280 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 13, 1870. 



needs in the way of vegetables, and be plants it with standard 

 Apple, Pear, and Plum trees in the hope of some day getting 

 enough fruit to pay the rent. The trees grow, rendering the 

 ground totally unfit for vegetables, and soon beoome an orchard 

 of trees that need no looking after, and with them the greater 

 part of the interest is lost. Some part of the ground is turned 

 up, kept for growing Potatoes — tbey are indispensable — but 

 they are often not worth taking up, and he grumbles at the 

 work of his predecessor's hands. Fruit for small gardens is 

 all very well, but it fills no gap like Potatoes and vegetables 

 generally, nor is it nearly so needful for health. 



In small gardens, however, there is no reason why fruit as 

 well as vegetables Bhould not be cultivated well and in quantity 

 sufficient for the wants of a cottager's household ; but it muBt 

 not be sought by planting trees that, when full-grown, will 

 render useless as much ground as would be required for the 

 growth of enough of both to meet all the requirements of the 

 family. Should the cottager, fortunate in having a plot of 

 ground, rest content with only vegetables ? By no means. On 

 the contrary, let him have his Gooseberry and Currant bushes, 

 and his bueh or pyramid Apple and Pear trees, with Plums, all 

 of which bear excellently in that form, and being always of 

 reasonable proportions, do not render the ground unfit for any- 

 thing except grass and weeds, as may be seen in many places 

 besides Kent. The value of such trees is not known half so 

 well as it deserves to be ; indeed, I am convinced that a future 

 generation will not retain, much less plant, a plot of ground 

 with standard Apple, Pear, and Plum trees ; for anyone who has 

 planted both cannot but be surprised by the greater benefits 

 offered by bushes and pyramids than by standards. Like 

 standards, all bush and pyramid trees are not fruitful, but 

 some kinds are extraordinarily prolific, affording more fruit, 

 and of a fiuer quality, in three years than a standard in seven, 

 and always as much in proportion to the ground occupied. I 

 hope Mr. Rivers will favour us with an account of the moBt 

 suitable kinds of Apples, Pears, and Plums — those affording 

 the greatest quantity of the finest fruit, and with the greatest 

 certainty. This would give an impetus to fruit culture in small 

 gardens, the owner and family having within their reach fruit 

 of the best out-door kinds, both as regards quantity and quality. 

 I shall refer to the subject of fruit for small gardens at some 

 future time, and I should not have alluded to it at present, but 

 my object was to show the detrimental effects of large fruit 

 trees on ground required in part for vegetable crops, and 

 especially Potatoes. 



It is a common error to suppose that good Potatoes cannot 

 be grown in gardens. The ground is considered too rich, or 

 it is said from some other cause they are indifferent in quality ; 

 but I have been a grower for upwards of twenty years, and am 

 satisfied that they can be, and are, grown well in all gardens 

 where the requisites are afforded. In many EO-called gardens, 

 which are in fact orchards, they do not thrive, nor can they be 

 expected to do so, for the fruit trees shade the ground too 

 much, and Potatoes, with vegetable crops of all kinds, endure 

 least of all a rival. Open spaces are required for Potatoes ; in 

 no other can they be successfully cultivated. 



An open situation, as I have stated, is necessary — one not 

 shaded by trees, which are objectionable in several ways ; their 

 roots are quite as injurious as their heads, and they dry the 

 ground in summer. There is nothing beyond this to hinder 

 the cultivation of good sound Potatoes in gardens. 



Next to the situation, the ground is the most important con- 

 sideration. Almost every description of soil will grow this 

 crop, but there can be no question that some soils are better 

 suited to it than others ; and yet this ought not to deter those 

 with soil not so favourable from growing this most important 

 tuber, t Any soil may be made to meet all the requirements of 

 the Potato, but first of all the ground muBt be drained ; secondly, 

 it must be brought into " good heart " and tilth. 

 *» The ground Bhould be well and deeply dug in November, and 

 thrown up as roughly as possible. If at all heavy it is well to 

 throw it in ridges, the narrower the better, so as to expose it 

 to frost as much as possible. If it has not been trenched it 

 would be well to do bo, not bringing up too great a depth of the 

 subsoil, if the latter is of a stiff inert description. Soils which 

 have long been worked become when trenched almost as good 

 as ireBh land. If the ground is rich and full of vegetable 

 matter or animal manures, no manure need be given. There 

 is ground in gentlemen's gardens quite rich enough for 

 Potatoes, but it is seldom so in small gardens ; therefore, in 

 digging give a good dressing of manure, preferring that which 

 is fresh. It is wasteful to throw dung and litter in heaps to 



ferment, driving off its most fertilising principles. Littery as 

 it may be, dig it in dnriBg November, or, if the ground is to be 

 trenched, place the manure between the bottom and top spit. 

