156 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



April, 1 910 



structure, in plants exposed to light of different colors. The 

 plants raised under white glass, for example, had the 

 strongest stems, containing the greatest number of woody 

 fibres, the best-formed and most numerous thick-walled 

 cells, and the smallest pith. 



Finally, MM. Flammarion and Loisel have made some 

 new discoveries in regard to the accumulation of albu- 

 minoids in plants. They planted beans in pots, which 

 were exposed to the open air until the flowers had been 

 fertilized, and were then distributed equally among the 

 four glass houses. On the same day, some of the young 

 pocis, which were then less than one inch long, were ana- 

 lyzed. The total nitrogen was found equal to 4.5 per 



cent., and the albuminoid nitrogen to 0.276 per cent, of 

 the dry weight. Analyses of fully-developed pods, taken 

 from the various houses one month later, ga\'e the follow- 

 ing results : 



Color of glass White Red Green Blue 



Percentage of total nitrogen 5. 11 6.06 6.32 6.82 



Percentage of albuminoid nitrogen . 4.53 4.76 4.83 5.41 

 These figures show that the proportion of nitrogen is in- 

 creased under colored glass, and that the greatest increase 

 is produced by those rays which least affect the formation 

 and activity of chlorophyll. The crop was normal under 

 white and red glass (although the plants were blanched by 

 the latter), and poor under the green and the blue glass. 



A Novel Method of Growing Potatoes 



By S. Leonard Bastin. 



N 1 HE gardening world another instance 

 has been found of many most valued dis- 

 coveries coming to light through chance 

 happenings. This is an entirely new 

 method of growing potatoes for the early 

 markets, one which is so simple and effec- 

 tive that it cannot fail to be universally 

 adopted, and is certainly curious enough to be placed on 

 record. A few years since, on a large private estate in 

 England, a quantity of potatoes had been placed aside in 

 a dark shed, stacked in a heap on the floor. Not being re- 

 quired for use, the tubers were left in that position for the 

 best part of a year, and it was not until the autumn follow- 

 ing that they were examined with the idea of throwing 

 them away, it being concluded that after the long interval 

 they could not be of any use. A few spadefuls were 

 shoveled into the light, and it was then seen that the tubers 

 had started to do a very remarkable thing. Every speci- 

 men was crowded with little potatoes, quite white and about 

 the size of the tip of the little finger. More out of curi- 

 osity than anything else, a number of the old tubers was 

 placed on a darkened shelf and left there for a few weeks. 

 At the end of that time it was found that the small tubers 

 had increased very nuich in size, being as large as walnuts. 



A number of the finest were gathered and cooked, and were 

 found to be excellent. Indeed they were pronounced by ex- 

 perts to be superior to the ordinary run of new potatoes, 

 in that the consistency of the tuber was firm, but less in- 

 clined than usual to waxiness. Soon after the discovery, 

 an exhibit of the novel mode of growing the potatoes was 

 made at the Horticultural Show, London, and this caused 

 a great deal of speculation as to how the new tubers were 

 produced. Latterly a full explanation of the method has 

 come to light, and further experiments have shown that 

 the discovery is one which should rank as of first class im- 

 portance in gardening circles. It will doubtless be of in- 

 terest to outline the chief points in the treatment, which is 

 peculiarly attractive to the country house owner. 



Almost any kind of potato usually grown for keeping 

 purposes is well suited for the novel culture. It is better to 

 produce tubers of a good size, and when making the selec- 

 tion the biggest examples should be picked out. Freedom 

 from any blemish or disease is of the utmost importance 

 as any rotten patches on the tubers might easily spread and 

 endanger the whole crop. The potatoes employed must 

 be those which are technically known as "two-year-olds"; 

 that is they are products of the previous season's yield. 

 On this account to get the necessary stock the tubers will 



Growing the potatoes under ground. 



Cutting off the shoots from the tubers. 



