234 



CASSELL'S POPULAK GAEDENIXG. 



prevention being better than the best of remedies, it 

 is a good plan to fork down a piece of the border 

 every autumn, and to add a little more fresh soil 

 from year to year until the allotted space is full. If 

 the trees still show an inclination to grow too strong 

 after the trellis is filled, a trench two feet in width 

 may be taken out along the front of the border, and 

 all strong roots pruned back, when a new turf wall 

 some little distance away may be built up to keep 

 them from again touching the brickwork. 



Renovating Old Trees. — Although the Fig 

 is more likely to become gross than weak, it does 

 not follow that the compost never requires reno- 

 vating. In course of time the fibre dies out of the 

 turf, the compost becomes sour and pasty, and the 

 most valuable roots perish. The trees then begin to 

 make long- jointed growths, the leaves become thin 

 and flabby, and the fruit very often drops when it 

 should commence its last swelling. When these 

 symptoms assert themselves, the remedy must be 

 again sought in lifting the roots ; but instead of 

 returning the old compost, cut away all unhealthy 

 roots, correct the drainage, and cover it with new 

 sods, grass-side downwards. In the meantime 

 prepare fresh compost similar to that recommended 

 for new borders, and re-lay the roots within a few 

 inches of the surface. It is hardly necessary to 

 inform the readers of these pages that the best time 

 to perform this operation is as soon as the second 

 crop of fruit is gathered, and as this severe check 

 will tell upon the trees, the house should be kept 

 warm and moist by frequent syringing until the 

 roots have taken to the new compost. 



THE POTATO. 



By William Easlet. 



THE Potato, a perennial plant, is supposed to 

 have been first brought to England on the re- 

 turn of the colonists sent out to America (Virginia) 

 by Sir Walter Ealeigh during the year 1586, though 

 it did not become very popular for some time after- 

 wards. It nevertheless grew so in favour eventually 

 that we are told during the year 1796, in the county 

 of Essex alone, about 1,700 acres were under culture 

 with the tuber for the use of the London markets. 

 From that date onward it has been held in much 

 esteem, until to-day it is in higher demand than 

 ever ; and this notwithstanding the fact that the viru- 

 lent disease attacked it, which first made its appear- 

 ance during the month of August, 1845, and caused 

 in some seasons a loss of three-fourths of the entire 

 crop, and great pecuniary injury to growers. 



Happily, the culture of the well-called u noble 

 tuber " has advanced, in a scientific point of view, 

 more during the past decade than ever previously ; 

 so that, what with improvement of varieties, and 

 more thoughtful preparation of soils and planting, 

 results are generally of a satisfactory nature. 



To succeed in the culture, practice must therefore, 

 whether large or limited quantities are grown, be in 

 accord with such data as have been gained by ex- 

 perience from very varied sources. For many years 

 following the introduction of the tuber, it was subject 

 to what may be termed a very gross system of culture 

 — such a system, in fact, as no other kind of culti- 

 vated plant has been subjected to. Any kind of soil 

 upon any site was considered fit for it. The most rank 

 of crude manures were applied, and in very contact 

 with the tubers. Happily, however, during much of 

 that time autumn planting was resorted to, a prac- 

 tice which gave the soil time to in a great measure 

 neutralise, by its deodorising influences, the excessive 

 rankness. It was a common practice to form trenches, 

 place thick layers of pig-manure and others therein, 

 and to press the seed-tubers, often cut into divisions, 

 down thereon, and to then bury all together. 



For some time previous to the first appearance of 

 the disease which the plant has of late years been so 

 subject to, spring planting took the place of autumn 

 planting, and probably to this fact, associated with 

 thickness of seed-sowing, is to be attributed the 

 inherent weakness of the species, which made it 

 subject to the dire disease. Beyond this, " sets " or 

 " seeds " were chosen indiscriminately from year- 

 after-year grown stock, these generally being the 

 smallest tubers, and consequently ofttimes the pro- 

 geny of the weakest haulms, &c, all going together 

 to make up a most careless, as it was a thoughtless 

 system, such as in due time ripened into most 

 destructive results. 



Fortunately, advanced horticulture proved pre- 

 pared for the emergency, the result being, with 

 cultural consideration and practice, such as we now 

 hasten to describe. This invaluable tuber bids fair 

 to continue in its present state, enjoying greater 

 immunity from attacks of the disease and continually 

 increasing quality and prolificacy, proving second 

 only to Wheat as a staple product of immense annual 

 value. 



The soil which suits it best is as new and good a 

 yellow loam as can be insured for it, possessing from 

 one-seventh to one-eighth of sandy components. The 

 sound maiden loam of old pasturage-land when 

 it has to be broken up is the best possible kind 

 for this crop. Whatever site be chosen, however, it 

 should be an exposed one, not unduly subject to 

 shade from trees, &c. ; an upland one for preference, 

 or where good drainage exists, efficient for the carry- 



