44 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



rewarded by a good thing, but even then it takes 

 years to work up stock. Still I am proud of such 

 seedlings as Syon House Prolific, a good late variety, 

 the Syon Main Crop, a mid-season variety, and English 

 Beauty, a very early tuber. The last was the result 

 of crossing Myatt's Ashleaf, a noted kind for early 

 work, with the American, Beauty of Hebron. The 

 Messrs. Sutton have of late years raised some beautiful 

 tubers, and such are a great boon to our gardens. 

 At the same time the field potato has received its 

 fair share of attention. There are some notable 

 cropping varieties, and if given fair culture few 

 crops are more profitable. Our good old friend Mr. 

 Fenn, who did so much for the potato many years ago, 

 should not be forgotten. Many will still remember his 

 good work and the splendid crops obtained from 

 his new varieties, like the Magnum Bonum — which is 

 still a favourite, though later introductions have partially 

 ousted it. 



Early Potatoes. — Many persons can grow early potatoes 

 who have not space for the mid-season or later kinds, 

 and many place earliness before every other point. 

 But flavour should l>e considered as the first point. 

 The same flavour does not suit all. For instance, the 

 Ashleaf varieties have a peculiar flavour of their own, a 

 close firm character, whereas many persons prefer a 

 loose flowery potato, so that in selecting early kinds this 

 should be borne in mind. In many of the recent 

 introductions the old Ashleaf quality is in a great 

 measure retained, but the other parents have given 

 tubers more flowery, the combination being most 

 valuable. The tubers sent from abroad bear no com- 

 parison with our own early kinds as regards flavour. 

 They are usually of a close or waxy nature, though 

 this does not apply to some of the Jersey tubers, 

 some of which are excellent. These latter are a great 