 It will rot in the ground, and it is an error to conclude that its 

 manuring properties are washed out and carried off by rains. 

 The soil has a remarkable power of seizing on ammonia and 

 other important substances, which to a great extent are dissi- 

 pated in a heap of heating and fermenting manure. I am con- 

 vinced, from the great benefits of spreading fresh manure on 

 the ground as mulching, that the system of manure heaps is an 

 error. Deoayed manure is very portable, and in every way 

 more easily applied than fresh manure, but I am certain that 

 one load of the latter is a greater stimulant to growth than 

 two of that which has been thrown in a heap and left until re- 

 duced to a soapy mass, and it will cover twice as much ground. 

 It is a faot also, that ground which has been turned up and 

 exposed to the atmosphere increases in fertility, whilst ground 

 left between crops to grow nothing but weeds, and with the sur- 

 face close and firm, forms but a very indifferent medium for the 

 succeeding crop. We often see ground left undug until it is 

 wanted for cropping. Cottage gardeners and occupiers of small 

 plots rarely dig until it is time to crop. It ought to be dug and 

 manured as soon as each crop is off, so as to be ready whenever 

 required. For Potatoes, as I said before, the ground should be 

 dug and manured in November, and if possible in dry weather, 

 and it will be more benefited than it would be bv two or more 

 diggings in spring. The frost will make the clods fall down, 

 and greatly improve the soil's fertility. 



In February, or if hard frost or wet weather occur, then in 

 March, turn the ground over with a fork, and if it has been 

 ridged up, level the ridges, giving the whole an even surface. 

 All hard lumps of soil should at the same time be broken small. 

 The soil being turned up early in spring it will soon be in a 

 good condition for planting, and in no case ought this to be at- 

 tempted when the soil when trodden on becomes a close, heavy 

 mass which adheres to the feet. 



Before planting we must consider the seed and the kinds. 

 Of the seed, or sets, I would say, let them be of fair size, and as 

 uniform as possible. If there are different sizes, plant each 

 size by itself to secure that uniformity in the haulm which is 

 pleasing to the eye. I admire nothing so much in Potato crops 

 as regularity of growth. Some advise small sets, and, if the 

 seed Potatoes are large, cut them to pieces ; but I like a good 

 set, and whole. I would not have sets weighing less than 

 1£ oz., nor need they exceed 3 ozs. in weight. If the sets must 

 be cut do not do it too hard. A cut set Bhould be somewhat 

 larger than a whole one. Select the seed from ground at a 

 distance from that which you intend planting, and of a different 

 kind, doing this every second, or at most every third year. See 

 that the sets are sound, and if possible make sure that the 

 first sprouts have not bten previously rubbed cff. Make sure 

 of these ; none are so good, nor will any afford such fine 

 Btrong haulm, and fine, even-Bized tubers. To prevent sprout- 

 ing it will be necessary to keep the tubers cool in winter, but 

 safe from frost. This is a very important matter, and one very 

 much neglected. 



To secure regularity in the crop, let the Fets be placed thinly 

 in boxes or hampers, or on a floor, at least a month before 

 planting, and the place need not be a very warm one, for if the 

 early kinds make sprouts from half to three-quarters of an 

 inch long, and the second earlies sprout enough to exhibit 

 their activity, it is sufficient. Long sprouts are so liable to be 

 knocked off, tbat they are often a source of injury instead of 

 being a benefit. I would plant none but those which show 

 signB of growth. 



With regard to varieties, I am very diffident about saying 

 anything, as I consider there has been but little advance of 

 late years, except in coarseness. Quality has not been suffi- 

 ciently considered, therefore I may be excused if I still adhere 

 to the old sorts. The new kinds have too much top, are too 

 large, and have very large, deep-sunk eyes, causing much waste. 

 Of very early kinds, there is none to beat trie old Ashleaf 

 Kidney. It is the best earliest sort for frames and the garden, 

 but it is not a very heavy cropper, and must have prominence 

 only for its earliness. Of this there are several Bo-called varie- 

 ties, but ail that I have grown have proved merely well-selected 

 stocks. 



Myatt's Prolific is a very fine prolific kind, much more so 

 thau the Ashleaf, and succeeding it by ten days. Except for 

 very early crops this ought to be made the early kind, enough 

 of the Ashleaf being- planted to afford a ten-days supply. The 

 La.istone is the best of all Potatoe?, taking prodi o : and quality 



