sorts that are in the market, and 

 ; many of these also were looked over, but notes of them may 

 ' well be left until some other time, when I may also embody 

 , with them mention of the results of my own trials. I must, 

 ! however, not omit to bear witness to the great care and patient 

 j attention that Mr. Fenn bestows upon the culture of his 

 ; favourite esculent, as also upon the still more difficult duty of 

 J selection. A high appreciation of beauty in shape and outline 

 rules his judgment ; and so much did the handsome and almost 

 perfect form of many of his new seedlings impress me, that 

 when the next day, on passing though Eeading, I looked in 

 upon the show then being held, I became so shocked with a 

 sight of many of the big, coarse, ugly Potato monstrosities 

 there staged, as to have suffered for some time afterwards from 

 I Potato nightmare. I exhort people who will show Potatoes, in 

 j the future to have some regard for the outraged sensibilities of 

 ] Potato critics. 



Years ago, long before Moule's system of earth closets had 

 j been unearthed, Mr. Fenn put the system into operation at 

 Woodstock. I saw his modus operandi, and can vouch for its 

 j simplicity, originality, and effectiveness. This is the source 

 from which is obtained the manure that has for some years 

 grown the Woodstock Potato, and capital stuff it is. The best 

 time for its application is early in the winter, and then it be- 

 comes thoroughly incorporated with the soil. It, moreover, 

 keeps the soil light and porous, and is altogether exempt from 

 most of those objections that apply to other strong manures 

 when used for Potato culture. 



Mr. Fenn has three specialities, in each of which he is well 

 posted— viz., Potatoes, Bees, and British Wine-making. Of 

 the first I have written ; of the second, I can only say that his 

 hives are of the best design, full of busy bees, and that his 

 honey is delicious ; and of the third — well, readers should see 

 and taste for themselves who can. The fine old rectory-house 

 has its entire front enveloped with Grape Vines that are bearing, 

 goodness only knows how many bunches ; but we saw that on one 

 chimney only there must have been at least half a hundred- 

 weight of fruit ; and then there is a large portion of garden- 

 wall also covered with Vines, and from the entire produce I 

 suppose will soon be brewed wine enough to fill the large cellars 

 under the rectory-house. 



Some day or other, perhaps, the Potatoes, Bees, and Wines 

 will make a noise, for Mr. Fenn ha3 a right to look forward for 

 the fruits of his labours. May the kindly geniality of disposition 

 that so strongly permeates the character of our Woodstock 

 friend always be his ! and when once more he shall shoulder 

 the fork and go forth to his annual Potato harvest, may I be 

 there to see !— Soctheon— {The Gardener.) 



Vine Leaves as Foddek. — The Chemical Ncu-s quotes from 

 Les Jilondes, to the effect that Vine leaves and the cuttings of 

 young Vine twigs are largely given in France to catile, in a 

 fresh state, and are also partly salted for winter forage. Since 



